Well, there hasn't been a post for while as we were so busy and I
got sick and couldn't do this, but there was even God's timing in that (more on
that later).
Friday morning saw a tennis lesson by one of our drivers (Jim
Emerson), who was the mens tennis coach at Biola for many years. The
girls really seemed to enjoy themselves and learn some skills they can carry
back to Japan. After tennis, it was off to Vinny's Italian restaurant in
La Mirada for pizza, and then on to Westmont for a game. The game was
supposed to be against another school, but a conflict arose and the game was
rescheduled (weeks ago) to play Westmont. The gave the girls a chance to
experience the coastline drive. God protected us too as we saw two
accidents on the way up (opposite side) and then two more accidents on the way
home (that we were stuck in, one a complete stoppage for a police car, 3 large
fire trucks and two ambulances). The game was good as they played two
45's, with the final score, Sangyo 4, Westmont 3. The best part of the
day was after the post-game team meeting, the Westmont girls came over and
mixed and fellowshipped with the Sangyo girls for 30 minutes.
Saturday morning brought a pancake breakfast at the other driver's house (Gil Mellis) with the specialty being pancakes shaped like Mickey Mouse. After breakfast it was lunch at the Biola cafeteria, a game against Biola (Sangyo 3, Biola 2, playing 4 30's), then dinner at the Biola cafeteria. After the game, the girls who had been to Japan spontaneously decided to sing the Japanese song Kimi Wa Aisareu Tame Umareta (You were born to be loved---by God) to the girls. During lunch and dinner, some of the Biola players, and some of the girls who had been to Japan or are going this year, joined the team and mixed well with them. Pray that their impact is felt. Pastor Hasui (who sponsored the trip) said that it is important for the girls to see the different spirit that the Christian players have here and that they have a purpose in life other than soccer, which the Sangyo girls don't have. After dinner there was a time of sharing for the Sangyo girls to tell what impacted them most. The most common thoughts were the surprise of how physical the American girls were, and how frustrating it was to want to communicate but not be able to.
Sunday morning the girls went to a church service at EV Free Fullerton
and then off to the airport. It probably had quite an impact on them to
see a sanctuary filled with 2000+ people, when the typical Japanese church is
much smaller. During the service, one of the drivers started feeling sick
and had to back out of driving the girls to the airport. An alternate was
found, and it was a God thing in that it happened before they actually left for
the airport, as it only got worse after.
Continue to pray for these girls. As a result of the trip to
the US three years ago, 3 of the girls attend Pastor Hasui's church.
While they are not believers yet, it is a start. Maybe more will
attend as a result of this year's trip. In addition, there will be more
followup as we will see the same girls this summer in Japan (July 8-23). See the additional 43 added pictures.
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