Last June, the 3 sisters, Inma, Puy and Chipi from Ain Karem group came to Japan for the first time. The visit of Ain Karem was a long awaited event for us in the Province of Japan, to celebrate a very special year: 75 years of Vedruna Presence in Japan and 70 years of the foundation of Aitoku College. Beginning with the opening Mass of the celebration year, presided by Bishop D. Miguel Matsuura, on June 7 in our school, on June 11, the Ain Karem had a prayer meeting with all the students of Aitoku College. Miguel Matsuura, on June 7 in our school, on June 11 the Ain Karem had a prayer meeting with all the students of Colegio Aitoku.
After that day the group traveled to several places. She has animated a prayer meeting in Hiroshima with Spanish-speaking groups, Osaka and Tottori in Japanese groups, Mishima and, in the Tokyo region, the University of the Sacred Heart Sisters in Kamakura in Spanish, Matsudo Parish in Japanese and the Chinese Center in Tokyo, having translated and translated the lyrics in Chinese.
During the stay, they have had difficulty getting used to the humid climate of Japan and have suffered a little with their voices, probably due to travel fatigue. However, in spite of this, they remained strong in all the prayer meetings and tried to communicate with us Japanese sisters, and we felt like we had known each other for a long time. In this way we have lived very closely with all three of them.
On Sunday before the return trip to Spain, a “Prayer Meeting” was held at the Provincial House in Tarumi. Despite the rains, many people participated, including elderly sisters, Christians from several nearby parishes, alumnae of our school, and teachers and staff from the Osaka Kindergarten. In prayer, our sisters of Ain Karem always started talking about our Foundress Joaquina who lived a deep trust in God, even in the most difficult moments of her life and how she lived in love, and so they begin to sing a song. The Spanish lyrics were translated into Japanese and displayed on the screen, which was very helpful and people went along very well. The series of stories and songs was really wonderful and has touched people’s hearts deeply.
The guitar playing and prayer singing seemed to sink deep into our hearts, sometimes silently and other times bringing us powerfully into prayer. Many people in attendance seemed to be fascinated by Ain Karem’s voice and guitar playing. Singing has united us as one Vedruna Family.
Lucia Taya Wakana, ccv
