It’s hard to believe but its already been three weeks since we got back to Texas from our trip. Sometimes we feel like we are constantly jumping from the frying pan into the fire… but that is good. God is working… Anyway, just some summary thoughts from the trip.

When people ask how Japan has changed since I was last there, one word comes to mind: “color.” In the past Japan was a mono-colored culture where everyone wore the same colored (though designer) drab gray colored suites, had the same black hair (couldn’t be helped) spoke the same way, etc. This time there was a remarkable infusion of color. People dressed in all sorts of ways with hair of many different colors. It wasn’t so easy to find Lisa in the crowd any more because there were MANY people with blond or brown hair… and purple and red and … you get the picture. Self-expression has become an art-form in Japan. Ironically, it has become the way to “fit into the crowd.”
We also learned how hard it is to be a Christian in Japan, especially from those who were saved in the U.S. The church is different in Japan. This makes it difficult for these precious students to feel like they belong. As a result, many don’t attend church. At the same time, they are trying to stay faithful to Jesus in other ways and so they don’t fit into the mainstream culture either. This can be very lonely.

We also learned about some of the exciting things going on in the church, especially in the area of church plants and smaller house churches. We also saw the difficulties the older more established churches are having to stay alive. There is a leadership void in the Japanese church which only can get bigger because fewer young people are going to the seminaries and Bible colleges in Japan.

We also were reassured by the hospitality and love we felt in each of the cities we visited as we met with old friends, new friends and family. We really love and appreciate the Japanese people.
All in all this was a wonderful trip that touched and blessed so much. No doubt we will be returning for another visit some day. We come home with a greater sense of responsibility in keeping in touch with our former students and continuing to love on them even from a distance.

To all of you who have been tracking our blog () and praying along the way, it’s been fun. We experienced Pocari Sweat and the other type of “sweat” in great quantities (as big as a whale shark) together. It was also fun to learn together that it’s not such a bad thing to be a “Son of Dork” (bumper sticker on a car). Most importantly we saw God work in our efforts. Thank you so much for your support in every way. We have been much blessed. You have gotten us through emotional hurdles (e.g. discouragement at taking so long to adjust and actually function), physical hurdles (e.g. landing in LA – check the blog for details), and spiritual hurdles (e.g. God opened several doors along the way). For others of you who made financial and personal sacrifices to make it possible for us to go, thank you—some students are moving back on track because of you. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! YOU DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Keep on praying for Japan. Keep on praying for the ministry to international student here in the states (www.yabukibreeze.com).

To see more of our pictures, check out http://photos.yahoo.com/rmyabuki.
– August, 2006