May on the mountain

Many of you have been with us for these newsletters for several years. Some of you are here for the first time. We're so grateful for each of you! Please know that we think of each of you as we send out these stories and pictures on the last day of each month. 

A few airplanes and a few thousand miles and, we're happily adjusting to our America days! I wrapped up this month earlier, while my brain and heart was still in Tokyo, so this is just a quick update while we're on the road. 

We shared from this passage in 2 Corinthians 1 earlier today: "We don’t want you in the dark, friends, about how hard it was when all this came down on us in Asia province. It was so bad we didn’t think we were going to make it. We felt like we’d been sent to death row, that it was all over for us. As it turned out, it was the best thing that could have happened. Instead of trusting in our own strength or wits to get out of it, we were forced to trust God totally—not a bad idea since he’s the God who raises the dead! And he did it, rescued us from certain doom. And he’ll do it again, rescuing us as many times as we need rescuing. You and your prayers are part of the rescue operation—I don’t want you in the dark about that either. I can see your faces even now, lifted in praise for God’s deliverance of us, a rescue in which your prayers played such a crucial part." (Peterson, The Message)

Here are a few of our thanks and a few requests as we look ahead:

- We're grateful for many safe and relatively smooth miles; for kids who handled multiple flights, unfamiliar beds and new circumstances with courage and relative calm (for pre-schoolers!). 

- We're grateful for the wonderful hospitality of Ryan's aunt and uncle, who allowed us to rest at their house for a few days, while we spent time with them and let our kids spend time with their great grand father. 

- We're grateful Ryan had the chance to share about our ministry with one of his home churches; thankful that more people will be aware of the great things God is doing in Tokyo!

- We're grateful for the many miles driven to pick us up and drop us off at airports and other appointments. 

- Today, we were able to connect with our home church and spent a day of lavish fellowship and many warm greetings. I've known since my youth that this is a church that lives its mission with astounding generosity, intentional prayer, and sacrificial faith. It is a joy to soak in this community for a few weeks and be filled and challenged as we share face to face about our ministry. 

- Please pray as we begin a month of car travel. We're so grateful for the use of a family car, but also praying for many safe miles to come. 

- Please pray for deepened relationships and chronos time - the time of the heart - as we connect with family and friends. 

- Please pray for Ryan as he prepares for his upcoming classes next month. 

Citizens of May

We're traveling! Today, we'll get on a plane and head toward where most of you are - America! We've been planning for almost a year, and we're excited to see all of you. I wanted to wrap up this month while my thoughts are still centered in Japan. We will update throughout our travels. Thanks for your prayers for us today and in the next few weeks as we fly and drive many hours with young, wiggly ones.

This was a week of goodbyes. Even though we're only traveling for two months, we still brought intentional closure to this season, in preparation for engaging with our lives and family in the states. Two of our friends will move when we are traveling, so those were harder goodbyes. Both we, and our children, are Third Culture Kids; we live a rich, full, global life, but also feel the intense pain of being stretched across continent, ocean, and culture. 

See you in 2 months!

We will miss graduation for the class of 2015!
The seniors gathered for a special picture with Ryan in the school plaza on Friday

Rice planting with neighborhood friends

40 year celebration t-shirts are now 25 years old!
This year we celebrate 65 years at CAJ!

Recently, E started asking me, "Are we American?" "Well, yes, we have passports from America, and we belong to America as citizens. But we also are permanent residents of Japan." I try to explain this tension he already feels so deeply, below the level of his awareness. I am loath to watch him struggle. Yet, I am mindful that he is practicing the struggle of every eternal soul. 

We do - and yet don't - belong on this earth. We are free, eternal souls, wallowing in sin, illness and death. 

We find ways to compromise and balance. Recently, we reached a new compromise that helps us wrestle with the tension of our various loyalties. Pre-school and elementary aged children are not allowed to ride bikes when commuting to school. (From the moment he leaves his house, a child is the school's responsibility, not the parent's) But, the 4 of us are not allowed to ride one bike (we learned this only recently, after the picture from this winter). This is disconcerting - how do we travel to pre-school when we cannot all ride on the same bike, but E is not allowed to ride his own bike (although he is pretty good at it!)? We've worked out a compromise. We bike to CAJ, where he is allowed to park his bike, right next to Papa's bike. Then we walk the rest of the way to pre-school. This turns our 2km commute into about an hour process. But, we also practice the balance of cultural values, national laws, and personal freedoms.

Field trip!