All good things must come to an end

Well hello America. I knew we’d meet again one day. I can’t say I’m as excited to see you as I imagined. You’ve changed a lot in two months, but then again, so have I. For starters, you are ginormous. Roads, cars, portions, and even people have at least doubled in size. Everything is very spread out, and no one recycles. Everyone speaks to me in my own language, and I can read the signs. This will take some getting used to. 

It is so nice to be home though. I missed my family tremendously. Thankfully they haven’t really changed, except that puppy I could cradle in my arms before I left, can now knock me over in one swift move. While it really is so good to be home, I’m not going to lie, I already miss Japan. It was such an incredible summer, and I am so blessed to be able to have that amazing opportunity. It was super busy and crazy at times, but I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. It went by way too fast. If you didn’t already notice, my storytelling and sharing of my experiences kind of went out the window towards the end of my trip. Sorry about that. It was not at all my intention to leave y’all in the dark that last leg of my summer, but in hindsight, it was kind of brilliant. Now I’ll have some good stories to tell you in person that you haven’t heard yet :) Does God have a plan, or what? 

But seriously, when I say I miss Japan, it's not just one of those formalities you say out of obligation to try to prove to onlookers that you actually had a great summer. I actually do really miss that place.

I miss the sunrise at 4:30 AM, even though I was almost never awake to see it.

I miss my bike.

I miss C. C. Lemon.

I miss trying to eat everything with chopsticks, and often failing miserably.

I miss getting lost on the train.

I miss nodding and smiling when someone speaks to me in Japanese because I have no idea what they are saying. 

I miss the Arabian nights music playing at the elementary school next to my house that I could hear out my window every Saturday morning.

I miss baby Os.

I miss pictures on menus at restaurants, and never knowing what to order.

I miss toilets with sinks behind them and a million buttons, so it becomes very confusing to know how to flush them.

I miss Jusco.

I miss rainy days in Tokyo.

I miss jammin out to Taylor Swift at Karaoke.

I miss taking my shoes off when I walk into a house.

I miss really long, sleepless bus rides to Tohoku to help with earthquake and tsunami relief.

I miss coffee jelly.

I miss taking the labels off my plastic bottles and recycling everything.

I miss walking paths.

I miss concert of prayer.

I miss ramen.

I miss Wednesday night volleyball.

I miss passing out chirashi.

I miss CCSI and all the awesome kids that go there.

All in all, I pretty much miss everything about Japan.

I'm so thankful that I was able to go on such an incredible journey, and I'm so thankful for all of you who prayed for me and supported me through the whole endeavor. I really and truly could not have done it without you, and I am so blessed to have you in my life. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!! I also really appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedules to get a quick (or sometimes not so quick) update of my summer in the land of the rising sun. I was blown away by your encouragement, and I can't even tell you how much it meant to me!

It’s still kind of hard for me to process life after Japan, but it gets a little easier each day. I know my heavenly father is there every step of the way, and he has been using prayer as a vehicle to keep me connected to my Japanese brothers and sisters in Christ. He never gives me more than I can handle, and I’m so thankful for his faithfulness to me throughout this whole journey.

The country of Japan needs the gospel, just like we all do, and I would challenge you to continue to remember all those who are still there in your prayers, just as I am challenging myself to do the same thing. God is absolutely working there in ways that maybe numbers cannot adequately express, but individual stories and personal experiences proclaim his powerful presence. It is certainly a different mission field than I had ever experienced before, but one that is capable of doing great things for the Kingdom of God. I was inspired and encouraged in my own faith having conversations and just being in the same room as some of these Japanese Christians, watching them selflessly work without ever complaining or seeking recognition. God certainly did such a work in my heart this summer, drawing me closer to him in ways I would have never expected.

I heard someone this summer tell a story of a man who ended his prayer each morning with a phrase similar to “Help me today Lord, for I am afflicted and needy.” That was so powerful to me, as I constantly need to remind myself how helpless I am apart from the Lord. I tried to adopt that into my own prayer life, and it really altered the way I lived out my day. As I'm entering back into the real world, I long to had the same attitude as I did when I left for Japan. I’m sure I’m going to offend some people, and I’m fairly certain I will do most things incorrectly, but I can’t wait. My prayer is that God continues to use me wherever I am for his glory in his timing.

Well I guess this is goodbye. I feel like my life lately can be described perfectly by the John Mayer song, "All we ever do is say goodbye." Super cheesy I know, but it fits.

