Days 3-4, July 28-29, Travel

     Wow, you would think we were going on a missions trip for something?! What a morning!  It goes to show that the enemy will stop at nothing, big or small, to try to sidetrack and ruin attitudes. Horrendous traffic to the airport, so we didn’t all bet there until 11:30.  However, that is the advantage of planning to arrive 3 hours early.  Check-in actually went very smoothly, but Gil’s backpack got left in the car and the driver had to come back in that horrible traffic.  Paul forgot his phone (very important for coordination in Japan) or at least thought he had.  It was in a different pocket.  Another member forgot her 2 t-shirts and Paul had to bring some more.  At the airport, another member dropped her phone and the screen cracked.  Another member’s name had been misspelled on the team list and so it didn’t match with the passport—but with a little extra verification, it was approved. 

     Have you ever thought about how expensive amusement park or event food is?  Well, 

airport food beats it all!  The revamped international (Tom Bradley) terminal really looks nice---now we know how they raised the money!  We were pre-checked in with our passports so we didn’t have to do that as we boarded.  Ever thought much about your middle name?  Well, we never knew that NOT having one could be an issue.  Two of the ladies do not have middle names and for some reason had to be booked and checked in separately.  32 of us in rows 51-55 while the other two were in row 24.  Who would have thought?!  While some took the much-needed opportunity to catch up on sleep, it was neat to see several immediately take out the devotion books that Coach Erin had prepared and work on those.  This is such a great group of ladies.  Every year I seem to wonder how this group can be as good as the last group, and within less than two days I am excited about the opportunity to watch these ladies at work.  Even at the airport, while waiting for food, engaging people in conversation.

     We loaded onto the plane and the flight was long, but very smooth and uneventful.  It was great to see several of the girls almost immediately get out their devotional books that Erin had prepared and begin working on them.  Others who had completed their testimonies yet worked on those.  Between that and observing just how the ladies interacted among themselves, it was quite a testimony to what a great group this is, and how wonderful it is going to be to watch them minister.

     When we arrived at Kansai Airport in Osaka, we couldn't believe what a short line there was to go through customs.  Most of you have been in those lines that snake back and forth.  Each back/forth is about 100-150 feet and there are probably 10 of them.  We have come at times where it is completely full, but this time it was only about 1 1/2 of the 10 "snakes!"  Amazing.  By the time the last person was through the final checkpoint, all the luggage was there.  Pastor BJ met us there with the bus along with Pastor Yumi, George and one other helper.  It was amazing how they got all of the luggage into one van.  24 of us in the bus, 5 in each of two vans for about a 30-min ride to the church.  We quickly unloaded the vans and then the evening still had to go to the mall for dinner at the food court, the sento, and then our evening orientation.  Sentos are public baths (separate mens and women's of course), but it is public, so it can be a little unnerving at first, but I will leave any further description for your particular team member to tell you personally.  Dinner was 9-9:30, and then the sento was until 10:45.  By that time, we figured the girls were too tired, so we canceled the orientation until the morning because they needed to be up for breakfast by 7:30 so they needed sleep.  One last observation---I have never seen any group that is so prompt as this team.  When a time is given to be somewhere, or be done with an activity and meet back together at a time, they are ALL there at that time---not just a few or most with some stragglers---ALL of them, a real testament to the character of this group.

     Tomorrow will be the clinic for Masa's Seahorse Soccer International school until 1:30, lunch, and back to prepare for homestays for 15 of the ladies (& me).  They couldn't find families for everyone.  Thanks again for your prayers.  Tomorrow (today now) we hit the ground running.

Pictures, Days 3-4

Pictures, All

Video Montage, Days 3-4