The drive to Shin-Osaka Station on a Sunday evening...
I arrived into Narita and after a very short trip thru immigration and customs (like 20 minute total) I was off to pick up my cell phone and catch the bus to meet SHELLEY!!! Shelley Okamura and I went to UofR together back in the day... Holt Hall sisters, cheerleaders and Theta sisters together. But the best thing of all is that we are sisters in Christ! Our reunion was a long time in the making, considering our last time together was sometime in the late 80's in Hawaii. Since then much has happened thanks to the Lord, and now Shel' and Frank are living in Tokyo for a couple of years. It was a blessing to stay with her and fellowship, and introduce her to my Cardiff Chateau girl, Mai.
Another highlight with Shelley was attending her fellowship at Hope Chapel Tokorozawa. WOW. This is the kind of fellowship that is great for students who have studied overseas and returned to Japan. Please pray for all returnees to Japan, that the churches and various organisations (like Campus Crusade, Navigators, JCFN, OMF, etc.) would continue to grow together in reaching out and providing a place of ministry and fellowship for returnees. My next stop has been Osaka! It feels good to be "home again" in Sakai Eiko church and staying with both the Morimoto family, and now the Imai family. Sunday was a bit of a J2 reunion, with Mai travelling from Tokyo for some 'retreat' time of fellowship, Asami (one of the girls Mai discipled in New Zealand), Yousuke (shown in photo below with Mai-chan) one of the students who became a follower of Jesus in New Zealand (his good friend is staying at my home in NZ while I am away, Mayumi - who also recently became a Christian in NZ), China (CHEE-nah) a former J2 member and of course, Nozomi-chan.
Had a blessed time at the church prayer meeting Thursday night, and then went with Yoko (Nozomi's mom) to the ladies fellowship lunch. Most of the ladies there (see photo below) were on the 'okasan-mommy cheer squad I coached during my last visit to Japan). It was a warm time of sharing, and making new friends. The ladies have a great outreach and one-by-one are discipling other women as they seek to know Jesus.
There is much more to report, but I need to take a break now so we can get set up for dinner. Tomorrow I head to Nagoya to spend a night with Hiroko-chan (one of our returnees from the South Island), and then on to Sendai the following day for a busy five days with my old flatmates and their families, with the Navigator fellowship there, and with another awesome couple I have come to know in my travels. Pray that I will continue to have health and travelling mercies (not lost yet and avoided the influenza A disease that is hitting many here in Japan).
Thank you again for your support and prayers. It is a humbling honour to be here and in some small way bring encouragement to brothers and sisters in Christ in Japan. God bless you!