Thank y'all again so much for sharing in this incredible summer with me! If you ever want to talk more about Japan or have any questions for me, please let me know! I will take any opportunity to converse about this amazing country and the awesome people that live there. Or if you just want to call me up to talk about your summer, I would love that as well! Goodness knows the least I can do for y'all is to lend a listening ear after all you've done for me! I am so thankful for all of you, and I love you so much! If you wouldn't mind, I would still love y'all to keep praying for Japan and myself; I really am afflicted and needy. Hope y'all have a wonderful day :)

SRPC in Japan

My backpack is my best friend.

He never leaves my side. He is there when I go to bed each night and when I wake up in the morning. He never complains, not even when I fill him to the brim with anything and everything that could potentially come in handy for the upcoming days: toothbrush, socks, clothes, granola bars, C.C. Lemon...all the essentials. I could literally become homeless for several days and probably be just fine due to all of the crazy, random items he carries for me. This was especially true when the Seven Rivers team was here. 

Having my mom and some of my closest friends here with me during this time was such an unforgettable experience. I don’t think I slept at all that week, but I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. The team kept them fairly busy with teaching English classes, homestays, and helping tremendously with childcare for a women’s conference here. In between their hard work, it was a mission trip after all, I was able to spend some quality time with familiar faces! They came at the perfect time, and it was such an encouragement to me to have them here! Thankfully my backpack was always within arms reach, ready to respond to any spontaneous idea we concocted. Here are some of the highlights in my mind of their time spent here:

Karaoke for starters.

For those of you who don't know, Karaoke in Japan is about a billion times better than in America. First of all, you get your own private room to sing in, so you only have to embarrass yourself in front of people you already know. I guess that could be considered both a pro and a con, but I'm definitely a fan. You go for a few hours, order food and drinks, and serenade the ones you hold dear. It's a pretty sweet deal. Also, they are open till like 5 AM just incase you get that sudden urge to belt out a tune in the middle of the night. We sang our hearts out, and when we were finished making fools of ourselves, we let Keisuke show us his skills and basically had a mini concert; it was awesome. I took some pretty great videos, but for everyones sake, there is no way I'm going to share those with y'all. If you want to hear me sing poorly, just ride in the car with me when Taylor Swift comes on the radio. I can't resist singing along. 

Memory number two consists of the most delicious ramen I've ever eaten. One of the families in the church owns a Ramen shop in Chiba city, and let me tell you, once you've eaten ramen here, you'll never be able to eat the 28 cent packages in America again, even if you are a poor college student. It's that good. Also, if you need a good chuckle, please ask Chelsea how she pronounces the word ramen. I promise her answer will not disappoint. 

On top of that, the family that owns it is probably some of the coolest people I know. They are super involved in the church, and they just have the most giving hearts I've ever seen. They've been up north to Tohoku at least twice, where the earthquake and tsunami hit the hardest, and brought ramen to some of the victims there. They have been so welcoming to me, and their mom has driven me around after dark multiple times! Their generosity never ceases to amaze me, and I'm so thankful for them!

While we're on the topic of the earthquake, a few of us were given the opportunity to travel up north ourselves to help do some disaster relief. It was only a 24 hour trip, but it was such a good experience! My mom, Mrs. Commons, and I piled in the team van that caravanned with several other vehicles carrying both volunteers and supplies and embarked on the 7 hour drive to Ishinomaki. They were such troopers, I'm so proud of them! My mom even learned a crucial Japanese phrase that I think she still remembers. We left at 11 PM on Friday and arrived around 6 Saturday morning, ready to start our day of work. Thankfully, the local community center was still standing, so the team has kind of been headquartered there recently. We set up a food tent and served pastries, hot dogs, and hot coffee to people who are still trying to recover from that fateful day in March. Some of us were also able to help distribute bags of different household goods that they might find useful. We were so thankful to be able to hand out a surprise donation of apples and oranges that seemed to make so many people smile that day! We finished serving around 2 PM, and some of us headed out to drive around and witness some more of the devastation. It was hard to see, especially knowing that what we were looking at was so much better than it originally was a few months ago.  The New York times has a good website to check out that shows some before and after shots that I've attached the link for: Japan before and after the tsunami You can slide the middle bar over in both directions to see the full view. But here are just a few pictures that I took while I was there:

