MAYBE I SHOULD'VE NAMED IT LUEGO (LATER)

I cannot let this go. A Robin on the deck in Dearborn posed for the below photos. I called it my "Manana Robin". Wait; how do you type a Spanish "enya" on an English alphabet keyboard? It doesn't have an enya key! You know that wavy mark above the "n" that shows you it has a "nyah" sound?

Well, it's a "Manyana Robin", anyway...You know: "Tomorrow"

HI!

LEMME SHOW YOU SOMETHIN'

AFTER I GET RID OF AN ITCH

BEHIND THIS LEG

AND MY FRIEND COMES

TOMORROW ("Manana!")

No kidding; these were taken the afternoon of July 4th (yeah; Independence Day!), and they're in the order they were shot. They haven't been touched up or anything. Silly Robin! 

SHIRLEY DROVE US AROUND

When I was sending photos to some friends, I realized in these posts, I completely skipped mentioning two places we saw in Michigan: 

We lived with Shirley, a teaching superintendent, our first few years on deputation, and she drove us around the old Rosedale neighborhood.

We were young then. We did an aerobics video, "Fundamentals of Fitness".

Of course we contacted churches and did presentations in our kimonos. And I still remember Joyce on the kitchen phone scheduling future meetings, oftentimes forgetting to finish eating her meals. There are memories of a broken leg and crutches (had nothing to do with the exercises), pizzas in the basement den, chalk talk,....

Then she told us to get lots of pictures at the next place she was going to take us to.

It was the Southgate apartments, where we first lived while our parents were still in the U.S. (our stepmother joined the mission board when we did). But it was so pretty now! That garden wasn't there when we lived there, was it?

It must've been the fire that forced them to put in the nice landscaping or something.

EXTRA

"Extra! Extra! Read all about it!" Yes, God answers prayer and sends "extras"...but His unexpected delights can come in the strangest packages.

When we were in Mich, our hearts sank to learn the elementary school we attended on furlough was no longer in operation...but sang again when we found it, saw the sign board outside the old building: "Washington Elementary School." There on the playground, in 3rd grade, God gave me the privilege of leading my first classmate to Himself. Thank You Lord, for letting us find it.

We saw Oak Pak High too. That was the place where I played on the all-black girls' basketball team. OK; I was the only non-black player. But I remember one half-time, someone in the bleachers came down and did a black handshake with me, saying I was cool man, not bad. (Nowadays, they say you're BAD, and it means the same thing.)

Going up to Canada, we had a big surprise. At the Edmonton connection, passengers were told we could get on the plane, but the baggage couldn't be carried. We had to wait 3 days for our suitcases to be delivered. That should've been a bad thing, right?  But as a result, our sympathetic relatives ran around making sure we got all we needed, and one cousin, Kim, even bought new things for us. At the end of 3 days, we realized we'd been, not deprived, but treated.

When we got to Kauai (one of the Hawaiian islands where my mother was born), her youngest brother, Uncle Masa, showed us the old places they used to live/work/go to school. What a shock tho', when that evening, the entire island had a power outage! We found our way in the dark, and managed for a few hours with flashlights and cellphones. I don't know how my Uncle did it--but he showered in the dark and went to bed early. Maybe loss of electricity was a good thing. We didn't have to wrestle with loud music and wild party noises, just the cool trade winds and ocean surf. Was that Your idea, Father?

But there was still one more "extra" awaiting us. The day before we were to return to Japan, Joyce was supposed to visit a supporting church nearby and show her presentation, but she came down with fever. What was God doing? I ended up going to Calvary Independent by myself and sitting with Anne Kaneshiro, another former MK we knew in Okinawa, and some Japanese American grandmas the family ministered to. One showed me her Japanese Bible, which I excitedly opened, sharing a favorite passage and telling her why it struck me clearly in Japanese.

Joyce's fever just would not come down that entire day--but by morning, it had broken completely, so we could go home as scheduled. While viewing the Rainbow Shower Trees along the freeway on the way to the airport, I wondered, could the Lord have foreseen Joyce's need for rest before returning to Okinawa and MADE SURE she got a full day of staying in bed? 

Like I said: some of God's extras come in the strangest packages.

JULY'S PICS

And here are a half dozen more from the last 2 weeks of the trip:

We found the old school!

Cows in our cousin Paula's yard?!

Uncle Masa showed us the old sugar mill shell

I was thrilled to see the swooping, nesting gulls

God sent natural AC showers

Joyce, Inouye Airport

When God opened up the way for us to go to the U.S. in July, I was a bit concerned, due to the side effect of my medicine which requires me to stay out of summer heat. But God kept it nice and breezy plus sent intermittent rainfall...and it was my sister Joyce who ended up with a high temperature the day before we returned to Japan. Mercifully tho', God made her fever break so she was feeling better the morning of the flight, and we were able to come home no problem.

Oh--the cowboy hat? Stacey Asato, who had enabled our two Japanese ladies to come on this trip, also paid for my sisters' horseback riding experience and gifted riding hats as souvenir. God always answers prayer plus gives a little extra! 

