My Traveling Month

Oh, Friends -- I am in Japan! I am finally in Japan!

But let's start at the very beginning (it's a very good place to start). At the very beginning of October I was blessed to begin my final preparations for the move to Japan. I got to do wonderful things, like buying a plane ticket and telling everyone I met that I was moving to Japan (so exciting!).

I spent one last week in Cheyenne where I received a very loving send-off -- full of prayers and hugs -- and so began the goodbyes. Then I traveled to Kearney, Nebraska where I said goodbye to my sweet, sweet little sister. After that I was blessed to be in York for York College homecoming -- I celebrated my 24th birthday that weekend with the best birthday party ever held in a Starbucks, surrounded by awesome friends! Then it was off to Mattoon, Illinois where I got to spend a few days with my wonderful, 86-year-old great-grandma, and then the last stop was Shoals, Indiana for a week with my mom, step-dad and my grandparents. (I learned how to knit, and I rode a 4-wheeler for the first time ever!)

Very, very early on the morning of the 25th my wonderful mom dropped me off at the airport in Indianapolis, and I began the very last leg of my travels. Two planes, two trains and many, many hours later I was hugging Debi in Sendai Station. God blessed me immeasurably in my travels -- I received so much love and encouragement from all the people I was able to visit with, and I arrived safely in Sendai.

I have spent the last week or so getting settled into my new life in Japan (and I think I still have a long way to go!). It has been interesting and fun learning how to use things like the stove and the washing machine, when all the buttons are in Japanese. I am so blessed by housemates, Debi and Emiko; they have already shown me so much love and support.

I have been making plans with the guidance of Joel, Crimsen, Debi and Mawatari-sensei for the work that I will be doing over the next few months. And I have already been blessed to see many of my old friends from my previous times in Japan -- I am looking forward to renewing and growing those relationships, as well as beginning new ones. Even in the short time that I have been in Japan, I have begun to pick up a smattering of Japanese words; as my very small vocabulary grows, I am looking forward to starting my language training very soon, too.

Please pray . . .

~a praise to God for bringing me safely, in His perfect timing to Sendai.

~a praise to God for the blessing of friendships overflowing with His love.

~for God to open the hearts of the Japanese people to His love, and for God's protection over all those who are sharing that love.

~for God to continue to bless me with peace and cover me with grace as I learn how to live in a new culture and to speak a new language.

~for Crimsen's mother and her family.