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FEATURESaltin the soup by Ann HenleySometimes you become aware that you arepart of something much larger then yourself. It’sa good experience: humbling, freeing. Living for ayear in the beautiful city of Hiroshima was one ofthose experiences.The Peace Park in Hiroshima is a sacred site—at leastit is for me and some other people too. We were placingseveral-hundred paper cranes in theChildren’s Peace Monument when astranger approached me, and said, “Myname is Fabio. Did you make the papercranes?” We told him that a young relativewho had visited several monthsbefore had gone home to Australia andtold his classmates about his family’svisit to Hiroshima. They had decidedto make the cranes as a statement oftheir desire for a peaceful world. “I amfrom Italy,” he told us. “This is a veryemotional place for me. Everyone inthe world should come here at least once.” He asked usto take a photograph of himself and his girlfriend and toemail it to him.We remembered the first time we had visited thePeace Park eight years earlier. There were scores ofschool groups visiting the park. Almost all were Japanesehigh school students. One young man, about 15 years old,left his group to come and speak to us. “Do you believe inpeace?” he asked.This year we were in Hiroshima as volunteer teachersin the Church’s English language school. Living in thecity that had been devastated by the atomic bomb wasan inspiring experience. A few weeks after we arrivedthe Church celebrated its 100th anniversary. One of theWe were there, alongwith a couple ofhundred thousandother people. Beingpart of somethingbigger than one’s selfwas a good experience.features of the book that was published to mark the eventwas a collection of stories of bomb survivors. We helpedto edit the book, so read the stories carefully. It was hardto sleep at night after reading those stories. Meetingsome of the Hibakusha (A-bomb survivors whose experienceled them to decide that “This must never happen toanyone again”) was delightful. I had two of these peoplein one of my adult classes. They werebeautiful, warm, generous, kindheartedpeople.Each year the Hiroshima PeaceMemorial Ceremony is held on August6 at the Peace Park to mark the daythe city was bombed, and to reaffirmthe commitment to working for peacethat emerged in the days afterward.We were there, along with a coupleof hundred thousand other people.Being a part of something biggerthan one’s self was a good experience.We contributed to the mission of the Church andthe school. But we were aware that it was their mission.We conducted classes for people from ages 3 to83. There were Bible studies, and sermons and seminars,even an afternoon tea event at which Anzac biscuits andcucumber sandwiches were on the menu. But the work ofthe Church and the good people of Hiroshima will go onafter we have left. We can, however, contribute. We canbe “salt” because there is something bigger of which weare all a part: the mission of our God, the God of peace,who has reconciled all things to Himself and has committedto us a ministry of reconciliation and peacemaking.Ann Henley and her husband Roger spent 12 months volunteering at the JapanEnglish Language School.record.net.au • February 4, 2012 13