One of the things that stayed with me most strongly at Immanuel was seeing how genuinely the children enjoyed making music. Even though they were different ages and had different levels of ability, they played their instruments together, laughing and enjoying themselves. Watching them, I felt a little envious. In Japan, I sometimes became frustrated with people who could not do things well because I was too focused on competitions and results. But here I found myself wondering, “When did I start making music so difficult for myself?” In the beginning, I simply loved music.

What I thought about most during this experience was what it really means to “know” something. I had heard the words “poverty” and “inequality” before. But they had always been distant words that I encountered at school or in the news.

After actually coming here, talking with the children, handling instruments together, and laughing in the same place, I began to feel that the single word “poverty” could not really show me who they were. They laugh, joke around, love music, and practice hard. The people in front of me were not simply “poor children,” but ordinary children, each with a different personality and life.

Of course, after spending only two weeks here, I cannot say that I understand the children’s lives or poverty in Thailand. In fact, the more I learned, the more things I realized I did not understand. It would be wrong to assume that everything is fine simply because the children look happy, but it would also be wrong to look at their living circumstances and simply feel sorry for them. Knowing a little more has made it harder for me to make simple judgments.

But if I had never known about these things, I probably would never have thought about them at all. First, try to know. If I do not understand, try to learn more. And question the things I have always taken for granted. This experience made me realize for the first time how important that is.

I do not want what I learned here to end with the words, “It was a good experience.” I want to tell people around me about what I saw and about the feelings that I still cannot fully put into words. I would also like to talk with my teachers about whether we could raise funds at one of our concerts. If that could help even a few more people learn about Immanuel, I would be very happy.

There are limits to what I can do. A small donation or telling someone about this experience will not make poverty or inequality disappear. But having limits is not the same as doing nothing. Now that I know something I did not know before, I want to think about what I can do and start with whatever is possible.

I did not find an answer during my time in Thailand. If anything, I came away with more questions that I cannot answer. But I learned about things I had not known before, and I began to think of them as something connected to me. I came here thinking that I would do something for others. In the end, I was the one who was changed. I do not want this experience to remain only a memory. I want to keep thinking about what I will do from here.