<Begin Segment 35>

TI: Well, how about this question; this might be a little more concrete.

EBA: Okay.

TI: Your connection with Japanese Baptist Church, what does that look like these days?

EBA: It's, there's still a tie there. I don't, I don't very often go down there but I've been, I've had a funeral service there for one of the Japanese, Niseis. They've asked me back for special occasions, whether it be a scout reunion of some sort or Scout Sunday. Years ago, there's a garden behind the church there that is a memorial garden for my father and so, and then Yosh, Yosh calls me. But then, there's always some connection there. I don't think that tie will ever be broken. And as long as the memories exist, as long as the stories are circulated, there will always be a tie there.

TI: And how does your experiences impact your work with the church? Does it, is it incorporated, do you use it in terms of helping people to understand the world and life in general?

EBA: I think so. Maybe not specifically relating internment experiences, although I have done that on occasion, but I think it helps me in ministry to the, to my congregation and, again, it's all about being real with each other and be willing to dialog with one another. You know, I oftentimes think of Minidoka as a desert experience, 'cause you're out there in a desert. And then we've returned from the desert and, but we don't want to keep quiet about our desert experiences that we have in our lives. And we need to dialog continually about, with each other, about our desert experiences. Otherwise, from my perspective, all we have is chit-chat.

TI: Is there anything else you want to talk about? This, I've really enjoyed the interview, the conversation, and wanted to see if there's anything you wanted to...

EBA: You know, I can't think of anything right now except it's an incredible privilege to be able to participate in this interview and I look at that, being privileged and humbled and honored personally, but honoring my father in anything that, that I'm called to speak at or appear at or, you know, be here for this. It's incredible.

TI: Well, thank you so much, Brooks.

EBA: Thank you.

<End Segment 35> - Copyright © 2004 Densho. All Rights Reserved.