by Adin Strauss
SGI-USA GENERAL DIRECTOR
To our wonderful SGI-USA members,
Please accept my gratitude and my admiration for everyone’s tremendous efforts during the most significant and most victorious Summer of Shakubuku. From all over the country, I’ve heard from so many members who are delighted to have been able to share our life-changing practice with their friends and families. And, exactly as Nichiren Daishonin taught, both the person who took initiative to share our practice and the person who started to practice as a result have been able to experience joy and see tremendous benefit in their lives. It’s truly a wonderful thing!
In September, SGI-USA representatives were among 134 members from eight countries to attend an SGI Training Course in Tokyo. During the Soka Gakkai headquarters leaders meeting, SGI Senior Vice President Hiromasa Ikeda introduced two remarkable works of calligraphy from Ikeda Sensei, which we were able to enjoy together at our October kosen-rufu gongyo meetings.
The first was “Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land” (Rissho Ankoku). The second was “Vow of Shared Struggle” (Kyosen no Chikai).
Mr. Ikeda said that, precisely because we live in an era that is seemingly cloaked in darkness, it’s the ideal time to join hands and stand up together. These words really hit home for me, given the state of our country and world.
Our national SGI-USA leadership team discussed how best to join hands in this era as well as create something special and meaningful toward November 15, the first anniversary of Sensei’s passing.
Our conclusion: What better way to mark this day than to have the most encouraging, well-attended and joyful November commemorative district general meetings to assure Sensei that kosen-rufu is not only advancing but also prospering in America.
Since all great endeavors start with a goal, as SGI-USA, we are determined to gather 50,000 members and guests at our November discussion meetings. We encourage each district to create their own goal and vision for holding your most memorable November district meeting yet.
Our second step will be to work hand in hand with district and group leaders to visit members, including those whom we see regularly and those who may not have come out for a long time for whatever reason. Such visits will enable us to further strengthen bonds of friendship in our noble SGI community.
During an exchange meeting in the city of Kawasaki next door to Tokyo, I met a guest from South Sudan, who had just competed in the Paris Olympics as a middle-distance runner. His brother was killed in the country’s civil war, and he uses his earnings as a professional runner in Japan to feed and educate six of his young relatives back home. While this young man is a devout Christian, he was quite moved when I shared with him that our mentor was also born in a time of tremendous war and experienced poverty growing up. We promised to meet again in Los Angeles at the 2028 Olympics. I believe by then, this young man’s bond with his SGI friends will be firm and unbreakable.
In keeping with the spirit of Sensei’s calligraphies, it’s time to join hands and engage in a shared struggle to establish the peace of the land. Let us start with our November district general meetings. Let us start now.
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