The Faces Look Different

Written by
Charles Buechel
Student of Aikido    

October 20th, 2007

I am not a writer and at times struggle for words to express my thoughts and feeling. Sometimes I am concerned my words will be misunderstood as an attempt to find someones favor. I speak from my heart.

I have been fortunate to travel to other countries to attend A.H.A.N. seminars. I would like to thank Homma Sensei and share what I have learned from our recent trip to Korea and Mongolia.

Being very excited I prepared for my trip. Doing Aikido in Korea and Mongolia would be a wonderful experience and good for my Aikido. What I found was different than I expected.

Before we left Denver I found out Homma Sensei was called away and would meet us in Korea. He needed to address an A.H.A.N. issue in Nepal and a water purifier in Bangladesh, an A.H.A.N. project, was in need of repair. The group met Homma Sensei in Korea and I was anxious to attend the A.H.A.N. seminar with Stephanie Yap Sensei. We met Yoon Sensei from Korea who was very kind and very well organized. We also met Ali Sensei from Turkey. Homma Sensei was kind to plan some time for us to learn about Korean culture. This is when I started to see the faces that look different.

We were at a Korean folk village when a small girl from a school group ran past us. She stopped and starred at me for a moment,my face looked different. I noticed her cheeks were puffed out like a chipmunk. I took a picture of her. As we walked away I looked back and saw her spit some food into the bushes. I smiled and remembered a time many years ago when my own daughter had filled her mouth with food she didn't want to eat and tried to sneak away and spit it out. As the group walked through the village learning of Korean history I saw the faces of children with parents, school groups with teachers, and people with everyday concerns. We had a very nice A.H.A.N. seminar in Korea. I believe this was the first Aikido seminar taught in Korea by a women. It was very well done and very well received. We were on our way to Mongolia.

We arrived in Mongolia and were welcomed by A.H.A.N. representatives and driven to our hotel. Again Homma Sensei was very kind to plan for us to learn of Mongolian culture. We visited a "Ger Camp" and learned of the traditional home to the Mongolian people. We tried many different foods and drink. I saw many faces that looked different. I learned much of the Mongolian people thanks to Homma Sensei. In the city of Ulaanbaatar we were able to visit a budist temple. While on tour of the temple I saw a couple of young boys in monk's clothes. I believe the boys were learning to become monks. I smiled as I saw them being disciplined for not doing their chores or studies. I heard someone say they playing video games and fooling around instead. I thought of my grandson who does the same. We were also honored to meet the Khamba Lama of Mongolia and to visit the Mongolian Parliament and meet Mrs. Sanjaasrengin OYUN a member of parliament. Experiences I will always remember. We had a very nice Aikido seminar in Mongolia. Homma Sensei promotes A.H.A.N. in an intelligent manner. I learned much from his decisions.

When I was a child my friends were from many different ethnic groups with many different faces. I saw only the qualities that made them my friends. I must admit as an adult I sometimes saw only the different faces. One thing that I have learned from this trip is to again see the qualities of the people behind the faces. The faces only look different they are so very much the same.

I see how Homma Sensei and A.H.A.N. has brought many different faces together in peace, from many different places, with the same goal, to help people, to feed people, to respect life. Homma Sensei is truly an honorable man with whom I will always have the deepest respect. He travels very much, not for himself but for others. The world would be a better place with more people like him. 

Thank you very much Sensei for sharing your Aikido. If for some reason I could not practice aikido in the dojo I will always be able to practice aikido in life. Thank you very much for what you have taught me by example.