2-3 Aug 2007
“I’m in Japan!” That’s what I keep telling myself and saying to myself. It is still a little surreal for me to be here. I am thankful for the these next few days to have my mind and understanding of the globe expanded, to see some of this amazing country, and to hopefully share the gospel again with Yumi and see it bear fruit ... for that is the true reason why I am here on this lengthy stopover. Your kingdom come; your will be done Father!
Well, now that my amazing but arduous trek to get to this hotel is over, I can sit and write and relay the true story of how Papa got me here. Here goes ...
Yesterday, I left my hotel around 6 AM with Jun Ling. We went by taxi to the airport. I was really impressed with how quick and fairly cheap we made it there. We talked on the way which was both good and troubling. I really pray that dear Papa would set her free from her current job and the abuse at home and provide her with peace and love. She is a wonderful lady, mama, friend, and worker, but I don’t know how long on a heart level she can remain where she is at. Simply put, it stinks, and it’s tough.
Jun Ling went as far as she could with me, and then I had to do a lot on my own to make it to my terminal. Papa gave me peace the night before that everything would be okay concerning my bags making it to Japan. However, this was the rare occasion for me to have so many extra security checks added. My bags were searched heavily before I could even check-in at the airline counter, and then, I was randomly selected to answer even more security questions. It was scary, but I know that Papa was with me and apologized to the security lady for sounding rude. My passport wouldn’t scan so that caused a little trouble checking in too.
Having gone through all of that, I simply prayed that the rest of my time would go smoothly, and it did! Perhaps, it was selfish for me to pray that, but I simply didn’t want to go through any more checks! My flights from Beijing to Tokyo and Tokyo to Osaka were some of the absolute best flights I’ve ever had!!! Papa provided an absolutely, amazingly beautiful day for me to fly. I wish yall could’ve seen the beauty in creation I saw. The other thing that made the flights so nice was the in-flight conversation. I talked for a long time about politics, culture, and history with a 60-70 year old Norwegian guy and briefly with Yoko from Osaka about Japanese food. I will tell you straight up that an awesome airline to fly on is All Nippon Air!
So, I made it to Tokyo at around 2:30 PM. I went through Japanese Immigration and Customs, decided to wait to exchange money, and headed for my domestic flight check-in counter. Now an important consideration to mention is that I didn’t get my checked luggage because in BJ they told me it’d go all the way to Osaka. thus, I arrive at the check-in counter (after having difficulty finding it) with only my carry-on items. The lady goes through the process and tells me that I need to go back for my luggage! So, for the first time ever, the Northwest Airlines folks personally go back and get my luggage (which is heavy) and hold if for me. When I finally find that counter, I am escorted back to Customs to have a quick, personal check of my luggage which basically was answering about three questions. Thus, my mishaps turned into wonderful, personal service down to getting a luggage cart delivered to me.
Things continued to go smoothly after that. I waited about three hours for my flight, and then, off to Osaka. About an hour later, I arrive at Osaka International Airport. Now this is where things change again in my true tale. :) This is my first time to stay in Japan although I’ve flown through Japan a few times. So, I try to find the place to exchange money. The lady at the information desk tells me that there is NO place in this airport to do that because it’s a domestic airport. I tell her that I have no Japanese money and need to get to my hotel. I show her the name, and she says, “Oh! It’s very close. They have a free pick-up service to and from the airport.” She calls the hotel to come and get me and tells me where to go to wait. I go outside and have a little difficulty finding the spot but get there. The van comes, and it’s for the wrong hotel. So, I go back inside and wait for a long time to talk to the lady again. Twenty minutes later, I show a second lady my hotel info.
Now, by this time, I’m really trying to have fun and be relaxed and just rest in Papa despite my difficulties. I keep reminding myself that he loves me and that he’ll take care of everything. I learn that I can go outside and buy a bus ticket to my hotel for $11.00 and use my American money. I have only hundreds and fives, and the lady can’t tell me if I’ll get change. I spend $15 for the ticket to my surprise get ¥480 back in change. It’s not much, but it is some Japanese money (yen). I have difficulty understanding how to do the bus thing, but make it in time to catch the bus.
As I ride the bus to my hotel, I keep thinking a few things. First is “I’m in Japan!” Secondly, I think “Wow! I never knew they drive on the left side of the street (like in Britain) in Japan.” Third, I am blown away by the beauty of Japan --- its pretty night lights, its mountains, its peoples. The bus ride takes about 40 minutes to Kobe-Sannomiya. I get off, gather my things, pray, and try to find my hotel.
