That We May Live Together
2018 Annual Report

April 1, 2018 - March 31, 2019

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That We May Live Together
2018 Annual Report

Nurturing Rural Leaders

Together with Supporters

6 Diversity and Variety—
Our Curriculum's Strengths

16 Hints for Living Together

8 Practice Has Priority

18 Living Assets to Achieve
Our Mission

9 Participant Story
Staff Members Were Role Models

17 Sharing the Wealth of Our Farm

Foodlife at ARI
10 Deep Connections Between
Food and Life
11 Livestock Involves theWhole Campus
12 Key Concept
The Meaning of Foodlife
13 Farming that Suits theEnvironment

That We May Live Together
2018 Annual Report(April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019)

cover art Iris Burbank
printing
EDMS, Inc.
2019 Asian Rural Institutewww.ari-edu.org
2

Spotlights, Reports, Data
4 2018 Snapshots

22 Financial Report

14 Sharing the Best We Have

24 Our Supporters & Partners

Family Story
In Gratitude for a Life of
Loving Rural People
19 Walking the Earth of Kenya

26 Curriculum
27 Community Members
28 The 2018 Graduates

21 Graduate Story
Reflecting on the Life of
One Graduate

It's Time to Invest in Rural Community Leadership

Asian Rural Institute is a school that promotes learning to live together while training leaders fromgrassroots rural communities. It is supported by forward-thinking people who care about a sustainable
future. Would you like to join with your financial support?
Donate from Japan
Account: (Postal Money Order) 00340-8-8758
Name of account: Gakko Hojin Ajia Gakuin(Asian Rural Institute)

Donate from Overseas
Please visit http://www.ari-edu.org/en/support/
bank/ to learn about different ways to support anddonate to ARI.

THAT WE MAY LIVE TOGETHER

logo markcolor

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Greetings

Masaoki Hoshino
Board Chair

Tomoko Arakawa
Director

ANNUAL REPORT 2018

W

e are grateful that we completed the2018 ARI Rural Leaders Training
Program with many successes and fruitful outcomes, thanks to abundant blessingsfrom God and support from friends all over
the world.
In September 2018, Rev. Dr. Toshihiro Takami, who imagined and led allof us toward the vision and mission of
ARI until this date, was called to heaven.
Among the many words that Rev. Dr.
Takami left, we selected the ones which wewant many people to know and compiled
them into a small book titled “The Heartbeat of Takami.” In the process of making
this book, we touched upon his profoundthoughts, feelings, passion, sorrow, desires,and deep love.
The words help us to realize that thevision of ARI has shown a common goalof all humanity: we should strive to live
together with God, nature, and neighbors,and live together in peace, equipped withthe attitude and mind of serving each other.
This attitude and mind should be demonstrated through the activities needed for
us to eat and live. We call these activities“Foodlife.” Takami’s words teach us theimportance of carrying out and cherishing a simple Foodlife. We should start a daywith our community members the sameas yesterday, be engaged in Foodlife andwork together with joy, celebrate harvest
together, deepen the important learning ofliving together, and pursue what we can do
to create a just and peaceful community.
This year, we had another important
finding. We re-recognized ARI graduatesas ‘influential personnel of their organizations’, rather than just ‘people who graduated from ARI.’ In the past years, we did not

spend the manpower and finance to build
relationships with graduates' organizations as we wished. However, at the 40th
Anniversary events in 2013, the graduates'
strong request about this need awakened
us. It stimulated us to engage in the Graduate Impact Study (2014-2015) and to set up
a stand-alone Graduate Outreach section(2017). In June 2018, we conducted the first
Organizational Capacity Building Training targeting the leadership of graduates’organizations. A leader from Indonesia's
HKBP (Batak Christian Protestant Church)joined this 3-month training program forthe first time. In the future, we will regard
the Sending Bodies of our graduates as“partners” who achieve the mission of ARI
together and promote constructive relationship building.
In 2018, we worked harder to enrich our
educational programs for high schools anduniversities in Japan. To meet their expectations, we developed programs in which we
all can learn and grow. This helped to sharethe vision of ARI with the young generation. Nasu Seminar House, the accommodation for program participants adjacent to
ARI recorded the highest number of guests
this year.
In fall, we received the Global Innovator Award from Texas Christian University for our “developing and implementing
programs on sustainable agriculture, leadership, and reconciliation.” In February, theKamenori Foundation in Japan awarded
ARI the 12th Kamenori Award for ourefforts in developing mutual understanding and friendship in Asia and the Pacific.
Finally, thanks to the support of manychurches in the US, Canada, and Japan, aJapanese funding organization and individuals, we were able to renovate thebathrooms and kitchen in the woman’s
dormitory. This renovation greatly helped
to improve the quality of life in the woman’s
dormitory especially in the winter season.

3

2018 Snapshots
Recognition for
ARI’s Contributions
Both at home and abroad,
ARI’s activities forinternational understanding
and peace were evaluatedand recognized, leading to
two awards in 2018.

The Kamenori Foundation, 12th Kamenori Award for
the Category of Development of Human Resources
ARI received the Kamenori Award which is given
to individuals and groups who (a) advance themutual understanding and exchange among theyouth in Japan, Asia, and Oceania, and (b) educate
human resources to contribute to society for future
generations.
Texas Christian University, Global Innovator Award
Starting in 2019, ARI and Texas Christian University(TCU) in the United States will begin collaborative
programing for peace and reconciliation as part of
TCU’s Global Innovators Initiative.
The Global Innovators Initiative partners groundbreaking individuals from throughout the world
with TCU faculty, staff and students on long-term
collaborations that address critical global issues
such as human trafficking, wildlife conservation,
gender equality, indigenous rights, refugee education,
resource sustainability, healing, and reconciliation.

At the same time, we collaborated
with a local food processing factory
to design and sell niku miso—mincedmeat seasoned with miso paste.
Furthermore, with the support of anon-profit organization ‘Tochigi TeruTeru Bôzu no Kai,’ which supports
the disaster areas, we sold ARI-maderâmen noodles during the Harvest
Thanksgiving Celebration.
4

Eritrea

Red Sea

Eritrea

ArabianPeninsula
Gulf of
Aden

Northeast Africa

For the first time, participantsfrom Eritrea joined the

Rural Leaders Training Program.

Remembering the
Tsunami Disaster

100% Grown
in ARIIn 2018, ARI requested a factory inTokyo's Adachi Ward specializing in
hand-grilled rice confectionery to help
us make our new product: brown ricecrackers. The ingredients are only
two: rice and two-year fermented soy
sauce, both grown in ARI.

New Country in 2018

Twenty-two staff and their family members
participated in a project called "Sakura Line311” on March 8th and 9th. The purpose of
Sakura Line 311 is to plant sakura (cherry
blossom) trees along the line where thewater had advanced furthest during the
March 11, 2011 earthquake disaster in
Rikuzentakata City (Iwate Prefecture).

This trip turned into a great opportunity
for the staff and family members to build
camaraderie and trust. On the first day, we
visited many places such as Rikuzentakata's“miracle pine” monument and observed adisaster site, a photo exhibition by earthquake victims, and the center documenting
the recovery efforts. On the second day,we planted sakura trees, joined by about
ninety volunteers from all over Japan.

THAT WE MAY LIVE TOGETHER

Graduates Hold Seminar at ARI
From September 12 to 13, ARI invited two experienced graduates fromoverseas to share how they have used their Rural Leaders Training over theyears to the benefit of their people.

Repainting the
Koinonia Building

The first was Wesly Lingga of Indonesia(1993 graduate, 1999 Training Assistant),
who established the Rural Development
Action Training Center and serves as theelected chief of his village. The second was
Jescar Mbuche Shehe of Kenya (2013 graduate). She started the Magarini Children’sCentre and Organic Demonstration Farm
together with her husband, EmmanuelBaya (a 2009 graduate).

These two leaders carry out their projects using a balance of local resourcesand outside support. Their end goal isself-reliance. What is especially notable
about them is their skill in building deep,
trustful and mutually respectful relationships with their communities.

Renovation in the
Women’s Dorm

A Book of
Dr. Takami’s Words

Five years have passed since the construction of Koinonia House consisting of a dining
hall, a classroom, a conference room, and akitchen, newly built during the Earthquake
Reconstruction Project. To prevent fading
and molding of this wooden structure, we
had the exterior walls repainted.

Most of the buildings on the ARI campus
were damaged by the 2011 Great East
Japan Earthquake, and were then rebuilt.
The women's dormitory, however, wasassessed to be structurally safe, and only
small maintenance work and repairs weredone in some bedrooms.

Since this iconic building is located in thecenter of our campus it was difficult todetermine the paint colors. The new ivory
tone and charcoal gray accent provide asense of unity because they are similar tothe colors of the new chapel and men’sdormitory, resulting in an overall brightand natural image.

Several years have passed since and thedeterioration around the bathroom andits coldness during winter have become
more pronounced. As a response, we had
new shower units installed in the four
shower rooms. After further improvementsin the bathroom area, we also renovated
the kitchen by installing new ventilation
and appliances.

ANNUAL REPORT 2018

As ARI graduates, Wesly and Mbuche could
fully understand the aspirations and fears
of the 2018 participants and connect withthem naturally. Everyone was encouraged,
with one participant shouting out, “Thankyou. Now I see the way!”

