Park and Go.

Saturday in the park…
I think it was the 30th of May…

Free day today. Wow. So much to write about! I have pics, vids, and a really amazing story to tell…Better get down to business. Here are some photos and vids from Ueno Zoo:


vlog+seals and sea lions



Seal is a singer too. Kiss from a rose.

Amazing Story:

Okay, you might want to make yourself comfortable. Perhaps dim you screens to prevent eye damage…this could be many words. I really think it will be worth it for you.

Every Saturday, we get a day off from the kindergarten. We are able to choose whatever activity we want to do. Obviously, in and around Tokyo, there are many different choices. On Thursday evening, I was looking through a travel book of Tokyo and found a page about Ueno Zoo. I mentioned my random idea to the girls and they were up for it.

So…
This morning, we got on our bikes, headed to Inzai Makinohara train station, and hopped on the train bound for Tokyo. We made it to the zoo. As you saw from the videos, I really enjoyed the seals…We spent about 3 hours at the zoo and then decided to explore the park and area that surrounded the zoo. I had a map of the Ueno area and so we started off with no destination. We saw people everywhere and a pretty nice park/fountain area. I suggested that we sit by the fountain and rest for a bit (my dogs were barkin.) We sat for a while and discussed what we should do in the area with the rest of our day.

Then…
I heard music from across the pond. A bit A.D.D. perhaps, I just started walking towards the sound. The music became louder as I was walking and I thought that it really sounded like a Christian hymn (in Japanese of course.) As I neared the massive group of seated people, 2 senses were triggered: First, I saw a box with a cross. Simultaneously, I smelled a truly putrid scent in the air. I realized that it was a Christian outreach/ministry to the homeless. We observed from the back of the seated “congregation.” I thought that it was so amazing how we seemingly stumbled upon a Christian outreach, in the heart of a park, literally surrounded with Buddhist shrines, in a city with 30 million people, in a country with 1% of its people proclaiming Christianity as their religion.

Homeless


His hat says "keep spirit." I don't know if I could.

It’s getting good…
I took a few pictures and just witnessed the poor, downtrodden, hopeless people on the pavement and the wealthy, successful, and busy pass by them on the sidewalks. Then, I looked to my right saw a familiar face 20 feet away from me! I realized instantly that it was the Japanese Pastor Ryosaku Inoue that preached to and prayed over our group in Ann Arbor, Mi back in March. (Because this is part of my college undergrad, we had to take an orientation class that included a trip to a Japanese church and other cultural experiences to “get out feet wet.”) We locked eyes and he immediately recognized us. We walked towards him with shared looks of unbelief. How could we run into someone we know in this place??? We talked to him and exchanged email information. (He wants to take us to a baseball game.) He introduced us to his friend Andy, who is a Japanese language professor at Hope College. I asked them if they were helping out with the ministry and he said that they had 5 students who were serving with a food giveaway across the park. We chatted for a bit and then went over to talk to some of the Hope students. It is absolutely incredible that we would run into someone who knows us and prayed for us before our departure.

Sarah, me, Pastor Inoue, Krista

Latest realization…
I knew that my friend, Rachel Hashimoto, whom I met @ Bay Shore camp years ago, was going to be in Japan this summer as well. I Facebooked her a week ago and touched base to see how long she was going to be here. Then, tonight I went to write on her wall and it clicked that she is here with the professors and students from Hope! (Incredible x10.) We will hopefully meet up with these people sometime in the not too distant future. What a day!?

I know that coincidences happen.-->you know, like 2 girls buy the same prom dress or something. Today was beyond coincidence. I literally can’t put it into words. Big God? Yeah, you could say that.

Once again, thanks for reading.→Especially this lengthy chronicle.

peace.
mike.