EMERGENCY: PLEASE PRAY FOR SAMUEL'S MOTHER

"He is my Samuel." she had told me as she drove me to the store. I had been down to Okinawa one of the weeks of visiting my sister Joyce, and one of the ladies in the church had taken me to the store to get necessary items. On the way, Yoneko told me of how her son Takashi was "her Samuel".

Yoneko, a medical nurse, was told she would never have a child. She, as Hannah in the Bible, told God she would give him to His service if He gave her a son. Yoneko's husband is an unbeliever. But to his amazement, she was given a child.

Yoneko is the one in the denim jumper in the front.

This child ended up becoming a Christian.  And, altho' he was a quiet boy, during my years in Okinawa, I saw him grow into a youth who unthinkingly, unhesitatingly followed what he felt was the voice of God. He first visited daily when my Dad was hospitalized then without human counsel, ended college studies to prepare to preach.

He is now the 33-yr-old pastor of our church; it is his wedding today; and Yoneko, given a beautiful voice, has been scheduled to do a solo in the program.

But Satan has not been sleeping. You heard my sister Joyce, who was in charge of the wedding music, had fever last week, and it got bad again after she got back to the island.

Yoneko also hasn't been feeling well the past few days. Would you pray our Mighty God give "our Samuel's mother" extra energy and focus to bring glory to His Name..(and perhaps her husband and "Samuel's father" to salvation)?

Meet Mami, the person who came into Takashi's life to be his helpmeet!

こまらない

 「乗り継ぎまで７時間も？」とナカムラ・サアヤ姉は思った。東京から１３時間でやっとデトロイトに着いたが、最終目的地ローリーの便が出発するまで、この「メトロ・空港」で待つことになっていた。

国が違うので、Immigration（入国管理）を通り・荷物を取りに行かなければならない。それに、デトロイトの空港は、東京の空港とワケが違って、かなり広い。と、いうより、東京はターミナルがはっきり分けられていて、連絡バスが建物の外を行き来するが、アメリカの大きい空港は建物内にtram（連絡機関）が動いていて、必要があれば客は遠い登場ゲートまでこれで移動している。Moving walkway（動く歩道）もあるが、それだけで、足りない場合、tramがある。

入国管理を済ませ、荷物を受け取り、ローリー便にチェックインし、歩く歩道を幾つか利用し、次の登場ゲートを見つけ、そこのキオスクで食事することにした。一緒にいたジューン姉とゆっくり交わったと思ったら７時間終わっていた。

東京便をキャンセルされたアイノ姉にアトランタ直行便が見つかったらしい。そこからローリーに来ることになっていた。サアヤ姉がローリーに到着した時、アイノ姉は５分先に着いていたと、知った！

旅行費を面倒見てくれたStaceyのRaleigh（ローリー）の家に少し泊ることになっていた。

サアヤ姉は猫が大好き。Staceyの猫は、それを察したのか、友だちが見つかって嬉しそうだった。

「空港で７時間？困らない、こまらない、ともだちが一緒だったらいいニャン」と、ノドを鳴らしながら、サアヤになでなでしてもった。

サアヤ姉も知っている。

私たちを「とも」とよんでくださる神様が、一緒にいてくれるから、どんな時にも困らない、だいじょうぶ。

キャラメル・コーヒー

 「でかい！」アメリカのものは大きいと聞いていたけれど/・・・注文した「スーパービッグガルプ」は、５００ｍｌボトル大だった。味は？アイノはアイスコーヒーが欲しかった。

注文すると「キャラメル・コーヒー？」と聞かれた。「ジャストコーヒー、ノーキャラメル（コーヒーだけでキャラメルはいりません）とお願いした。店員は何か言ったが、最後にＯＫと言ったので、何とも思わなかった。

家に帰って、アメリカ人の姉妹に聞かれた、大きくて飲めなかったでしょう？

ボリュームじゃなくて、味の問題。キャラメル無しのキャラメルコーヒーは、ちっとも美味しくない。それに、５００ｍｌも買っちゃったんだから。あ～

十字架の血の話は嫌い、十字架なしの愛だけのキリスト教がいいなと、言う人がいるけれど、そんなの、キャラメル無しのキャラメル・コーヒーの様なものじゃないかな。救いは十字架の血の贖いにあるから。

翌日車に乗っていた時、ウサギが草の中を走っていくのがアイノに見えた。

 昨日は、あの飲み物で損したけれど、今日は、ちょっと得したような気がした。

JUNE, LET'S GO FOR A WALK...

One of my favorite stays was with my sister Janice who took me out for a walk one day when it was nice and cool. She knows I love animals so we went to the pond...June? June? She didn't know how crazy I was until she realized most of the "walk" consisted in waiting around for me because oh I saw something and had to get a picture of it! Actually, I whittled it down to 4 of the dozen or so photos I took.

