| Barbara Jo Easton
3-36 Higashi Yamate Machi
Nagasaki 850-0911
Japan
Email: Barbara
Easton
Email: Barbara Easton 2
Barbara Jo Easton continues to serve as a professor of English and Christianity courses
in the English department of Kwassui Women's College in Nagasaki,
Japan. Barbara's appointment is sponsored by the Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.) through the United Church of Christ in Japan,
known as the Kyodan, which was formed in 1941 as a result of the
merger of thirty Protestant churches. Kwassui Women's College
is related to the Kyodan and consists of junior and senior high
schools, and a four-year college with a small graduate section.
Students are attracted to the college, according to Barbara,
"because of its qualities as a Christian school, even though
few of the students are Christian. The college provides chapel
services and religious education along with the departmental curricula,
and these make a deep impression, at least on some students, at
a time when the young women seem to be experiencing the most freedom
of their lives." As a church-related institution, the college
is concerned with peacemaking issues as is the church, as well
as human rights for minorities and disadvantaged persons in Japan
In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Barbara leads an
after-school Bible study group in English with her British Methodist
colleague. All of Kwassui's students are required to study the
Bible and attend weekly chapel in Japanese, but the Bible study
group allows for more discussion and use of English. Barbara also
organizes monthly English-language chapel services before school.
She also helps to supervise the non-Japanese teachers and their
courses and to direct the short-term study-abroad program for
students going to Indiana to study at the University of Evansville.
At Nagasaki Church, Barbara leads a Bible class.. |
