Friday was our last day with the kindergartners. Five of the kids got to celebrate their birthday together with games and singing. We had a great time playing games and singing with them all day, enjoying our last day together. Even though we could not understand each other, we enjoyed each others' company. A little boy hung out with me the whole day, he grabbed my hand from the beginning of the day to the end. He didn't say anything but he loved bugs and he was very observant so he would walk slowly and would not hesitate to pull my hand down to crouch on the ground to look at pill bugs he found in the grass on the playground. He would catch and collect as many as he could find and gently place them on my hand so at one point, my hand was covered in them until he decided to gently place them back in the grass. We received so many excited waves and smiles as we left and we were asked by the kids to come again. We all already wanted to, but now we will definitely have to so we can see those sweet kids again.
After leaving the kindergarten, we went to the House of Eden which is a center for people with disabilities. Having disabilities in Japan is extremely stigmatized and people are often ashamed of their family members with such struggles. But at the center, the people there are loved and cared for by Christians, some of whom were members of Taira Baptist Church. The center had a shop with small gifts and crafts, as well as some vegetables and flowers made by the residents and a cafe called Hallelujah with smoothies and coffee. The first thing I did when I got to the center was help a staff member braid hair, something I love so much. After I finished, we sang songs, danced, and learned how to make origami cranes.
Saturday
Saturday was a day of rest so we walked around Iwaki (we Iwaki-ed around). Ben and I toured the city and stumbled upon a performance in a small corner with drums and bells and vocals.
We all had a lovely touring the city and enjoying each others' company. At the end of the day, there was a memorial service for the earthquake and tsunami that hit Fukushima in 2011 where the people who served and met in the midst of the disaster could meet again and worship. The worship leaders were from a Brazilian team who came back in 2011. Even though we could not understand the songs or speaking, I could feel the Holy Spirit moving in the room and I felt at home in this small corner of Iwaki where people loved Jesus in different languages but all because He had saved us from disasters before and continues to do so.
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