ARI compiled some of Dr. Takami's
most essential teachings into a small
book titled “The Heartbeat of Takami.”
It was released during Dr. Takami’s
memorial service on December 13th,2018.
T hi s b o o k w a s ma d e f o r u s toremember Dr. Takami’s original vision
to create ARI and pass down his simple
words to the next generation.
In the process of making this booklet,
we were reminded of the importanceof teaching the younger generations
about the fundamental philosophy
and convictions that underpin ARI’swork. The book is the labor of love ofmany volunteers who helped to edit,
translate, proofread and illustrate.
5

Nurturing
Rural Leaders

Yukiko Ôyanagi

Associate Director
Curriculum Coordinator

6

THAT WE MAY LIVE TOGETHER

Diversity and Variety—
Our Curriculum’s Strengths
The 2018 Rural Leaders Training ProgramE

ach participant of the Rural Leaders
Training Program comes with aset of uniquely different backgrounds:
country, culture, ethnicity, the character of the person’s sending organization,and the responsibilities that person
carries back at home. This year, thework experience of the eldest participant was longer than the lifetime of theyoungest. Some participants have beenworking in farming for a long time;others have not. There were pastors andsisters, NGO workers, and members offarmers’ associations. One participantgrew up in a developed country; several
people had experienced civil war.
The 25 participants of 2018 were notdeterred by such differences. Instead,they spent the 252 days of their training learning from this diversity. Sureenough, they experienced conflicts andhardships because of different values,
sometimes feeling the urge to escapefrom our challenging learning environment. However, in the nine monthsof our training program, the groupgrew together, encouraging, supporting and in healthy competition. Whilein the beginning, some participants
often said, “I know many things,” they
later stated, “I came to understand how
little I knew.” It means that they had
developed the attitude to learn fromeach other despite the differences inage and experience. More than technique or raw knowledge we regard thispersonal transformation through living
in a community, as an important impact
of ARI’s training.
Thet Paing Aung, a participant from
Myanmar, expressed this transformation as follows:
I did not like the word ‘change.’ Ithought I myself did not change. But now I
reflect about myself and I realize that I did.
I did not recognize it because I only changed
gradually, step by step. ARI changed myattitude, knowledge, and skill.
ANNUAL REPORT 2018

What to learn andwhat to bring backIt is quite difficult to explain the ARI
training in one word. A look at our
curriculum on page 26 reveals thevariety of lectures that we offer. Apartfrom classroom sessions where participants study topics such as facilitation
skills and the challenges of climatechange, the training includes 430 hoursof farm work, fellowship with about athousand people, visits to several schools
and kindergartens, taking part in a totalof 31 days of study tours that span 4,600
km over thirteen prefectures, and Practical Field Study on campus.
There were also 200 hours of independent self-study and individual
projects. Some participants practiced
in their own individual fields. Anotherone was interested in food education.
Another studied the Japanese education
system. Daily life in the community andthe dormitories is especially meaningful

to deepen the skills of “living together.”Individual consultation, Morning
Gathering reflections, and growing
hundreds of tons of farm products forover sixty people were cornerstones oflearning as well.
This is the rich variety of learning opportunities that we provide forparticipants. Every person is given the
choice to decide what is most usefulfor their own rural community andto think about how to apply it. Pastor
Chlaodhius Budhianto from Indonesia,
for example, said in his final presentation that his dream was to establish a
Theology of Farming:
My best learning at ARI is from farmers who we visited. […] In my community, I

7was teaching organic farming. The main
purpose was income generation because organic products can be sold at a higher price.
But I recognize that that is not enough.
Rather than profit, we must think about
the soil first. We can grow healthy food for
our family and then we can sell healthy
food to others, too—that is important.
Farming is not for profit only. Because
farmers grow not just products but food.
This is the reason why ARI does
not send any technicians or experts
from Japan to other countries to givetraining. We invite people who alreadywork in their grassroots communities
and who know what their people need,
what is available, and who the humanresources are. As a result, it is difficult to measure the effectiveness of the
training in statistics. But the community people who wait for their leaders’return will measure and evaluate theimpact.

Learning that continues
in the community

Practice Has
Priority
The 2018 Advanced
Training Course ReportAt ARI, we offer additional Advanced
Training Courses for graduates of
the Rural Leaders Training Program:
the Training Assistant (TA) programfor overseas graduates and the Graduate Intern (GI) program for Japanese
graduates.
Overseas ARI graduates who haveworked in their countries for five or
more years and have demonstrated
leadership and accomplishment intheir communities may apply to be a TA.
Once accepted, they deepen their learning in an area of their choice and arealso expected to assist in the training ofcurrent participants. A Japanese graduate can apply to be a GI in the year after
graduating from ARI. The GI focuses on
one section of Foodlife in which he/she
wishes to gain a stronger understanding
and extensive experience. The GI also
takes part in all other aspects of ARI life
as an active community member.
In 2018, one TA and two GIs participated in this course. The TA, Mrs. Niran-We, the community members of ARI,
believe that the Rural Leaders that havegone through our training will keep
going forward. With newfound determination and the attitude to keep learning from others around them, they workto achieve a dream which is not just forthem but for their people. We keep oureyes on their activities moving toward
their dream. As Thet Paing Aung said,
My life at ARI has ended, but the ARI
learning does not end. My learning willcontinue in my community.

8

THAT WE MAY LIVE TOGETHERPARTICIPANT STORY

Staff Members
Were Role Models

jala Manchanayake (Niru) is a 2000
graduate from Sri Lanka. She supported
the kitchen’s FEAST (Food Education andSustainable Table) staff and served as thewomen’s dorm coordinator. In Sri Lanka
she works as a kindergarten teacher,so she studied children’s education in
Japan, visiting several kindergartensand nursery schools.
The GIs were Ms. Makiko Abe and
Ms. Chigira Hasumi, both 2017 graduates. Makiko used to be a nurse andChigira took two years off from heruniversity to attend ARI. They bothdeepened their learning about food andagriculture and had practical training in
the Farm section. Chigira, for instance,
focused her interest in animal welfare
and raised a non-castrated pig.
When we have graduates who areserious about their advanced studies,it can provide extra motivation forregular participants to deepen theirlearning as well.

ARI staff sometimes ask participants, “Whois your role model among your classmates?”
This question is to encourage them to learn
about leadership from each other, not only
from classes or observation trips. John
Yeboah is one who was regarded as a rolemodel by many classmates in the past year.
For many years, John has made a living
as a farmer in his native Ashanti region ofsouthern Ghana and has been involved inmany community projects like the education and self-support of local women there.
In 2007, together with other farmers, hefounded the Peace Love Vegetable Growers
Association to improve the rural communities through farmers’ solidarity. Until
this day, he serves as the organization’schairperson. We wondered why he cameto Japan in his mid-40s, what he learned,
and how he grew.
Having been a farmer for over twenty
years, he said, “I came to learn organic
farming skills” at the beginning of the
training, but at the same time believed thatthe answer to community development
was big scale conventional farming andthe income it generates. He did not criticize
key ARI philosophies such as “food sovereignty through self-sufficiency,” “utilizing
local resources,” “organic farming of small
quantity and many kinds,” and the Servant
Leadership that supports them, but hecertainly had serious doubts. In his area,
he had earned a reputation as an experienced farmer and regarded himself as
the best farmer in Ghana. He sometimes
asked lecturers the same questions again
and again. His classmates thought that“John already has his own answer in his
head, and he just repeats his questions
until the lecturer reaches it, too.”

But John began to change through life at
ARI. He started to talk with others calmly,
show his respect even to younger participants, fulfill his own role, support andtrust others and delegate work to them,listen to other opinions, and so on. Slowly
but surely, a transformation happened.
He stopped saying, “I know,” and started
saying, “I am learning a lot.”
Gilbert Hoggang, ARI staff and John’s
consultant, comments, “At the beginning,
John believed in big scale farming andmachinery. Although he started organic
farming in his community, he seemed
to have questions about it. However, hestarted to think about how he could use
his local resources and how to apply themin his community. He really changed in his
leadership. In the first semester, I felt heshielded himself. He had negative feelings toward highly educated people, andhe spoke of himself as a great farmer.
Most probably, this was from his low selfconfidence. Gradually, he gained humility
and humbleness and stopped saying suchthings; then people admired him. How
was he changed? I think he was observing
the staff. In ARI, even the Director is very
humble, and she treats everyone equally.”
How will people back home see thechange in John and how will they work
together? We are looking forward to thework he will do in his community fromnow on.
Yukiko Ôyanagi, Associate Director,
Curriculum Coordinator

ANNUAL REPORT 2018

9

Foodlifeat ARI

Deep
Connections
Between Foodand Life
FEAST report

Zacivolu Rhakho-Dozo
Foodlife (FEAST)

10I

t took me five years as Meal Service
section leader to understand the deeper
meaning of food and life and why foodplays such an important role in ARI’scurriculum.It was during my 2017 speaking tour to the US when I witnessed how
food is wasted in markets and homes that
helped me better understand the profoundrelationship between food and justice,
security, health, and the environment. ARI
has emphasized these connections for overforty years. I wanted to help participants todeepen their learning of our philosophiesin the kitchen as well. After discussions
with other staff members, we changed
the section’s name from Meal Service to
FEAST—Food Education and Sustainable Table.
The new name was a significant changethat turned out to be very effective. The
2018 participants demonstrated theirunderstanding of food security and selfsufficiency through their involvement in
the kitchen better than before, adding morevalue to their leadership training withregards to gender balance.

Pastor Lar from Myanmar said, “Thekitchen was one of the core places where
I could enhance my leadership skills andknow the importance of sustainability,”and “If I want to help my people then I
should practice using safe food ingredientsin my own kitchen.”I believe that when people with vastlydifferent backgrounds of class, faith, andfood cultures come together in the Koinonia dining hall from their various works,
sit side by side with one another chatting,laughing, scooping out food from the samebowls, it is not only a joy to see but the startof building peace.

44,433
Number of meals
served in Koinonia
in 2018
2017
2016
2015

34,811 mls.
38,142 mls.
41,902 mls.

THAT WE MAY LIVE TOGETHER

his year, we were able to gain 722 liters
Livestockof milk from the three female goats inT
our Goat section. What contributed greatly
Involves the to the increase in milking volume was tothem germinated wheat. We also
Whole Campus feedbegan to grow mulberry trees as fodder

Livestock report

Takashi Ôtani

Foodlife (Livestock)

Gilbert Hoggang

Foodlife (Livestock)trees as an attempt to produce feed byourselves.
In autumn, we rented a male goat andhad it mate with all female goats. Strong
typhoon winds then blew away the roof ofthe shed on the goat grazing land. But withthe hands of the participants, it was repaired
and we expanded the shed for the baby
goats.Trials to better manage the section’s
tools, such as sickles, also went well.
In the future, we plan to cultivate
pasture grass in the grazing area, prepare
and maintain a playground for baby goats,
and research the processing of dairy
products, such as goat cheese. We are also
discussing the future of the nearly thirtyyear-old goat shed—especially its worndown roof.

Growing Plants with Fish
In the Fish section, we raised 70 kg of carp
and successfully used them to weed ourrice paddies. We constructed a new systemfor directing rainwater from the women’sdormitory to the fish ponds and were thus
able to secure alternative water resourcesthat did not solely rely on groundwater. At
the same time, we decided to plant a fruitorchard around the fish ponds which sharethe same rainwater resource: figs, peaches,and oranges. We expect to use the orchard
not only for fruit supply but for student
training, too. We further introduced rat’stail fescue (Vulpia myuros) grass which helps
control weeds and can be used as grassmulch. If all goes well, we plan to expand
the orchards in the coming years.

ANNUAL REPORT 2018

Insemination of Mother Sows
The number of piglets we raised in 2018
was 107 heads thanks to a bigger number ofsows in our pens. Most of these sows wereborn at ARI, and we inseminated them all
to test their farrowing (birthing) capacity.
Well-performing sows can give birth to 7
to 12 piglets at the first farrowing, and weculled those that produce fewer. In the end,
we retained five to six breeder sows.
Even though the number of piglets
met our target, pork sales dropped thisyear. The company we had partnered withstopped processing our pork. Sales of sliced
pork stopped. We were able to find a restaurant and a processing center for ham andsausages that bought our pork in blocks.
However, they could not buy all the parts
and the unsold parts went to ARI’s kitchen
for our own consumption.

