Tohoku "Let's KGK!"

KGK is a network of Christian students in campuses across Japan, and the Tohoku U.'s Bible reading club is part of the KGK network. I've been going to their club ever since I came to Sendai, and despite the fact that my Japanese skills are lacking, they have extended great friendship and hospitality towards me ever since arrival.

Something about these students that I really appreciate: I have never, ever heard any of them use any form of mockery or sarcasm towards each other. It is so curious to me, because these two things (mockery and sarcasm) are always present in the states, whether in Christian or non-Christian circles. I'm not saying sarcasm and mockery is always wrong... but I love these kids for avoiding it. And, sometimes they come across as naive for never using it, or even understanding it when I've used it... but if it is naivete it's of a kind that I'm completely OK with.

Last Saturday was the annual meeting of all the KGK students in the Tohoku region, (large - some people drove 6 hrs to get here), and it was a pleasure to be able to attend. Just meeting the kids in the Kawa-uchi group has made me glad that I have come to Sendai. So, I was thrilled to meet the kids in clubs from the other colleges in the Tohoku region. It was also interesting because there were some students older than me as well, which is unusual because I am a grad student. I got to take some photos of the meeting (mostly just the end of it) while I was there. I adjusted gamma on a couple of these photos, and cropped a few, but for the most part they are unadjusted.

A group picture, but without Saki and Keita who had to leave early (Saki and Keita are brother and sister, and are an integral part of the Kawauchi Bible study):

Break time... this is the church's tatami room
Most of my pictures didn't turn out, but here are the ones that did.
I did not meet the girl on the left, but the guy in the middle is Makoto. He kicked my butt at bowling... I think the scores were something like 70 to 176. The girl on the right is Yoko. She is very knowledgeable, but rarely speaks. However, when someone has a question, they normally ask her, because her thoughts are highly valued. She is also a Pastor's daughter.
These are some girls from other Bible studies who are about to leave. I believe the girl in the middle is Chamy and the girl on the right is Mariko. Chamy had to drive 6 hours to get here.
I don't remember this guy's name, but he was a leader of one of the bible studies, I think. Or, at least, he did announcements and stuff.

I met the guy on the left, but I can't remember his name. He also drove for 6 hours (with Chamy) to get here. To the right is Narumi, she is KGK staff, and the coordinator for the whole Tohoku Region. She is also a saint.
This is Karachi. Karachi is his adana, (knickname) and it means "car brake." He was a total character, a lot of fun. He is one of Keita's good friends, and he is learning to become a doctor.
I can't remember her name, but she was also a character. I thought this expression on her face was great:
This guy's name was hard for me, I tried it several times. I think it was like Hotaro or Hotoro or Horoto or something. He was extremely energetic as this picture indicates. I told him that I wanted to see a monkey here, and apparently there are a lot of monkeys that live near his hometown, an hour away. The guy in the background, to the left, is Sato. He is another quiet, thoughtful type. I think that, when he is a senior, like Yoko, the students will look up to him.
The girl on the left is Hatoko (means "dove child"). She is another very important person in the Kawa-uchi Bible study. She is really outgoing, the type who puts the awkward ones (me) at ease a lot of times.

Here's Yoko and a friend looking out the window
The only picture that turned out of Yoshitomo. He is studying Chinese literature, and is a senior. Like Yoko, he doesn't talk much. But when he talks, everyone listens.
A couple of us (Yoshitomo, Hato, Yoko) biked to school. So, when it started to rain REALLY HARD we had to wait it out...

But it cleared up before long
Like I said, I took a lot more photos, of a lot more people, but they had too much motion blur to post. But, I think you will get an idea of what they are like from these.