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September 27, 2019

The Harvest is Plentiful

Personally, I (Nate) think that late September to mid-October is the most beautiful time of the year in Japan: The HIGANBANA (pronounced “he-gone-bonna”), beautiful red or sometimes white flowers on long green stems, line the borders of the golden rice fields. The air is clean and fresh; and puffy, white clouds float along in the deep blue sky. The temperature is pleasantly warm, and, unless there is a typhoon, it is sunny almost every day. It’s perfect weather to take a walk and look at the fields and orchards before, during, and after the harvest.

September 12, 2019

Ibusuki-ing

Late last month Azusa, the kids, and I traveled a few hours by highway from Kumamoto to just about the southernmost tip of Kyushu. We spent four days and three nights in Ibusuki (pronounced ee-boo-ski)–famous for geothermal sand-baths–for the purpose of fellowship with ABWE missionaries and a few others as well. What a treat it was for us to enjoy some time with missionaries! This time, however, none of the Stratton family chose to be buried alive in the hot sand.

August 20, 2019

Weeds and Snakes

Summer in southwestern Japan is hot and humid. With highs generally in the mid to upper 90s, lows in the upper 70s to mid 80s, and frequent rains, the weeds absolutely thrive. In a week or two they can grow more than a foot. As such, during this season much time and energy is spent by farmers and property owners cutting down the weeds with various machines, the most common of which are viscious-looking, gasoline-powered weed-whackers with something akin to circular saw blades instead of nylon lines on their rotating heads.

August 11, 2019

Vacation Bible School

In the account of the rich ruler in the Gospel of Mark the disciples were shocked to learn from Jesus that it would be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. “Who then can be saved?” they asked. What great reassurance Jesus gave His disciples:

With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God. (10:27 –ESV)

July 18, 2019

Moving

We’ve moved … again! This week’s move makes the second move since the end of March when we moved into the Waifu House.

These past several months have been busy with a lot of cleaning, sorting, disposing of, packing, and moving–all times two! It has been a time for all of us to realize how much things can be a hindrance. Azusa and I in particular have felt at times ashamed of how many unnecessary items we have collected over the years. Through these moves we are learning to live more simply as we consider what is necessary and what is superfluous.

July 10, 2019

House-Cleaning

Since late March of this year, in preparation for our anticipated trip to the U.S. in order to join the summer conferences with ABWE and begin pre-field, our family has lived in what I call the Waifu (pronounced “wife”) House–named thus for its location in the neighborhood of Waifu in Kikuchi City, Japan. This house was purchased by an ABWE missionary for the purpose of supporting other missionaries and interns. (And what a blessing it has been!)

June 10, 2019

Visa Challenges

The picture above was taken from our airplane window on our way home from a trip to Naha on the island of Okinawa. It was not a pleasure trip. It was a trip Azusa and I took for Azusa to obtain a visa in order to, at least in our minds at the time, begin our journey into pre-field with ABWE.

We had not anticipated Azusa having any problems getting her visa. We had spent weeks preparing: writing emails, gathering information, making phone calls to our immigration attorney. Azusa was ready. Our papers were lined up. It was a no-brainer. We would be on a plane as a family heading out to Oregon within two weeks.

Prayer & News

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