Reflecting upon the event and the two history projects.

Gardenas sister city in Japan.In-person social gatherings were banned and stay-at-home orders were enacted.

During this time of increased hostility against Japanese and Japanese Americans.Terri Mitani and her husband helped coordinate the Gardena Buddhist Churchs donation drive to assist members of the Pasadena Buddhist Temple following the devastating Eaton Fire in January.the Japanese Language School ceased its opera-tions.

will al-ways be remembered because it reconnected us to each other and to the Church.A Chigo ceremonial parade to celebrate the dedication of the fourth church in 1963.

YAMAMOTO / Rafu ShimpoLast Dec.

270 Japanese and Japanese Americans were involved in the grassroots effort to build their own church.but Ive also had the opportunity to live in Japan as a student learning and training to become a kaikyōshi.

I am glad that we made Los Angeles our home and somehow I became a minister at our betsuin here.I may have enjoyed living my entire life in Japan.

but reflecting on my 77 years of life.The few years turned out to be the rest of my life.