July

It's been a crazy two months! My sister arrived home from college mid-May (see photo) and we had a wonderful month as family. I spent most of June in Tokyo, finishing up my involvement in my various activities.  While it is exciting to move forward toward my wedding and new opportunities in Kyoto, it was emotional saying goodbye to friends, co-workers, and students. 

My sister, Anneke, and I traveled to Kyoto for a weekend to visit my fiancé and see where I will be living.

Two weeks ago, I took the bullet train to Kyoto to move the rest of my belongings (or at least the amount that will fit in our humble abode) into the apartment Thomas and I will be living in in the fall. It was exciting--and a little surreal--to set up house. 

I flew over to join my family in Michigan last weekend. On the way, I had an over-night stop in Portland and had a lovely visit with Thomas's family. I will be here until mid-July when I will head back to the West Coast--I can't believe the wedding is coming up in just a few weeks (July 27)!

What else has been going on?

• Thomas has been adjusting to his new classes and the addition of being a home room teacher. In Japan, being in this position means being responsible for the students' achievement and behavior at school. This had been a lot of added pressure for Thomas as he seeks to establish relationships with the students and communicate with parents.
• Family Life Group met for a special celebration on Mother's Day at a Christian camp ground a few hours from Tokyo. We were excited that most of the families were able to attend and the mothers had a time to be celebrated and enjoy time together.
• On July 8, I was able to be part of hosting a screening of Exodus Cry's human trafficking documentary Nefarious: Merchant of Souls in my community. I worked along with a several other local women connected to Not For Sale Japan to hold this showing in a community center. I was also able to help to give a presentation on the situation in Japan after the film to an audience of about 30 guests. There was a great response to the screening and we had an exciting discussion time!

This month, please remember these prayer requests: 

• Praise God for good closure in Tokyo and the excitement of new opportunities to serve Him in Kyoto! Pray that I will be able to trust his plan and adjust well to the changes that are coming.
• Praise God for the ministry of Family Life Group, especially the Mother's Day celebration. Pray that this ministry will continue to bring spiritual support to those in it, and that all will grow closer together and to Christ.
• Praise God for the success of our local Nefarious screening event! Pray that God will move the people who attended to use the information they learned to bring justice to this situation. 
• Pray for safe travels for family and friends who will be joining us for our wedding at the end of this month, and for safe travels for us as we return to Japan in August.

Shalom,

Caitlin