Improving our Feed Self-Sufficiency
One reason why our pork achieves great
quality, we believe, is our feeding practice.
We experiment with appropriate organic
feed mixtures for each stage of growth of
our livestock animals and painstakingly
produce the feed in the feed mixing room.
This feed mixing is an excellent study forthe participants. In 2018, we strengthened
our feed self-sufficiency with the in-houseproduction of wheat, soybeans, and corngrain. Readers might think that the fields
at ARI are mainly meant to sustain thehumans in our community of learning, but
in fact, a part of the harvest directly benefits our animals. Thanks to the Crops &Vegetables section’s increasing of the wheat
planting area we could include more of ourown wheat grain into the animal feed.

11

KEY CONCEPTThe Meaningof Foodlife

We also started using nutritious “soysauce cake” as a feed ingredient. A byproductof processing our soybeans to soy sauce, it
is helpful in reducing our use of soybean
meal, wheat, and salt since the cakes
already include all of these elements—andthey are very salty indeed.
Unfortunately, even though feed selfsufficiency has improved, the expenditure
for feed components increased. Spending
for rice powder, wheat, rice bran, and fishmeal exceeded the livestock budget for theyear. Chickens, pigs, and goats all needthese ingredients. Even the Crops & Vegetables section requires them, particularly
rice bran for making bokashi. We found thata more comprehensive budgeting processacross the various sections and a more
careful weighing of purchased feed materials when they arrive might solve thisproblem.
Corn silage is another feed source. It
can be stored for longer periods of time.
This year, we had so much left from theprevious year that we filled only one silo
for chicken feed. Instead of cutting all thecorn plants to silage, we dried more thanhalf of them and harvested the grains forfeed, as well as for the ARI kitchen, so we
could enjoy African fufu and cakes madefrom corn flour.
These examples show how all Foodlife
sections use the entire campus to create
an integrated system of farming. We strive
to improve this system so that people,
animals, plants, the soil, and the campus’s
environment can also improve in theircapacity to sustain life.

12

Asian Rural Institute considers all of
those involved with it, including its
supporters, to be members of thecommunity. Participants, volunteers,
working visitors, and staff members
who live, study and work on campus
are all producing crops, taking careof livestock, taking turns cooking
with the bounty from our harvest,
and sharing meals in the Koinonia
dining hall as members of this one
community.
The founder of ARI, Dr. Toshihiro
Takami, said that when people stop
valuing life, like in our modern society,the essential notion of food is lostas well. He expressed this relationship between
food and life bycombining these
two words into thesingle word “Foodlife.” Allow me toquote at lengthfrom Dr. Takami
in order to once
again confirm themeaning of Foodlife as he saw it.
“Food is brought forth throughthe joint work of nature, which is a
gift of God, and humans, who desire
to sustain life with what they havereceived. The components of soil,
water, and air are absorbed into theroots and leaves of green plants.
Through solar energy and the photosynthesis of green plants and the fixation of proteins and carbohydrates,
some immediately become food whileothers are ingested by animals andbecome meat or other kinds of food
which are also consumed by humans.

“Such an understanding enables us
to see the universe in each and every
grain of rice.
“The more food we make, and themore food we eat at the Institute, thericher the soil will be, the better thenatural environment will be, and themore beautiful our relationships will
be. These are the farming methods
with which we repeatedly strive
together each day in our desire to
realize Foodlife. When we engage inmorning and evening farm work, study,
bring the food we have produced to thetable, and share meals together, there
is a joy that is beyond description.
“Working on the farm and preparing
food in the kitchen are both important parts of Foodlife. When we eat,
we strive to possess a deep sense ofawareness, so that we can “taste”
the hope and warmth of those whose
sweat and hard work went into making
our food. When we
step into the soft,
sweet-smelling
earth full ofcompost, wewant to be people
who remember
the sweat of ourpredecessors
and pray for theirhappiness. Everytime we eat, we
taste the grace of God and the heartsof people—this is the kind of mealtaking that we should practice. This
short word, Foodlife, expresses themotto of our school—so that we cancreate a world which values the livesof people and the food which sustains
them, so that we may live together.”
Osamu Arakawa,
Associate Director & Farm Manager
Reference: Tsuchi to tomo ni ikiru,
Toshihiro Takami, p.63-65

THAT WE MAY LIVE TOGETHER

Farmingthat Suits theEnvironment
Crops & Vegetables
reportNobumasa Sakurai

Foodlife (Crops & Vegetables)It has been said for a long time thatorganic farming cannot improve its
productivity compared to conventionalfarming. Without pesticides, so the argument goes, the spread of diseases and pests
may cause a drastic decrease in yield, andwithout chemical fertilizers, it is necessary to prepare and apply a large amountof compost or organic fertilizer underconsiderable labor. There are also many
who say that organic farming cannot
meet the world’s food demand. However,at the Asian Rural Institute, we have tried
to achieve food self-sufficiency in the past
several decades through the practice oforganic farming, and we now produce
most food by ourselves. We achieve selfsufficiency while protecting the surrounding environment and improving the healthof each member of the community.
Looking at our crops and vegetableyields in 2018, although they are slightly
below the average of conventional Japanese farms, they are above the average ofdomestic organic farm yields. We believethat we can achieve further increase byimproving the accuracy and efficiency offarm work in the future.

Growing Optimal Seeds
Speaking of organic rice cultivation andtechnology, we made it possible to reduce
the labor of weeding and obtain an increasein yield thanks to thorough weed control
based on sparse planting of seedlings anddeepwater management after rice transplanting. Moreover, year after year, wehave grown potatoes and carrots from ourown seeds and slowly cultivated selectvarieties that proved to be most suitable
for the field environment at ARI. Our
ANNUAL REPORT 2018

most recent carrot harvest resulted in thehighest yield ever, producing 6,279 bottlesof organic carrot juice (one 300 ml bottle =400 yen). Besides these, we grew vegetables
using our own seeds such as cucumber,tomato, green and purple eggplant, bell
pepper, bitter gourd, butternut squash,
soybean, sweet potato, chayote, and perilla.
These varieties have gained characteristics
optimal for our environment.
In comparison to general farming
methods, organic farming takes an enormous amount of labor and effort. Fortunately, there are many participants wholearn from the soil and volunteers who
support their learning. In this place, we
can work the soil with our fellow laborers,
sweating and sharing the joy of harvesting
together.

Yield of Major Farm Products in 2018
Product
Rice
Wheat
PotatoSweet potato
SoybeanBlack bean
CarrotPumpkin
Onion
GarlicPerillaKiwi
Rhubarb
Blueberry

Total amount
9,479 kg
2,995 kg
1,842 kg
733 kg2,446 kg
115 kg2,290kg
69.5 kg
849 kg42.7 kg
19 kg
93.2 kg
170 kg32.8 kgArea Yield(494kg/10a)(190kg/10a)(1,842kg/10a)(1,047kg/10a)(140kg/10a)(1,908kg/10a)(849kg/10a)

Processed Products
6,279 bottles
Carrot juice
1,200 bags
Brown rice cracker

13

SPOTLIGHT

Sharing theBest We Have
ARI’s Community of Learning
is carefully guided by the staffof the Community Life section.

Education (Community Life) sectionThroughout the year, the Community Life section oversees the healthy
development of our international groupof volunteers, training participants,
staff, and visitors. While the Rural
Leaders Training Program is tailored
toward the participants, we support
the whole community’s growth byarranging activities for work and play,
guiding newcomers, and providing help
to anybody who feels sick or homesick.
We are especially happy when itis the community members who takeinitiative and create moments that aremeaningful for others. This happened
many times during ‘culture nights’ or
when people gathered to bid farewell tofriends who had completed their time at
ARI. Mambud, a participant from Sierra

FAMILY STORYIn Gratitude fora Life of Loving
Rural People

September 30, 1926
to September 9, 2018

Honorary President
Rev. Dr. Toshihiro Takami

14

On December 13th, 2018, a
memorial ceremony for the lateRev. Dr. Toshihiro ‘Tom’ Takami
took place at ARI’s Koinonia House.
Nearly 260 people from Japan andabroad participated, including
graduates, churches, and NGOs,
representing Dr. Takami’s wide
range of deep friendships.
This gathering showed how he was
loved for his equanimity inattending to everyone with love.

Leone, started a soccer program whichbecame quite popular—a welcome timeto let off some stress and simply enjoy
being together!
Of course, we also look after theindividual in times of need. This year,
we were fortunate to be assisted by Dr.
Joe Ozawa from Hawaii. Dr. Ozawa has
supported and visited ARI for many
years, and each time, aside from special
lectures, offered individual counselingto community members. In this collaboration, we can see the ideal visionof ARI’s campus and the extended
community of supporters and partners
sharing the best that they have.

The event consisted of two parts. The first partwas a memorial service conducted by Rev. Ban
HyungWook (1983 graduate from Korea andpastor of UCCJ Nishinasuno church). In thesecond part, Director Arakawa presided overa time of sharing memories about Dr. Takami.
I would like to transmit the atmosphere of theceremony to you by introducing the summarized messages of Dr. Takami’s close friends
and family members.
Chair of the Board Rev. Masaoki Hoshino, whoknew Dr. Takami even before he established
ARI, brought our attention to Dr. Takami’s useof the word ‘remember.’ It is an important motif
in the Bible. Takami remembered farmers inAsia and hoped also to be remembered as aperson concerned with these often-forgotten
people. Rev. Hoshino explained that Dr. Takami
wanted to tell others,“I remember you, too,”and that ‘remembering’ was associated with‘loving’ and ‘praying.’
Rev. Tôru Akiyama, the General Secretaryof United Church of Christ in Japan, pointed
out that the very first step of ARI history was
taken by the East Asian Christian Council (nowthe Asian Christian Council) at its founding
general meeting when it passed the following
resolution: “Since it is an urgent matter to train
rural ministers for the post-war reconstructionof Asian countries, we expect the Japanesechurches to bear this duty.” This took placein Kuala Lumpur in 1959.
THAT WE MAY LIVE TOGETHER

Being Part of the
Learning Process
A topic that posed a test to thecommunity dynamic was interpersonal relationships. Friendships between
members sometimes become dating
relationships. While in many cultures
this is an ordinary, healthy process,it can be seen as indecent in others.
The disagreements around gender andromance are often hard to bridge in a
culturally ambiguous place like ARI,
where the social clues that normally
guide people are nowhere to be found.
Another challenge is social media
and internet use. Personal SIM cards andfree messaging apps are a big moneysaver for people from overseas when

The next speaker was Mr. Michio Itô whoestablished the Japan NGO Center for International Cooperation (JANIC) with Dr. Takami in1986. He recalled Dr. Takami’s flexible way ofinviting various types of NGOs to JANIC whichgrew to include 175 member organizations.
In 1952, Dr. Takami made friends with Mr.
Richard Dudley and his family during his study
at Doane University (Nebraska). His son, David
Dudley, joined the ceremony and conveyed
messages from Dr. Takami’s Doane friends:“He was the one who showed Christianity
through a unique vision of how to train ruralleaders to grow food which is indispensable

they communicate with their families
and colleagues at home. But personal
online access influences the mechanics
of community life considerably. How do
we spur interpersonal communication
when people prefer screen-time overtalking with the person right in front ofthem? Although we introduced “social
media fasting” times this year, we still
look for a good way forward.
The issues above reflect that ARI’scommunity of learning is an ongoingexperiment in which we often cannot

rely on previous solutions. We staff
members are thus always part of thecollective learning process. The deeper
question here is how we can welcome“problems” so that they turn into
constructive learning opportunities.
By struggling together with the participants and volunteers, we members of
the Community Life section strive to berole models of servant leadership eventhough we might not be teaching in theclassroom.

for human lives,” and “I learned how to serve
others and how to put it in action from him.”David concluded: “Rev. Takami gave us a chance
to unite with each other by sharing his dreams
and life. I believe the mission of ARI, which
originated in his dream, will be kept active
and dynamic for the future.”that nature was the source of our life.

