Seahorse International Soccer Club Visit to U.S., Day 6(Weds)

  After breakfast, the team went to Biola and joined Paul Gizzi's soccer class for a series of games.  After the games, they were taken around on a tour of Biola.  During the tour, we happened upon a basketball player (Mike Kurtz) who is 7ft and consented to give the kids a demonstration of dunking the basketball.  They really enjoyed that.  He even put one of the kids on his shoulders so he could dunk.  For more detail, see the video.  The tour ended with lunch in the Biola cafeteria.  The boys enjoyed having so many choices and as much as they wanted.  During lunch I was able to have a conversation with Masa, and was blessed to hear how there was fruit based on this visit.  After Chie's testimony on Sunday, one of the mothers told Masa that having witnessed so many people (Biola mens team, host families, Seahorse staff, drivers, etc.) supporting Masa & Paul, that she felt better about sending her kids to the school (she later shared this to everyone at the sharing time in the evening).  Masa said that once a month he shares with the students about God.  One of the mothers told him that when her two students come home after these times, that the three of them discuss around the dinner table what Masa had told them about God.  What a blessing to hear how these things are going on.
     After lunch we took them to The Citadel, a very large outlet shopping mall in Los Angeles.  They particularly enjoyed the Disney outlet store.  Then it was back to the hotel for a sayonara dinner, with the group, host families, staff and drivers.  The kids were asked to share some of their impressions of the U.S.  Some of the favorite rides at Disneyland were, Star Tours, Splash Mountain and Finding Nemo.  Some impressions were the large roads, huge food portions, and greasy food.  They also were very impressed by the friendliness of the people.  It seemed like all the mothers were more comfortable with Masa's school based on what they saw on this visit.  Pray that this translates to the others who didn't come and that more people will join Masa's school as a result.  The evening ended with prayer over Masa and Chie.  Please see the pictures for more detail.
     Tomorrow morning they travel back to Japan.  Pray for safe travel.