relaxing in Kobe (south-central japan)

We have come to Kobe for the weekend with our friends, the Barton's. The Barton's have been missionaries to Japan for 29 years. This is a very impressive factor to me. I don't know if I could live in another country for that long. Their story is amazing to me. They were pastors of a church in Kobe for a long time (somewhere around 23 years or so) and then they were called to move away to Tokyo where Mr. Barton became a principal of a Christian school. When they left Kobe they had some replacement pastors but they came and left very quickly and since that time there has been one other pastor but hasn't stayed long. So, this church that they have pastored for so long is without a pastor now and the Bartons visit about once a month to this church to encourage the believers.

On this particular visit they invited us to come along to see Kobe and to experience another part of Japan. We were so thankful for this opportunity but we were unsure of what exactly to do because on the day the Bartons were leaving there was an information session in regards to the new company. The pull to want to have information and some sort of understanding was pulling at our decision to stay in Tokyo and forego the trip this time in hope that we might still be in Japan the next time they came for a visit. However, after much thinking and praying we decided to go on the trip. Although it would seem to make sense to go get some information we had been waiting for, we just didn't have a peace about staying. Thankfully, after a converstation with a co-worker who attended the meeting and after reading some news articles, we discovered we had made the best decision. Any of the information we needed we could get from the internet and from the Nova office at a later date. So, we got the information we needed and some relaxing time in Kobe.

We have felt more at peace here than we have in Japan in a long time. ummm, maybe not more at peace just more at home, more still. We attended our first church service here in Japan and although it was all in Japanese it was such a blessing. We visited Kyoto, which we have been wanting to do and this was a great time and opportunity.

I write all this to say that in this time of waiting and chaos the Lord has been so good to give us some peace and beautiful moments to see and experience him. He is so faithful and so loving and so good. In all of this he has walked with us through these days of directional blindness. He is guiding us. to Him be all praise and glory! Amen!