News

From 2019-11-01 to 2019-11-12

Openness With Its Challenges

Sr. Keiko: A Precious Help in Tokyo

In 2006 I began working at the Catholic Tokyo International Centre (CTIC). This is a Centre founded by the Archdiocese of Tokyo to help immigrants. Those who come here are from Peru, Brazil, Philippines and Colombia. They seek consultation for various problems they are confronted with in daily life, including the school system, non-paid salaries, divorce, immigration papers, etc.

With the help of the director of the Centre, I am acquiring greater knowledge of the laws and the way of analysing problems so as to respond adequately to the needs. My many years of experience working at the Embassy of the Philippines serves me well, as I am often called to be the intermediary between the Regional Immigration Bureau and the Embassy of the Philippines, requesting the necessary documents for certain immigrants.

Here in Japan, immigrants experience multiple problems. Being in a foreign country, the difficulties are often complex and lived with much anxiety. Children are frequently victims of the system: those who adapt more or less to the culture drift into misbehaviour; youngsters whose parents have expired visas, have no hope of receiving a Japanese compulsory education. The complexity is even greater when children are from international marriages. Being in charge of Sampaguita, a care group specifically dedicated to the Filipinos/Filipinas in Japan, I come across many family problems. Recently, a family from this group asked a special permission from the Government requesting that their two children study in a Japanese school. To support this request, I wrote a report to the Ministry of Justice and I personally delivered the document to the General Director of the Immigration Bureau in Tokyo. What is left for me to do now is pray that this request, so deeply desired, be granted. For all these families who live with so many fears, may prayers be said for them and also for those who work on their behalf.

An Enriching Experience for Sr. Ana

As Peruvian, I help the new comers at the legal and pastoral level. Every day I visit Latin-Americans who are at the police detention centres. They are arrested because their permit has expired and will soon be deported to their country of origin. I contact their families here in Japan or in their homeland. I accompany them spiritually and morally until all judicial procedures have ended. It’s sad for them… and for me, as I know their situation, particularly when they come from Peru.

The immigrants often ask me to be their interpreter in court especially in case of divorce and also in hospitals. I therefore had to improve my Japanese language and even my Spanish; medical and judicial terminology is very specific. Many situations deeply touch my emotions. One day I accompanied a Peruvian lady to the hospital; the Japanese doctor gave me the results of all her medical exams and I translated. She was victim of a cancer that left her little time to live… how to communicate such sad news without shedding tears?

Since most immigrant parents do not understand Japanese, I am also an interpreter at school reunions. I translate the information concerning the children. A major problem is developing in Japan; parents no longer understand their youngsters who now speak Japanese and they ask themselves: How can we pass-on our values, our culture, our faith? Parents rely on the Church to accomplish this task. They ask me to speak to their children about God, about Peru and all this in the Japanese language.

On week-ends I work in different parishes where Masses are celebrated in Spanish. I prepare the people to the sacraments and I train future leaders. The plight of foreigners in Japan is dreadful; nevertheless, many immigrant families decide to stay. Parents take that decision after scrutinizing the Japanese way of life, the culture and values; gradually they begin to feel at home. As Catholics they are not considered as new-comers, they participate fully in all the pastoral activities; in a parish setting, an immigrant can well be the president of the Pastoral Council.

I am very content with my work here in Japan. To accomplish this mission, I carry in my heart the Word of God taken from Scripture (Rm 12:15) Be happy with those who are happy, weep with those who weep.

 

MIC Mission News | AUTUMN 2007

From 2019-10-20 to 2019-11-29

When Fiction Becomes Reality

Intrigued

For many years, the world was for me a striking sequence of statistics and accumulated facts. Cultural differences did not yet appear to me clearly except in mathematical terms. As I came in contact with people from other regions of the world, questions set in my mind and I wanted to know more.

Fiction was transformed into reality. Universal brotherhood/sisterhood took on a concrete dimension and was developed by way of choral singing, taking Spanish courses, learning Hispanic dances, working as a volunteer at a women’s centre, going on trips farther away from home and for a longer period of time, always in the pursuit of knowing better the “other”.

Having returned to my homeland “my Quebec”, I now see the social movement in colours, as would say Nelson Mandela referring to South Africa. Today’s Quebec is a mosaic made up of ethnic colours, with a variety of cultures and a wealth of human resources.

 

Plunge into the fray

Are Quebecers indifferent to this social change? They cannot be, unless they close their eyes to a reality and live in seclusion. I truly believe that certain persons ignore the new arrivals and their identities. Culture differences are apprehended. Some observe from a distance, without getting involved. However, it is time to become acquainted with a new reality that surrounds us with its multiculturalism.

The majority of people are willing to tend a helping hand to the immigrant and often try to meet the new neighbour. At times, a pretext has to be found or an occasion be provoked to begin a dialogue in all honesty. Quebec needs immigrants to assure her future. All persons, no matter where they are from, can greatly contribute in building a just and more fraternal world.

 by Marie Brassard

MIC Mission News | AUTUMN 2007