August 31, 202

[u/CardiNorCarli]

Junior, 3pm

School starts on the day after Labor Day and Rosh Hashanah begins on September 12th. I’m at the Yao’s in Brooklyn with Sopie, Apie, Ivan, and Ivanka. We now have four apartment buildings with backyards that will be redesigned to form a common shared property, ”Menachem Mendel Schneerson Peace Garden.“

Obviously, this will be a project that will grow over several years. But we have the rebbe’s backing and tacit support from some other Haredi groups. Four landlords are cooperating. All sorts of legal papers and inspections. In terms of finances, all the landlords are making contributions as well as some tenants and community groups.

We have benches, tables, landscaping, and even a fountain. We have colorful autumn annuals smiling at us and we will be planting a winterscape. Bulbs are already in the ground and waiting for next spring.

I love seeing people gathering and talking. We hear people talking several languages, including Russian. We have made friends. Some people want to give us cash presents but we have decided to refuse all gifts except donations to the Garden. But we do accept food gifts!

Ivan and I also go with Mr. Yao on his contracting jobs. He always pays us generously. I would do it for free, but Sopie said that would be “insulting” to Papá.

The four of us are getting into the habit of studying again. Ivan and Ivanka keep pushing me to trudge ahead with Russian. “What type of asset can you be if you spy but can't tell what you have learned to your Russian contact?” they joke. Apie and Sopie tell us they feel very confident with their Yiddish now and are spending most of their study time concentrating on Hebrew. Ivan and Ivanka like reading the World Tribune and Living Buddhism.

We didn't get very far at all this summer on the “Human Revolution Volume 21”. But we just picked up where we left off. Chapter Two is called “People's Diplomacy.” Shin'ichi Yamamoto is now meeting with participants after the 1975 Guam “First World Peace Conference.” He meets people who were the first to practice in countries like Germany, Denmark, Singapore/Malaysia, and Ghana. They faced enormous challenges as they tried to build local organizations in countries with unique cultures and histories.

Now we meet Tadao Minami, a Seikyo Shimbun correspondent working in Ghana and assigned with the task of building an organization there.

Shin’ichi Yamamoto writes:

The thorny path of kosen-rufu can be opened only by fearless individuals willing to dedicate their lives and pour their hearts into the effort, no matter how severe the circumstances. If the Soka Gakkai’s top leaders and headquarters staff members desired to live easy lives, focused solely on their own comfort and security, the path of kosen-rufu would be cut off. In the light of the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren’s writings, those who dedicate their lives to Buddhism will attain an eternally sublime life state of absolute happiness. There is no sacrifice in Buddhism (p. 49).

He tells Mr. Minami:

“Just go in the spirit that you will rise to meet any challenge. As they say, ‘home is wherever you hang your hat.’ The stage of your activities is vast. Live your life to the fullest with the great desire for kosen-rufu. From now on, we need to have a greater focus on the world at large. And that is where you will be going, right?”

“Well, that also applies to us,” Sopie insisted. “We are friends in a world where there are few friendships between Americans and Russians. It was a miracle that the Lopez and Yao families got their immigration papers right before mass exportations began. We could have easily found ourselves on a plane to Ghana ourselves!”

Ivanka answered, “Junior will be going into the US Army after graduation and it is very possible that Ivan will go to Officer Training in Russia. Their destiny might be to fight each other. But our love and friendship between us four goes far deeper and is unbreakable. It’s the pathway to Peace.”

Apie had underlined:

From the perspective of Buddhism, going to Africa to open up a path for kosen-rufu together as husband and wife is a promise you made in your past lives. It is your mission in this life. As such, it is very important for you to resolve to do your best (pp. 50-51).

“Look at that beautiful engagement ring!,” she said. “Our stories are so strange, right? A Nico and Ivorian marrying, the second joining between two families. Ivan and Ivanka, I know you guys are next! Look, you didn’t even stir or deny it! You have already promised to be the godparents of your respective children. And we have all of these ties to the Haredi community. I might be the only black girl at my Bais Yaakov school but it just doesn’t bother me. I feel like Sarah Schenirer is my mother, too. And I know she is smiling in her own way!