Rev. Debora Sinaga (1991 graduate, 1996
Training Assistant from Indonesia) pointed
out that ARI’s Rural Leaders Training Program
promoted the harmoniuous sharing of lives
despite differences of religion, culture, or levelsof education. She also echoed Dr. Takami’s
words that wars would be over if we understood

Mr. J.B. Hoover (Executive Director of American Friends of ARI, AFARI) introduced thememorial resolution adopted by the AFARI
board meeting which included the words,“Therefore we recognize Dr. Takami’s various
achievements in building an environmentally
healthy, just and peaceful world. We also
express our condolences to the Takami family
and greater ARI community of staff members,
graduates, friends and supporters throughout
the world.”
Mr. Shin Takami, Dr. Takami’s eldest son,relayed instances of ‘Amazing Grace’ at various
times during his father’s life. Such moments
included Dr. Takami as the head of his family,
his interactions with Doane University friends(where Shin studied, too), presiding over Shin’s
marriage, and his time with his grandchildren.
He would pray for everyone gathered to findtheir own way to live together saying, “I amconfident that my father, who is living in yourhearts, will support you by giving ‘Amazing
Grace’ when needed.” Finally, Dr. Takami’swife, Shinko, expressed words of thanks to allof those attending the ceremony.
In a small vegetable patch prepared by graduates near the speakers’ podium, we found Dr.
Takami in his photograph as if he was quietlylistening to these messages and stories.
Hôichi Endo,
Vice Chair of the ARI Board

ANNUAL REPORT 201815

Together with
SupportersA

diverse range of people fromJapan as well as abroad come toour campus with a variety of purposes,
such as finding a new way of life, experiencing organic farming, and using it
in international cooperation activities.
The purpose of programs at ARI,
such as Study Camps for groups andWorking Visitor for individuals is “tolearn what it means to live a life of
sharing through a unique approach tofood and life,” making use of the ARI
community and its practice of selfsufficiency in food.
Caring for baby goats, chicks, andpiglets; collecting eggs; weeding while
sweating; harvesting ripe, red tomatoes… and finally: the joy of shared
mealtime after hard work. It is theessence of our programs to feel the
many efforts and sacrifices of all living
things on earth that enable the joy ofthis shared table.
Many people visited and took part in
the ARI in 2018. One visitor commented
as follows:
16

1

Hints for
Living Together
The events and fellowship thattake place at ARI throughout
the year are opportunities
for participants, staff, andsupporters to learn together.

I feel that living at the Asian Rural Institute changed the standards and values​​
within me when I choose things. My previous consumption activities were often
based on economic reasons, and when I
went to the supermarket, I sometimesbought more food than necessary because
it was a good deal to buy in bulk. However,having learned how many people were involved in harvesting just one type of foodduring my stay at ARI, I became able toimagine the producer's point of view. My
love for food has grown.

Earth Heart Project

Takashi Yamashita

Fundraising / Domestic Programs(External Programs,
Nasu Seminar House Manager)

Ms. Iris Burbank, a student intern from
St. Olaf College (United States) in thesummer of 2017, completed her seniorart project inspired by her experiencesat ARI. Thinking of a way to give backto the ARI community, we initiated theart project, “Earth Heart – Art Connects
the Earth and Humans” together. For
two months from August to October,a total of 300 people in eight places
THAT WE MAY LIVE TOGETHER

2Sharing the Wealthof our Farm
20 percent of ARI’s income comes fromour sales products. In 2018, farm products
accounted for 6 percent of that share.

3

5

6

4

I

participated in this project, including
elementary schools, kindergartens andcommunity centers around ARI. Whilelearning how to paint pictures basedon the primary colors under Iris’ guidance, participants discussed peace with
ARI community members and tried toexpress it through painting.
Thanks to this former student intern,a new form of fellowship was started
through fine arts.
Ms. Iris Burbank kindly provided her art for
the Annual Report’s cover image.

(1) English Farm participants pick blueberries.
(2) Western Japan Caravan: Speaking at “J-House”
church.
(3) Iris Burbank with her work.
(4) Participants and ARI supporters mingle during the“Lunch in Tokyo” event.
(5) ARI pork.
(6) ARI farm products.

ANNUAL REPORT 2018

Hiromi SatôSales

Best-selling
product of 2018

CarrotJuice

6,279 bottles$ 20,720
nr. 2

nr. 3

Rice

Rice crackers

1,830kg$ 9,910

1,200 packs$ 4,505n the ARI mission statement, we declarethat “we present a challenge to ourselves
and to the whole world in our approach tofood and life.” ARI is a community that practices food self-sufficiency and is at the sametime an educational institution. This uniqueschool and the farm products that we produce
here are for the benefit of everyone, including ARI supporters. Thus, when interactingwith supporters and customers, the role ofthe sales section is not only for selling farm
products and advertising their quality but
also in conveying the importance of sharing
food. Both aspects, school and farm, reinforce
each other.
Our products’ ingredients come from thesame farm that provides the community's
daily food. We separately calculate production volumes for self-supply and sales but
grow the plants in the same fields and in
the same way. For pork and eggs, we value
the lives of the animals, and everyone whotakes care of the raising of the animals cherishes the opportunities for learning there.
Although we cannot share the table directlywith customers, as producers we find joy insharing the food and philosophy that comesfrom ARI. As Foodlife is one of our corevalues, the sales section is working hard sothat as many people as possible can consider
the work and care that goes into a meal.
17

1

to how deeply the experience of serving at
ARI impacts people’s lives and hearts.

Ecumenical Projects at ARI

Living Assets toAchieve Our Mission
Among ARI’s greatest assets are the richinteraction and exchange with partners,
not just from Japan but from around the world.

S

hort-term visitors form a cornerstoneof our community life, bringing new
perspectives and energy to those aroundthem. In turn, visitors themselves areenriched as they speak with participants andpartake in the work to fulfill ARI’s mission.
During 2018, we welcomed many suchindividual and institutional visitors. Two ofthem were Bob and Joyce Ray from the U.S.
who joined us for eight weeks. Both have been
involved with ARI since 1989. They also serveon the AFARI Board and the AFARI Writers
Group. This time, they helped out with theannual Harvest Thanksgiving Celebration,
forming close relationships with participantsand volunteers.

Strengthening Ties
in Europe
Head of Ecumenical Relations Kathy Froede
represents ARI to overseas institutional
supporters. In October, she traveled to Europe
to reaffirm relationships with key partners.
Listening to their new ideas on approachinginternational relationships gave Kathy fresh
insights for ARI’s strategies: how to shape
our fundraising and the volunteer programin ways that benefit everyone. Kathy’s visit
also created opportunities to reunite withformer volunteers in Germany and Britain.
Their stories were an encouraging testimony
182(1) ARI's Head of Ecumenical
Relations Kathy Froede (center) visits
the staff of Sozialer Friedensdienst(Social Peace Service) in Kassel,
Germany(2) Joyce and Bob Ray at the Harvest
Thanksgiving Celebration

ARI is a living institution, kept alive throughthe generous partners who empower us to
improve facilities and training. Our great
appreciation goes to all who supported
numerous projects and scholarships in thepast year, as well as to the volunteers andtheir sending organizations.
In 1986, the women’s dorm was built withthe aid of ecumenical partners, and they again
provided financial support for much-neededrenovations. Now, new shower rooms and akitchen unit with an improved ventilation
system add to the residents’ quality of life.
Those institutions that contributed include:
Countryside Community Church, Omaha
Nebraska; United Church of Canada; United
Church of Christ, USA; Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; Morimura Homeikai
Foundation; and NSKK Anglican Women’sGroup in Japan.
Pearl City Community Church, Hawaii,
funded a rainwater catchment system. A
network of pipes gathers rainwater from thewomen’s dorm roof and deposits it in fishponds. This protects fish from water competition in the event of an electrical outage.
ARI generates close to 20% of its revenue
from projects such as selling pork to consumers. The pork program improved greatly
thanks to a refrigerated truck purchased
through a United Church of Canada grant.
The grant also covered important meat
processing equipment.

Fulfilling Our Mission

Ecumenical Relations
sectionIn its mission of empowering rural communities, ARI’s most valuable resource is its
network of living assets. Whether these assets
are temporary visitors or lifetime supporters, local Japanese residents or international
philanthropic organizations, it is the responsibility of Ecumenical Relations to nurture
ARI’s relationships. Only through theirstrength can we continue to work, fulfilling
our mission: “building a world in which we
all may live together.”
THAT WE MAY LIVE TOGETHERSPOTLIGHT

Walking the Earthof Kenya

The Session in Nairobi

On January 18 and 19, tour
participants and graduates met
at the Missionary Sisters of thePrecious Blood Guest House.

(January 11 to 22, 2019)

Tomoko Arakawa
Director

ARI’s first study trip to Kenya revealed
valuable hints for future student recruitment.

