Saitama Mini GPF

Mini GPF held in Saitama

Hotel Brillante Musashino, Kami Ochiai, Saitama-ken

Oct.12,2008

Report by : Lorie Shiokawa

Not to be outdone by the ongoing pre-Global Peace Festival all over Japan, the FJMGP-Saitama Chapter had organized and held a Mini-GPF withthe Theme:”One Global Family, One Heart, One Culture” last October 12, 2008 at the Audiovisual Seminar Room of With You Saitama Building, 4th Flr of Hotel Brillante Musashino, Kami Ochiai, Saitama-ken. The event was sponsored by the FJMGP-Saitama Chapter in collaboration with FJBFA Filipino Japanese Blessed Family Association and TIMD Tong-il Moodo Phillippines in Japan.

As early as 12:30 PM, people can be seen sitting and chatting happily on the benches outside the Seminar hall while guests kept on arriving as the usherettes welcomed them and the registration staff busy attending to them and distributing the participants’ kit which contained the well-prepared program, GPF flyer and a CD of the GPF Theme Song Where Peace Begins; all in just a 500 yen registration fee.

The doors of the Audiovisual Room opened at 1:15 PM, the seats were filled right away with some standing at the back and the program started at 1:30PM. Our very own, Mr. Reuben Cruz , the president of the FJBFA Filipino Japanese Blessed Family Association one handedly emceed the whole program which was opened by a heartwarming song of Ms. Karen Takahashi, the owner of Chance Club. The National Anthem was lead by Ms. Gina Hirayama of Omiya Catholic Filipino Community and followed by an Invocation of Ms. Marichu Suzuki of the Filipino Nazarene Church Family.

The smartly dressed Executive Secretary of the FJMGP, who also works with the Yokohama Board of Education, Ms. Priscila Akahori, introduced the Filipino Japanese Movement for Global Peace through a powerpoint, showing the group’s different activities in partnership with other organizations and the mini-GPF’s that were held in other parts of Japan so far.

The TIMD Kids with their masters Arnold Heramis and Alex Baguio rendered a remarkable martial arts performance called Form of Peace to the delight of the audience.

Then the opening remarks was given by Ms. Nancy Nishi of the IFA International Family Association. She touched the hearts of the listeners by her testimony of being a part of an international marriage. She is an American married to a Japanese, have 5 children and one grandchild, and a successful English teacher.

A GPF 2008 promotional video was shown and when the Philippine GPFs that were held in the different provinces especially Mindanao was viewed in the screen the Filipino participants in the audience can’t helped but be overwhelmed by the greatness of this project.

The highlight of the program was the message of the Keynote Speaker, Mr. Yuzaburo Sam Nagasaka, the project coordinator of the Global Peace Festival, and the official Japanese translator for Dr. Hyun Jin Moon, the founder and the main speaker of GPF. He has worked in various countries, counseling college students, advising and coordinating service and cultural projects. He spent a year with his family in the Philippines, as a consultant for W-CARP Philippines thus he felt at home with a Filipino audience that day.

He gave a meaningful explanation in of what the GPF is all about, how it started and presented through powerpoint the GPF events all over the world. He invited all the participants saying that “I remember your faces so I will look for you there in the Main Event on Nov. 15th”.

An intermission number was rendered by the teen Ms. Fumika Cruz, the talented daughter of Reuben and Masumi Cruz. She played the music of Amazing Grace through the clarinet. And it was indeed an amazing day for everyone .

The group then moved to the next room for the awaited snack time. Everyone was treated with a big muffin, macaroons, biko and a bottle of drink. While guests are having difficulty finishing up their muffins, the raffle draw started and winners of one sack of rice with groceries, CD Cassette Player, T-Fal Frying Pan and consolation prizes were all excited and happy with what they got to bring home.

The closing message was given by Mr. Kiyoshi Nishi, the President of the Biblical Study Forum for World Peace. He thanked the participants for coming and encouraged again everyone to attend the GPF on Nov. 15th.

The Certificate of Attendance was distributed and the event was capped with a group picture-taking. The event ended at around 5PM.

Congratulations to FJMGP- Saitama chapter for a job well-done. Around 150 participants . To all the GPF Saitama staff lead by Mr. Arnold Heramis, thank you very much for your efforts for a successful GPF in Saitama.