Pictured: Great Blue Heron, Red-Winged Blackbird, Canadian Geese, Swallow

Three days later, it was cool again, so we went out. My sister's little friends seemed to know I'd be along again and came out to be photographed. I only wish I could've gotten an unusual dragonfly with speckled wings, but she wouldn't come out where I could set a clear shot. Besides, it's probably these three critters God wanted you to see, right?

       

Pictured: Plentiful Squirrel, Rare Indigo Bird, Fun-loving Robin, Turtle and Beaver

QUIET UNSUNG HEROES

My very first prayer meeting (Wed, June 19) this trip was with godly retirees living at Missionary Acres. What an honor it was to pray with them, knowing there are hundreds of MK's (missionary kids) like myself around the globe saluting their faithful service as well as thousands of angels peering down over the battlements of Heaven, watching this small group in Missouri.

Living across the street from Missionary Acres--and a regular part of this fellowship--was Brian Waala, an MK I grew up with, and his wife Sherri. Brian invited me to say a few words before prayer meeting, and someone there taped the whole thing. Brian sent me the recording, and I couldn't not post it.

I have heard U.S. military veterans honored, but many in God's service never receive earthly recognition. Perhaps the commendaton they strive to receive are a smile from their Savior and their Father's words: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."

JUNE'S CORNY REPORT

It wouldn't be fair to not show you photos of my trip at all. I don't have time to sit down and sketch, but here are photos from those first two weeks in June:

6-16 Stacey's Photo Shoot

  

6-16 Brian's Log House

6-23 Singalong Strings

6-26 Janice and Grandkids

6-29 Joyce Interpreting

YUM!

I remember when I got married and my Japanese husband looked at me like I was crazy when I tried to eat corn on the cob with butter--you cut corn off the kernel and eat it with salt, everyone knows that! Well, when on our last day in Michigan, we were treated to a steakhouse that had CORN ON THE COB, I decided I had to eat it...yes, with butter melted all over it!

"Trouble? Couldn't have been more perfect, June!"

For this past trip, my drawing activity consisted, not in actual sketching as much as in handing out drawings I'd already done--I gave away about 45. Of course, they were not portraits done by a professional artist, but they were sketches tailored to individuals' interests and experiences.

One of them, I had no way of knowing, because I didn't even know her when I was in Iwatsuki. May I tell you about this one?

I'd made plans to meet a Bible-loving college friend so had drawn pictures from the Old Testament, pretty sure she'd be able to guess what stories they illustrated. Here's one of them, from 2 Chron. 28. The other was Baby Moses.

The day we were to meet--I'd been staying with my sister in Minnesota willing to drive south to visit some relatives near Iowa, where my friend is, who drove north to rendezvous with us.

Car trouble kept us from meeting, but God led my friend to a Jewish person plus enabled my sister to spend time with her relatives that day.

To top it off, later that week, I formed an unusual bond with my sister's neighbor Lynne and decided to give her the drawings I'd intended to give my friend I couldn't meet (we discussed via phone to do this). Old Testament pictures turned out to be perfect, as Lynne was Jewish!

WE'RE MOVING AGAIN!

My Dad built a small house for his family in Okinawa, but he died in 2016, leaving it empty. Well, my sister Joyce, who cared for our parents in their final years, lives in the annexed apartment at the foot of the stairs.

Remember I asked you to pray about my son's work? Less income made it harder to pay rent and taxes, so my husband decided; since we no longer had to stay in mainland Japan due to Keima's job, we could live where there was no rent.

So...OUR FAMILY WILL BE MOVING INTO THAT HOUSE IN SEPTEMBER! Actually, I'd been asking Kinya for quite a while if we could move there, but he'd been resisting the idea. It took Keima's quitting his job for Kinya to come up with the plan himself!

Sometimes God's way looks so negative--like less income--doesn't it? You just can't tell WHAT He's doing!

Please pray for us this month as we move.

したがうときめました

沖縄から行くヒヤネ・アイノ姉には、そう始まったアメリカ旅行だった。旅が無事に終わり、東京から那覇に帰ろうとしたところ、空港で、また止められた。アメリカから沖縄まで直接送られると言われていた荷物が、第３ターミナルでストップされた、自分で取りに行かなければならない。羽田のキャプセルホテルで一泊することになった。やれやれ。

彼女がアメリカに行く時は、東京経由の便がキャンセルされたため、アトランタ市経由で目的地まで行き、東京で集合する姉妹より先に着くことになった。アトランタ市空港（アメリカ人も迷子になると言われているマンモス空港）では、搭乗ゲート変更を経験したり、空港内連絡電車に乗ったりした。

米国教会で証したり、創造博物館を見物したり、巨大「ノアの箱舟」に行ったり、アメリカのクリスチャンと交わったり、勿論観光もしたり・・・ゆたかに祝福された２週間だった。

「え？欠航？」で始まって、「え？荷物が止められた？」で終わったように見えたけれど、全てを守り導いてくれたのは、力と愛に満ちている神様なのね。