August in Japan symbolizes many things. For school kids it’s about school holidays, beaches and bbqs, for the working masses a few days off work to return to the family home for Obon [festival of the dead].
Then there are the firework festivals lighting up the summer nights, and it wouldn’t be August without watermelon to cool down.
For many of the missionaries here, the second half of August is a chance for a break, as church ministries take a few slower weeks. Of course, to get to the holidays one had to survive the fun and sun of the WEC summer camps [pic].
Although the numbers at the camps were not as high as expected, the general mood was very good. It was a great opportunity to relax on the beach, try some water sports, and learn about Jesus.
Meanwhile the old Kusatsu church building was demolished this month [pic] by a Japanese carpenter, a handful of missionaries, a team of 17 visiting us from Korea, plus Peter from Hong Kong, who is preparing to join our field-team in 2011. This will make way for a new building better suited to the church’s purposes.
Speaking of new workers, Madi from Australia will be getting on a plane in September as she follows Jesus' call to join us long-term here in Japan. Madi (20) will be going into a home stay situation in Kyoto as she studies Japanese.