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Message
of Peace from Cuba
By Joannet
Delgado de la Guardia
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I was introduced
to the practice of Buddhism by my sister Armantina, who is
married to a Japanese man and has lived in Japan for 27 years.
Armantina, who introduced many members of my family to
Buddhism, including my parents, told me that if I began to
practice Nichiren Buddhism, my life would change for the
better. But I couldn't accept her advice, as I didn't trust in
anything, in any religion. My way of thinking was completely
materialist.
At that time, although I thought I was very strong, I was
actually afraid of other people, and my way of communicating
was often abrupt, so that I offended my friends. I passed
through a very difficult time, divorce from my first husband
at the same time as graduating from university and beginning
work. Even after I married for the second time, I didn't feel
any love for life, and I actually attempted suicide.
When I finally started to practice Buddhism, my life began to
change, and I felt real optimism and came to understand myself
better. As I read more about Buddhism, I could finally
understand everything my sister had been trying to say to me,
and I felt deep gratitude to her. Of course, it took a lot of
effort to change my way of thinking, and I had to study hard,
but many aspects of my personality began to change. I realized
that I was suffering because I didn't know how to confront and
overcome obstacles. Through my practice, study and faith,
everything in my life changed. I learned to understand and
value other people and felt the desire to help them.
After chanting consistently every day I was able to achieve my
first professional goal. In 1993, I was able to go to Ecuador
to participate in a scientific congress on aquaculture to
present my work on shrimp culture diseases. After the
congress, I spent two months doing research in Ecuador, and
for the first time, I could join SGI meetings, which weren't
yet being held in Cuba. On my return to Cuba, I set new goals,
among them taking on responsibility as an SGI leader.
When SGI President Daisaku Ikeda and Mrs. Ikeda visited Cuba
in 1996, my parents had the joy and privilege of meeting them
personally in Havana. (My parents began to practice Buddhism a
long time ago and were real pioneers of Nichiren Buddhism in
Cuba.) At that time we were also able to meet about 30 other
Cubans who were practicing this Buddhism. We were so surprised
and pleased to find that we were not alone!
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Joannet
(third from left) with her family (1996). Far left is
Armantina, and to Joannet's left are her parents.
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Later I was able
to use my practice to resolve problems of illness in my
family. My father became extremely ill with cardiac problems,
and my younger son developed serious problems with his thyroid
gland at age nine. Through strong prayer we were able to see
this problem disappear within three months without the need
for any surgery. My father has been fitted with a pacemaker,
and he is now doing fine.
In 2000, I was able to visit Japan, where I was fortunate to
participate in the celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the
Soka Gakkai.
Now many of my close family are helping pioneer our Buddhist
activities in Cuba where we have a total of 300 SGI members.
The major religion in Cuba is Catholicism, and Nichiren
Buddhism is known to very few Cubans. Therefore I was so happy
when a Spanish-language documentary on the history of the Soka
Gakkai, "Embattled Buddhists," was shown as part of
the 23rd International Festival of New Latin American Cinema
in December 2001. Around 400 people came. The film showed that
the teaching of Nichiren Buddhism is a message of peace, which
has been maintained by the successive presidents of the Soka
Gakkai.
I am confident that those of us practicing in Cuba will grow
more as individuals every day, overcoming all difficulties
through our own human revolution, in order to work for lasting
peace in our society and the world.
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