QUICKLINKS

Elementary School Division (ESD) and the Mothers/Parents Group

President Ikeda says, “When young people are encouraged and motivated (and feel positive expectations from others), they will most certainly develop and mature. Let’s offer them warm words of encouragement and sincerely listen to what they have to say so that they will be inspired with great hope.” (Seikyo Shimbun, October 5, 2007 “To My Friends”)

It is of utmost importance that the women of SGI-USA give our full support to the Elementary School Division, which is focused on instilling faith in our youngest members. The greater their conviction in the power of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the more they will be able to develop a state of life that is undefeatable, no matter what the obstacle.

Equally important is our support of the Mothers/Parents groups. These activities provide an opportunity for parents to engage in dialogue about how they can encourage the development of their children’s faith at home as well as how to use their faith to resolve any problems they are facing in raising their children.

As our future successors, we must make the children of SI-USA a priority. We should bring our children to SGI-USA activities, and encourage others to do the same. We must make all activities “children friendly”, where they are treated with the utmost respect, and where we look at the development of their faith as being as important as any other member’s faith. Let’s greet children of all ages when we see them at activities or when visiting their homes. Let’s engage them in dialogue and form bonds of friendship from our first encounter, exerting the same Soka care as we would for any other member.

Each territory and zone should have an ESD leader. Whether to have a Mothers Group, a Parents Group, or both, and on what organizational level they should meet is a decision for each organization to make.