It is approaching Thanksgiving, 2019 and a new film has been released: "WON'T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR...." 

Another often repeated phrase by Fred Rogers is, "YOU ARE SPECIAL!"  

Despite the fact that Fred Rogers is an ordained Presbyterian minister, reads the Bible each day for devotionals, and prays daily for all those he perceives are in need, this movie is not "preachy" nor heavily explicitly Christian.  Rather, it reflects the life of a humble person (who later became an ikon), someone who cares for the least lovable, and who truly treats each person as "special."  In that way, Mr. Rogers reflects the very nature of Jesus himself.

See the movie if it comes nearby.

THE HIPPO STORIES ON YOUTUBE IN JAPANESE:

the hippo stories are in Japanese on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFYt988F38I&list=PLXmsI4VW25EawY2gJV_WFLZIVnyw2bel or paste into URL:

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXmsI4VW25EawY2gJV_WFLZIVnyw2belM

The original hippo stories on television was with Harvest Time in Japan (Nakagawa Kenichi).  The 6 original stories went out to approximately 7 million viewers.  This was from Shizuoka, Japan (at the base of Mount Fuji), my ancestral homeland.  The drawing is by one of the manga artists who, without knowing me, said, "You are from a samurai family."  Turns out she was correct.  (smile)

With Harvest Time and host, Nakagawa, Kenichi in Shizuoka, Japan.

Manga artist's conception of my identity.  Shizuoka prefecture, Japan, at base of Mount Fuji.

It has also been published in English, Chinese, Dutch Afrikaans, and Arabic.  The links are in this blog.

In addition, I was able to tell about the hippo stories on Canadian television.

Canadian television series on hippo stories and other matters including Borneo revival.

The hippo continues to go forth!

Asian Rural Institute

Asian Rural Institute (ARI) trains rural farmers, often First Nations peoples, to do sustainable, organic farming and community development.  Living in the "love of Jesus," and teaching "servant leadership," the motto of ARI is, "That we might live together!"

The participants, usually from over 20 nations, live together for 9 months  --  planting crops, raising livestock, tending the plants, harvesting, cooking together  --  then eating, living, working together.  People from many nations, cultures, races, religions, ages, genders, and life experiences.  

Another theme is "peacemaking and reconciliation" as so many come from countries which are torn by civil wars and ethnic and religious conflicts.