Travel Days, July 5-6

  Today is the day!  Everyone made it to the airport on time, just to find out that the plane was delayed 30 minutes.  Check-in was really easy and the security check was even better as everyone (except 2) was checked in as TSA Pre.  It went so fast without having to take things out and shoes off.  Just as we got to the gate, Paul got a call that some of our equipment that had not arrived had just come.   He was able to arrange to have someone bring it, he went back out to get it, and then had to go through security again.  And all this could not have happened had not our plane been delayed!  God sure works in small and amazing ways.
     The flight was uneventful, except that as we were going through customs, one of the tour members couldn't find their passport.  Most of us were through and waiting and praying.  It was finally discovered in an unusual place in the luggage, but not before 20 anxious minutes.  The transport to Iwata was an adventure.  First a regular train for about 45 minutes to get to the bullet train station.  We were able to sit for that.  I wish I had done more video of the bullet train station as I have never seen a more crowded, convoluted terminal in my life.  How anyone knows where they are going is amazing.  We bought unassigned seats (as they were cheaper), but all 5 cars (of at least 100 each) were full.  So, we sat in seats in the reserved car, but had to keep giving them up as people came.  This meant most had to stand for the hour and a half ride.  Normally when the bullet train makes a stop, one has 2 minutes to get off.  That would have meant getting 21 people & 48 pieces of luggage off the train all while others are trying to get off too.  The Lord provided again as when we reached the station, the train had to wait for another train to pass (protocol for bullet trains I guess), so we had 7 minutes to get off.  But we weren't done yet.  One more train for 15 minutes and then we were met by Pastor Hasui and others to carry our luggage to the church while we walked the 10 minutes there.  Wow!  Arrived in Tokyo at roughly 3:30pm, and got to Iwata by 9:30pm!  Needless to say everyone was tired.  Too late to go out, so most everyone went to bed without even a shower we were so tired.  But the dinner was nice (spaghetti, garlic bread, fruit & juice).  We were joined by our other two team members---welcome Lizzy Denton & Ayaka Ito.  After some brief instructions of what the next would be, it was off to bed.  The team was relieved that we had nothing scheduled in the morning which meant a late 9am wake-up call and a 10am brunch.  Almost forgot to mention.  There was one last late scare.  One of the team bags seemed to have been lost on the train with a significant amount of money in it.  We searched everywhere and couldn't find it.  As we were downstairs discussing it, we asked Ayaka again if it was in her car and she said no, she had checked.  As God would have it, Mary Kate was just walking by and said it was in Ayaka's car after all as she had witnessed her putting it BEHIND her seat.  Ayaka re-checked and there it was!  Thanks Mary Kate for being so observant and remembering, and thanks Lord for having her walk by at just the right time.

Pictures--7/5-6
Pictures--All
Video Montage--7/5-6