T

his trip to Kenya was planned by
Ms. Beverly Abma, member of the
AFARI board, and was organized forsupporters and friends of ARI from
North America. Bev has had a deep
connection with Africa, especially with
Kenya, for a long time. Her plan for this“Kenya Vision Trip” included visiting
four regional centers of the Anglican
Development Service Mt. Kenya East
(ADSMKE) which had sent four of theirstaffers to ARI in the past, and a two-day
session with Kenyan graduates, theirSending Bodies, and other organizations
interested in sending their personnel to
ARI in the future. In Nairobi, we also
visited two faith-based organizations
with wide networks throughout Kenya
and the African continent. I joined thetrip representing ARI.
The background of this tour was thefact that in the past five or six years, ARI
received more applications from Africa
than ever before (more than half of the2017 participants and 75% of applications for the 2018 training program
were from Africa), while very few ARI
staff members including me, the director, had any experience staying or
working there. Also, during field trips
for the Graduates Impact Study (20142015), a number of graduates expressed
to Bev that “there is a need to develop a
two-way exchange (or there is a need todevelop an exchange) of learning where
ARI learns as much from us as we dofrom them.” The trip was proposed as aconcrete action that responded to thiswish.
Visiting Kenya was very meaningfulpersonally, as it was my first time to treadon African soil. Seeing and experiencing
its real situation firsthand, I gained new
information about culture, climate, and
ANNUAL REPORT 2018

14 graduates joined the sessionsocial issues. However, here I would liketo focus on the findings that affectedmy thinking about ARI’s recruitment
strategy and our relationship with
Sending Bodies.

Reaffirming the Importanceof Sending Bodies
A Sending Body (SB) is an organization
with which a Rural Leaders Training
participant is affiliated. An individual
who applies to ARI must belong to,
be recommended by and go back to asending organization upon completion of the training program to ensurethat his/her learning from ARI will
be adequately utilized. In a sense, theSending Body is not just an organization that the individual belongs to, but
one that should maximize the learning of its ARI-trained staff. Thus, each1982 (1)Jennifer & (2) Mishek Kanake
ARI Day and Boarding School, Tendo Valley
Teacher Training College
1990 (3) Mzungu Raphael Ngoma
Institute of Participatory Development
representative(4) Peter Chandi (not pictured)
Organic Africa representative, former ADSMKE
1994 (5) Madrine Muthoni Gatumu
former World Vision Kenya
1996 (6) Tabitha Wanfoki Munyi Waweru ADSMKE
1999 (7) Moses Ochieng Ochiel
former Magoya Cannan Family Development
Project
2009 (8) Emmanueal "Pikolo" Karisa Baya
Margarini Children Centre and Organic
Farming Demonstration Farm representative2013 (9) Jescar Mbuche Shehe MCCOFDF
2015 (10) David Gitari Karoki ADSMKE(11) Joseph Ndirangu Gitimu (not pictured)
Fountain of Life Care Centre
2016 (12) Sr. Consolata Khakaali
Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Uganda,
Kenya Province
2018 (13) Caroline Anyango Nyamacho
Lake Victoria Permaculture Initiative Network(14) Rev. Peter Mukasa Bakaluba
Church of Uganda – Anglican Communion
Mukono Diocese, Mukuno Consultative
Development Forum

1
12

14
10

1

7

5
3

2

6
9

8
13

19

1

2

Sending Body is an important partner
who carries out the mission of ARI
together with us.
In this trip, I strongly reaffirmed theimportance of the Sending Bodies, andmy perspective on recruitment changed
accordingly. By visiting ADSMKE,
which had sent four staff members to
ARI (two of whom are still working
for them), I could see one of the most
“successful” examples of a Sending Body
for which our training has made a positive impact in terms of its content anddirection over the years. What I wasable to find there was a crucial factor
for a Sending Body’s “success:”
There is a key person among the leadership of the Sending Body who understands
the values of the ARI Training Program.
I think that ARI has not recognized
the significance of this factor enough. In
the ARI Training Program, we tend to
focus on the individuals (participants)
in front of us; their transformation andgrowth in terms of qualities and skills
often look more important to us than
to their Sending Bodies back home. But
we must remember that no matter how
much an individual participant succeeds
in his/her growth and goes home as apromising leader, if the Sending Body
does not understand it, the graduate
will lose a chance to utilize whatever he/
she has acquired. If the Sending Body,
however, values the transformed staff
member (the ARI graduate) and his/her plans, it will not only give him/hera space to be active but also ensure thesustainable and evolving use of that
person so it may benefit the Sending
Body and the community alike.
In the case of ADSMKE, the execu20

tive director knew about ARI well andwas keen to send one of his male staff
in 1990. Upon his return, the executive director assigned him the mostappropriate position where he could
utilize his learnings well. Being satisfied with the result, the executive director sent a female staff person in 1996.
When the executive director retired,
he informed his successor about ARI in
detail so that the new executive director sent two outstanding staff members
in 2000 and 2015. These two were also
given optimal environments in which
they could fully apply their knowledge
and skills, strengthening the Sending
Body’s overall work.
As seen here, it is very importantfor ARI to identify key persons within
the Sending Body who truly understands the purpose and values of the
Rural Leaders Training Program andto intentionally build and maintain arelationship with those key persons as
an axis. Once a good relationship is built
between us, a sound cycle emerges (asseen in the diagram on the next page),and the possibility that our training candemonstrate its maximum outcome will
increase.

Building Relationships with
Sending Bodies as “Partners”
We should regard Sending Bodies thathave a good understanding of ARI,
especially with key persons who value
ARI’s training program, as “partners”
because rather than “merely sending aparticipant” they indeed help us achieve
our mission. By recognizing “partner”
Sending Bodies all over the world and

3

4

5

(1) Village scenery.
(2) AFARI board member Bevery Abma.
(3) Micro credit project in a village where graduates areactive.
(4) The ADSMKE center in Macumo where a number ofgraduates work.
(The pictures above are by the United Church of Canada)(6) Meru City, 200km northeast of Kenya's capital Nairobi.

THAT WE MAY LIVE TOGETHER

advancing constructive relationships
with them, we can both get high-quality
participants and send out more highquality rural leaders on a regular basis.

Finding a Partner Sending Body
After coming back from Kenya, westarted creating a list of potential
Partner Sending Bodies. As a start, we
set the conditions as follows:— it has been supportive of previous
graduate(s) upon their return, empowering their work and allowing them to
implement their ARI training in theircommunity;— it works directly with grassroots
members of their rural community;— its director and ARI have sufficientmutual awareness;— it actively communicates with ARI;
— it can put forward a candidate basedon the previous criteria.
It is not an easy job and we need todevelop a method of identifying Partner
Sending Bodies. At the current phase,
it is important not to rely solely on
the information that the organization
dispenses, but to attain informationfrom third parties, such as networkorganizations in the particular region/
country and organizations that aresupported by Christian churches which
are already related with ARI. In thisregard, visiting World Renew Kenya
and the Organization of African Instituted Churches (OAIC) in Nairobi wasvery productive.
It would have been impossible to call
together this number of graduates
and representatives of organizations
without Bev Abma’s long-standing
connections with Kenya. I deeply appreciate her for making the time and effort
of contacting them and creating new
bonds. I also would like to express mygratitude to Ms. Catherine K. Mwangi,
Executive Director of ADSMKE, who
accompanied us for five days visiting
ADSMKE’s regional centers and participating in the session. Catherine sharedinsights from her years of experience inrural development work very openly.
Thanks to her, I was able to learn how
productive and constructive it is to havea relationship with a key person in theSending Body leadership.

Good Partnership with
Sending Bodies (SB)
Building a relationshipwith the SB(identifying a key person)

Good follow-up
between ARI and SB

SB sends a
quality applicant

Graduate
Outreach

Graduate works well inhome community(SB supports the graduate)

Student
Admissions

ARI delivers
quality training

GRADUATE STORY

Reflecting on the Lifeof One Graduate
I met many wonder ful people who
devoted themselves to the work of ruraldevelopment in Kenya. In talking andsharing ideas with them, I affirmed thatwhat brings peace to society are foodsecurity, a heart (the personality andquality) that values diversity, and the
dedication to serve the weak. ARI emphasizes those three points in its training andcan take an important role in nurturingpersons who can exert their leadershipin those three areas.
Just five days before we arrived in Kenya,a funeral service was conducted for Ms.
Jane Gitonga, our graduate of the year
2000 and a staff member of ADSMKE. She
passed away at the age of fifty. I heardthat over a thousand people attended
her funeral including colleagues andmany beneficiaries, such as farmers andvillagers, of her projects. In support ofthis fact, at every ADSMKE station that wevisited, people mourned her and praised
her contribution. I came to understandhow much she loved the people and how
much she impacted their lives and was
expected to continue the work for them.
I thought that her life proved that theoutcome of our training program bore
much fruit and was appreciated by local
grassroots people.
Looking back at Jane’s life, I imaginedthat there are many ARI graduates justlike her who are working in rural areasof the world, walking side by side withthe people. I pray that ARI will continue
to produce such rural leaders and thatthey may find good environments conducive to the effective use of their learning.
Tomoko Arakawa
Director

ANNUAL REPORT 201821

Financial Report
Asian Rural Institute expresses its gratitude to everyone who generously
extended their hands of support for its mission throughout FY 2018,
April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019.

Balance SheetAt the closing of the FY 2018, ARI’s total assets were valued at $8.8 million(down $0.4 million from the previous year). It is mainly due to thedepreciation of buildings and sales of securities (in the amount of $48,648),
while the total liabilities were valued at $1.9m (down $34,000), including
scheduled repayments of long-term loans.

Statement of Revenues and Expenses(a) Tuition/Scholarships and Fees (7.6% up compared to the initial budget
and 3.9% up from the previous year)
In addition to the general scholarship from AFARI (American Friends of ARI),
the Takami Memorial Scholarship Fund was added this year, resulting in$9.000 more to the total picture.
Further, the total amount saw an increase in the end, as well as a number of
new donors who joined our scholarship funding community.
(b) Donations (8.4% down compared to the initial budget and 3.2% up
from the previous year.)Domestic Donations: $45,000 lower than budgeted and down $22,500 fromthe previous year. While the total number of supporters nationwide is on therise, the per case amount shows a trend of getting smaller, which poses anever-ending challenge.
Overseas Donations: Gradually picking up despite a downward trend lastyear.
Special Donations: An increase of $90,000 from the previous year. $56,760
were designated for the women’s dorm renovation (of which $37,000 camefrom overseas); $27,000 were designated for the purchase of a refrigerator
truck; $9,000 came from the Kamenori Foundation (see page 4); $35,000 for
the total of individual donations.
(c) Sales and special services (2.2% up compared to the initial budget and2.3% up from the previous year)
The increase here has to do mainly with three factors: (1) Study Camp
participants were the highest number in its 30-year’s history; (2) $10,800 up
in the sales of crops and vegetables from the farm as compared with theprevious year; (3) the revenue from the meal service (known as Food
Education and Sustainable Table, or FEAST) totaled $3,600 up from theprevious year.
On the other hand, the revenue from the livestock section suffered a big cut
by $20,700 compared with the previous year, having been unable to sell the
initially projected amount of pork to subscribed consumers/supporters. It
was due to the contract cancellation with the meat processing house in the
middle of the year. A new contract with another house has already been
made this year, and we hope that one of the most popular ARI Farm
products will soon be picking up its momentum.

