Area summercourse South Netherlands at Baarlo castle

Last weekend SGI area South Netherlands had it's, now well known, summer course at Baarlo castle de Berckt. this course takes place almost 2 weeks after the Dutch Summer course at Trets.
This year the course was a weekend long. Motto of the course was: "The power of now. Eternal fighter spirit.

Also this year the course was very intensive. Knowing that the Trets course is 4 days long, try imaging to squeeze in 4 days into 1,5 to 2 days. It's great to see that this course is getting the name of being a well organized course within SGI Netherlands. This year we had some members from outside our own area.

One of the things that really moved me, was a passage of the New Human Revolution a book of SGI president Daisaku Ikeda. This passage was told by Mrs. Kotera, who was present when this passage happened. The passage tells about the unexpected visit of president Ikeda to the Netherlands in 1973. Due to engine problems Sensei's plane landed at Amsterdam and would be delayed for the next 4 hrs. Mr. Ikeda worked at that time at Amsterdam IAP/Schiphol for Japanese Air Lines (JAL). Sensei asked Mr. Kotera if he could drive him around in Amsterdam and to show him some nice scenery. In his excitement Mr. Kotera said to the few members who where presents something like "Let's go to the windmill near the airport". Forgetting that he never told the members which windmill he would drive to. finally everybody reached the windmill mentioned.

Of course I've heard this story many times in the last few years, but somehow...this time it made me aware of what importance this visit was to the members and organization of SGI Netherlands. At that time the Humbon Netherlands was established. Hearing this story from Mrs Kotera made me realize how important it was.
This story made me more determined to chant for president Ikeda. That he will visit the Netherlands again next year (2008). And of course that I'm able to be there (as a Gajokai/Keibi) to welcome Sensei.