Report on the homeschooling conferences in Tokyo and Chiba

Report on the homeschooling conferences in Tokyo and Chiba

Friends,

More than 150 people gathered at the conference on Jan. 8, at the National  Olympics Memorial Youth Center, in the center of Tokyo.  In the history of the homeschooling movement in Japan, this conference was unique in its attempt to establish a cooperative relationship between the Japanese-speaking homeschoolers and the English-speaking homeschoolers. 

We saw some differences on each side, but we also realized that we all are one in the Lord Jesus Christ.  We rejoice in the fact that we can work together for the kingdom of God.

Pastor Tim Huggins stated the importance of laying the solid Biblical foundation for homeschooling.  Dr. Usami stressed the necessity of obeying the word of God by focusing upon the chaos after the tower of Babel.  We were able to use the conference hall which has a simultaneous interpretation system, and the lecture of Dr. Usami was simultaneously translated from Japanese into English.   Here we could see the glimpse of the future direction of homeschoolers' conferences in Japan. 

The ministry of Chiristian Home Educators of Colorado(CHEC) http://www.chec.org/
was introduced in the conference.  This helped the people to visualize the future of the homeschooling movement in Japan.  

The ministry of Generation Radio (http://www.kevinswanson.com) was also presented along with a sound clip of the internet radio program using a PowerPoint presentation.

Some people bought Pastor Kevin Swanson's book "Upgrade-The Ten Secrets to the Best Education for Your Child" from us.  (http://paideianetwork.org/resources-links/books/)


During lunchtime, we saw homeschooling families having fellowship and sharing their burdens with each other.  We prayed for each other, shared the vision, and encouraged each other.

We had two conferences in Chiba on Jan. 7 and 9 using the Keiyo Team Educational Building and Oyumino Presbyterian Church Chapel.   The conferences had a lot more of a family taste.  We could meet some young families who are thinking about starting homeschooling.  Unlike in big cities like Tokyo, homeschooling in the local countryside in Japan takes much more courage and commitment, because of the pressure from the local Shintoistic-Buddhistic community. But those families are taking courageous steps for the cause of raising the next generation for the Lord.

The homeschooling movement in Japan is still small.  We Japanese homeschoolers are like tiny crickets among a multitude of pagan gigantic grasshoppers.

We pray that the Lord makes us strong and mighty crickets in Him.

We always appreciate your prayer and encouragement to us.



Shu Suzuki

www.paideianetwork.org

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