Do Christians have monopoly on hospitality?

Haejung and I just returned from a ten-day study trip to Japan with the YAVs, three students and a chaplain at the Hannam University.  It was a action packed trip, you can read them form the YAV blog postings.  I could never match their energy and flair for posting interesting articles.

My gifts are in planning and sometime in reflecting upon how things turn out. My goal was to make the trip interesting, educational, safe and affordable.  Anyone who traveled in Japan knows that the costs can escalate out of control quickly. 

I have to admit right off the errors I made in planning the trip.  I underestimated the small things that can go wrong when traveling with eight relatively inexperienced travelers via public transportation system which functions on two to three minute connections.  Build in too much slack, they complain about the wasted time when things go smoothly.  Too tight a schedule, we missed the appointed event.  All in all, the group was cooperative and adjusted well, although we had some close calls. 

I believed everyone would like some opportunity to interact with counterparts in Japan and share thoughts.  So I planned a series of forums with students at three Christian universities.  Apparently this part of the trip placed a significant burden on some of the members, detracting from the joy of visits.  I still am convinced that the overall value of the trip was enhanced by these encounters for most.  Beyond the formal functions, these forums naturally presented opportunities for our YAVs and Hannam students to meet and socialize with their cohorts in Japan.  Too often institutional exchanges are the events for the leaders and not engage the constituents (students) in any meaningful way.  I learned the young people would take care of the interactions if only given the opportunities.

At Kwansei Gakuin University with students and professors who hosted us.

These forums would not have happened had it not been for the amazing hospitality and efforts of the institutions in Japan.  Kwansei Gakuin University in Osaka, Kwassui Women’s College in Nagasaki,  Hiroshima Jogakuin College in Hiroshima, Yodogawa Christian Hospital in Osaka, and the Japan Mission of the Presbyterian Church in Kobe were the institutions who hosted us in many events.  Of course, institutions do not extend hospitality but the people do.  I do not know why, but they greeted us as if they were greeting the most important people on earth, perhaps Jesus.  I have been always showered with hospitality whenever I traveled to Japan, but this time we met some for the first time who showered with hospitality.  We are not in any position to help them in any tangible way.  Is hospitality inherent in Japanese culture?  Did all of us being Christians influenced their level of hospitality?  I do not know, but we all noticed that the Japanese Christian institutions were more conscientious of upholding their Christian ethos in their daily lives than the ones in Korea.  Japan’s Christian population is only 0.8% of the whole while Korea reports more than 25% self declared Christians.  Is the extreme minority status compelling them to live out their identity to the fullest?  I do not know whether it is the Japanese or Christian being, but I do want to learn and practice greater hospitality with joyful heart.

I also believe we were able to accomplish the educational goal to a large degree.  While we did not come up with profound answers to the questions on environment, discrimination and peace, we did learn that even the  “truth” might be multidimensional when seen through different life circumstances and cultural filters.  

The second educational objective was to challenge the young folks to face the unfamiliar and gain self-confidence.  I tried to cast a safety-net by equipping them with the ability to get back to the home base should anyone get separated from the group, and encouraged them to explore beyond the planned visits.  Within a few days they went from Kobe to Tokyo and each ventured out on their own and they did all get back safely.  They were even ready for the 8:00 a.m. departure for Hiroshima next morning. 

You might wonder how we could afford all the train rides across Japan where train fares are sometimes more expensive than airfares.  We used the JR Rail Pass that allowed unlimited rides on JR rail, bus and ferry system.  This pass is available to short-term visitors and must be purchased overseas.  It is not cheap but we recovered the cost on the first trip to Nagasaki, other trips were bonus.

Will I do this next year?  I do not know.  Let me think about it after I thank those who made it possible first.