On the first Sunday of every other month, a Haiku group named Eagle Society holds a regular meeting after the worship service. We share our compositions and appreciate one another's work as we enjoy a lunch prepared by members of the church women's group. There are seven of us, all over 77 years of age. As members of the same church we are familiar with each other, so we do not hesitate to share our Haiku, even though they are not such excellent ones. We conduct our meeting in a carefree manner, like eagles flying with outstretched wings.

Classes for learning sign-language and finger braille were organized because of our desire to communicate with people among our congregation whose seeing and/or hearing is impaired. Even with only once-a-month training we are able to use these skills in our communication with them. We also provide translations of the worship service every week in sign-language and finger braille, by taking turns among class members. We translate into Braille the worship order, the sermon, and discussion papers for annual church meeting, as well as papers for the women's group's regular meeting. Some of us do volunteer work to use these skills for people in need outside of our church. (Tr. HL) [Ed. note: Finger braille is a means of communicating by using your fingers to " type " a message as if you were actually typing on a braillewriter.]

Nakagawa Hiroshi, member
Shizuoka Kusabuka Church, Tokai District
Shinto no Tomo (Believer s' Friend)