It was pretty intense. The Japanese have done so much already to help those affected, but there is still so much to be done! It's only been about four months since the earthquake and tsunami, but I feel as if people around the world are already forgetting what has happened. If anything I'd love for this to be a reminder that while they are making progress, there is still an incredible need for people to donate both their time and money to serving the Tohoku area. While Japan may not be publicizing it, they really do need help. But most of all, they need Jesus, just like we all do. Just in one little town of 10.000 people, at least 1,000 went missing or were killed. 30 children lost one of their parents and 6 children became orphans in a matter of minutes. The town was given 16 minutes warning after the earthquake before the first in a series of three tsunamis that would hit the coast. Between the first and second wave there was only five minutes. Five minutes. It takes me five minutes just to try to spell the word tsunami, let alone try to outrun one. Or imagine you were a fisherman in one of those towns on the coast that got completely washed away. Your whole house is gone, your train station has been wiped away, and you're not even sure if they are going to rebuild your city because of the threat of another natural disaster occurring. There is potential radiation in the water, so fishing, the only trade you know, is no longer an option, yet you still have to find a way to feed your family. This is the story of so many Japanese families right now. I can't even imagine how stressed I would be as a Christian. But as a nonbeliever, relying solely on my own abilities to survive, I think I would just give up. I will feel crushed, abandoned, and helpless. What a perfect time in someone's life to share the good news of Christ with them? When they have nothing else to turn to, no real distractions or hindrances, maybe God could use that time to open their hearts to his Word. I just read this verse in one of my English classes, and I feel like it's very applicable. Luke 10:2 says, "He told them, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Please ask the Lord to send workers to Japan. I can't think of a better time to tell someone that they are loved and cared for by their heavenly father. 


Well now that y'all are all ready to pack your bags and head over here to do some disaster relief work, let me give you just one more reason you should want to visit this incredible country. 


Disney Sea.


This place is awesome, and the only one in the world! Rides include Indiana Jones, Journey to the Center of the Earth, a little mermaid underwater play area for children, and so much more. 

My favorite part however, was the water show that they held at night. It was kind of like the parade they do at Disneyworld, but naturally at Disney Sea, they had a water display. We found a great spot on this bridge, overlooking the whole park, and took in the beautiful lights and sounds of a Disney production. Amy's excellent videoing skills captured just a snippet of this magical moment:

You are never too old for Disney.


Thanks for coming Seven Rivers!! Y'all were such an awesome team, and I had to tell you in so many words what a blessing you were to Japan and to me. It was so nice having y'all here, and I miss you already!! Please keep Japan and my last couple weeks here in your prayers! Seriously, you guys make my heart smile. Thanks so much :)

An eye for an eye

I’m out of order. Chronologically I mean, not in the courtroom sense, but I’m over trying to catch up with all of the things I keep forgetting to tell y’all. I will eventually, but until then, I’m just going to pick up with my current affairs and hopefully relay to you some of my recent experiences that have both encouraged and challenged me. 

First, let’s start with the challenges. Oftentimes we ask for the bad news first, and then the good news, and I like to end on a positive note, so we’re going to go with that theme. Not that anything has been too tragic or devastatingly catastrophic, but in the stubborn mind of Katherine Elizabeth Bennett, visiting the doctor is just that sort of thing, and I was forced to go just the other day. Now I know, I know, my dad is a doctor, so I should be totally comfortable with them, open to their wonderful ideas and solutions to fix any ailment that could come upon me; however, I am exactly the opposite. I hate going to the doctor. I don’t really like to use the word hate unless I really mean it, and in this instance I feel it’s appropriate. I really don’t know what it is; I haven’t had any real traumatic experiences with doctors that I remember, other than their constant desire to stab me with sharp needles while I run around the room like a chicken with its head cut off. It’s a serious character flaw; I know my body is a temple, and I should want to take care of it to the best of my ability, but in my mind, unless something becomes detached or uncontrollably oozes, you will not find me at the doctor. The only other exception to that is if I’m forced to go, which is the category that this little tirade falls under. 

