Help Our Next Journey!
Donation protected
We desperately need a help! I hope our story is worth taking time for you.
I’m Satoru Honda from Japan and a senior student majoring in music focusing on percussion performance at Brigham Young University Hawaii. Last 3 years after coming here as a family with 2 kids (and later added 3rd kid) has been a great challenging adventure. Since both my wife’s and my parents still have some kids going through the education and are not really rich, we basically needed to live with our own saving and my income. At first we thought we could stay more than 2 semesters, but because of the scholarships, some helps and literal miracles, we could survive until now, and I’m going to graduate in 3 months. I’m so grateful for all the helps from my friends, mentor and also family to stay here to improve my skills and be a better person.
I have desired to continue my education for my future possible careers. My mentor suggested me the graduate program, and I was so sure that it would work for me to progress to be a better musician and prepared for my future, but I was wondering when I should take actions for that. I knew it would be hard to maintain my musical skills in the circumstance after going back to Japan, and also my oldest kid wanted to continue English-speaking education. Encouraged by my professor, supported by my family and also comforted by the answer of my prayer to concentrate on what I can do with out fear, I finally determined to give it a try and started my application for the graduate school. With the efforts, practices, advice and prayers, I was so blessed to finally pass the audition and receive the admission notice for the graduate program at University of Lethbridge, AB Canada, from this September. I finally accomplish finding the next destination and also starting point of our post-graduation life.
But now we face the fact that EVERYTHING COSTS in this world, EVEN OUR HOPE...
After the joy and gratitude toward the good news of our big step for awhile, the reality heartlessly smashed in my face. Even how much we are motivated to face the challenges and trials along with our new journey, we just found out we would not financially reach the point to be eligible to get the visa for starting it. We had a brief plan, but it will require much more than we thought and come much earlier than we expected. In addition, almost all the student loans and scholarships in Japan are for the students at the collages in Japan and the few others do not offer them until in the middle of this fall. Also because I don’t have job in Japan, I cannot make a loan in Japan, and if I can, that would not be enough. Any other options such as working in Japan or US after graduation, selling stuff when leaving, or other types of fundraising would not be enough for the required amount even if we would try hard to take time and work hard.
These facts have overwhelmed me enough to make me even think about giving up. But after sincere prayers and some restless nights, we decided to try doing everything we can do again INCLUDING ASKING FOR HELP before we conclude to quit. I know it sounds so dependent but do not want trade this chance with disappointment and depression. We have sacrificed some parts of an ordinary life as a family to prepare for our next step, like this moment. And I’d like to meet the expectations of those who have supported us and prayed us to take this chance. I do want to prove that we can keep progressing to be what we want to be despite of age or whether we have family or not and especially want to be an example for my kids that anything is possible as long as we keep trying and moving forward with faith.
I’m humbly asking for your assist for us to start our next chapter together as a family. We promise we will not waste all the fund we get and be responsible for how we use it. Our final goal is to be independent, so all we hope is that we can have enough preparation to survive until we can retain the life in Canada such as airfares, rent, utility, kid’s education, furnitures and my tuition. And I promise I will do my best to improve myself in the graduate program so I too can make a difference in near future just like YOU made a difference to our life. Any gifts are not too small for us. Thank you for taking time to read this.
P.S The movie below is my performance used for the portfolio in the application for the graduate school.
I hope you enjoy it! It’s marimba solo with a woodblock “Summer Treehouse” by Chad Floyd.
I’m Satoru Honda from Japan and a senior student majoring in music focusing on percussion performance at Brigham Young University Hawaii. Last 3 years after coming here as a family with 2 kids (and later added 3rd kid) has been a great challenging adventure. Since both my wife’s and my parents still have some kids going through the education and are not really rich, we basically needed to live with our own saving and my income. At first we thought we could stay more than 2 semesters, but because of the scholarships, some helps and literal miracles, we could survive until now, and I’m going to graduate in 3 months. I’m so grateful for all the helps from my friends, mentor and also family to stay here to improve my skills and be a better person.
I have desired to continue my education for my future possible careers. My mentor suggested me the graduate program, and I was so sure that it would work for me to progress to be a better musician and prepared for my future, but I was wondering when I should take actions for that. I knew it would be hard to maintain my musical skills in the circumstance after going back to Japan, and also my oldest kid wanted to continue English-speaking education. Encouraged by my professor, supported by my family and also comforted by the answer of my prayer to concentrate on what I can do with out fear, I finally determined to give it a try and started my application for the graduate school. With the efforts, practices, advice and prayers, I was so blessed to finally pass the audition and receive the admission notice for the graduate program at University of Lethbridge, AB Canada, from this September. I finally accomplish finding the next destination and also starting point of our post-graduation life.
But now we face the fact that EVERYTHING COSTS in this world, EVEN OUR HOPE...
After the joy and gratitude toward the good news of our big step for awhile, the reality heartlessly smashed in my face. Even how much we are motivated to face the challenges and trials along with our new journey, we just found out we would not financially reach the point to be eligible to get the visa for starting it. We had a brief plan, but it will require much more than we thought and come much earlier than we expected. In addition, almost all the student loans and scholarships in Japan are for the students at the collages in Japan and the few others do not offer them until in the middle of this fall. Also because I don’t have job in Japan, I cannot make a loan in Japan, and if I can, that would not be enough. Any other options such as working in Japan or US after graduation, selling stuff when leaving, or other types of fundraising would not be enough for the required amount even if we would try hard to take time and work hard.
These facts have overwhelmed me enough to make me even think about giving up. But after sincere prayers and some restless nights, we decided to try doing everything we can do again INCLUDING ASKING FOR HELP before we conclude to quit. I know it sounds so dependent but do not want trade this chance with disappointment and depression. We have sacrificed some parts of an ordinary life as a family to prepare for our next step, like this moment. And I’d like to meet the expectations of those who have supported us and prayed us to take this chance. I do want to prove that we can keep progressing to be what we want to be despite of age or whether we have family or not and especially want to be an example for my kids that anything is possible as long as we keep trying and moving forward with faith.
I’m humbly asking for your assist for us to start our next chapter together as a family. We promise we will not waste all the fund we get and be responsible for how we use it. Our final goal is to be independent, so all we hope is that we can have enough preparation to survive until we can retain the life in Canada such as airfares, rent, utility, kid’s education, furnitures and my tuition. And I promise I will do my best to improve myself in the graduate program so I too can make a difference in near future just like YOU made a difference to our life. Any gifts are not too small for us. Thank you for taking time to read this.
P.S The movie below is my performance used for the portfolio in the application for the graduate school.
I hope you enjoy it! It’s marimba solo with a woodblock “Summer Treehouse” by Chad Floyd.
Organizer
Satoru Honda
Organizer
Hauula, HI
