This month, the SGI-USA celebrates the 20th anniversary of the statistics and member care program. As part of this milestone, September was officially designated as “Member Care Month,” with a focus on visiting each new member to see how their Buddhist practice is progressing.
How and why did our statistics program get started?
On Feb. 13, 2004, SGI-USA representatives met with Ikeda Sensei and Mrs. Ikeda at Makiguchi Memorial Hall, Tokyo. There, Sensei offered new guidelines for the SGI-USA toward 2010—the 80th anniversary of the Soka Gakkai’s founding—to usher in a new phase of kosen-rufu in America.
In that meeting, Sensei expressed his great hopes for America, saying:
Today the development of the SGI-USA movement is increasingly important. The world is watching in expectation. Let us strive even more energetically to expand our humanistic alliance. I dearly wish that every person without exception becomes happy and wins in life.[1]
Today the development of the SGI-USA movement is increasingly important. The world is watching in expectation. Let us strive even more energetically to expand our humanistic alliance. I dearly wish that every person without exception becomes happy and wins in life.1
It was necessary then for the SGI-USA, from the local district to national level, to thoroughly know each of its precious members. With that the SGI-USA statistics department was established.
Over the course of a few months, each district across the country met to review their membership and create membership cards for each person, ensuring no one was left behind.
When Sensei heard of this effort, he replied, “Now the foundation of the SGI-USA has been established.”
And two days later, he sent another message stating: “Thank you very much for all your efforts. Since I am the president of the SGI, I am also a member of the SGI-USA’s statistics.”
He then asked his staff to send his membership card to the SGI-USA, to which SGI-USA representatives immediately responded, “President Ikeda, we consider both you and Mrs. Ikeda to be the first members of the SGI-USA.”[2]
Since then, the statistics department has served as the foundation for planning various activities and initiatives, center openings and developing new resources for the members. Sensei writes:
A membership card is not a piece of a paper; it is the life of one person. In it, his life pulsates, her personality is contained and the drama of awakening in faith and rebirth is played out. There exist the human-to-human bonds of warm trust. Because we have been cherishing each person to the utmost, we see the magnificent development of the Soka Gakkai today.[3]
As we celebrate the 20th anniversary, appreciation meetings will be held for all district through zone statistics administrators. To these noble members, Sensei writes:
All of you, members of the membership statistics department, while leading your frontline organizations, are dedicating your lives for the sake of the Soka Gakkai, fellow members and kosen-rufu on the stage where you hear no applause. For your enormous efforts of sincerity and earnestness, I once again express my utmost respect and appreciation.[4]
Following our dynamic Summer of Shakubuku and with our sights set on 2030, Member Care Month is a time to return to the origins of this program: to treasure each person and enable them to become happy.
You are reading {{ meterCount }} of {{ meterMax }} free premium articles