I can't believe the summer is almost over!
I don't even really know where to start since my last blog. We've been pretty busy - the summer holiday is starting for most students and there have been church events and sight-seeing with friends. If anyone has been following my pictures on Facebook...I'm sure all they think we do is eat :)
Monday, July 20 was a Japanese summer holiday - umi no hi - or day of the sea/marine day. My church, Tokyo Urban Church, had a big BBQ in the park! It was my first Japanese style BBQ and it was sooo good, there was SO much food. It was also really nice just hanging out with all the families from the church and meeting new guests.
After the big BBQ, Susan and I went to Sunshine City with some friends from Chi Alpha and GAP church. Sunshine City is like a giant mall, but inside there is an indoor kind of food amusement park called Namja Town. We had gyoza and ice cream and then did a little shopping. Susan and I walked back to her apartment in Itabashi from Ikebukuro since we'd been eating all day!Tuesday we had LOGOS and Kobayashi Sensei was there to wrap up this semester's study of The Purpose Driven Life. We had some really good discussion and there were five nations respresented - Japan, American, S. Korea, China and Malaysia - so we got to hear a lot of different perspectives. The next day, I went to Waseda University and met up with some friends and a few new people. I really enjoyed spending the afternoon with Yasuka and Chisa. Yasuka is the girl I met through Twitter, and I met Chisa through a card game a few weeks ago at Waseda. I'm meeting Chisa again tomorrow, so I'm pretty excited! Also, Robert and I met another girl during lunch last week and I'm meeting her on Thursday at her favorite bakery - so just a lot of really good opportunities and great people! Be praying for me! Also on Tuesday, Susan took Leo, Robert, Kohei and me to the Tokyo Metro. Government building in Shinjuku. From the 45th floor, you can see across Tokyo. The city truly looked endless. Afterwards we enjoyed Krispy Kreme donuts!
Thursday, we had a LOGOS picnic at Todai! The weather is finally sunny here in Tokyo so we brought out a mat to sit on and enjoyed the afternoon(minus the dozens of mosquito bites I obtain daily) under the big tree. There is a team of jugglers that practice on Thursday afternoons out in that open square - so we sat under the tree, talking and watching them juggle. Some days are just perfect summer days...but then again, Tokyo reminds me a little of Oklahoma when it comes to weather. Two hours later, I was roaming about Omotesando before XHOP at the student center in the pouring rain. At least it was beautiful for the picnic!
Friday, I was able to relax and get some laundry done. I have learned the importance of a day off here in Tokyo - although I think my neighbor would beg to differ. She says I let "no grass grow under my feet." Tokyo is exciting, so when I'm not meeting students or at Bible study or prayer - I want to see, smell and taste as much of it as I can. It's been during these times out and about, sometimes alone, that I have really felt I connected with this country. It has been the times when my heart has been broken by what I've seen and also the times I've fallen in love with this place and the people here. So much of this summer has been wrapped in observation when I haven't been in Bible study or at the student center. It's truly a one of a kind place - and there are good and bad aspects of that.Moving on, Friday I relaxed until the evening - then I met friends in Ogikubo for yakiniku, which is oishii. I'll give Robert and Hiromi props on their favorite Japanese food. I also ate raw meat mixed with raw egg on this particular evening. No worries, the meat here is much, much safer than that of America. It wasn't half bad...but the grilled meat, onions, carrots and the kimichi appetizer were much better! Our friends have really been kind to us, we are always having fun and just enjoying getting to know each other and experiencing new things.
Saturday...there was a going away party for some friends at the church that Robert goes to. The school semester just ended here, so many students are going home for the holiday or are about to go study aboard. We also had XHOP that night at the student center - such a powerful time of prayer! God has been healing some old wounds that I've kept close for too long. It's amazing how much He loves us, you know? We just don't get it most of the time....but He - creator God, ruler of the universe, King of all Kings, all-mighty one - He loves us. Completely. It's just amazing when you really, really think about it. It's life-changing when you know it.
Sunday we had an awesome service at church and then we all got ready to go the Komagome for a district youth worship service. Saikai Sensei, the pastor of my church, is the district youth director, so it was a pretty busy day. Before the service, they cooked hot dogs and yakisoba and there were sno-cones. Kind of like a mini-festival. Some of my good friends from our montly XA meetings were there - Izumi, Mitsuru and Soh. The worship night was amazing. So many students were really responding and it was so encouraging to see so many Japanese students in love with Jesus! I'm always really encouraged by my church - there are a lot of young people there and it is a constant example of how full of life and hope this nation could be!
That finally brings me to this week, which has been amazing in ways I don't even know how to put into words. Monday I met Hiromi in Ikebukuro and we went shopping, then we went to her house in Saitama. Saitama is nothing like Tokyo minus the whole being in Japan thing. It's green and reminds me a lot more of home. In fact, Tuesday morning I had my first encounter with true homesickness as I was leaving Saitama. Meeting Hiromi's family and spending this time at her home is one of the best experiences of this entire journey. It was really important for me to share this with her. She has spent a few holidays at my house in Wagoner and we share so much of our lives living in our little dormroom. Her home is beautiful, and her family is so amazing! I love them. We had Hiromi's favorite food for dinner, then all the ladies went to the sento. Sento is a truly Japanese experience, very relaxing. I'll save the explanation for the exceptionally curious. In the morning, we had breakfast and then I had to catch an early train to get back in time for Bible study at Todai. I didn't want to leave though, I wish I could have spent more time getting to know Hiromi's family and just hanging out with Hiromi! I'll see her when she comes back to Tahlequah though!
Today was the last LOGOS Bible study at Todai! I can't believe it. I will still be meeting with my friends from LOGOS in the next two weeks, but I still just can't believe the summer is ending. Everyone is packing up and preparing for holiday. We have been able to spend more time with Susan these days, which has been really nice. She took us(me, Robert, Kohei) to Ueno Zoo today! Anyone who has really spent any time with me knows that I love the zoo! After the zoo, Hard Rock Cafe Uyeno-Eki, Tokyo for some very American food.
All that being said, we have had some really good conversations and some good questions from some of the students we've met. We know the seeds are being planted, so we keep praying and looking for opportunities to spread life and love in His name. Tomorrow, as I said before, I'm spending some time with Chisa then probably going over some budgeting stuff. Please be in prayer for these final weeks, God isn't on a time schedule and I believe there is still some pretty awesome things He has in store! And, yes, those are my feet in the picture below... =]
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