From December 25 through 27, a Christmas Camp was held at Akiu Hot Springs Resort Hotel Crescent in Sendai with 47 elementary school students from 4 schools in Minami Sanriku-cho,  10 family members.  The program was lead by a team of 2 program directors and 10 well- trained, experienced college volunteers from Kobe YMCA, a director and 2 staff members from Sendai YMCA Volunteer Support Center, totaling 72 participants in 3 day/2night camp funded by the Mitsubishi Corporation.

The Kobe YMCA team arrived in Sendai in the morning of Christmas Eve by “red-eye” highway bus. They spent the day preparing for the camp at Sendai YMCA, where they spent the night. On the Christmas day, camp staff and leaders drove to Minami Sanriku-cho and picked up the participants at several meeting places, then headed to Sendai. On the way to the hotel, the group stopped for a short walk to observe “Pageant of Lights” on Jozenji Avenue in Sendai.

On 26^th, Peter Draw, an artist from Singapore, came to visit the children in the morning with encouraging message: “With one stroke of line, you can make yourself happy, and make other people happy too!” Peter taught children draw pictures of their dreams, and they really enjoyed the time. Then, everyone went outside to make snowmen and had a big snowball fight in the fresh snow. In the afternoon, children made wooden accessories with guest instructors, then listened to some old indigenous stories told by local ladies. After dinner, children made their own Santa Claus hat and enjoyed the Christmas games while receiving some belated Christmas gifts.

On December 27^th, everyone enjoyed a 10 minute slide show whipped up by Kuro Leader, a Kobe YMCA staff with the photos from the three day camp; they discussed and wrote about the impression of the camp; made a big thank-you-card for the hotel people before leaving the hotel.

It was a short, but very enjoyable three days, and everyone felt they could use another couple of days at camp. Participants went home with new friends, new inspirations, and new courage to face the next day’s challenges. Many thanks to all the people who made this camp possible!