General Overview
Included in the initial budget for FY 2018 were two new ventures, i.e. theestablishment of the new Graduate Outreach section ($39,600 for bothproject and personnel costs) and an upgrading/maintenance work for thecomputer server system ($18,000). To off-set the total expenditure includingthese two items, $152,000 had to be enlisted as a result under Special
Donations, a rather unstable/unforeseeable income source.
Under such circumstances, it is fortunate that ouractual financial result for 2018 ended with $217
excess if we exclude the depreciation cost of$0.36m. It is a result of your generous support
and our staff’s efforts.

Kaori Sakuma-VeroGeneral Manager

22

Although the financial situation continues to betight, we will continue to do our best to
strengthen our financial structure to achieve our
mission.

Balance Sheet
AssetsMarch 31, 2019

March 31, 2018

Fixed Assets
Property
Special Assets
Third designated special asset
Retirement fund
Building Repair endowment
Other Assets
Telephone rights
Capital
Deposit
Scholarship Fund
Current Assets
Cash & savings
Accounts receivable
Stock (livestock, rice, etc.)
Sales items
Securities / shares
Others8,378,509
7,461,674
868,790657,220
153,779
57,791
48,045
1,455
1,387
690
44,510450,499
351,435
6,299
9,252
37,377
046,136

8,662,078
7,720,508
860,028
656,537
143,41160,08081,540
1,456
1,387
637
78,060567,746
279,61754,577
5,104
26,584
152,20949,655

Total Assets

8,829,008

9,229,824

Fixed Liabilities
Long term loans
School bonds
Retirement fund reserve
Reconstruction project reserve
Current Liabilities
Short term loans
School bonds
Accounts payable
Consumer tax payable
Advance received
Deposit received

1,134,645
471,351
290,991
145,915226,388794,054558,559
37,928
17,833
4,497
125,103
50,134

1,131,833
471,351
290,991
118,888
250,603
830,907589,730
37,92836,020
5,063
91,57070,596

Total Liabilities

1,928,699

1,962,740

Endowments1
Endowment account #1
Endowment account #3
Endowment account #4

10,057,248
657,220
99,09910,051,427
655,853
99,099Total Endowments

10,813,567

10,806,379

Total Net Assets

6,900,309

7,267,084

Total Liabilities and Net Assets

8,829,008

9,229,824

Liabilities

Net Assets

Notes
The information on these 2 pages is a direct translation of the Japanese original andfollows the requirements of Japanese accounting regulations.
Exchange rate: US$ 1 = JP¥ 111
1) Endowments are considered assets but are shown here separately due to Japanese accounting
regulations. Endowment account #1: the acquisition value of fixed assets necessary for education(however, the amount equivalent to the self-financing); #3: equivalent to assets held as Endowment(scholarship funds, etc.); #4: equivalent to one month's working capital.
2) Scholarships and Fees include Japanese participants' tuition. Tuition for overseas participants arecovered by donations and scholarships from supporting organizations and individuals.
3) Grants for donations include designated funds from organizations.
4) Special donations include donations outside the budget of more than ¥300,000/ $2,702.
5) Revenues are derived from organizing seminars, programs, and sales of farm products and folk-art crafts.
6) For details, see "Educational Activities in Detail."

THAT WE MAY LIVE TOGETHERProfit and Loss Statement
Operating Revenue
Educational Activities Revenue
Scholarships and Fees1
TuitionEntrance fee
Contributions for board
Contributions for lodging
Domestic individual donation
Domestic institutional donation
Overseas individual donation
Overseas institutional donation
Contributions for transportation
Fees for issuing certificate
Donations
General Donations
Domestic
Overseas
Grants for donations3
Special donations4
GrantsSales and Special Services5
Miscellaneous revenue
Publication
Accomodation user fees
Other Miscellaneous revenue
Non Educational Activities Revenue
Interest & dividends
Special Revenue
Gain (loss) from sale of assets

Total Operating Revenue

Educational Activities in Detail2018 Budget

2018 Actual2019 Budget

239,099
18,789
4,049
4,988
4,988
0
115,892
7,189
72,072
11,132288
657,650
420,361
305,766
114,595
85,402
151,8870252,252
78,396
1,801
49,56827,027257,262
21,316
3,793
5,491
5,491
2,703
98,982
43,16465,267
11,055
180602,226
383,905
259,680
124,225
91,696
126,6253,135
257,856
75,8162,201
51,07922,536

350,729
29,600
4,423
7,601
7,601
0
117,333
39,640102,603
41,928288
614,323
428,739
313,964
114,775
86,87098,714
0216,604
72,1802,432
42,721
27,027

451

300

451

0

13,4640

1,228,136

1,210,239

1,254,575

712,878
262,041
604,453(361,825)

713,466
250,268
602,628(366,558)

724,768
283,480
603,836(368,576)

10,5900

10,651
0

11,0670

Expenses 6
Educational Activities Expenses
Personnel
Education and Research
General and administrative(Depreciation allowance)
Non-educational Activities Revenues(expenses)
Interest paid on debt
Exchange loss
Special expenses
Gain (loss) from sale of assets

Total Operating Expenses
Incorporation into designated fundNet operating gain (loss)
Beginning balanceEnding balance

0

0

0

1,589,962

1,577,013

1,623,151

0-361,826-3,539,295-3,901,121-7,188-373,962-3,539,295-3,913,257

0-368,576-3,913,258-4,281,834

Total Educational Activities

713,466
176,778
467,110
69,578250,268
2,675
24,7999,207
34,745
21,25359,961
1,408
39,441
1,988
4,595
2,404
4,802
2,660
4,865
702
1,568
9,233
6,726
15,303
1,933
602,628
1,668
10,628
10,21629,191
2,302
3,887
7,134
44,796
6,735
14,553
6,999
8,383
8,109
9,075
1,422
3,162
19,10544,919
1,744
786
1,256
366,558

1,566,362

Auditors’ Statement

Donations by Category$ 602,226 in total in 2018

Domestic Donations

Overseas Donations Special Donations

Grants2018$ 259,680$ 124,225$ 91,696

2017$ 283,248

2016$ 234,837

ANNUAL REPORT 2018

Personnel
Faculty
Staff and other personnel
Others
Education and Research
Supplies expenses
Utilities
Transportations
Student stipends
Study tours
Agricultural training costs
Travel: domestic for students
Travel: intl students
Course materials
Research
Dormitory expenses
MedicalStaff training
Office supplies
Membership fees
Alumni association support
Project expenses
Special lectures
Vehicle expenses
Miscellaneous expenses
Administration
Office supplies
Utilities
Transporation for staff
Fund raising
Vehicle fuelWelfare expenses
Communication
General and administrative
Publications
Vehicle maintenance
General maintenanceInsurance
Rental expenses
Taxed & public dues
Membership fees
Conferences
Commission fees
Cost for income generation act.
Special events
Public relations
Miscellaneous expenses
Depreciation allowance$ 126,625$ 151,528$ 109,964$ 90,298$ 120,360

The above duly audited financial statements h ave been
prepared by the Fujinuma Tax and Accounting Service, Inc,and approved by the ARI auditors, Mr. Ôkubo and Mr. Murata.
All the documents were properly kept and there were noirregularities.
May 14, 2019
Asian Rural Institute$ 58,652$ 29,522

Auditor: Tomohiro Ôkubo

Auditor: Sakae Murata

23

Our Supporters & Partners
A list of individuals, congregations andother organizations in Japan who donatedtoward ARI during fiscal 2018 can be foundin the Japanese version of the 2018 Annual
Report and Ajia no Tsuchi, our Japanese
language newsletter.
All gifts that are not designated forscholarship, disaster reconstruction, or
research are received as general donations
and help to support tuition and other costsof the ARI Rural Leaders Training Program.
We express our gratitude to the many
volunteers near and far who give of theirtime and talents to help fulfill our mission.

Legacy Circle
Fred G. Clark
Kenneth & Eloise Dale
Kathy Froede
Pam & Souk Hasegawa
David & Sandra Hirano
J.B. & Adeline Hoover
Ellen & Jim Marsey
Bob & Joyce Ray
Craig Rice & Ameeta Sony
Lisa Schaechter
Kay Shanks
Bardwell Smith
Jim & Kathryn Treece

24

Overseas Individual Donors
Bev Abma
Bev Abmain memory of Mother of David Yatawara
Bernadine
James Micah Anderson
Doug & Marty Appleby
Jennifer Astion
Marie Bade
Eugene & Lois Bakko
Eugene & Lois Bakko
in memory of Dr. Toshihiro Takami
Verlyn L. Barker
John Bayles
Bill Beck
Martha Bessac
Linda Bloom
Sharon Wilson & Van Bobbitt
Dan & Barbara Bohi
Lawrence & Cora Brown
Kathy Burton-Lewis
Matthew Cauble
Agnes & John Chambers
Nina Chambers
Mary Chafey
Diana Chapel
Tom & Anne Chase
Fred G. Clark
Shannon Clarkson
Susanne Clifton
Barbara Coates
Mary Anne & Ephraim Cohen
Bradford ConnollyDavid & Elizabeth Cutting
Richard & Alice Dailey
Kenneth & Eloise Dale
Anne Dance & Daniel Barendregt
Betty Darst
Dianne & Jerry Daugherty
Mary Ann DeVries & Tom Schlife
Dave Coatsworth & Rebecca Dickinson
Margie Dickinson
Skip & Derry Dickinson
in memory of Dr. Toshihiro Takami
Edith O'Donnell
Judy DudleyRichard & Lillian DudleyFred & Carol Edmonds
Naarah Eichenauer
Hôichi Endô
Era Colmo Espana
Bette Faber
Lynne Fackayan
Karen Farmer
Mary Ferguson
Marie Ferrarin (United Church of Dorset
and East Rupert)
Bill & Joanne Fraser
Dean & Elsie Freudenberger
Kathy Froede
Ben & Carol Fujita
Ben & Carol Fujita
in memory of Dr. Toshihiro Takami
Carolyn & Eric Fure-Slocum
in memory of Dr. Toshihiro Takami
Kazue Grace Furuya
Martha Gale & Bob Carpenter
Jo & Ken Gelhaus
Stephen & Emiko Gerdes

