Soldiers from the 38th Air Defense Artillery Brigade serve ice cream to Sagamihara Minami Children’s Home residents during an exchange event in Sagamihara, Japan, Aug. 14, 2024. The outreach event allowed the Soldiers to help the residents beat the summer heat while providing them an opportunity to interact with each other. (Sean Kimmons, U.S. Army Garrison Japan Public Affairs)
SAGAMIHARA, Japan – More than a dozen Soldiers held an ice cream social at a local children’s home here Wednesday to help residents beat the summer heat while providing them an opportunity to interact with each other.
The event had volunteers from the 38th Air Defense Artillery Brigade serve about 30 children with cups of a variety of flavors of ice cream. The children could also add toppings like chocolate syrup and sprinkles to their frozen treats.
Cpl. Jamilla Harris, the brigade’s volunteer coordinator, organized the event inside the Sagamihara Minami Children’s Home, which is near Camp Zama.
“We’re here to boost relations and boost morale within the local community,” she said. “We love to come and engage with the children. We feel like it’s the best way to make a change around us, and the kids just love treats as well.”
The ongoing partnership between the U.S. Army and the children’s home aims to benefit both organizations. This year, the children were invited to Camp Zama for two separate events, including a mini-Olympics at the Youth Center and a dodgeball tournament at the Yano Fitness Center, where they competed alongside volunteers in friendly competitions.
As lines of children waited to be served ice cream, the Soldiers greeted and chatted with them, filling the activity room in the children’s home with laughter and youthful energy.
Harris said it was the first time her unit had hosted such an event at the home, adding that it was a great way for the Soldiers to closely connect with the children.
“I think it’s different when you’re in the schools and in the orphanages,” she said of the opportunity for face-to-face visits. “You’re actually seeing the children and getting a feeling of how they’re growing up, what they experience, and what they like to do.”
The simple but significant act of sharing a treat with the children helped spark conversations between the Soldiers and children, as many of them bonded over common interests. Some of the volunteers, for instance, showcased their drawing talents to the children that quickly captured their attention as they requested a drawing for themselves.
Spc. Christian Lewis, a first-time volunteer at the children’s home who recently arrived in Japan, decided to sign up for the event after hearing other volunteers speak about their previous positive experiences.
“This event is an opportunity to be of service to the community in Japan,” he said.
The visit was a welcome event for the children at the home, who are currently on their summer break, said Shinji Saeki, a staff member at the home.
“We want to increase fun activities and experiences for the children,” Saeki said, “so we really appreciate the volunteers coming out and spending time with them.”
Saeki said any interaction the children at the home can have, particularly with non-Japanese visitors like U.S. Soldiers, is beneficial for them. The visits allow them to learn about different cultures, careers and hobbies, he said.
The mix of Japanese and English languages heard during the event reflected an international environment, with both parties making efforts to communicate with the other in their respective native languages.
Many of the children and Soldiers shared a love of anime and spent time discussing different shows and characters. Other groups played games of mobile chess and tic-tac-toe.
“It’s a beautiful thing to [be able to] come together,” Harris said. “It makes me feel invigorated that I am actually making a change.”
[Editor’s note: This article was written by Sakura Ala, who is working in the U.S. Army Garrison Japan Public Affairs Office as part of an annual summer internship program for Japanese college students.]
