From Dorothy Baker's Memory Bank…

Dear A.,
…..I enjoyed all the writings in Balita and I hope you send another one soon. I was very grateful over these many years for recalling my visit to Japan in November – December 1958. I was alone and stayed with the Helpers of the Holy Souls. I was attending a conference of the International Association of Schools of Social Work as we in Bombay were joining as members. Japan invited the Conference to be held in Tokyo. The Social Work directors of Universities in Japan were leaders in Asian region.

M. Rascol (the General at that time) asked me to meet Fr.Arrupe, SJ, at Sophia University and I never forgot the inspiring meeting with Father Arrupe. He wanted our Society to start work with students at Sophia and have a hostel. At that time I met Father Roggendorf, SJ and Father Luhmer,SJ superior. Clara Matsumoto was secretary to Father Roggendorf SJ. She was also a translator of books of the saints and other material. The last I heard from her a few years ago, shw gave me an address of Yokohama.
Clara traveled with me to other places in Japan to speak with priests who were inviting the society to start works. We went to Kyoto, where there also Sisters of St. Joseph, CSJ, with schools or colleges. Some of these Sisters were from my own “village" Albany, New York. Clara accompanied me to Nara, Nagasaki, Kure and other places. The Jesuits and Society of the Divine Word priests met with me to tell of their need for Sisters to help them.

I wrote detailed letters to M. Rascol, apologizing for my American English, But she did not mind “my language problem".

Our conference of social Work was held at a building, a conference center, named sangyo Kaikan
. I had a wonderful impression of the people of Japan, hardworking, kind and exact. I remember the train travel as being very fast and trains exactly prompt and on time.

Thank you for helping me recall my days in Japan.

Philippines===
….. I went to the Philippines several times. In Manila Catholic Relief Services (the American Bishops foreign aid agency) had an office on the main street near the American embassy. I went swimming in the Embassy pool. Frank Sense an American, was the CRS representative and his wife taught school. Then in Makati, a suburb of Manila, I attended the social work International conference in a hotel. I was in the Indian Delegation. Can you believe it? I had to learn good manners about how to greet people, Indian style, and ambassadors. We were told by the Indian Ambassador that we must be good at all times because we were representing India. It is good to recall God's blesseings.

Another =====

I am so happy to recall my visit to Japan and the Philippines. I remember going to an American Bank to exchange currency. Standing on the entrance door there wasw a sign that said the bank was closed that day, closed because it was “Thanksgiving Day". Suddenly a wave of homesickness came over me when I recalled American Thanksgiving Day. I had arrived in India July 14, 1958 and this was the first occasion to think of my home I guess.

When I recall my visit to Father Arrupe, SJ, who was the provincial at the time, I remember that I studied his face and facial features, which were sharp. He was gentle and kind. I knew I was in the presence of a holy person!

I lost my wallet pocketbook in a taxi in Tokyo and Father Roggendorf, SJ went on the radio to broadcast my loss. He spoke Japanese and was a regular speaker on the radio network. The next day the taxi driver brought my lost wallet back to Father Roggendorf with all the travel documents and money safely inside.

When I was at the Conference in Makati, outside of Manila in the Philippines, I was accompanied by Mary Clubwala Jadav. You may remember her. She was a Parsee married to a Hindu, Mr. Jadav. She and I were members of the Indian delegation to the conference. She wore Jewelry and did not want to traval alone, so I guess I was the guardian of the necklace and earrings. Mary is the same woman who went to the Archbishop of Madras and asked him to find a group like ours at Nirmala Niketan, to start educating women in home science in Madras. She felt that after independence Indian women would be expected to travel in government places and represent India. So they needed to be trained in preparation for life as the wife of an ambassador. Etc. She knew Nirmala Niketan and wanted programs of education like we had in home science. I remember walking on the terrace of the archbishop's house Madras with the Archbishop. He explained to me that he was French but that he spoke
English and we managed to get along…

Another….

….The main street was Quezon? Boulevard in Manila I think. Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the relief agency of the Catholic Bishop conference USA. I worked for Bishop Swanstrom when I traveled. He was the director. They distributed relief supplies such as dry milk powder, bulgar wheat and one other food, maybe egg powder.

We also received these supplies in India for Kumbarwada, etc.
I am enjoying writing my memories. Glad you like it. You have many memories I am sure.

Lots of love. Dorothy