Hi. It is my great pleasure to share our JDS fellows’ activity with you. I would like to report 4 days of ARI (Asian Rural Institute) retreat at Nasu during November 28 and December 1. This retreat has been providing us lots of learning, valuable experiences and a great fellowship. As you know, it was already in the cold season in Nasu of Tochigi-ken. However, all our participants joined every activity from Radio-Taiso to farm works. We were alive all the way! The rural and farming experiences at ARI would be very fresh and valuable ones to all participants. I believe that this retreat has been a good learning field to understand agricultural difficulties of developing countries. In addition, this would be a great chance for us to recognize the importance of food and ecological matters. One different and exciting experience we had enjoyed comparing to last year was that our participants had a very nice fellowship with trainees of ARI from several developing countries by way of singing together after dinner. Singing is really wonderful thing to make us friendly! Lastly, I would like to express my deep appreciation to Rev. Johnson and Rev. Kitahara for their whole hearted devotion for this retreat. I hope that this ARI retreat will continue from now on. Thank you.

Insang Hwang, Chair, JDS Program Committee

Reports

• Rochelle S. Manuel 
• Marisol D. Legaspi