March 16th, REPORTS!

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Permalink Reply by Saera on March 18, 2008 at 7:23am

Wow! That is SOOOOO many youth! How delightful!

Recently there was a split of the New England area (I think, I always get confused about the organization) was split into Boston and the rest of New England. I attended both, since I live in the Boston Area right now but I'm moving at the end of the month, I went to both meetings. They were both very beautiful and inspiring. It was really cool to have both meetings well kicked off by the Young Lions. I was impressed by one young pianist who composed the song he played! It was really cool to start learning about the people in my new area, and going from one meeting to the next granted me the opportunity to appreciate the continuation of the spirit of this practice - how the oneness of mentor and disciple truly unifies people across the SGI in so many ways - geographically, culturally, economically, and so forth. I am so excited that I have the good fortune to be in the Youth Division during this time. :D

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Permalink Reply by Norma on March 18, 2008 at 2:06pm

My husband and our twins went and they said the same thing....AMAZING!

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Permalink Reply by Geri on March 18, 2008 at 3:49pm

Hi Grady,
I had done a report too but in the Koteketai group and I was asked to post it in a general discussion area where everyone can read it. So, I did and with a message from the YWD National Leader, Vinessa Shaw. Hope you enjoy my report as much as I enjoyed yours!
Geri

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Permalink Reply by tokiwa on March 19, 2008 at 8:30pm

Thank you for sharing your report!

Here in Tokyo, we had smaller group meetings to encourage discussion.

I didn't do a headcount but I want to say there were maybe 20 members.

One of the members who is a Soka U first year student gave her experience about meeting members in Singapore and she did it in English! The Elem. School div sang that We are America song in English! And another YMD also gave his exprience in both Eng/Japanese. The members were very sincere and worked hard to incorporate English for our sake -- very touching.

I believe there were a total of 5 youth div, 3 elementary division. The rest were WD/MD

And my husband attended this meeting (first time to a discussion meeting in over one year)! Yeah!

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Permalink Reply by Mike on March 19, 2008 at 9:27pm

I am a Men's Group Chief in Chicago's northside.

I've been chanting with & in support of my fellow members' effort to connect with & engage youth in March 16 activities. While our district has officially 9 youth division, we've realized well over 20 other youth who are not members & do not have gohonzon in their home...but who have some connection to the practice directly through members of our district.

Our Chicago Culture Center will be hosting 4 large-scale meetings in March, while youth leaders also encourage the report of ANY activity with youth throughout the month. I brought 1 young man to last Sunday's meeting that we both thoroughly enjoyed. While I'm just a bit disappointed that 4 youth in our district have participated thru March's halfway point, I'm just as delighted to report that many members are being re-awakened to continue connecting their young friends with the practice from this moment forward.

From writing this report, I just realized 4 more youth who are connected to our district!

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Permalink Reply by Grady Broyles on March 20, 2008 at 10:20am

Thank you all for your inspiring stories even from Japan! Keep 'em comin'! Connecting strongly with the youth in our districts will, as Sensei says, ensure the Kosen Rufu Movement through the next 10,000 years!

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Permalink Reply by tokiwa on March 24, 2008 at 4:01am

Just wanted to report that the Tokyo International Group (TIG) had a Youth sponsored March 16 event. It was all performance -- poetry readings, dancing, music presentation -- it was really inspiring. The theme was Youth Uniting for Change. Some of the quotes were read in a dozen different languages. They even made gifts for each attendant to take home. I would like to say there were around 120 people in attendance.

Thank you TIG Youth!

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Permalink Reply by Dan (site assistant) on March 24, 2008 at 1:32pm

Saturday afternoon (Delavan, WI) we had a buddhist easter egg hunt for our very young ESD (elementary school division). Instead of being a competitive hunt for candy and goodies, we had them cooperate to find all the goodies and put them in a basket which they would all share at the end of the hunt. Boy they went at it with a gusto and enjoyment. This was originally a district activity but had to become a group activity as we had 14" of snow fall the night before but Saturday afternoon temperatures soared and we were able to host this mini-March 16th activity for which the women's div. mothers in the Delavan area (who are relatively new members) sincerely appreciated. The 'bunnysattvas' were quite satiated with sugary goodness and gifts they received from the district (bead, children's books written by Pres. Ikeda, and SGI paraphernalia).

On another front, at another activity which I've continously supported since 2001 (in my old chapter in Lake County, IL), we may have 9 gohonzon conferrals this coming Sunday for our March 16th cap-off. Please send daimoku for that success to manifest.

best,

Dan

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Permalink Reply by Katcha on March 26, 2008 at 3:41pm

My report
I received a call that a member had moved into my small town on the 24th. I called the member immediatly after hanging up and we arranged to meet the 25th at her new home. After talking yesterday she agreed that she needed to set up her Butsudon area so she could focus in while chanting even though she has 2 small children. Today I met with her again and the children did sancho with us (she was so excited), We made an agreement to meet tomorrow morning and chant for an hour and do Gongyo together. I am so happy to have some one to chant with.

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Permalink Reply by Dan (site assistant) on March 27, 2008 at 5:42am

Go, Oklahoma! ;-D

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