Encounter
| (Tohon Newsletter Vol.3_No.2_Total No.10) By Mr. Tawatchai Larprungreong Living in Bangkok, Thailand (Michitake branch church) I am Tawatchai from Thailand. I entered into the Spiritual Development Course (Shuyoka) at Jiba in this May and graduated there in August. For three month, it was so hot, and the hardest thing was I had to rise early in the morning. Somehow, I felt very happy from my heart so that I could finish studying about God the Parent even in these hard days. It was 5 years ago in May 1996, I first faced to the Tenrikyo. One day, I was kicking back at my college campus in Bangkok, and strange Japanese asked me. He was Mr. Hirano (a head minister of Michitake church). We became friends soon but I did not know that he was a Tenrikyo missionary. I was a student who was selected to go to Japan by a Japanese company at that time. Thus I was studying Japanese a little. I visited to Japan in July 1996, and I met with Mr. Hirano in Tokyo again one month later. I promised to him that I was going to visit his house in Okayama coming a New Year vacation. On the way to Michitake church from Tokyo, I asked Mr. Hirano “What sort of family do you have?” He answered uncertainly, “Oh, it’s quite a lot.” He did not tell me the truth clearly. When I first came into his house (church), soon I realized there were a big drum, a cymbal and a wooden crapper (musical instruments for the Tenrikyo service), I thought that the normal Japanese houses have these kinds of instruments in their house. Also, I remembered Mr. Okamoto’s skinhead and it reminded me of the monk and the Temple in my country. (I thought he was a head minister of Michitake church till a bit later.) After time went on staying at Michitake, I gradually noticed what is a “real thing.” Mr. Hirano took me many Otasuke (visiting people who have different kinds of illness), I watched that he administered the Sazuke, the Divine Grant, for those sickness people. I still did not know many Japanese words, even did not know about Tenrikyo. I really considered “What is he doing? Does it really work for the sickness person to be cured?” A New Year came by, he told me taking to Tenri. I imagined he would take me some sightseeing, and I felt so glad. Unfortunately, he took me a little sight seeing but I was listened to the Besseki lecture twice a day in Tenri. Through listening to the Besseki lecture, however, I started to understand this faith a little and Tenrikyo teachings came into my heart a little by little. Before I left Japan in the beginning of May, I received Osazuke-no-Ri, truth of the Sazuke, at Jiba. Yet I still did not have a deep faith, but I thought to receive it because Michitake family would be happy. By Mr. Hirano’s recommends, ten months later I decided come to study abroad again in Japan. I was planning to come to TLI (Tenrikyo Language Institute) in Tenri, but I could not enter TLI unfortunately. Then I went to the Japanese school in Okayama while staying at Michitake. I took one unique friend with me from Thailand when I returned to Japan again. Now he is a head of Michitake Bangkok Center, he is a Thongsuk “Sensei”. Through living with many church members (over 20 people) at Michitake church everyday, I deeply realized what is Tenrikyo. Having “Beer and Sake” ones in a while I talked with church members, I could feel a wonderful teaching of this Tenrikyo. (Maybe deeply depend on “Sake”… NO!!!) “Lean upon God.” It was the most impressive teaching told by the former head minister (Oya-kaicho-san) of Michitake church. “Don’t use selfish mind, but think and to put yourself in other’s shoes always. Do things whatever others would be happy, and to save others who are suffering. Offer up one’s thought and power to God, and do things while thinking about God in mind always.” I think that God the Parent would be very happy. I finished three years of study and could take the second level Japanese Test. Before I returned to Thailand, I could listen to a lecture about “The Truth of Creation” from Oya-kaicho-san. It changed my mind; I could face how truly this teaching is marvelous. Now I am back in Thailand, I will do my best for this faith with my friends while staying at Michitake Bangkok Center. Return to the top of the page. |
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