My family, like most Japanese families, was not Christian. I knew nothing about Christianity, and it was a former teacher at the school where I took Bible classes who gave me a lot of guidance.
I remember the first time I met her; I had the impression that she was a small, elegant grandmother. In a way, she was just as I thought she was…but she also said some harsh things that overturned my impression of her as a just a nice old lady. Later, I learned that she had originally been a nun, and had later become an abbess. Well, that solved the mystery.
The abbess was strict with me, educated me as if I were her apprentice.
I miss the days when we used to joke and laugh together, “Um, teacher, you seem to be acting like an abbess toward me, even though I am a layperson….”
When she passed away, I received her Bible and the notes from her Bible class as a memento. I would like to post them on my blog as “Notes from Mother T.’s Bible Class” from now on.