Kasahata Children's Home

Last Sunday I visited the Kasata Children's Home, an orphanage/foster care home where about 30 Japanese children live. We went for a Valentine's Day party which was an incredible time. The kids were great- really genki (excited) and lots of fun to play with. But, at the same time, it got me thinking about Japan.

Japan has very few orphans. In fact, the population rate has drastically dropped from the 1970's. Previously, on average, couples were having 2.1 children. (how to handle that .1 I'm not too sure!) But, now the average birthrate is 1.1. So, in short, there are fewer couples having fewer children and orphans are not the country's greatest problem. It is creating a somewhat silmilar problem to what is seen in China- a whole generation without siblings.(ugh... one spoiled child is enough, but a whole generation?!?!) Now of course China has no option...the government took radical measures to try and slow the population problem. However, in Japan, the reasoning is obviously by choice. Cost of living is high, the island is overcrowded as it is, and who needs a second child when you can spoil a miniature poodle and dress it like Paris Hilton's pooch?

Obviously, though, we can see that orphans still exist, either those given up by families or removed from abusive or negligent parents. And, seeing these kids in the orphanage was rough. They were clearly starved for attention, which, can you blame them? They also really showed traits of scavenging, fighting, and being overly greedy with simple things. Now, let's be honest, ALL kids are scavengers and fighters and greedy. Okay, scratch that... all HUMANS are scavengers and fighters and greedy. I suppose it was just interesting to see how being an orphan affected these children's behavior. Some were very polite and others were rude. Some were standoffish and other wouldn't give an inch to breathe. But... despite the differences in each child's personality, like all flesh and blood humans the kids really just wanted to be loved.

We did what we could for 3 hours on a Sunday afternoon... I just hope someone can take them home and love them forever.