“Before the church was built, people would lay mats in a wooden meeting hall, and a priest would come there to meet them” says 89-year-old Matsuo Ryouji, a Christian who attends Houki church. His parents were both very devout and he too never misses his daily prayers. “My aunt was born in 1889. She did not marry, and worked as a catechist until her death. She made her living from weaving and was a wonderful person who was also very tough”.

The Christians of that time were very devout. Prayer was an important part of their day, and many of them were eager to help with the church’s construction in whatever way they could. For example, the stone wall which runs around the church was made using stones which, after being cut by a stone mason, were carried there by Christians from the area (who then built the wall themselves). Furthermore, in order to obtain the wood needed, big Japanese cedars from Mt. Shijiki were transported by a large boat with three masts to a nearby beach. Local Christians then carried them up the hill to where the church was going to be built. Then they looked forward to the completion of their new home.

教会で行われる日曜学校ではいつもの「問いかけ」があったという。宝亀教会の信徒、藤澤伝さん（86歳）はこう語ってくれた。「人にとって一番大事なのは何ですか？ それは宗教です。宗教とはなんですか？ 神様に対する人の道です。神様とはどんな人ですか？ 天地万物を創りそれを支配しています・・・と答える。それがいつものことでした」。小学校の学芸会の準備よりも教会のミサを優先し、先生を困らせたこともあったとか。「昔は板張りの床でしたから下から冷たい隙間風が入ってくるんです。そこに約１時間も正座して説教を聞くのですから子どもにとってはきつかったですね」。クリスマスになると信徒みんなで楽しい飾り付け。「杉の葉をひもで結った織物（モール）を壁に飾ったり、十字架を描いた提灯をつるしたりしました。それはにぎやかでした」。信徒みんなが家族のような宝亀地区の人々の温かさに触れた気がした。