This afternoon, almost timed with the one month anniversary of the earthquake, the wind picked up, the sky darkened, rain poured, and uncharacteristically, thunder and lightning crashed in the dark sky above Tokyo. When I picked up my son from …
There’s a place I go once or twice a year that holds a big piece of my heart. It’s a beautiful place, high on a hill near the mountains in Gunma. An almost complete 360 degree panorama of mountains, rivers, …
Close your eyes and imagine the place you feel most at home, most at ease, most who you are. At different stages of life different places come to mind, but that might be because you have moved a few times …
Nobody told them we were having a nuclear crisis. That was the first thought I had upon seeing these blooms on a walk recently. Late March and early April is arguably the most beautiful time here in the Tokyo/Kanto area. …
Images from the television and newspaper today:
A mother/son hairstylist team cutting hair under a blue tarp in a temporary shelter. Since fleeing to the shelter, they borrowed scissors and decided to continue doing what they knew how to …
The last few months I’ve started a new hobby. It’s making washi (Japanese paper) eggs, thanks to a very kind and patient friend. First you blow the insides out of the egg through small holes, rinse it, and let it …
Today did not turn out as expected. Yesterday Tim asked me to go with him to Costco to finish up details on the large order of goods to be trucked up to Fukushima (the area near the reactors). These goods …
This whole crisis in Japan and the way people view it reminds me of an empty toilet paper roll. By that, I mean that each person’s view of the crisis is limited by one’s location, perspective, and what part of …
Today the kids and I spent the morning cleaning the apartment where we had been staying, packing, and returning borrowed items. In between I kept checking the news since the first news this morning was that of two strong earthquakes …
Tonight’s news featured ordinary people doing mundane jobs heroically, and ordinary people doing heroic jobs with extraordinary selflessness. Barring extreme events, the kids and I will head back to Tokyo tomorrow at least temporarily. I had the luxury of a …
My sister put it well in an email- she said she had a bit of Japanese news fatigue. I do too, but still find myself searching for more. Watching the faces of people recount their stories draws me in to …
Today I went to Kobe Union Church on Rokko Mountain. Kobe is gorgeous- wish I were here on a vacation, in a vacation mood. It reminds me of Seattle in so many ways including the hills and harbors, attitude and …
People are trying really hard to return to life as normal. News on the reactors was very limited today, which strikes me as odd since the situation is not much different than yesterday. If you haven’t already found it, IAEC…
It was a beautiful day here in Kobe, a world away from Tokyo. A trip to the supermarket felt like we had turned the clock back to pre 3/11. Rows of amply stocked shelves were a surprising contrast to my …
Tonight I’m writing from Kobe. The kids and I together with another missionary mom and her kids decided that this was the best decision for now. Our guys have stayed in Tokyo and are praying and waiting to see what …
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日本語の説明とリンク
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