An unexpected visitor that week was Rumiko, a second cousin who came when she heard my sisters and the Waala siblings (she knew us from high school) were coming. During our fellowship session afterwards, she shared her testimony too.
When it was discovered I'd never been to the outer islands, Brian and Sherri invited me to come along; I jumped at the chance. Here are a few drawings from those few days. When we got off a ferry at a small island called Taketomi, we had to request a shuttle bus. The elderly driver responding to the call had known Missionary Russel Waala, and his heart leaped when he heard the name; he took us to his family lodging and his friend's eatery; drove us to a believer's grave; took care of all transportation while we were on the island. Ohama-san's two sisters are believers, but he still hasn't found Christ. Please pray He find Jesus to be His Big Brother soon.
Would a vestige of the old house still be there, we wondered, and went to the place where Brian's first home used to be. The person who seemed to be a gardener outside turned out to be a person who loved and had bought the property from his dad when asked to keep it going. That night, we had dinner with a friend of mine, not realizing God's number one reason for having us meet was the absolute encouragement her husband would be. In some ways, he and Brian acted as bright and free as young boys.
That night, we talked of how sometimes God blesses us but treats us like trained dogs who have potato chips placed on their noses. The master no doubt gives treats, but the dogs don't dare gobble them up until given the ok. All these ways God worked the past few days, we mused, are like yummy potato chips which we are to ponder in our hearts as Mary did until He gives the ok to fully enjoy them. I wonder when and how that will come.
