December 2008: Not Just Your Ordinary Christmas Card

Another holiday in Japan is approaching and my students were eager to get into the Christmas spirit with me. First, during the last week of class (before the holiday break), I introduced them to a few Christmas games. Then, for homework, they had to make a homemade Christmas card. I was blown away by their creativity! Many of them made pop-up cards and collages which included the smallest of details.

It just so happens that two of my Japanese friends are nurses. So, I was very fortunate to be able to put the cards to good use.

Yuri's boss, Yuri & me

Yuri, an ICU nurse, set it up for a group of us (including a few of my students and my favorite teacher friend, Sano Sensei) could hand deliver the cards to Iizuka hospital patients.

It was a blast! The nursing students led the way.....they lined up with candles in hand, and paraded through the halls singing Christmas carols (mostly in Japanese, but a few lines were in English).We jumped in behind them and joined their procession.

Look at how much taller Brandon is than everyone else! He's used to it, though.

We stopped in several of the waiting rooms, so patients could gather around. The nursing students played hand bells to the tunes "M-i-c-k-e-y M-o-u-s-e" and "Jingle Bells!"

Then, the students eagerly handed out cards.

I couldn't tell who was enjoying it more....me, the students or the patients.

Nanako, She's the funniest, most outgoing student at my school!!

Sano Sensei, Brandon, Me and 5 of my students

Shifting gears to another medical facility. My other nurse friend, Tomoyo, set it up so we could hand out the rest of the Christmas cards at a nursing home (I had about 300 total, between both places). My heart really went out to this group because most of them were in such a helpless state. Several of them were so feeble that that they were unable to move or talk (only blink and make sounds). Others had no clue what was going on and I gave a card to this one man who managed to stick his card down his pants...for safe keeping, of course! That was kind of funny, but then I was brought to tears when I met a few patients who started crying after we gave them each a card. It was a domino effect....then, the nurses started crying...and then the rest of us got misty-eyed! It's hard to believe that a simple card, made of construction paper and markers, could make someone cry. They were just thrilled to know that someone was thinking about them. See, you would tear up too!

Tomoyo, Me and some of the nursing home patients

It just goes to show that the need for caring knows no borders and that sincere thanks can be understood... even in the absence of a common language.