Supporter comments

★These are comments and impressions from volunteers and host families who are fans of APCC.

 

■Heart to Heart

 

Do you feel love and live your life?

Through my involvement with APCC, I have come to realize that love, the heart that cares for children and people, is universal.

I often feel it right in the center of my chest.

Love comes in many different forms, from child ambassadors, fellow volunteers, and parents who care about their children.

I believe this is the spirit of "OMOIYARI" that we speak of at APCC.

This is an episode from when I participated in a mission project to Mongolia as a delegation leader.

The 15 members of the group are meeting for the first time and are all diverse individuals with different living environments and ages.

Among them, T-kun was participating from a children's home.

I don't know the living conditions of the members, including T-kun, but the time we spent together and this experience,

We were determined to try and make it fun and amazing.

T-kun is always smiling and kind, and through the training he undertook before leaving, he has become an indispensable presence as a soothing guy.

However, T-kun was a little shy and seemed to have difficulty receiving kindness and help from others.

What kind of host family will I be welcomed by?

I felt like I was praying that I would be welcomed by a kind host family.

The day after arriving in Mongolia, a meeting ceremony with our host families begins on a small stage.

T-kun couldn't hide his nervousness and fatigue as it was his first time on a plane and, of course, his first time abroad.

I believe that everyone has worked hard and made it this far, so please, God!!

I put my hands together in my heart...

Finally, T-kun's name was called. T-kun's tension must have been at its peak.

Without caring about T-kun, the host family's grandfather put a hand on both of T-kun's cheeks.

He gave her a "kiss" and a big "hug." The audience burst into laughter, and the atmosphere became warm and relaxed.

I still vividly remember that moment when my eyes started to tear up and tears started to flow.

Kissing and hugging may be a normal part of culture in other countries, but the overflowing love from that old man at that time struck me right in the heart!!

Even if we are from different countries and we don't speak the same language, we share the same heart for children. Although the world is not equal,

I became convinced that children deserve all the unconditional love in the world.

Through the challenge of serving as a chaperone, I was able to experience firsthand the love that parents have for their children.

At the same time, I have become able to accept the feelings of my parents and those around me more readily than before.

Once I learn to receive, I feel like I want to give more. I feel like I can be kinder to people.

"Feeling" is the thing I want children to cherish most.

I want you to experience not only good things, but also hardships, the good and bad things about other countries, the good and bad things about Japan, and many other things through your body. Among all of that, I hope you will be able to feel a lot of "love".

To that end, I will continue to face the children sincerely as a volunteer.

I hope that our children's future will be a peaceful world filled with the love known as "OMOIYARI"...