Saturday - March 24

Tokyo Hands is my second favorite store. John and I spent a lot of time today in Tokyo Hands and the stores around it. It is fun to see the many things that are available in Japan but not in the states.

For dinner we went to a Okonomiyaki restaurant for dinner.  The food was as good as where we use to go, and a lot close. Tables had a grill to keep the fool warm and since we ate at the bar, right where they cook the food we were eating right from the grill.  Wow, that diffidently would not go in the states.

John

Ononomiyaki

Nothing beats eating right from the gill

Friday - March 23

Today John and I met in Shinjuku and traveled to our favorite store Yodobashi Camera in Akihabara. I picked up a few presents for Lorraine for her birthday and continued looking for a gift for Caitlin for her birthday.

 For dinner John and Marilyn took me to TraderVic's at the New Otani Hotel.  It was great and I got to see some pro baseball players (A's and Mariners) that is in Tokyo for a game.  The food was great and I was real happy that Marilyn came.

Trader Vic's 7

And GREAT Ice Cream

Nice but little

The hotel room is small but nice. It is right down the street from the train station. Tomorrow John and I are going to yobsbashy

Arriving at Shinjuku

Once I arrived in Shinjuku I met John and I wanted to ensure my favorite eating places were still as good as I remember. They were. It has been snowing each day in Tome and with high winds cold. I dressed in layers and had to take stuff off.

Thursday - Tokyo or bust

Rich my team leader drove me to town to catch the bus. We were a few minutes late but so was the bus. It's an hour ride to Sendai Station. I hurried to the JR ticket booth and caught the next bullet train to Tokyo. From there I took the subway to Shinjuku.

Wednesday - The Green House is completed

Happy Birthday Lorraine!

Today we completed "The Green House". It gives real satisfaction seeing the home go from being flooded to a condition that allows the homeowners to see it repaired.  From this condition the homeowner will then have a finished carpenter come in, replace the kitchen cabinets, and hang wall paper.

In Green House Kitchen

Living Room

We added a wall between the Kitchen and Dinning area

 We went over to the next house only to find that they are still doing "Mud Out". This is where they (1) remove the flooring, walls, down to the studs, (2) Power wash the studs, and (3) apply a bleach solution to kill any mold, etc.. We then moved our tools and supplies over to the house, but, it is unsure if we can start Thursday.

Note how small the floor supports are

Everything gets scrubbed down by the Mud Out Crew

When I got back to camp the Base Manager Brock came up to me about my weekend to Tokyo, Brock said it would be more helpful to them if I go before work to Tokyo since they have other arrangements going on after work.  They are going to drive me to the bus station in Ishinomaki where I will catch a bus to Sendai Train station and then take the bullet train to Tokyo. From Tokyo I will take the subway to Shinjuku,  check in to the hotel to drop my stuff and then get up with my friend John.

Tuesday - Week 2- The Green House nears completion

I was able to finish the two rooms that I was hanging plywood and wallboard on.  It is a blessing to see the work getting near completion.  We got a new team member named Everand.  What a blessing he is.  It was suppose to be warm today in the 50s.  What we got is snow again, and very cold weather. We had several people show up at our site from the US asking to help.  It seems that they have 7 more coming, and SP has more helpers right now then we can handle. I'm not sure what they were thinking, coming over without contacting anyone first to see if they had work for them.   Will be interesting to see what will happen.

Please pray for the volunteers, we have so many here right now and living tight, and close together.  Several have had problems with sickness. I am looking forward to attending the house ceremony where we turn over the home to homeowner. 

I am leaving for Tokyo after work on Thrusday for the weekend.  Please pray that the details get worked out.

Everand loading up for work in the van, with snow all around.

Monday - Week Two in Green House

Today we had a new team member, Everland, who is a engineer who works for the US Air Force as a civilian.  His help is greatly appreciated.  We almost finished the house today, we have about half a day tomorrow, and a half day or so cleaning up. Our homeowner stopped  by today with some fruit and sat with you for coffee.  Rich who is a missionary here in Japan and our Team Leader talked to him about what Samaritan's Purse is all about. Since we could only smile and bow, the rest of the team prayed that God would use Rich to reach him. I have come to Japan for many years and I have never before seen God at work in the Japanese people as I have seen on this trip. I am praying that a great awakening would happen here in Japan.

Several of the volunteers have come down with some type of virus.  Please pray that (1) I don't get it, and (2) everyone will be better soon.

Okago Christian Martyrdom Memorial Park

Today started out like a normal day here at Tome Camp with going out in freezing weather to shower and shave.  We then had breakfast and I was invited out on a day trip to the Okago Christian Martyrdom Memorial Park in Fujisawa-cho Iwate Prefecture.  The museum was very interesting, although told from a Roman Catholic perspective it gave a history of the persecution that all Christians went through during different parts of Japanese history.  After the museum we hiked up the hill (why are temples, churches, etc. soooo high in the mountains) to the church on top.  We had a magnificent view and a time of group prayer.

We met a wonderful old woman named Takiko.  She insisted on taking us to the locations that the Martyrdoms took place and gave a history of each. She spent a good part of the morning and into the afternoon showing us around the Fujisawa-cho area.  Takiko then insisted on taking us to her favorite restaurant “Asian-Café Aimaki” (the only one that we saw in that area).  The food was great and the owner spoke some English and we had a nice time taking with him. He like many we have come in contact with is very appreciative of the work that Samaritan’s Purse is doing and thanked us for being here in Japan. He then told me that one of his single friends had lost his home and he was staying with him and his family.  What I found out when I went to the restroom is he had a section of his restaurant partitioned off and a bed, table, etc. was set in the small area where his friend was living.  There was a very small temporary type home put up behind his business, there he had allowed another family to have it constructed since they had lost their home too. This is not normal behavior as my friend John will tell you.  We gave away Japanese Bibles and books that the BG Organization had printed to Takiko, the worker at the Museum, and the owner of the Asian-Café Aimaki.  Please pray that God will work in their lives and they will see the true Love of God and commit their lives to Him. 

Okago Christian Martyrdom Museum

Ways the Christians were Killed

More ways they were killed

Even more ways they were killed

Christian symbol was hidden to protect the Christian,  if found out they would be killed.

Why do they put everything on a mountain with sooo many steps.

Church on Top of Mountain

The SP Team

Reo and Takiko at one of the sites she took us to

Takiko showing Roger site

I could not feel my legs after sitting like this.  LOL

 

Cashew chicken with an egg, was great!