Where in Japan are Bob & Chris November 18

Tuesday on the schedule was an invitation for Bob and Chris to meet Pastor Nakajima of Ichikawa Lutheran Church in Chiba Prefecture and attend the Motituki celebration at Kohnodai Hoikuen, a kindergarten and a ministry of the JELC to the community of Ichikawa. Immediately adjacent to this ministry is a shelter for women. This shelter is another ministry of the JELC to the community. Bob and Chris spent the morning with Pastor Nakajima , the staff of the facility and the 100 children from ages infants to 5 years for Motituki. With the children they learned and tried their hand at the process of making the traditional rice cakes that are shared in the New year. The rice is cooked outside over and open flame, kneaded and pounded into a smooth paste and finally rolled and dipped into delicious toppings before the best part; the eating! After the delighful tour of the school and meeting children and teachers, and finally participating in the Motituki Bob and Chris had built up an appetite for the best part. They gladly participated in eating some of the rice cakes as part of lunch with these beautiful children. The children are not members of Ichikawa Lutheran Church and not Christian. They are simply beautiful children that God reaches out to through this ministry. Our prayer is that one day the Holy Spirit will move them to recieve the love given in this ministry everyday in the love of Jesus Christ; God's grace extended to all his children in baptism. As part of the teaching each week the children hear the stories of Jesus in the lessons from Pastor Nakajima. Chris marveled at the discipline of the children in all their activities. Especially of note were the three year olds who sat in their chairs around a table and listened intently as a teacher read an extended story while two American strangers were in the room watching. A final wonderful part of a wonderful morning was to sing table grace with the children. Pastor Bob noticed at his table at lunch that the children needed no prompting to sing their prayer before eating. One of the little girls in sweat Japanese simply smiled and said "inori ma sho" Let us pray. They sang and Bob prayed thanks to God for the food and for a precious morning with more precious children.


Keep praying,

Zen Ben