The other day, my left eye suddenly began turning really red and itchy and watery. As a firm believer in the healing powers of the human body, I concluded that if I just left it alone, it would be better the next morning. I probably just had something in my contact, no worries. Well, when I manually had to pry my eye open in the morning because it was super disgusting, I got a sense that maybe something was up, but of course I ignored it. It’s just how I roll. However, others noticed the redness and the unnatural tears and checked up on me that morning, and I ended up sitting the waiting room of a Japanese eye doctor’s office, completely terrified. Thoughts such as: what if I can’t tell them what’s wrong, and they accidentally take me into surgery and I go under and never wake up? Or what if they misunderstand me and decide to remove my eye and I have to become a pirate because I now wear a patch over my eye? Or what if it’s not even an eye doctor’s office at all, and its just some weird experimental place where they cut out your organs and sell them on the black market? It happens, okay. Anyway, this is what I was thinking about as I heard them try to pronounce my name from the front desk. I had been preparing my hand motions to demonstrate what I thought had happened to my eye, and I had a pretty good routine worked out, but much to my surprise, a nurse, dressed in all white walks over to me and starts chatting in perfect English. Not only that, the first thing she asks me is if I’m a missionary. We get to talking while she’s examining my nasty eye, and she used to go to one of our church’s here, but she hasn’t been in a long time because she’s been so busy. She was asking me why I was here and was so thankful that I would come to her country even after all the earthquake and radiation scares. Wow. Does God work in amazing ways or what? While I’m over here imagining ridiculous scenarios and complaining about a minuscule doctor’s visit, he was totally using my little eye situation for his glory. I am so selfish. Here I was making it all about me, and he so graciously reminded me that it is all about him. Thank goodness. I need that reminder on a daily basis, and I think this was one of the coolest ways he revealed himself to me. Now, I’m not exactly thrilled to put two sets of eyes drops in four times a day nor to have to wear my hideous glasses everyday for a week, but knowing how he is using every situation to promote his kingdom makes it so much easier. I can’t wait to head back there next Friday and invite her to church again! 

Some other really cool things that have happened recently include an epic water fight at CCSI on the students last day of school. I came to take pictures and congratulate them on another completed year of school and left completely drenched. They certainly know their way around a hose. 

Another really unique opportunity was to spend an afternoon with one of the college students here. I’m completely obsessed with her, she’s as adorable as can be, and we try to meet weekly to spend some time together. Well this Saturday we thought it would be fun to teach each other a dessert from our native country. I showed her how the Bennett family makes chocolate chip cookies, and she introduced me to coffee jelly, which only feeds my caffeine addiction, and I love it. Jelly here is equivalent to jello back home, so its like coffee flavored jello, cubed and swimming in milk. To die for. I will make it for all of you when I come home. We forgot to take pictures during the cooking process, but we were messing around on my computer and snapped a couple silly photos on photo booth. 

That night, we watched a Japanese TV show together. No subtitles, but from the body language and context, I could almost know exactly what was going on! The show itself was pretty depressing, but it was so cool to experience their culture in that way, and to see how similar the human condition is despite the different settings. I almost forgot they were speaking a different language! 

Okay, well I just wanted to share that little experience with y’all because  I knew I would forget if I waited too long. If my scattered mess of a mind bothers you, I’m so sorry! I would love to say order will be restored soon, but I don’t like to promise anything unless I’m 100% sure I can deliver. I’ll do my best to keep you updated! I am praying for y’all constantly, and I know you are faithful in praying for me as well. I am so thankful for you, and I wish you could all be here to see the ways the Lord’s work is carried out in this incredible country! Thank you so much for everything :)

A beautiful mess

Okay so I know I’ve been slacking on my updates, and I apologize from the bottom of my heart! I’ve been super busy these last few weeks, which I'm so thankful for! It's a great thing and exactly how it should be because that means I'm actually doing what I came here to do! Plus I would have no stories to relay to y’all if I sat at home all day on my computer. I can already tell this post is going to reflect the way my brain has been working lately, very random and all over the place, so I’m sorry for the disorganization. Sometimes messes can be beautiful. I hope this is an instance where that applies.

A few weeks ago, we had a team from Texas come over here to bring a little Southern flare to Japan. They helped up north in Tohoku doing earthquake relief, but they also put on several "Texas Nights" complete with country music, line dancing, and chili dogs. Everyone had such a blast playing the culture game, where Japanese people answer questions about Texas, while the Texas people get quizzed on their knowledge of Japan. It was fun for the whole family. I was also honored to be able to accompany this awesome group of people on their day off to Tokyo and see some of the big city sights with them. One of my favorites was the famous Shinto shrines in Asakusa. The beautiful, traditional Japanese architecture gets me every time.

In the same area there is a really neat marketplace that sells all kinds of Japanese souvenirs and food. A few us even made it onto a Japanese TV show! It was sort of like "Ask Americans what they think about our inventions" type show, at least that's what they told us. I have a feeling it was more along the lines of "Let's make fun of the foreigners who don't know what we are saying about them" type show, but in our minds, we're totally famous. I'll sign autographs later.

