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Beyond newsSimple pleasuresMenno Village in Japan offerschildren from Fukushima a safeplace to playOne of the hidden costs of thenuclear reactor meltdown inMarch is the theft of the joys ofchildhood. Nuclear contaminationof soils up to 60 miles away fromthe crippled nuclear reactors inFukushima has meant that childrenare not allowed to play outside.Akiko Aratani and Ray Epp,directors of Menno Village, areusing the trying situation to helpthese children regain simple pleasures—playingoutdoors, swimming,eating safe food, and drinkingclean water.Akiko spearheaded a community-widevolunteer effort thatresulted in 15 children and threemothers from the nuclear contaminationzone spending two weeksin August enjoying the spaciousMenno Village grounds andhospitality in the small town ofNaganuma.“In the disaster zone childrenKuaying Teng (left) met with Seng Soukhathivong, theLaotian ambassador to the United States.cannot play outside,” Ray said.“They have to have their bodiesfully covered at all times. Theyhave to wear masks at all times.The older elementary children arenearly going crazy staying insideall day, and the masks are very hotand uncomfortable in the 95- to100-degree heat.”One mother from Fukushimareported that in spite of all of theprecautions they have taken, theiryoung toddler’s favorite stuffedanimal that the child sleeps with iscontaminated with radiation.When Aratani and Epp floatedthe idea to others in Naganuma,many asked how they could help.Peace ambassadorMeeting with Laotian official promotes healingFor years, Kuaying Teng has patientlynurtured a vision in which a newgeneration of Laotians in Asia and NorthAmerica would lead their wounded landinto an era of healing and lasting peace.A recent meeting between Teng andthe ambassador from Laos, whose eldersremain pained by war during the 1960sand 1970s, has opened a key pathway forwhich Teng had been praying.Teng, the denominational minister ofAsian Ministries for Mennonite ChurchUSA, met July 18 with AmbassadorSeng Soukhathivong at the embassy inAkiko Epp, codirectorof MennoVillage in Japan,helps childrenfrom Fukushimamake rockets outof water bottles.Church members from Sapporo,an hour away, helped organizeactivities and prepare meals; localfamilies who live on farms hostedchildren in their homes. The mayorof Naganuma even offered to putthe children up at the town-ownedhot-spring hotel for one night.Menno Village is also exploringways to reduce the level ofradiation in contaminated soils bygrowing vegetable oil crops thatdraw out radiation, and using thepressed oil for heating.“The Spirit of God is at work inthe lives of people whether they areaware of it or not,” Ray said. “Wegive thanks for God’s goodness.”Washington. After several meetings overthe years with Laotian officials, this meetingwas a vital step in securing a diplomaticvisa and crucial government supportfor his ministry of reconciliation among theLaotian people.“The purpose of the meeting was tolet the ambassador know that when theLaotian people become Mennonite, theirperspective changes from what it wasbefore in terms of commitment to peace,”Teng said. “I want the ambassador tounderstand how to help me promotepeace among the Laotian people.”Photo courtesy of Ray Epp4 n October 2011