It has really cooled down here and feels like fall! We have been busy this past week but are doing well.
A missionary couple and their daughter came to visit our church last Friday. There names are the Bloughs.
Pastor Blough now pastors a church in Hoonah, Alaska. He is 77 yrs. old and did evangelistic missions here in Hokkaido more than 30 years ago. He is the person who led our pastor, (Kamidate Sensei) to the Lord.
He and his wife Marlene have 9 children and 33 grandchildren. They are a really neat family who loves the Lord Jesus and have served Him faithfully for many years. We were so encouraged by their testimonies of God's provision and guidance in their lives. We were also challenged by the things they taught us. They had so many fun stories and since they were in a place where there were no other foreigners living at the time, (Rumoi, Hokkaido) they were often in newspaper articles, t.v. shows, etc... We got to see a recording of a t.v. clip from 40 or so years ago. It was so neat! :) They left to go to another part of Japan today, so we were sad to see them go.
It made Keisuke and I want to visit Alaska some day!!! :)
Since the Bloughs were here this past week, we did lots of fellowship events at the church and also a few evangelistic outreaches. Keisuke and I got to sing a song together at the Outreach service on Monday.
It is a song called, "Kimi no inochi no tameni" (For your life)
(talking about if you gain the whole world, but lose your soul or your life, what value is there in that? If you don't know Jesus, there is nothing lasting forever in your life...) It is a song that Pastor Kamidate's friend wrote after his friend died at a young age without believing in Jesus.
On Tuesday I went to a Sapporo Ham Fighters game with the Pastor Blough, Vickie, and a few other church members. I was asked to join for helping with translating. (the Blough's (especially Vickie and Marlene) spoke Japanese very well, but they hadn't been here for 33 years, so sometimes they needed help)
It was fun to go with them. The game was pretty long, but had an exciting ending. :)
On Thursday Keisuke had the day off. It was a holiday, and even though Keisuke usually works on a holiday, his dad took the day off on Monday while Keisuke worked alone, so his dad gave him Thursday off. Woohoo! :) There was a pitch-in lunch at church for the Bloughs which we joined. We also played basketball. :) It was fun! :) (I was doing pretty good yesterday, but now I am feeling it! I am so sore and tired!) Pastor Blough even joined us! He is good!
After basket ball Keisuke and I went shopping at Costco. Then we came back to the church for Let's Enjoy English. We had many people come to talk for the free English conversation hour. Some people said they wanted to come back to the church for the Gospel service on Sunday! Praise God! :)
Yesterday (the 23rd) would have been my sweet mother's 64th birthday. It was a little sad thinking of her and remember she is not here on earth with us any more. But I am so thankful that she is in Heaven with her Savior, Jesus Christ. I bet she had the best birthday celebration ever this year!! (I don't know if we celebrate birthdays in Heaven (since it is eternal, I don't think there is time, or days, but I know she is still having a blast!!) :)
If I think back to last year at this time, it was such a hard time in my life. Around September last year, we were just starting to realize that the reason I was getting so sick was from living in the church building that has mold in the upper floors. Last September we had finally decided that I needed to come home to figure out treatment and didn't even know if I would be able to come back to Sapporo! (and not to mention didn't even know what would happen with Keisuke and my relationship!! (and was scheduled to go home in October) Then my mom was hospitalized on September 22nd in critical condition. I ended up rushing home to see my mom, and Keisuke came with me for a month. God gave us 4 more months with our dear mother, and it was such a special time. It has been such a hard, blessed, special, crazy, and happy year. All throughout God has been in complete control and had a wonderful plan in mind, even though we didn't know it at the time.
Last year at this time, I would have never thought that Keisuke and I would be married a year later, and would be living in Japan. God was at work even though I couldn't see it at the time!
I am so thankful to the Lord for His wonderful loving hand at work in my life.
Well, I am going to work on some more dinner preparations.
God bless you and write if you have time! We miss you all!!
