Last Modified : 2011-01-29 5:31 am
Categories : News
On 12th January, the TOC 40th Children’s Sleepover was actively held with a schedule of 3 days and 2 nights. With the State of Queensland having been damaged, including the Brisbane CBD, by the heavy rain that had continued long since the end of last year, holding this event was in doubt. However, the rainy weather continued until the previous day then incredibly cleared up in the morning of the first day of the Sleepover, and under the dazzlingly blue sky it made a start, with children’s cheerful voices.
The opening ceremony began at 2 p.m. Welcomed by greeting words from Rev. Adachi, the children watched a video of the previous Sleepover so that they could understand the Sleepover’s atmosphere. After the video, an orientation was conducted, followed by self-introduction and ice-breaking games. While exercising and playing simple games, uneasy looks on the children’s faces had gone and they started to show smiles instead. Through the games, they got straight into the Sleepover’s atmosphere. During the following service practice, they eagerly learned the unfamiliar hand-dance of the seated service and the musical instruments for the service, copying staff members around them. After the service practice, they vigorously played a dodge-ball, which is the Centre’s standard, without minding who was big or small.
In a small talk on Tenrikyo before the evening service, Rev. Adachi plainly explained “the providence of water” associating with the severe flood that hit Brisbane. The dinner was the “special dinner set for children,” which has now become a fixture of the Sleepover. Soon after the dinner, they were brought into the “Ultimate Games”. They seemed to enjoy the games to their hearts’ content such as gesture games and Palmanism using the ultra-sized playing cards specially made at the Centre. Because they played enthusiastically with the full energy of their body and brain, they went sound asleep on the first night.
What was lying in wait for the sleepy-look children in the morning of the second day was Morning Exercise. After awakening their head with standard numbers ‘Achi-Kochi exercises’ and radio gymnastic exercises, they listened to a small talk on Tenrikyo, followed by the morning service. Those children, who were full with breakfast after seriously doing the service, were divided into some groups and went on Clean-up Hinokishin on the roads around TOC, in a comfortable sweat.
In the workshop to which they were looking forward after hinokishin, they were challenged to make key rings. Drawing pictures on small transparent plastic sheets, every participant made wonderful key rings. In the following Walk-rally, they passed around checkpoints with much enjoyment, uniting their mind as one. After recharging their energy with a delicious BBQ lunch, they fully enjoyed swimming along with the Super Slider at the pool as well as other games, including a watermelon bust, continued by shower-taking and rest, getting a time of relief. Then they listened to a small talk on Tenrikyo and attended the evening service all together.
The dinner on that day was everyone’s favourite curry and rice. Having another dish, all of the boys and girls ate a lot. In the next program, under the name of Kodomo-Yokocho, children learned and played Japanese traditional games as well as the Bon-dance. With lights-out after Good-night assembly and watching a movie, the children began to breathe peacefully as they slept, probably because of great tiredness from finishing a number of programs throughout the day.
The third morning started with Morning Exercise, and a small talk on Tenrikyo before the morning service. The talk at this time was about “the providence of fire.” Much more seriousness than usual appeared on the children’s faces when learning about the providence, which is indispensable for drying out houses and roads hit by the flood that brought severe damage to Brisbane city. Another workshop was the next program after the morning service and breakfast, making a banner. Children enjoyed making a banner for the Summer Festival that would be held in that evening on that same day. In the closing ceremony which brought to an end to the 3-day Sleepover, they were presented certificates of attendance and key rings made by themselves from Rev. Adachi, showing full satisfaction on their faces.
The Sleepover this time held with 48 people in total: 28 children including 9 first-time participants, 8 high-school student staff, and 12 general staff/ parents, was successfully finished on the one hand, but there were a few children who had to cancel their participation due to the big flood that cut off the roads around their houses on the other hand. However, regardless of whether they participated or not, we heard from many people that they were looking forward to participating in the next sleepover. Being aware of it, we feel confident that the sleepover is the very place to sprinkle the fragrance of the teachings in the sense that we help children to be exposed to the teachings and thereby cultivate their mind while enjoying themselves in the event. At the same time, we have realised that it is more important than anything else for us, the staff, to have a mind of inviting as many children as possible and sprinkling the fragrance of the teachings even a little.