Brittany Gill
Dick & Anne Gillett
Jack & Rosalyn Gillisse
Donald & Melinda Goodick
Daniel & Hiroko Goto
James & Noriko Goto
Ted & Norine Haas
Betsy Hale
Marcia Hampton
in honor of Peg Hampton
Peg & Harry Hampton
Mangvung Hechin Haokip
Margaret Hardenbergh & Carl Wies
Sarah Reed Harrisin honor of Jennifer Jones
Pam & Souk Hasegawa
Jacqueline Haslett
Paul Hastings
Tom & Carol Hastings
Carolyn Moss & Daniel Hawkins
Ben Cope & Gretchen Hayslip
Nelima Hazra
Lorna & Will Henkel
Clip Higgins
John E. Hill & Jeannette Dejong
Samuel & Gail Hill
Ron Hines
David & Sandra Hirano
in memory of Dr. Toshihiro TakamiRev. Margret Hofmeister
Michele Holowachuk
William & Eleanor Honaman
J.B. & Adeline Hooverin memory of Dr. Toshihiro Takami
John & Sandy Hoover
Cheri Howe
Hannah Howard
John Hoyt
Mime Ikeda
Arthur & Gloria Imagire
Nancy & Thomas Inui
Leslie Jackson
Rick & Marcy Jackson
Vincent James
Jennifer & Mark Jones
Kyôko Kageyama
Kiyoko M. Kaneko
Gabriele Kasper
Eunice Kaymen
Rhen Kiemel
Douglas & Marjorie Kinsey
Saori Kitajima
Beth Knight
Benjamin & Choon Sook Kremenak
Mary Jo Kremer
in memory of Dr. Toshihiro Takami
Evelyn Kroehler
Laverne Kroehler
Ronald & Elizabeth Kutscher
Richard Lammers
James & Haru Landes
Martin & Barbara Lang
Noriko Lao
Ken & Alice Lauritzen
Frances Lee
Jim & Gretchen Lewis
Sue Lloyd
Margaret Logan & Rolfe Larson
Marni Logan
Rebecca Lopez

THAT WE MAY LIVE TOGETHERGeorge & Joyce Magee
Marj Manglitz
Darwin Mann
Julia Manners
Rev. George Martzen & Dr. Chin Cheak Yu
Ellen & Jim Marsey
Kathleen Matsushima
Ken & Diane Matsuura
Ken Matsuyama
Jennifer McClure
Mac & Monette McKellar
Pierre & Ellie Maeder
Barbara Mensendiek
Wil Merchant
Mike & Donna Miller
Eleanor Moore
Michiko & Tom Morgan
Rick Morris
in memory of Dr. Toshihiro Takami
Mikel Morrison
Jack & Hatsumi Mossin honor of Carolyn Moss & Patricia Rouser& Car Darrow
Barbara L. Mueller
Mary Musolino
Herfina Nababan
Mary Nakamura
Kaori & Gary Natsume
Emily Nelson (United Church of Dorset
and East Rupert)
David Newman
Stan & LoAnne Olson
Aaron Owen
Joseph Ozawa & Andrea BoothBill Pallett
Albert Papp Jr.
Nam-sik Park
Howard & Martha Parker
Katherine Parker
Donald Patenaude
Katie Pearce
Alison Pease
Doug Peterson
Marti Peterson
in memory of Doug Peterson &Gretchen DeVries & Dr. Toshihiro Takami
Nate Petersen
Robert Peterson
Rev. Dr. Chester Polk
Paul & Mary Margaret Pruitt
Andy Qualls
Monica Quill
Patricia Quill
Nina & Julio Racine
Bob & Joyce Ray
J.B. Redding
Nancy Rheingrover
Turner Ritchie
Sue & Mike Rizzotti
Teren Robbins
in honor of Joseph Rungrote Tangsurakit
Carolyn Rodenberg
Patricia & Randy Roeser
Muriel Roeth
Priscilla & David Ruhe
Janet Russell
Ken & Connie Sansome
Lisa Schaechter
Ken Schmidt

ANNUAL REPORT 2018

Joy & Gerald Sekimurain honor of Pam Hasegawa
Kay Shanks
in honor of Shinko Takami
Sonja & Blake Shepard
Anne Sherwood
Shigeko Shibata
Randy Shipley
Hal Shorrock
Janet Shoger
Gani Silaban
Bardwell Smith
Pete & Dotty Smith
Craig Rice & Ameeta SonySue Speed
Barb Stapleton
Phil & Valerie Stichter
Yumi Suzuki
Mark Swanson
Keitha & Jim Swaim
Shane Taber
Steve & Doris Tabuchi
Alpha H. Takagi
Jason TakagiPaul Takagi
in memory of Alpha H. Takagi
Shinko Takami
Toshihiro "Tom" Takami
Sachi Taketa
Veny Tampubolon
Hwee Tanin memory of Dr. Toshihiro Takami
Joseph Tangsurakit
Marjorie Tarr
Stephen Tarr & Janet Vorvick
Elizabeth Teague
Katherine Tegtmeyer Pak
Susan Teranishi
Robert & Hazel Terhune
Richard H. Thorngren
Ellen Toyne
in memory of Doug Peterson
Jim & Kathryn Treece
Mac Turnage
Warren Uesato
Donna & Deane Uhl
Glenn & Ruth Van Haitsma
Jim Verhulst
in memory of Elizabeth Verhulst
Theivendaram Vigneswaran
Jacob WaybrightMillicent M. Wetrich
Ben & Carolyn Whitehill
Pallop & Karen Wilairat
Kay Shields Wilkinson
Lois Wilson
H. Boyd Woodruff
Hugh Woodruff
Angela Xiong
Britt Yamamoto
Shari & Tru Yamamoto
Bernadine David Yatawara
Lawrence & Jean Young
Glennys Ziegler

Overseas Donor Organizations
Aldersgate United Methodist Church, Palo Alto, CA
Amazon Smile
ARI Indonesia Graduate Association
The Benevity Impact Fundmatching Nate Peterson and Sonja Shepard
Bread for the World
United Methodist Women
Cortland United Church of Christ
Countryside Community Church
in memory of Dr. Toshihiro Takami
Eastern Parkway United Methodist Church
Ecumenical Development Foundation
The Episcopal Church of St. Martin, Davis, CA
Euclid Spring Co.
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Evangelical Mission in Solidarity (EMS)First Congregational Church in Amherst - UCC, Amherst, MA
Friendship Christian Reformed Church
Good Shepherd Sisters
Harris United Methodist Church, Honolulu, HI
Javan and Neva Corl Family Foundation
John and Frank Sparacio Charitable Foundation
Kitchell Memorial Presbyterian Church, NJ
Missio München
Morgan Park UMC, Chicago, IL
Office of the Chaplain, St. Patrick's Centre for Integral
Development - SPACID
Pearl City Community Church, Pearl City, HI
Sacramento Japanese United Methodist Church
San Luis Obispo United Methodist Church
Shalom United Church of Christ, New Haven, CT
Spring Equipment Rental Inc.
St. James Thrift Shop, Keene, NH
St. Paul's United Methodist Church
St. Thomas Episcopal Church
Trinity United Methodist Church
The United Church of Canada
The United Church of Christ Scribner, Scribner, NE
United Church of Christ (UCC)
United Church of Dorset and East Rupert, Dorset, VT
United Methodist Church Vista
United Methodist Women
Wesley UMC San Josein memory of Dr. Toshihiro Takami
Wesley United Methodist Women

Volunteer Sending Bodies
Brethren Volunteer Service (US)
Sozialer Friedensdienst Kassel, e.V.
(Social Peace Service, Germany)
United Methodist Church Global Ministries (US)Intern Sending Bodies
International Christian University
Meiji Gakuin University
St. Olaf College (US)
Wellesly College (US)25

Curriculum
Practical Field Study

Leadership
Leadership
Servant Leadership
ARI History and Mission
Participatory Learning and Action
Independent Learner
Time Management
Presentation Skills
Facilitation Skills
Stress Management
Religion and Rural Life
Report GuidanceCommunity Mobilization and Development Strategies
Ecological Crisis of the 21st Century
Executive Management
Coaching

Tomoko Arakawa
Tomoko Arakawa, Yukiko Ôyanagi
Tomoko Arakawa
Tomoko Arakawa, Yukiko Ôyanagi
Yukiko Ôyanagi
Timothy B. Appau
Yukiko Ôyanagi
Yukiko Ôyanagi
Joseph Ozawa*
Jonathan McCurley, Timothy B. Appau
Micah Anderson, Kathy Froede
Harish Chotani* ('81 graduate, India)
Narong Tongsuk* ('87 graduate, '88 TA, Thailand)
Preticia Tongsuk* ('87 graduate, '95 TA, India)
James H. Latimer* (UCC pastor)

Development Issues
Environment and Development
Nutrition and Development
Home Economy
Credit Union
Localization
Gender Issues
Ashio Copper Mine and Shôzô Tanaka
Climate Change Challenge
Alternative Approach of Development
Global Climate Change and International Partnership
Nasu Canal and Rural Development
Tomono Kai Women's Group Activity

Kôa Tasaka* (ARI Board Member), Takako Nakajima*(Rikkyô University)
Zacivolu Rhakho Dozo
Zacivolu Rhakho Dozo
Gilbert Hoggang
Yôji Kamata* (NPO Ancient Futures)
Tomoko Arakawa
Tatsuo Sakahara * (NPO Shôzô Tanaka University)
Yoshiyuki Nagata* (University of the Sacred Heart)J. B. Hoover* (AFARI, iLEAP)
J. B. Hoover* (AFARI, iLEAP)
Yukiko Ôyanagi
National and prefecture branches of Tomo no Kai

Sustainable Agriculture
Organic Farming
Crops and Vegetables
Livestock
Disease Control of Crops and Vegetables
Disease Control of Livestock
Alternative Energy and Appropriate Technology
Dangers of Chemical Farming
Natural Farming in Tropical Areas
Agroforestry
Alternative Marketing Systems
Biogas workshop
Philosophy of 3-D Farming
Meat processing

Crops & Vegetables Emphasis Bokashi fertilizer making,compost making, collection and utilization of Indigenous
Microorganisms, fermented plant juice, fish amino acid,water-soluble Calcium, water-soluble Calcium andPhosphate, wood vinegar, charcoal making, rice husk
charcoal, seed collection, seedling nursing using soil
blocks, mushroom cultivation
Livestock Emphasis Pigs (artificial insemination,delivery, castration), Chicken (brooding, hatching), Fish(hatching), livestock health, feed formulation, fermented
feed, animal raising with fermented floor
Meat Processing Sausage and ham making

Field Management Activities
Group management of crops and vegetables field
and livestock
Foodlife work (Foodlife related activities for selfsufficiency)
Group leadership system

