***Thursday, June 26th***
Today was a different story. We got up and did some meetings, but then found out we wouldn't be having a full day in the Tokyo area later because of a mix-up and too many people being at the guest houses. So... they "gave us our time" around 2pm to go out. We ended up visiting a Buddhist Temple and Shinto Shrine before heading out. Both were located in a place called "Asakusa".
It was around the time we made it to Shinjuku (where I also had little to no desire whatsoever to go, aside from being with the team) that I realized my insulin pump had been out of insulin for probably an hour, we still needed supper, and it would be 4 hours or more until we got back, lol. I felt fine, though (as far as running around all day will feel on two legs that haven't exercised this much in AGES), so I went on. We ate at a sushi-bar place. There was a rotating tray table of sushi products going around on it. You'd grab it, and the type of dish indicated the price. I grabbed one of the 130yen ones suggested to me by Takashi, and took a bite.
Can I say that my sinuses have never been cleared faster in my life? I felt the taste and waft of that thing fly up my nasal cavity and BURN everything it could in it's wake. Then when it was done it did it AGAIN to me before I finished the sushi. lol. The second one wasn't as potent, though (I guess since there was nothing left to destroy in my nose, lol). I still don't remember what it was, but I stopped there. I know it was red colored, I don't think it was a fish, and I think there may have been wasabi in it, lol. The sushi there was PRICEY, imo. It was 100 yen for 2 sushi on the low end, and up to 420 yen a plate on the high end.
Oh yeah, I forgot to say I saw an elderly man drop his hat in the Buddhist Temple and was able to return it to him before he left. Of course, apparently I returned him the hat upside down, and Kenton thought I was begging money from him for a second, hahaha! It's a thought, though. Just kidding! ;)
I prayed for several people today while I was waiting. I prayed while we ate. Prayed while we were on the trains. Prayed while we were waiting at street-crossings. I've been praying a lot more lately... and I have to say I like it. I also think it would have been harder for our group to get back without my notes for the train station, because almost no one knew how to figure out how to get back. I'd taken notes on my pad of paper, and was confident in my ability to get us back. Even Takashi trusted me on it... and that meant a lot. I really like it when I get to go places with Takashi and have him explain little side-things to me. Things that make me feel like "yeah... I know what's going on here now in a way that likely only Japanese people would."
*** Friday, June 27th***
Today was pretty interesting. We left OMF around 10 or so and headed to get to our ride at the Shinkansen. I spent most of the morning *cough* "removing" the water in my insides. How wonderful. Needless to say, waking up and packing was less than desirabe.
I felt better by the time we left, though. I ate half a banana (if even that, and a small one, too) and headed out. Getting to the station in my condition was less than desirable. By the time we were on our own, we walked up the line we needed and voila! The train we wanted was there. Well, actually I'd briefly forgotten how the major train station's electronic boxes worked, and what ended up happening was that I thought when it left was when it arrived. Apparently the others thought "Hayate 17" meant car 17, and there were only 16 cars. Then Takashi got confused, and by the time we figured it out, it was too late. We didn't think to board in the back and work our way forward. Instead we ended up missing the train, and Takashi had to foot the bill for new tickets while I tried to help those upset keep calm. I just reminded them God had a plan, and that He could either show it to us and we'd praise Him more, or He could do nothing and not care for us like the birds of the air and what His Word says, and He'd prove Himself wrong. More to come on that. Mwa haha!
Well anyways, we got on the next train headed that way, which I told everyone else we'd likely be boarding (and indeed we did). The next one left about an hour later than our original, and we had to make 2 other changes (which was kind of a pain, lol). In both I ended up standing the entire time (about 1.5 hours). Overall though, things went well. We all made it here, and God pulled through.
What I mean by that is that while on our last train, a Japanese man who could speak perfect English got into a conversation with Jessica on the train. She ended up walking him through the Gospel and giving him a tract or two before we left as well. All I could say after we got off was "That's why we missed the train." The real question right now may be, though... "Was the extra money spent to get us there, due to the mistake, to witness to this one guy worth it or not?"
I think so. No, I know so.
Well, with that, I suppose I'll end by saying we're now here safely, got supper, and will be running through more debriefing soon. The Ghents look awesome, and everyone else here (including one guy from the ESL JET program who's on his second year) is really amazing.
Time for bed before I get killed for writing this, haha. God is good! God bless, all.
-Scott
