So here is an update of what has been happening and what we have been doing here.
It was my birthday (Amanda posting) the beginning of the month, and also White Day. White day is the girl's turn to recieve chocolate, Valentines is when girls give chocolate to the boys here in Japan.
We celebrated Japanese style, Eder got me my favorite breads and candies, and me and Elena got a bouquet of sunflowers and lilies! So beautiful!
We had our second women's bible study on the 16th, and 5 people came! We made a craft and had fun talking and getting to know each other, and after made desert balls in the Tako Yaki maker (a frying pan with molds to make little batter balls with veggies and octopus inside). We are really being blessed to have it every month and know that the women will be fed and grow every time they come.
The English school keeps on growing and changing, always new students and new ideas. Keep it in prayer so that God may use it as He pleases for His purpose.
This Easter we combined services with another local church here in Nago. Pastor Tim taught, Eder taught kids, and me and Ayu led in the worship. There was a missions youth team visiting from Taiwan, and they shared a testimony and did a gospel skit. It was really fun! Everyone was excited and friendly and ready to serve and love on each other.
We had a beach event planned for the afternoon, but canceled because of the weather (typhoon-like rain!). We are rescheduling it for later. So we headed down south to Ginowan and got to fellowship with the crew and hear some testimonies and worship. It was a really blessed time, just relaxing and praising God for His goodness towards us in His Son.
We stayed the night, because the following day Eder had to drive to Naha and start the paper work to get his Japanese drivers license. Since then we have been down to Ginowan three more times to get more of the paperwork done, and the last time for a women's conference that I helped lead worship for.
A group from the Calvary in Virginia came out with pastor Tom Hallman and his wife, so while she was here we had the conference for all the churches in island.
It was so fun, so many ladies from all over came. The theme was from Psalm 61, how God is a shelter for us.
Well, Easter evening we bought our tickets to the states! We will be heading out May 30th to June 30th.
Please be in prayer for us as we prepare things to go (trying to keep the house from molding is the trick!), for Elena on the flights, and overall safe travels and to be a blessing to everyone we see there and travel alongside. We are excited to share the good work within family and friends that God has been doing out here these past 2 years.
Prayer requests:
-Trip to the states.
-Women's bible study (growth of women and fellowship).
-Elena's health (still has a cough).
-Eder and mine's growth in understanding of God's Word.
-Continued growth and ability to learn Japanese.
