The temporary bathhouse set up by the Ground Self-Defense Force on the grounds of an elementary school in Iwaki,?Fukushima?Prefecture, for victims of Typhoon No. 19 has closed for business.
　Almost every day before heading home from Taira Daiyon Elementary School, third-grader Saki Kunii, 8, would go to the bathing facility. "Everyone was so nice, and I had fun every day," she said gratefully.

　台風１９号に伴い、いわき市の平四小校庭で行われてきた陸上自衛隊の入浴支援が１４日、終了した。学校帰り、ほぼ毎日入浴所に通うようになった同小３年の国井咲希さん（８）は「みんな優しくて、毎日が楽しくなった」と感謝していた。

　At the entrance to the temporary bathhouse administered by GSDF personnel, Saki would help by handing out number cards, cheerfully telling people, "Please take a number." She also wrote the number of people waiting to enter the bath on a whiteboard. As a victim herself, she came almost daily, and soon became the facility's icon.
　When Camp Jinmachi in Higashine, Yamagata Prefecture, opened the facility on Nov. 9, the youngster said she wanted to help in some way. Thus began a sweet relationship.
　She came to like sitting on the lap of Lpt. Airi?Otomo, 21, who allowed Saki to lovingly address her with the familiar "Airi-chan" as she let the youngster help out.

　「この番号を受け取ってください」。咲希さんは自衛隊が設営した仮設風呂の入り口で、入浴待ちの人数を書き入れたり、順番待ちの番号札を配ったりして隊員の活動を手伝った。自分も被災者の一人として、毎日のように入浴するために通ううち、すっかり"看板娘"として定着した。
　神町駐屯地（山形県東根市）が担当するようになった９日以降、「何か手伝いたい」と交ざるようになった。お気に入りの場所は大好きな大友愛里陸士長（２１）の膝の上。大友陸士長は咲希さんから「あいりちゃん」と呼ばれ、楽しそうに手伝う姿を見守った。

　Saki's house in the city was flooded during the typhoon, and the bath became unusable. She cringed at using a bath other than the one she was accustomed to at home, but when she took a look at the temporary facility, she found the tub wider than she imagined, and fully enjoyed it.
　"At the time of the disaster, she would seem afraid of rain, but now she really looks happy when she spends time with the personnel," said Saki's mother, Miyuki, 46, having seen the change in her daughter, whose mood brightened through her activities at the bathhouse.

　同市平下平窪にある咲希さんの自宅も床上浸水し、風呂が使えなくなった。慣れた自宅以外の風呂が嫌だったが、行ってみると想像以上に浴槽が広く、満喫できた。
　「被災した時は雨を怖がる様子もあったのに、今は隊員さんとの時間が本当に楽しそう」と母美由紀さん（４６）は支援を通じ心まで温まった娘の変化に目を細めた。

　When the period of support was nearing its end, Saki would look down and say, "I don't want to think about it." But she expressed her gratitude to the GSDF members who allowed her to take a bath and played with her. "I definitely want to see them again," Saki said.

（　Translated by The Japan News　）

　支援終了が近づくいたときは、「考えたくない」と咲希さんはうつむくいていたが、それでも伝えたい言葉がある。「遊んでくれて、お風呂に入れてくれてありがとう。また絶対会いたいな」

　【　２０１９年１１月１４日付・福島民友新聞掲載　】