Time once again flew by. It's 3 weeks passed me by, and I have another remaining 3 weeks before returning to AD.
Time flew by even faster the last weekend. As I sit down tonight, I really only have thanksgiving in my heart. 感謝の気持ちだけあふれる。
I had decided to go to Japan with MH just 2 weeks ago, and I went, and spent a good 3.5 days in Nagoya. Never did I imagine that it was going to be such a great trip. Maybe because Japan will always have a special place in my heart. Maybe because I fell in love with the culture, the language and the people, deeply, at a certain point in my life.
The first thing that struck me when I arrived that early Friday morning was how much Japan felt the same. I am sure there would have been advances, but I felt I was transported back to a decade ago, where fresh-eyed, eager to experience the world, I stepped into this country. I told Satomi and Maki that Japan felt the same, the people felt the same, the busyness of the day felt the same, the establishments felt the same, the salary men in their black coats and the mothers, school students, the same... and even the Japan smell, the same.
Some things do not change that much.
This time round, the trip couldn't have been made any better. Sabie came along; Maki travelled from Tokyo to join us; Satomi and I finally got to know each other better in person, yet again. We did so many things in just 3 short days - fellowship, climb castles, walk the old Japanese streets, have coffee, walked around beautiful gardens and parks, shopping at outlet malls, and of course... onsen (oh how how kimochi), and beer, wine, hi-balls, food. :))
Leisurely stroll at Nagoya Castle with Sabie... touched down and we went, so while tired and sleepy, the fresh air and the walk definitely perked us up.
If I could have a chance to be born in another period, I would choose a totally different dynasty, like those back in the days of the Chinese emperors and where there's no massive technology breakthroughs. I want to know how those people live their lives, how they think, how they build their countries, how they work, and even how they fall in love. So, I saw this picture, and it depicts the daily normal life of the Japanese in Nagoya years back. I wonder how it would be like to roam those streets, to see the sun set, to have dinner there, or to go about marketing.
I also wondered how I would have lived if I were a ninja (probably the modern day spy?!) These ninjas were around the park, some pretending to scale the walls and boulders. There was a certain element of engagement for the visitors.
Scaling Inuyama castle together... and the stripes were totally totally unplanned for. Satomi said... it was just 恥ずかしい。ふふふ。
Relax-one-corner to eat fish... and have traditional japanese sweets and macha.
Beautiful Meiji Era park. We walked this whole place, and you can still see the old architecture. These buildings were preserved and were from the Meiji era passed.
And, what a beautiful picture of love, of us gals, and also of me and Maki. Maki and I share a special relationship, with her living together with me for 7 years. She has seen the worst of me, the tired me, the grouchy me, the real me, and of course, now, the "nacked" me. 💗
The illumination of the Garden and Onsen Park, and the crazy crowd there. It is the Golden Week now, and families were just there to enjoy the flowers, the onsen. :) So lovely.
And how can we be in Japan without izakayas, beers and hi-balls? Super love the fellowship, the laughter!
So the purpose of this trip was for a mission trip at Minami Nagoya Christ Church.
Lest you think that everything is fun, I would tell you that yes... you are absolutely right! Everything truly worked together for good, and MH preached such an encouraging word - Faith Overcomes - at the Sunday service. I also shared my own faith journey (in Japanese :-D), and all I wanted was that God would use us, in ways only He would know, to sow seeds, to encourage, to stir up faith, greater love for Him, to overcome, to have that "in-spite-of" faith. And how great it was to know that at the end, there was a breakthrough, a continuity, and openness. And I think mission trips now hold a deeper meaning to me. Sometimes, it is not about the doing; it is about the "being", and we can have fun and serve by just "being", just to be present and open. What a very very very beautiful Sunday.
Satomi interpreting for MH. スゲー - Satomi chan!
It is the practice for the whole church to eat together after service, and lunch is always prepared in church by the members. :)
We really had a superb superb superb trip. Beautiful memories created. Thankful to everyone - MH, Sabie, Satomi and Maki. Super thankful. And of course, to Maki, who helped me to take an absolutely beautiful picture. :-p
So love it!!
27 - 30 ِApril 2018 - 感謝です
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