By Dixon Bledsoe
Kathy Valdez has some great kids in her class. She also has a special friendship with Setsuko, to whom she has been a pen pal for more than 52 years.
When the earthquake and tsunami hit Japan in March, Valdez believed it just made sense to connect the transcontinental dots with compassion.
The English Language Learner (ELL) teacher at Robert Frost Elementary School in Silverton, Valdez had her students write to Setsuko and her daughter Kyoko as part of a letter writing assignment, and the results were heart-warming.
“Dear Kyoko, and Setsuko, Happy Birthday. I wish I could go to Japan and help your family and your brother. I am so sorry about the earthquake and tsunami. I always pray for your family. I heard that you like cats. Sincerely, Juan”
By sharing with her students her friendship with Setsuko, Valdez said it has “been a good way to open up the world to them.”
Her students wrote more than 30 letters to Setsuko in March and now Setsuko is in the process of responding to each one.
Valdez sent her a care package – 12 pounds of chocolate, Monastery Mustard, hazelnuts and other things from “our area, with love, knowing that Setsuko and her daughter, Kyoko, would in turn share this love from Oregon to the people of Japan.
“It is a circle of friendship that continues to grow,” she said, adding she and Setsuko became pen pals in seventh grade and have met in person three times over the years.
“Dear Kyoko, I wish I could show magic to you and Kentaro and Setsuko. I love Japan. I always wanted to go to Japan. I heard the earthquake about Japan. I am really sorry about it,” wrote Ivan, a fifth-grader.
“Dear Setsuko, Happy Birthday. I am sorry about what happened in Japan. I love Japan. I play the music on the keyboard. Sincerely, Marco” The fourth grader’s drawing of a car is an added plus for Valdez’s friend, whose daughter Kyoko lived with the Valdez family when she attended John F. Kennedy High School in Mount Angel 20 years ago. Kyoko and Valdez’ daughter, Mika, graduated from JFK in 1991, the first time the two pen pals met face-to-face.
In one letter to a student, Setsuko wrote, “Ms. Valdez and I have been friends for over 50 years. Even though we live far apart, she in Oregon and I in Japan, we are best friends our whole lives. I hope that you have a friend like this.”
The letters from the budding writers and English language learners included the Japanese word, “Ganbate.” Loosely translated, it means, “Go for it. We’re pulling for you all the way.”
“Hello Setsuko, Kyoto. My name is Jennifer and how are you guys over there at Japan? Don’t be sad or worried. Me and my mom are donating food for people who need it which is for Haiti and Japan. I will pray for you guys everyone there to not be sad. Mrs. Valdez told us that you and Setsuko love cats. We see cats everywhere and it freaks me out. I have to go. Bye. XOXO”
Prior to the letter-writing exercise, Juan, a fifth-grade ELL student told Valdez all year, “I really want to learn Japanese and go to Japan.” After hearing about the disasters, he was even more determined.
“Now I know I’m going to go to Japan and help,” the boy wrote.
Valdez felt the looks on her charges’ faces, when they each recently received personalized letters back from Setsuko, were priceless.
The letters helped a lot.
In a May 5 letter to Valdez, Setsuko wrote, “When I write, I wondered how he or she is. It was a happy time for me.”
Kindness and thoughtfulness shared despite distance.
