Japanese Lessons

Honestly, we're always so tired by the time Thursday night comes....but I'm always glad after we've spent time with Akikosan.  We continued working on Emergency type words...things that it may be good to know like "tsunami kikenn" or "tsunami shiji" or "genn patsu bakuhatsu".....


We made some  orizuru (cranes). Akikosan told us when someone is sick or there is a disaster they make sennba zuru (1,000 cranes) which have their "negai to inori" (wish and prayers) for "heiwa to kibou" (peace and hope) and they send them to  afflicted ones. Come to think of it, it's not much different than the prayer quilts that some tie, praying with each knot.....she had us make cranes....and we learned...

Japan would be in trouble if her hope depended on US making 1,000 cranes (of course they believe the hope is in the wishes and prayers - so if we prayed with each crane....may be a good prayer prompt?)

Our homework is to write down the names of each of these animals before we eat them.....I had a bit of trouble telling the hippos from the squirrels (the squirrels have bangs LOL). 

 

I purchased some starter pots and seeds. I've been waging an internal debate over our gardening plans this year. We did some container planting last year and it really worked well. I had planned to double or triple the amount of containers this year. Then rumors began to fly....and continue to fly...will I be here to harvest the pots? Should we take a chance on wasting money? I think getting outside and planting something, having something to tend for and look forward too would be a good thing....the girls have been asking to plant some flowers.....Should we spend our summer in concern that we may be evacuated? Frankly, this cool down process at the reactor is going to take a LONG time - though American's like things to move quickly. The Japanese are saying the best case scenario is that it will take 2 - 3 YEARS to cool down....and maybe 20 - 30 years.....I don't think we're in immediate danger, unless it becomes a political hot potato to keep military families over here...to plant or not to plant??????

Akikosan helped me decipher the maps and time schedules on the seed packets. We agreed if our family is forced to evacuate (the only way we plan to leave at this point) her parents/family will take all our containers of produce....Now we have a REALLY good reason to go ahead and plant.....big...because we can give it away to our Japanese friends if we get evacuated and it won't be a bit dishonorable for them to accept it as they'll be helping us out. 

For the first time ever I'm really starting to wish we could be done with the military and moving on into civilian ministry. I wish we could give our undivided attention to learning Japanese, building relationships, offering aide.  I wish we had the freedom to simply move or stay where we felt God would have us move or stay...ah well...for now I'll plant some seedlings and pray we are here for a good long time.  I'll be content where God has placed us and remind myself that if God wants us somewhere, we'll get there. 

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...