50 000 Meals served, 18 years of consecutive service at the Denver Rescue Mission in Denver CO.
May 18th 19th 2008
By Fernando Roman

During May 24th, 26th  I should be leading the 4th Aikido seminar in Guatemala, then so, Emily sensei, vice-president from AHAN contact with me at the beginning of the month telling that Homma Kancho should like me to assist  to Nippon Kan (AHAN Headquarters). The motive was to lead an aikido seminar with him, plus share the 18 years of consecutive service at the Denver Rescue Mission in Denver Colorado. The only matter was that this meeting will be a week before my seminar in Guatemala, so it was not easy for me to schedule, but, how could I reject an invitation of that kind. So, I took my previsions and 15 days later I was in Denver ready to the big event. Emily sensei received me, as always I was really happy to se her again. She is an untiring woman  a strong pillar of Nipon Kan, she has living situations that only a full loving person could stand, all the people who has shared a bit of time with her knows what I mean.

HOMMA KANCHO next to a small kid like each month doing he´s work in the Mission.

After she gave me a resume of the situation in Denver I install myself in a Ushideshi room in Nippon Kan and I went out to dinner with Scott Olson sensei (and other pillar from Nippon Kan) with whom I has shared many times in other countries and has become a friend to me. He told me about some issues from Nippon Kan and with a sense of tension for the situation of these days. Scott Sensei apologized for any matter that could caused an uncomfortable moment during my visit. I told him not to be worried about me, on the hard times all you should help each other and support Homma Kancho.

I said to myself, Which dojo with 20 years of existence hasn´t had uncertain moments?, obviously Nippon Kan is not just a dojo but a full international organization.

From my side was my duty  to support Homma Kancho and all the members of Nippon Kan; on a certain moment during the hard times of the seminar I ask them to do what I have to do and I follow their words.

At the end every think got fixed and I had the chance to share with the students and I expend a great time with all the people there.    

Before star a class, and after Homma Kancho made the beginning ceremony, all the participants of the seminar went to the Domo´s garden, (Domo is the Japanese restaurant of Homma Kancho). At this place we found several activities to participate on the preparation of the evening meal which will be offered later for the mission recue of Denver.

To prepare the meal we all start dressing with mandibles and some start cutting potatoes, onions, lettuce and many more. Homma Kancho was teaching on every table how to manage every vegetable. All of a sudden I put my sight on the different tables and I realized how skillfully was the people of Nippon Kan to prepare the food, I rode and saw some picks of past events, but now I was living this moment, it was amazing how they manage the knife and passes bags from one to another side, everything fast and harmonious. This made me think how many things could perform other aikido groups I met before.

Beyond tatami this bunch of well organized people in other countries could reach many goals, I really was receiving a big lesson for my aikido way.

We still working and on a short time It was done a big part of the meal that will be given to  hundreds of people after seminar, then homma Kancho screamed ¡THAT’S ENOUGH TANKS ALL OF YOU! And Dawa the Chief cuisine of Domo, thank all for their help and we took a memory pick.

	Several times throughout the seminar. On the left bottom receiving from the hands of Homma Kancho diplomas Shodan for some students, as well as recognitions of AHAN to Cuautla, Mexico and Guatemala.

Few seconds after all we went back to dojo, not without washed the hands and get prepared the uniform again. So fast everybody was in seiza in front of the kamiza, closed eyes doing mokuzo. After a short presentation Homma Kancho invited me to lead the class, I gave thanks and with my red and filled with tears eyes because of all the  onion cut as a joke I said I hadn´t ever felt so sentimental before give an aikido class.

During seminar was developed a ceremony on with I received some documents, Shodan diplomas from three students from Guatemala: Nehemias Valle, Pablo Buenafe and Oscar Avendaño. I was really exited at this moment, I has been witness of the effort and time those guys spent moreover their aikido life to reach this grade. Congratulations for them.

Congratulations to Rebeka Heardi and Alberto Manzano from aikido Cuautla within Guatemala dojo has been working to receive a special announcement from AHAN. I want to mention again Juan Carlos Garoz, he must agree with me that this mention from AHAN let us reach the dream we started since 2005 giving the necessary steps to introduce aikido as a view of humanitarian help !Congratulations again¡

The last Sunday of the seminar we went to the mission again to prepare the last details to serve the food. Ushideshis started first and After took a shower, Emily sensei took me there and introduced me, soon I dressed my apron and I started to work like all other. Homa Kancho came and go as always, managing, picking up, washing etc…

He didn´t look tired but exited, but knowing him I can say it is its regular condition, he always looks like hurry, like if he would eat the word. From all the aikido masters I met, Homma Kancho is the most worker and he don´t care if he has to dirt his hands, I don’t know how he can work a lot.

Emrah Ergul of Turkey next to Dawa, the cook's main Domo in Nippon Kan helping to prepare the lunch in the Mission.	At the entrance to the dojo was a cartel inviting to work together to donate keiko gis to children in Colombia
Homma Kancho in the morning following again working in the office of Nippon Kan, now in its next project, send articles office to help children in Nepal	So looks the dojo Nippon Kan in the few moments of calm

It was a great experience to live all I mentioned; I could meet other people whom I feel joined on different ways to AHAN, all of them Ushideshis. The main Ushideshi was Arturo Alvarez from Bolivia, he will full fit 6 month of training in June 2008 under an extract program. I thank him for help with translation during the seminar and so with several topics with Homma Sensei related with different countries from Latin America. I want to thank too Emrah Ergul, student of Ali San Sensei from Turkey, Michele Zanrei de Take Musu Aiki Parma Italia and Alberto Castillejos from Chiapas Mexico, aikido student since 6 years old, ushideshi and helper of Nippon Kan.

I wish to finish this report giving thanks mostly to Homma Kancho. This great achievement of 50 000 meals served for rescue mission in Denver were developed by Homma Kancho, Emily sensei and all the volunteers from Nippon Kan, whom month by month are committed with the community working to help for those who need it.

During a moment of relaxation with uchi deshi

Click on the image to see the poster of congratulations from AHAN Mexico to Homma Kancho.

Press to see the report of Nippon Kan