For lunch, we had yakiniku, meaning grilled meat. It was so amazing and so much fun! Each table has its own grill with a direct flame, and each person cooks their own meat that is brought to each table seasoned and ready to go. It's so perfect because you can cook your meat as long or short as you want, so it's just the way you like it.

Every Wednesday here is team day, and everyone on the Keiyo team tries to gather to spend some quality time together. Sometimes it's team dinner or team worship, but last Wednesday it was concert of prayer. Don't be fooled by the title; it's definitely not a traditional concert. We might have sung a song or two, but essentially, the team meets together for a time of organized prayer. A representative from each location gives a report on the status of their ministry and pin points particular areas that they would like prayer for. Sometimes advice is offered from those who have been through similar experiences, but mostly it's a time to corporately praise our creator and ask for His assistance in very specific ways. For me it was such a rewarding time, especially because it made me aware of all of the different goals and struggles surrounding me that I was totally unaware of. I was particularly encouraged during the time when we split up into groups and prayed through a list of individual people on our team. It made me feel so much closer to the people I am working with, and I left feeling rejuvenated and ready to take on the world! It's so freeing to lay our burdens down at the feet of our heavenly father, and he loves to listen to his children.

I'm continuing to learn so much about Japanese culture and missions, but I can't believe my summer here is officially halfway over. Please pray that my last month will be as incredible as my first! Thanks so much for your patience and continued love and support :)

Raindrops keep falling on my head

So it's the rainy season here in Japan. Apparently the whole month of June is filled with cloudy skies, and precipitation is a part of daily life. It's totally not a big deal though because it keeps it fairly cool here, like typically in the 70s. However, it really likes to rain whenever I have to ride my bike. Unfortunately, I am not, nor will ever be, as skilled as the Japanese who can ride a bike not only while holding an umbrella but also texting their friends about this soaking wet American girl clinging to her handlebars for dear life like they are a necessary part of bike riding or something. It's all good though! I don't mind it at all; it's just water. God's timing sometimes just makes me laugh. We always end up making the best of the situation, and often times it works out better than could be anticipated!  For instance, on Saturday when I went to meet my new found friend Emily. She is the sister of one of the missionary families in Tokyo, and she was here for a few weeks helping them move and watching their four kids, who are super adorable by the way. Their dad had teased me about mistyping on a previous blog that some other missionaries families kids were the cutest, so I had to make sure I included their sweet young ones this time. They really are precious. 


We were also able to see their new apartment, which was super nice. It’s a 12th floor corner apartment with a great view of Tokyo Bay. From their balcony you can even see a tiny part of rainbow bridge, a notable landmark and the gateway over Tokyo Bay. Since it was still kind of dreary outside, our amazing tour guide, Keisuke showed us Tokyo Midtown, where all the wealthy Japanese go to spend their yen. It was super fancy and even had an art museum inside, which we would’ve gone to if all three of us weren't poor college kids. 

We did eat there, however, and had Tonkatsu, one of my favorite Japanese dishes thus far. 

It’s essentially pork that has been fried, served with this delicious sauce that I’m obsessed with. Of course it also came with rice and soup and salad that was to die for. Love this place. 

By this time, the rain had subsided, so we were able to go outside and explore a bit. Our fearless leader found these incredible gardens that we went to next and might've been my favorite part of the day. It was picturesque Japan, and I was in love. 

God's fingerprints were all over this place; his handiwork never ceases to amaze me. Emily and I took about a million pictures, stopping every ten seconds to capture that perfect shot with the right angles and lighting. She was the best photography partner ever. Poor Keisuke was so patient with us; he deserves some kind of an award for sure. 

Next on the agenda was this really cool shopping area that housed some very interestingly dressed individuals. We saw everything from girls that look like fake dolls to hardcore punk and one piece jumpers. If it was ever popular at one time, people are still wearing it in this place. Prime locale for people watching. We did a bit of shopping down this narrow strip and then headed out to Shibuya, the busiest intersection in the world.

Literally every time the light changes, a ridiculously massive amount of people cross this street. It's such a sight to see! The Starbucks that overlooks this intersection is always crowded with intrigued onlookers enjoying the show with their tall skinny vanilla lattes or grande matcha frappuccinos. (Those are my two favorite drinks at Starbucks just in case anyone was wondering.)  

