camp. so glad I went.

Mio, I took this pictures so I could show you a little bit of my camp experience :)

It was a great time with some friends from church and new friends I met along the way.  I spent almost every free moment playing basketball.  It was wonderful to worship God with a lot of people about my own age, and we learned so much about the Bible and how much God blesses us.  

Food

It seems to me that food has an amazing way of bringing people together.  My specialty is dessert.  Even when I keep it VERY simple, sometimes people act so surprised that I feel like a magician or something.  Cake is a great way to put a smile on someone's face. 

Cooking together is even better.  My very lovely (and funny and fun) Japanese teacher taught me how to make these cabbage/avocado rolls (a.k.a. Green Planet) the other day.  We followed up lunch with baking banana bread and brownies, which are both pretty rare in Japan.  I think she was surprised by how easy they were.  :) 

Coolest Sweatshirt Ever

Not to mention how fashionable she is, Rina is one of the most creative people ever.  This original sweatshirt is a labor of love.  She made it in time to wear during outreach at this year's CHANGE conference (Japan Campus Crusade for Christ).  I just love her!  And she's sharing God's love in fun and powerful ways ♥

Dad in Japan, Kermit's wedding

Life overseas is difficult to explain, so that's part of the reason I loved having my dad in Japan!  Plus, I had missed him a lot!  Here are some pictures of:

A) coming into Tokyo from the airport
B) volunteer work in Tohoku
C) Tsukiji fish market
D) eating soft cream with my beloved friends
E) campus ministry

Another Fall blessing was Kermit's wedding! 

Th

1 Year

Today was my one-year anniversary of living in Japan.  It was a good day.  Actually, I lived in Japan for 9 months before (2007-8) and my neighbors at that time are the biggest blessing ever. 

Today, we had soft cream at our favorite little shop.  Then they invited me back to their house, where I was told to relax because it is also my home.  Thank you Keiko and Minori for celebrating with me and giving me sweet presents and being like family to me!!!

Identitiy Check

So, I'm going to church camp tomorrow.  I've never really been nervous for that sort of thing, but I can't sleep and I'm pretty scurred. 

The thing is that I don't know if there will be any other foreigners or not.  The language barrier is a bit nerve-racking, but the cultural differences are what really gets me.  But my friend just reminded me the other day not to worry about making mistakes.  And the truth of the matter is that I'm prideful and need to check where my identity comes from.  I like how one of my new favorite songs puts it:

I am His, He is mine. Bought with the blood of Christ. (Hello by KB)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9ORUsOPF4I

Tono and Tokyo

This week I got to spend a lot of time with people living in temporary homes.  We mostly just talked, and occasionally made a craft.  I loved meeting the local people and the other volunteers.

It's still heart-breaking to see the piles of wreckage, and this time some of the mounds were unbelievably high.  Overall, those who suffered loss are able to laugh and have a good time though.  One man's experience of the tsunami was unreal, but he told it without a trace of fear and without tears.  I guess time brings healing, but this man lost both of his brothers, and found the body of one of them hanging when he returned after escaping.  Also, his wife and him helped many kids from a near-by junior high get to the mountains, but the whole group was not able to make it safely. 

I can't imagine what these dear people went through, but God seemed to be showing me something this week.  I am just like these people, because I need God's grace every single moment. 

On a lighter note, I've been back in Tokyo for approximately 24 hours and I've:

• been to one wedding
• had two people fall asleep on me on the train
• eaten tiny squid pasta thinking it was parmesan cheese