OthersCommunity work (rice transplanting, Rice harvesting,Forest management, etc.), Community Event
Spiritual nurture and guidance (Morning Gathering,
Growth Note, Consultation, Reflection Day, Reflection
Paper), Oral Presentation, Harvest Thanksgiving
Celebration
International Fellowship Program, Observation Trips,
Rural Community Study Tour, Western Japan Study Tour,Homestay Programs, Church Fellowship Programs

Osamu Arakawa
Osamu Arakawa
Gilbert Hoggang, Takashi Ôtani, Timothy B. Appau
Osamu Arakawa
Gilbert Hoggang, Takashi Ôtani, Timothy B. Appau
Ban HyungWook
Kôa Tasaka*
Shimpei Murakami* (Zenkoku Ainô-Kai)
Masaaki Yamada* (Tokyo University of Agriculture
and Technology)
Reina Tomatsu* (Kinôshi-Juku)
Mamoru Kuwabara* (NPO Fûdo)Kinichi Haga* (Tozawa Village Int. Fellowship
Association)
Takashi Ôtani, Hideo Koide* (Neu Frank Nasu)

Graduate Seminar
Organizational Sustainability

Wesly Lingga* ('93 graduate, '99 TA, Indonesia),
Mbuche Shehe* ('13 graduate, Kenya)

Japanese
Intensive Language class, Japanese culture

Kyôko Ogura*

1,973 hours of training*special lecturers

26

THAT WE MAY LIVE TOGETHERCommunity Members
Honorary President and Founder

Staff

Rev. Dr. Toshihiro Takami (to September 6)

Tomoko Arakawa
Osamu Arakawa

Board

Yukiko Ôyanagi

Board Chair
Rev. Masaoki Hoshino

Pastor of UCCJ Aikawa Mission

Vice Chair
Hôichi Endô

Former staff of the Asian Rural Institute

Board of Directors
Tomoko Arakawa
Rev. Yoshiya Ushiroku
Hideharu Kadowaki
Rev. Hikari Kôkai Chang
Noriaki SatôDr. Kôa Tasaka
Rev. Eiji Yahagi
Masahiko Yamane

Auditors
Tomohiro Ôkubo
Sakae Murata

Director, Asian Rural InstitutePastor, UCCJ Reinanzaka Church
Special Advisor and Senior Fellow,
The Japan Research Institute, Ltd
Representative Director, Wesley Foundation
PR, Hotel Sunvalley
Former Board Chair & Former Director of the
Asian Rural InstitutePastor, NSKK Shimodate Anglican-Episcopal
ChurchFormer board member, Kagawa Education
Institute of Nutrition

Fujii Industries Inc., Operating Officer
Nasu Y’s Mens Club

Board of Councillors
Osamu Arakawa
Tomoko Arakawa
Shinobu Awaya
Rev. Ban HyungWook
Rev. Chun Sang Hyun
Rev. Hikari Kokai Chang
Hôichi Endô
Mitsuo Fukumoto
Rev. Masaoki Hoshino
Hideharu Kadowaki
Rev. Isao Kikuchi
Rev. Kôshi ItôKiyoshi Nagashima
Yoshiyuki Nagata
Yukiko Ôyanagi
Sarajean Rossitto
Kaori Sakuma
Takeshi Shimizu
Kazue Yamaguchi
Masahiko Yamane
Michiru Yoneda

ANNUAL REPORT 2018

Staff, Asian Rural Institute
Director, Asian Rural Institute
Lawyer, Mizuno Yasutaka Law Office
Pastor, UCCJ Nishinasuno Church
Pastor, The Korean Christian Church inJapan, Sapporo Church
Representative Director, Wesley Foundation
Former staff of the Asian Rural InstitutePrincipal, Nishinasuno Kindergarten
Pastor of UCCJ Aikawa Mission
Special Advisor and Senior Fellow,
The Japan Research Institute, Ltd
Archbishop, Roman Catholic Archdioceseof Tokyo
Parish Priest, Roman Catholic Diocese of
Niigata
Former staff of the Asian Rural Institute
Professor, University of the Sacred Heart
Staff, Asian Rural Institute
NGO/NPO Consultant
Staff, Asian Rural InstituteChurch Elder, Tokyo Union Church
National Tomo no Kai, Head Quarters
Board member, Kagawa Education Instituteof Nutrition
Superior General, The Sisters of the Visitation

Director
Associate Director, Education Director,
Farm Manager (Head of Foodlife)
Associate Director,
Curriculum Coordinator (Head of Curriculum)

Kaori Sakuma-Vero
Kathy Froede

General Manager (Head of General Affairs)
Head of Ecumenical Relations

Micah Anderson
Cody Kiefer
Steven Cutting
Junko Tanaka
Timothy B. Appau
Jonathan McCurley
Satomi McCurley
Manosi Chatterjee-Abe

Curriculum (Admissions, Graduate Outreach) (to October)Curriculum (Admissions) (August to May)
Curriculum (Graduate Outreach)
Curriculum (Library)
Chaplain, Curriculum (Community Life), Foodlife (Livestock)
Chaplain, Curriculum (Community Life)
Curriculum (Community Life) (from June)
Curriculum (Community Life & Admissions Assistant) (to August)Masanobu Sakurai
Takashi Ôtani
Gilbert Hoggang
Zacivolu Rhakho Dozo
Manami Kobayashi
Ramon Labial

Foodlife (Crops & Vegetables)
Foodlife (Livestock)
Foodlife (Livestock)
Foodlife (FEAST)
Foodlife (FEAST)
Foodlife (FEAST) (from March)

Takashi Yamashita

Head of Fundraising & Domestic Programs(External Programs & Nasu Seminar House Manager)
Fundr. & Dom. Pr. (Nasu Seminar House)
Fundr. & Dom. Pr. (Liaison, Donations, Supporter Relations)
Fundr. & Dom. Pr. (Sales, PR, General Affairs)
Fundr. & Dom. Pr. (Food Processing)Fundr. & Dom. Pr. (Donations, PR, Education Programs)
Fundr. & Dom. Pr. (PR)General Affairs (Accounting)General Affairs (General Affairs) (to October)
General Affairs (General Affairs) (from October)
Research

Ruipa Vero
Ayumi Kikuchi
Hiromi Satô
Masayo Fukushima
Jun Yagisawa
Thomas Itsuo Fujishima
Mitsue Kimijima
Kôki Arai
Kaoru AndôRaku Izawa

Volunteers
Commuting Volunteers
Curriculum (Admissions) Jessica Kiefer (& PR)
Foodlife (Farm) Tadashi Aizawa, Eiji Ueda, Satoshi Takagi, Shimizu Masuo (& Maintenance)
Foodlife (FEAST) Kyôko Takamura, Takako Sakairi, Chihiro Higashi, Kazuko Fujimoto
Fundr. & Dom. Pr. (Sales) Itô Tadashi, Mie Inomata, Takako Iwaide, Shigeaki Kashiiwaya,
Norie Horiuchi, Yukio Nagaki, Toshiko Nagaki, Junko Nishino, Takafumi Miyake
General Affairs Kyôko Kikuchi, Ichirô Sahara, Ayako Hayashida, Yûko Takahashi
General Affairs (Maintenance) Jin Onozaki, Takashi Fushimi, Takashi Hirayama
Becquerel Center
Takashi Akutsu, Yukio Takashima, Takayuki Hayasaka, Shôhei Fujimoto, Mineki Nishikawa
Long-Term Volunteers
Curriculum (Admissions) Julia Strauss, Rieke Weber, Jannis Schneider
Curriculum (Community Life) Rey Oliver Fabros (& Graduate Outreach),
Roberto Jr. Costa (& Nasu Seminar House)
Foodlife (Farm) Keita Shimizu, Sô Nakagawa, Kristin Hubbard (& Research)
Foodlife (FEAST) Ryôtaro Murakami, David Kessler, Jewels Phillips (& Farm),
Lukas Wagner (& Farm)
Ecumenical Relations Caitlin O'Quinn, Stephen Miller, Barbara Rose Hoover
Fundr. & Dom. Pr. (PR) Iris Burbank
Fundr. & Dom. Pr. (Nasu Seminar House) Akari Hara

27

8
11

7

22

17

16

2

24

9

28

18
5

14

10

4

20

15

25
23

3

1

12

6

19

13

21

27

26

The 2018 Graduates
Rural Leaders Training Program
East Timor
Eritrea
Ghana

India
Indonesia
Japan
Kenya
Malawi
MyanmarPhilippines
Sierra Leone
Sri Lanka

UgandaZambia

(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)
(11)
(12)
(13)
(14)
(15)
(16)
(17)
(18)
(19)
(20)
(21)
(22)
(23)
(24)
(25)

Advanced Training Course

Benigno Simões Estevão (Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus)Japan(26) Makiko Abe (née Takei)
Adiam Rezene Berhe (Ministry of Agriculture the State of Eritrea)(27) Chigira Hasumi
Berhane Ethiopia Hagos (Ministry of Agriculture the State of Eritrea)
Sri Lanka
Eric Ofosu Amoah (Methodist Church of Ghana, Winneba Diocese)(28) Niranjala Manchanayake
Josephine Antwi (Grassroots Socio Economic Empowerment)(Okidro Preschool)
Kwabena Frempong Fening (Methodist Church of Ghana, Koforidua Diocese)John Yebah (Peace Love Vegetable Growers Association)
Gabriel Gonmei (Rongmei Baptist Association)
Prokhen Phangcho (Amri Karbi Baptist Association)
Chlaodhius Budhianto (Christian Church From Northern Central Java)
Joe Charis Ginting (Gereja Batak Karo Protestan)
Kaoru Kobayashi
Caroline Nyamache (Lake Victoria Permaculture Group)
Stella Ephraim Notice (Mary Consoler of the Afflicted)
Venitta Kaduya Mkaka (Maziko Radio Station)
Lar Dar Wi (Shweli Shan Baptist Mission Convention, Myanmar Baptist
Convention)
Thet Paing Aung (Pwo Karen Baptist Conference, Myanmar Baptist Convention)
Concepcion Sotero (Tublay Organic Farming Practitioner's Association, Inc.)
Mambu Alpha Sannoh (Friends of the Earth Sierra Leone)
Mambud Kestine Samai (Single Leg Amputee Sports Association)
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Nilani Weragoda Vidanelage (Siddhartha Child Development Foundation)
EnglishNisansala Maduwanthi Hitti Arachchi (Asia Lanka Social Development
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Corporation)Peter Mukasa Bakaluba (Anglican Communion of Uganda, Mukono Diocese)
Ester Miti (Good Shepherd Sisters)
Priscilla Ngandwe Mbewe (Good Shepherd Sisters)

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Tochigi-ken. Nasushiobara-shi
Tsukinokizawa 442-1
329-2703 JAPAN

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