Yesterday Liz and I saw these hilarious mannequins in a kimono shop. I guess they're suppose to look like Westerners, but their expressions are so funny. You can see the price tag on the first kimono...280,000 yen...that's like $2800.
And seeing the mannequins in the Japanese store reminded Liz of the picture she has of her with a mannequin in Thailand. It's interesting how the mannequin-makers interpret what a Westerner looks like.
Whew, I had a busy and crazy Easter weekend, but it was totally great! Saturday and Sunday, I went with some fellow missionaries to the island of Shikoku and we worshipped together Easter morning on top of a mountain. And then Sunday night, Liz, Shi, and I got together with some university girls Easter night and watched "Passion of the Christ" and got to go deep with those girls about Christ and what exactly His death on the cross means for us. Here's some pics of the weekend!
So, Japan has four major islands. I live on the biggest. But we went to the next big one south of us, but to get to it, you have to go through a little one. In between the little island and the island I visited, there are these whirlpools that are caused by the water passing in between the two islands. These pictures don't at all do justice showing whirlpools. Notice the boat of tourists going through the whirlpools.
Sorry for the bar in the way of the whirlpools, but it was the best picture I had of the whirlpools.
Me and Liz on a beach in Tokushima on Shikoku island. It's Easter weekend, middle of April, and I'm still wearing my winter coat...crazy Japanese weather.
This is a Japanese cemetery.
And inside this building is where many Japanese Christians are buried.
The city of Tokushima!
Liz, me, and Barb on top of the mountain overlooking Tokushima!
This is the world's largest suspension bridge and the most expensive bridge ever built. It connects my big island to a little island.
My supervisors, Mr. Ron and Mrs. Cindy!! They look really cool with their sunglasses, don't they?!
The Cherry Blossom trees are blooming and it's time for Hanami! That is, Cherry Blossom Viewing Parties. And what to Japanese do at Hanami? Sit under the trees with friends, eat, relax, eat, play games, and eat! Here's some pics of my Hanami!
This is Shukagawa River. But really it's a creek. However, the Cherry Blossoms are so beautiful in this area.
Here we are sitting on our tarp underneath the Cherry Blossom trees enjoying lots of food and fellowship!
And here's our massive supply of food. I made the brownies in the black container...thanks to a care package containing brownie mix from Mrs. Hulgan!!!
Cherry Blossoms!!
Takako and Azu sharing a laugh!
Maya and Mika!
Around where people are watching Cherry Blossoms, some vendors are set up selling various things. One guy had this game where you try to catch little gold fish. I won two fish (except one isn't a gold fish, he's something else with big protruding eyes). So I named the gold one Sakura (which means cherry blossom) and the black one Lin (which was my friend's, Chihiro, brother's name). It's the only pet my supervisors will let me have.
"The LORD spoke to Manasseh (King of Judah) and his people, but they paid no attention. So the LORD brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon. In his distress he sought the favor of the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And when he prayed to him, the LORD was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God." 2 Chronicles 33:10-13 A lot of good stuff in these verses about God, His mercy, His forgiveness, and how He is putting things is our path so that we might know like Manasseh that the LORD is God.
Can someone please tell me how this game works? I'm stumped! http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/pickover/esp.html
BARB IS BACK!! After 9 months on Stateside Assignment, Barb is back in Japan! I'm so excited she's back and I'm so pumped to do ministry with her again! Yippee!
Behold the charter members of the Hot Mamas for Christ Club in Japan...Shiona, Barb, Liz, and me.
We all went to a regular Japanese restaurant to celebrate Barb's return, and apparently we foreigners looked like we couldn't eat Japanese food without making a mess because the waiter bought us BIBS! No one else, just the weird foreign girls needed a bib!
