Japanese Technology

I really like Japanese technology sometimes. Recently my phone bill forgot to get paid, and so my phone service was cut yesterday. So tonight at 10:30 I went to a Circle K convenience store to pay my phone bill. After the cashier scanned my bill and I gave him the money, I walked out and called my home with my cell phone, and behold! My home phone rang! My phone service had been reinstated instantly! If only reinstatement into the techno-junkie club were so easy...

Spiderjuice

Possibly my most traumatic experience in Japan to date

Japan has some really big spiders. Where I live, you can't get through a summer without encountering at least a dozen hand-sized spiders. Since I got here, Bill has been warning me about what he considers the most traumatic way to encounter a spider: to be in a bathroom stall, pull out a stretch of toilet paper, and find a giant spider sitting and waiting on said stretch. Apparently this has happened once before. Well, through experience, I came up with an even moretraumatic way to meet a giant spider:

I arrived at the church like I do every Friday morning at 8:45, turned on the lights, the water pot, and the air-conditioner (which is a small unit mounted on the wall above the window). But what's that noise?The flap on the air-conditioner that directs the airflow has opened only half-way, and because of the sound of frustrated whining electric motors punctuated by clicking, I can tell that it's stuck. Presently there is a sharp BANG as something is SHOT from the vent, barely missing my FACE, hitting the ground next to my feet with a loud THUD like a beanbag. It was a huge spider, and fortunately it had been killed by the pressure of the air flap before being hurled out in my general direction. Around the bulky corpse was a puddle of spiderjuice.

Tokuden and Owakare

特伝
Tonight we had the long-awaited "Tokuden" at church ("special evangelistic event"). Many in the church had hand-delivered flyers to thousands of houses in the surrounding neighborhoods, and I invited all my students. We saw some new faces, so that was good. There was a Bible reading/enactment of the story of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery (John 8). Using this story, Pastor Yamazaki gave a sermon about God's unconditional love. The Gospel Choir (including me) sang "Near the Cross". It was good, and I hope many of the strangers will come to church again.

お別れ
Tonight, Ryan left for his 10-day sayonara trip around Japan. Then he'll come back for one day to collect his things and fly back to America. Of course I'll enjoy the freedom of having the small house to myself again, but I would prefer that Ryan stay in Yokkaichi. But America will be good for him. And here is a "farewell" shot: