- ok, so i'm one of the very few that didn't blog while in Japan...so here i am! :) it's 2:40am, Wednesday morning (6:40pm, Wednesday evening, Japan time) it's hard to believe that our 2 weeks in Japan have come and gone so quickly. i was so very touched that a couple of the moms and kids came to see us off before leaving the SEND Center. it was sad to leave so soon...yet, there is SOOO much to be thankful for!
first of all, thanking God for Mei-Ling and Patti and ALL the work they did preparing, organizing and shepherding all 18 of us during our stay in Japan! shepherding 18 people is no easy task especially in and out of crowded trains and train stations. thank you for all the time and heart you invested in us! (thank you, Jesus, for keeping us all together and keeping us safe as we moved from place to place.)
i thank God for: - providing places to stay for each team! with changes happening until the final days before leaving to Japan, God provided places for each in His time and way.
- such gracious missionaries like Richard & Keri Nakamura and family, Jon & Chieko Reasoner and their family at the SEND Center, Koichi & Shirley Tamura & their family in Nokendai and Jim & Martha Boden at the Lighthouse Cadence--thank you, Lord, for Your providing hand and the blessing of each of their ministries to others! (their families played a big part in that blessing!--at the Nakamuras (already a family of 7, adding 9 of us, 2 bathrooms, and 1 shower!)--God bless them for so warmly welcoming us and opening their home!
- uniquely knitting together each team(even though our parts in VBS may not have been our comfort zone for some of us when we left), God used us to love the kids and share with them and their moms. that in itself was a joy just working together and getting to know others on our team! =) (it was kind of strange to part ways at the airport today after being together for the past couple of weeks. i enjoyed our morning breakfasts, praying, playing, walking, taking the train, shopping for dinner, etc. together as one body! hoping each of you are getting a good rest tonight...)
- the translators at both TMK & Nokendai, who helped to break down that language barrier to help the kids understand about Jesus; for many, the first time hearing.
- for all the kids that came to each VBS! they are SOOO CUTE and such a delight to teach and play with! i think all of us wished we could have more time to get to know the kids and moms better and are already thinking of more ways we can reach out to the families.
well, it may only be 7:30pm, Japan time, but it's 3:30am, Seattle time....and time for me to try and get some sleep...i'll be back...there is so much to share!
kelly and i can't thank everyone enough for their prayers and support to be a part of this mission trip! what a wonderful privelege and honor to go as God's servants to Japan! this was my first mission trip but i'm hoping not my last. there are so many who do not know the hope of Jesus in Japan...this trip has opened my eyes even more for how we can be praying more specifically for the people and for the missionaries there. this mission trip has also given me faces, names and places to keep in touch with and remember in prayer.
thank you so much again for partnering with kelly, myself, the teams and the missionaries on this journey!
oyasuminasai!
mata ashita! (until tomorrow!)
sharon
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