Life Journey and Essays of a Japanese American Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Minister by LaVerne Senyo Sasaki.
Rev. LaVerne Senyo Sasaki, born in 1930, served for more than 40 years as a resident minister in the Buddhist Churches of America (BCA). In Out of the Mud Grows the Wisteria, he shares insightful, often humorous stories, stretching from his childhood (as the eldest of five brothers pre-World War II) to Tule Lake internment camp, education and ministerial training in the U.S. and Japan, world travels, inter-faith and community outreach, and his ministry in Stockton, Mountain View, and San Francisco temples. Highlighted are the influence of his parents Rev. & Mrs. Sensho Sasaki and the global reach of grandfather, Rev. Senju Sasaki (1871-1944), first minister of Buddhist Churches of Canada. Also included are essays and reflections on Buddhism, Jodo Shinshu, teachers, and life in general. Rev. Sasaki has been married to Helen (nee Yokoi) for 55 years; they are happiest with their family (13 grandchildren), Giants, Warriors, and Raiders.
