The morning started with a workout for the team from 8-9, then breakfast, then we left for the castle about 10am. Our first view of the castle after we got off of the bus, was of the very large moat. It was interesting to hear Daniel explain how attackers would try to jump in the water, swim across and then try to climb the stone walls. Very few would make it. I couldn't imagine someone even trying. The castle was beautiful and really made one feel that this is really Japan. Lots of displays on each of the floors. Too many to take pictures of. We did not stay together as a group, so there are very few pictures of the group itself inside the entrance to the grounds. The line to get the elevator to the 8th floor was really long, so we all took the "stairs" line, which wasn't a line at all. After climbing 8 floors of very steep stairs, one could see why waiting for the elevator wasn't bad. Speaking of steep, on a prior trip to Japan, I learned that castle steps were designed specifically to be very steep (& narrow) for a reason. If the castle was breached, then those inside would retreat up toward the top. The steepness made it harder to climb for attackers and thus more defensible for those inside. After the Castle, it was the meal that all of the team has been waiting for---"Train" Sushi. This is where the Sushi plates come by on a track and you take them off as you go by. Some sushi trains just have random plates going by and you grab whatever you want and are then charged by the plate. This one was slightly different. You ordered off a menu, then it was delivered on the "train". Every table in each train (2 rows of table back to back with the train in the middle) had a number and color. When you ordered, it would be put on a plate with the plate on top of a stand. The stand would have a colored label corresponding to the color of the table that ordered it. So, any plate coming by with your table's color, you would grab because someone at your table ordered it. The team really loved. We didn't get to the Sushi place until 2:30, and didn't finish until 4. Very late lunch, but, it was perfectly timed as tonights futsal is from 8-10, and dinner at a normal hour would be too close to the games to be good. It was back to the church then with free time until about 7. We left at 7 for the futsal courts. There were two fields (4th floor of the building). We divided the team into 6 teams of 4 each and then added 1 of BJ's friends (there were six of them) to each team. There was a lot of mixing and matching of games as each game was only 6 minutes. It was a great way to mix. We played from 8-10 but had to leave immediately as someone else had reserved the courts from 10 on. We went inside to do our post-game ceremonies. Paul did some introductions, we did Kimi-Wa and the hippo song and Peyton did her testimony. BJ had some final words/prayer then it was gift time. Paul explained and passed out his book and then gave a tour t-shirt to each of the men, along with a team brochure. This was a very special night because, just like the elementary school kids in Iwata being in a church for the first time, this is the first time these men have heard the gospel. They heard it through Kimi-Wa, explanation of the Hippo song, Peyton's testimony, Paul explaining his book, and BJ's words. It took seeds planted in Mr Mizuno's life 20 years to get to this point. Pray that the seeds planted for the FIRST time in these mens hearts will take hold and prompt them to ask questions of BJ. The post-game ceremony and after-glow lasted about 30 minutes and much sharing and interaction was happening then too. We finally left futsal at 10:30 and we still hadn't eaten dinner. But, before that, we just crossed the courtyard and entered the sento there. Everyone did not get home until just after midnight and THEN still made a quick trip to the local mini-mart for dinner/snacks. What a great of ministry! How exciting to be part of planting seeds for the first time.
Video Montage, 8-3-23 (No footage from the castle as we split up once we got in, so castle visit is pictures only)
( I am sure you all have heard enough of these two songs, but just like the cicada version, these are special as the acoustics made them both sound so wonderful)
If I have time, I will add a highlight reel of those games that I did record (there were too many to record them all. Check back to see)
Futsal games, assorted highlights, 8-3-23 (the older man in grey shirt and black shorts is Pastor BJ as goalie, the white-haired old man in black shirt and grey shorts is Paul as goalie)
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