We are Connected!

Isn't technology wonderful!!! We now have an attachment to our computer that let us set up a USA phone number that actually dials a phone right in our home here in Japan when you make the call or if we call you, we aren't paying Japanese high prices! When we call you or you call that number it's as though we are right there in the States so it will also be a stateside fee for your call. When we call YOU, it is 'free' on our side except for the $20.00 A YEAR (only!) maintenance fee! Because our home church is in Tucson, AZ we have set up a Tucson (AZ area code) phone number so our local church people and pastor can call us for 'free' as well.
For those of you that use cell phones, you may also call that phone number just as you would any other US number. SO if you have free minutes time, for example, after 9 p.m. your time, it is perfect for calling and talking to us because when it's night where you are, it's a.m. where we are! Now PLEASE don't forget that time difference! If it's 10 in the morning EST at your house, it's midnight here! We love to visit with anyone but maybe not at midnight! The phone number you ask:
here it is so make a note of it--520-303-1446.
And don't be surprised if some day we call you! But feel free to call us too. We are also happy that this means it might be an easier way for our supporting church pastors to communicate with us over meetings, questions, or whatever.
IF you call and we are not around the computer to accept the call or the computer is off, the message relay will come on and you may leave a voice mail for us and we will be notified by e-mail that we have a message. When we click on it, your voice will be heard and we can get back to you.
Have a wonderful day and if you know any missionary that might benefit by this, have them check out www.magicjack.com or better yet, check it out yourself and get them one, and it is good in the States as well so you might want one too...no this isn't a paid announcement...just a satisfied customer excited about how we can communicate with each other!

Small Testimonies

Hamanasu Chorus yearly Summer picnic--very international...
Vicki made the deviled eggs (we call them egg boats), ham and cheese rolls and had an ice cream freezer there also to make home made ice cream. Another lady in the chorus made the Japanese contributions of mashed potato salad; green salad; vinegared rice in soy 'pockets' called inari-zushi; and fried chicken!

Afterwards we played park golf: played like golf but only use one club (you can see it is a sort of rounded wood) and a larger harder ball. Each hole has a 'par', sand bunkers, trees, etc. to get around to the hole.

But this article isn't just to show you something interesting in the events we can take part in. We are always looking for small ways to show the Big God we have! So various small sentences and comments can bring glory to God in any every day conversation! We ARE human though and Satan loves to put doubt in our hearts and mind as to whether those type of thoughts are actually doing anything at all for the cause of Christ!
For the last three weeks or so we have had mostly rainy or drizzly type weather EVERY day...a very unusual type of weather for us. With the picnic-park golf event on the calendar and quickly arriving, Vicki had been praying all last week that by Friday night the rain would stop if it would glorify God so that they might have their ladies' chorus event--oh the young man in the picture--he's the chorus director, the band teacher from the high school.
Saturday morning we arose and the weather was cloudy but it wasn't raining so it looked as though the day was still a go. Vicki went to Mrs. Kuwata's house to pick her up and all the food she had (she was the partner cook) and immediately told Mrs. Kuwata that she had been praying for the weather for 3 days! And was praising God for His special answer for He did control the weather. She has been witnessed to for a long time so acknowledged very agreeably that it was so.
Vicki then said, I would like to pray and thank God for allowing us to have this activity and for it to go well. We always pray out loud when we get into the car (short or long trips) for the Lord to bless the trip and keep us safe. As Mrs. Kuwata and Vicki take a short car trip almost every summer, she understands this so was not surprised by this desire. And even replied, yes, we should do that (she is not saved "YET" ;-). After praying, Mrs. Kuwata said, "Mrs. Tamura called this morning and commented on the weather too. She said, 'Vicki must have been praying to her God for all this rain to come to a halt and have it actually happen!'"
Vicki had no idea that these type of comments about weather, health, etc. were sinking in at all until that moment. Just as the men on the boat went to the sleeping Jonah and said "...arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not." They at first said 'thy God' for He was not their God! Please pray that we will find the key to help these ladies, these people know that 'our' God can be their God as well! Vicki would like to write a letter to each of these ladies and use this open door. Please pray for that opportunity and for wisdom in writing this letter.
Also, that we would always be faithful to show forth our Lord and Savior in even the small things we say and do, knowing that someone IS paying attention and that moment just might be the open door, or door closing, God forbid, to that person's heart.

(Mrs. Tamura is the 3rd lady from the left and Mrs. Kuwata is standing next to Vicki.)