When Janice got on the island on the 18th, we knew the 5 weeks of her stay here would fly by, and it would be Jan. 21 right away--when she'd have to go back to the U.S. again.
A nearby Okinawan pastor e-mailed, asking if we could come over for dinner on the 19th or 20th. We were a little surprised, not expecting him to treat her visit with that much importance--but he wanted to see her right away! Pastor Ishikawa had a hospitalized wife in the beginning stages of Alzheimer's--he was a terribly busy man--in no way had extra time to spend fellowshipping with us.
But he sounded like he really wanted to see us, so we went. And we had a wonderful time recalling when we called him our older brother and he taught us Sunday School. We looked through some of his photo albums, chatted, sang with his guitar, prayed, took pictures.
In the course of the evening, something CLICKED. Ishikawa Sensei had been told Janice would be returning to the U.S. on the 21st; but it hadn't registered it was the 21st of JANUARY. So, he'd figured she was coming Dec. 18th and leaving on the 21st; she would have to be invited over for a meal on the 19th or 20th to make it on time!
He really did want you Jannie; only, if he'd gotten the timetable right, he might not have been in such a hurry! (But for some reason, it seems God thought it best you go to his house for fellowship now!) Beep beep! (Hey; what's that photo doing here? That's Rudolph the Reindeer, not the Road Runner!)
