The Sweet Dropper

Monday, July 20: Said goodbye to Yamagata. Boarded Shinkansen for a 400 mile journey to Tokyo Station (done in about 2 hours, 45 minutes, including stops!), then switch to train for Nagoya, about 250 miles more. Weather changed from sunny in the mountains to drizzly along the coastal areas. Took subway to end of the line in eastern Nagoya, where MTW missionary Linda Wixon was waiting to pick us up in her car. Linda has been on the MTW Nagoya team since 1998. She is letting us stay in her apartment while we are in Nagoya. She is bunking with fellow team member Darlene Johnson, who lives just a few minutes away. Linda is so appreciative of this visit from members of one of her supporting churches. Returning to this area has caused a flood of memories to rush back into my brain. I served here as a summer worker in 1989. I remember the subway and bus stops and many of the streets, but much has changed. This area has grown significantly in the last 20 years. The Nagakute Church has relocated, its old building now used as a Christian school. Linda and the team work primarily out of the Nisshin Christ Church, which was not in existence when I was last here. We have a number of opportunities ahead to encourage the MTW team and to make Japanese friends as well.

BONUS: Link to a piece by columnist Mark Steyn on some of Japan’s demographic problems.