Delivering "Chirori" and Peace of Mind to Ukraine's Children-Visiting War Orphans in Uzhhorod

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Through Terra Renaissance's support activities in western Ukraine, we have met many people and received their help. Among them, Mr. Toru Ohki, known as “Mr. Yellow Blues,” introduced to me last summer by a friend working for the International Committee of the Red Cross, left a particularly deep impression. He listened intently to my account of the harsh realities within Ukraine, nodding repeatedly with the deep, resonant voice characteristic of a blues singer. Though it was our first meeting, I remember vividly, as if it were yesterday, the profound joy of sharing a conversation of the heart, transcending mere words.

He is a living legend whose name even non-blues enthusiasts would recognize. He went to America about half a century ago, in 1976, becoming the first Japanese singer to hold a nationwide tour there, performing alongside masters like Muddy Waters, B.B. King, and Ben E. King. But he is also the founder of the International Therapy Dog Association. Sending trained therapy dogs to Ukraine to improve people's mental health and happiness was unfortunately impossible due to the ongoing war. However, we decided to collaborate on sharing the story of Chirori with Ukrainian children.

A year later, with the cooperation of the Ukrainian Embassy in Japan, the picture book about the famous dog Chirori was completed and translated into Ukrainian. As the new school term began, in September, the picture book about Chirori was distributed to children in Uzhhorod, Ukraine, along with notebooks and writing utensils, bringing them great joy.

The children targeted this time are war orphans who lost family members in the war and children from war-affected single-mother households.

While the twice-weekly soup kitchens we've maintained for over three years are an important form of support, we also want to continue striving to alleviate the pain of war, even if only a little, through this kind of emotional care.

After the presentation ceremony concluded, I visited the cemetery honoring the fallen from Uzhhorod and paid my respects.

The dramatically increased number of graves compared to last year filled me with dread, and I was once again struck by my own powerlessness.