Spring in Japan

This past week has been the week when all the cherry blossoms are in bloom in Japan. I feel so lucky to be visiting Japan during this time. It is absolutely beautiful :) The blooming of the cherry blossoms signals the arrival of spring to Japan and all this past week we have had absolutely gorgeous weather. This past Thursday we had a picnic in the park with some ladies from the church, viewed the cherry blossoms and took pictures. On Saturday we took the train to Inyuama with Wendy, one of the English teachers here, and a couple of Japanese ladies. Inyuama was holding it's spring festival. There was a parade with floats from different cities in Japan. The floats were pulled by men through the streets. There were a lot of booths selling souvenirs and food. There was also a huge garage sale/flea market. We stayed until evening when we watched the floats be lit up by a bunch of paper lanterns. I feel so blessed to have experienced this and to have seen a part of Japanese culture. To see such a different part of the world and to know that we are all created by God in His image is amazing. I have also been frustrated sometimes being here. Sometimes it feels like we are trying to plant in hard, dry soil and there is not much being produced. Japan needs the spirit of God to rain down on it. Already I feel the difference between this missions trip and other missions trips I have been on. It might be that I will come home in June and not have amazing conversion stories or anything like that. It is so different here from other countries. I can imagine how hard it must be for long term missionaries here, sometimes not seeing the fruits of their labour for months. I know that God is bigger than all this though. I believe so strongly that He will rain down here in Japan and it will be powerful. Please keep on praying for the people of Japan, that their hearts would be open. Please pray for the missionaries here, for the Hieberts, that they would continue to be strengthened and encouraged and that they would not lose heart but trust that God is working even though it is not seen. Pray also for the other believers here that they would stay strong in their faith and that they would be filled with a passion for the things of God. Until next time Sayonara