By this time it’s about 9 PM. I am starving and have no clue where my hotel is. I just keep saying to myself, “I’m in Japan!” Well I find a map of the area nearby but can’t find my hotel on the map. I ask a lady for help, but she walks away from me. So, I just walk and try to find my hotel. I pray that Papa would send me people to help. I am very tired and extremely hungry by now but decide that first I need to get to the hotel before I eat. So, I lug my stuff around and across the street, over a bridge and into a shopping mall that has OPA on the outside hoping that I am simply misreading it. Two ladies help me inside, a lady outside very briefly helps me, and in the end I get directions from two female police officers in a little Japanese police station.
The ladies’ directions are good, but I take the wrong street and end up walking for about another hour. Finally, I pray again for Papa’s help to find my hotel. When I look up after that I immediately see my hotel! :) I am truly exhausted when I make it there, and then there’s the matter of paying for the room when I am several thousand yen short of my bill. My debit card and a phone call to Shiho clear up the matter, and on to the room I go. After dropping off my stuff and receiving a phone call from Yumi, I head out with a map to try and get dinner at 10:00 PM at McDonald’s. I never made it there; I finally gave up and spent almost all of the yen that I had on a Kwikie Mart dinner. I got the biggest meal I could find and returned to the hotel lobby for a delicious meal.
Well, that was yesterday. Today, I slept a lot and had breakfast downstairs. It is part of my room’s expenses, so I also fixed a plate for lunch. I feel much better now! I simply needed the rest. (I basically didn’t sleep much last night in China.) I do feel beat up physically, but that will soon pass. In a little bit, I will go out to explore Osaka. Tonight Yumi will come here, and then, we’ll go out for dinner. I dig Japan very much!!! It is clean, it is safe, and they recycle even in the hotel. They are also some of the most friendly and helpful people I’ve EVER met! It is such a change from China to be here!
... I had a wonderful time exploring Osaka or rather Kobe; it turns out that this is actually Kobe. My exploration led me down some streets, past a post office, past a BMW show room, down many restaurants, and to a travel agency where I could exchange money. That was such a happy sight! :) I learned that my hotel really is in such a wonderful spot and that my arrival last night could have taken only five minutes had I known the way. Even the McDonald’s I couldn’t find is so close to my hotel! I had to just laugh and think how ironic it all is. These mishaps and my time in BJ teach me the same things --- to show love and compassion for foreigners in America as I now know what it must be like for them.
After I exchanged my money, I decided to visit a park or something nice nearby. I had about three hours to wait for Yumi. The lady at the exchange counter told me about a city bus tour. So, I headed off for the tour. It was only ¥250 to see a large portion of this delightful city!! That is such a bargain (US $2.50)! The tour was extremely enjoyable and also showed me the way to some shopping places. I had an hour or less to shop (which is fine), and so I bought a cool gift at a Japanese baseball store and a camera. I also went down the biggest shopping street in Kobe a little road called Kobe Sannomiya Center Street.
I headed back to the hotel to meet Yumi for dinner. She had called to say she’d be an hour late, so I headed upstairs and watched part of a Japanese baseball game (Nipponham vs. Mariners). It was so cool to watch! :) I am so glad that they have baseball here. It too is a big change between Japan and China.
Yumi arrived, and we headed out for dinner. We talked on the way and eventually ended up at a Japanese restaurant. I had true Japanese food. It was good, but it was definitely not like the American Japanese food I’ve had. We ordered many dishes which are like appetizer size but fill you up if you order a bunch. Our dinner was the following: octopus in wasabi sauce, macaroni salad, hokke fish, piping hot egg (not!), oolong tea, grapefruit juice with gingerale, cabbage and chicken(?) ball soup, and rice in hot green tea with sour plum.
Yumi and I talked a lot. We caught up some on the past seven years. I think we’ve both changed a lot!! I hope to share more directly about Papa with her. I would love for her to become my sister. Only 1% or less of Japanese people are in the Family. It’s sad. :(
I am glad to have spent a few hours with Yumi and will see her again on Monday. She is taking the day off to be with me. Maybe we’ll go to a baseball game! :) It’s a huge part of the culture here, and there are some nearby teams. Definitely with Yumi and my friends in China, this summer trip has taught me that I want to stay in better and deeper contact with them. I am excited that I got an email from Jun Ling in Pinyin a little earlier! It is for the Gospel’s sake that I desire these things. America and Japan are too comfortable for me, but they and China so much so need the Gospel. May the workers abound in these fields oh so ripe with harvest!!! :)
PS: A typhoon came to Japan on the day I arrived. It headed for southwest Japan and didn’t affect my flight at all, but it did cancel the flights to Hiroshima. Big things like this always follow me; I love it and just smile and laugh as I continue to see these kinds of things follow me.
chill
excited
cheerful
contemplative