We ended the day as all good days should end, with a sunset on a pier overlooking rainbow bridge. We actually got to ride a train that goes over this bridge earlier in the day, totally worth the fare for the view alone. It was breathtaking. We then headed back to the Pfeil's apartment for some bonding time over a wild game of chicken foot with dominoes before we said our goodbyes. All in all, my first trip to Tokyo was an unforgettable adventure, and I'm so blessed that I was able to experience it all!

Here are just a few more random pictures that I really enjoyed:

Thanks y'all!! Please keep praying!! I appreciate you so much :)

Peace Love Japan

Adorable. This little boy was ziplining in a park we walked past on our way to church on Sunday morning. Jessica and I might've joined him, taking a few turns hanging with the wind in our face. Well I guess I should say Jessica joined him, my ziplining abilities were subpar to say the least. I dragged a bit to close to the ground on my first try, but it was a great time nevertheless. Just a typical morning here in Japan where parks have ziplines and miniature castles and big squishy climbing blocks that look like they came straight out of an episode of wipeout. 

Church was pretty incredible to say the least. It was all in Japanese of course, but there is just something about watching others worship in a foreign language that gives me such a sweet picture of heaven. We're all worshiping the same God, and even though I can't understand a word they say (besides Amen, I'm all over that one) God knows every line, and that to me is pretty cool.  I hummed along with the songs and stood when everyone else did; however, I was totally taken aback when out of the blue, I hear what I thought sounded like my name. Everyone of course turned around to look at the American girl in the back of the room. I surmised that I was supposed to stand up and introduce myself, but literally no words came to my mind, in Japanese or in English. Thankfully one of the missionaries there with me stood up and spoke on my behalf. Gotta love awkward run-ins in foreign countries! Everyone was so sweet though and wanting me to come back next week; it was such a great experience!

After church, we took a short little walk down to the bay in Makuhari. It definitely wasn't a Florida beach, but it was so great to hear the crashing of the waves and squish my toes into the sand. 

Unfortunately it was a little too cold to be dressed in traditional beach attire, but we made due with what we had. We might've gotten a little too wet, but it was totally worth it. 

En route to and from the bay, we made a pit stop at the Tokyo Bay Makuhari Hotel, where Bill Gates has stayed before. It has a glass elevator that we rode to the 50th floor for a great view of the city.

As we were walking, we stumbled across a beautiful park with bamboo growing wild, bonsai trees galore, and a koi pond. Cliche Japan. Brent tried to feed the fish a worm, and they went nuts.

We also ate at an Italian place for lunch. Yeah I know, it sounded weird at first to me too, but it was so good! I had Doria, which I guess is the Japanese version of Italian food. It had rice on the bottom, of course, and then a white cream sauce with meat and cheese...incredible!

They also have a drink bar, which just means you can have free refills from all of their offered drinks, which includes hot and cold selections. I think this is such a great idea. You can have your cold soda with your meal and then afterwards you can have green tea or coffee and just sit and relax, all for the same price. Genius.

 I tried melon soda, a bright green concoction the color of cleaning supplies someone pointed out, which just made it all the appetizing. It was so good though, all of their different sodas and things that I've tried have been amazing. So much better than America I hate to admit. They also have the coolest way of ordering at this restaurant. Each table has a doorbell type system that you push whenever you are ready to order so the waitress's job is easier and she doesn't interrupt the flow of conversation at your table, pretty fancy.

While we're talking about food, I should also mention that I tried some delicious ice cream the other night. The ice cream here is so good; they have so many different choices all available at your local convenient store. My goal is to try them all; shoot for the stars I always say. But this one that I had was mango flavored (they are all about mangos here) and a very weird consistency. It was fluffy, almost appearing to resemble cotton candy. It was really light and airy, but when you took a bite, it melted into a more traditionally creamy texture in your mouth. So cool and so delicious. 

Now that I've sufficiently displayed my food addiction, thank goodness for walking paths and bike riding, I want to show y'all a video from the talent show that the Christian school here (CCSI) put on the other night. It was a huge success with many talented students performing and a great pot luck dinner from around the world afterwards. One act in particular I really enjoyed. It was an adult gospel choir, apparently the Japanese love singing gospel music, which is so random but awesome. Some of them even did a little bit of swaying and clapping; it was fantastic.

Praise the Lord! Only he could comprise a gospel choir in Japan where the majority of singers are not Christians. Our God is so big. Thanks y'all so much for your prayers and support!! You're the best :)