We're engaged!
My Ring
Cherry Blossoms, a popular spring attraction in Japan
Nagoya Castle
Aaron and Bryan, Aaron's best friend, came for a week in early March. Surprise, I'm engaged! Aaron and I met shortly before I left for Japan, and we kept in touch through email and skype. We became a couple about 2 months after I got here, and fell in love. Aaron proposed at a French restaurant that was divine, with a wonderful atmosphere! It felt like we were at an outdoor cafe in France. I loved having both AA and Bryan here for a week! We ate meals together, spent time in Nagoya, walked and talked. Bryan got to see many former students and church people he did ministry with here last year and encourage them, and AA got introduced to my life in Japan, friends, and students. Bryan and Aaron shared the love of Jesus to many, but probably most of all to me! The 2 weeks that followed were difficult, as AA and I got used to living our relationship on skype again. All in all, we see God's grace in action as we try to make future plans and get to know each other better during the early hours of the day and the late hours of the night due to the time difference.
A new school semester has begun! Thankfully, my schedule has not changed significantly. My new classes are one's I had taught a little while ago, including 2 classes at our new branch school at Oharu. God has allowed me to build significant relationships with my students and Oharu, and I am very thankful to continue to spend time with them and teach them! I will be continuing a Bible study with my jr. high girls class and I am excited for how God will use this time!
We had our second kids English service at Oharu church, and while it was less attended, I was very excited to be able to teach about creation to the kids, 2 of which were my students from my Oharu classes and aren't Christians. In Japan, evolution is taught everywhere, so being able to plant the seed of creation is a big blessing! The kids drew what God created on different days, and we went outside for a nature scavenger hunt. I was going to play a creation game with them at the park next to the church, but there were other kids playing there. The church kids joined the other kids, and wanted to share their prizes with them, which was my favorite moment of the service! The kids that came for the service stayed for an extra half hour to play, and then wanted to go back inside and color upstairs while church was going on!! About this time, we gained a few more kids. They colored more pictures of what God created through the entire church service. I am excited to get on a fixed schedule starting in May-the 2nd Sunday of every month. The consistency will help with promoting the event and getting more students there.
Many kids had spring break last week, so our classes were smaller, and we had a few extra days off due to national holidays. I got to go skiing in the mountains with a couple of brothers in Christ from church, and see the cherry blossoms and Nagoya castle with one of my Saturday classes! Both were great memories I will treasure always!
