Remarkable Japanese Women
This page is a collection of stories, quotes, anecdotes, impressions, and opinions, as they relate to Japanese women. The aim of this page is to gain further insight into their strength and dignity, and to more fully appreciate the realities of their lives.
Pat Montandon, my good friend, former boss and spiritual inspiration, is Founder and President of Children As The Peacemakers, a non-profit organization based in San Francisco, whose extraordinary works include taking children on over 25 International Peace Trips around the world, from the early-80s to the early-90s. Here Pat Montandon recounts a trip to Hiroshima and her first encounter with Koko Kondo, an A-bomb survivor. (This passage is a direct quote from Montandon's "The Mystical Journey", a soon-to-be released book about the inspiration behind Children As The Peacemakers, and the remarkable journeys they made.)
During the long flight to Japan, I slept and read about the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, glad Shelly Bennett and Donna Velasquez were caring for the children. Our first stop would be Hiroshima, and I wanted to be prepared.
Our so-called businessman's hotel in Hiroshima was so small the adults had to sleep one to a room. But the kids had a wonderful time punching Japanese characters on the room refrigerator in an attempt to get soft drinks. When I said good night I found unopened bottles of liquor lined up on the floor,causing me to give a swift order not to touch those vending machines. | |
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