Night Shots of Chiba

We went into downtown Chiba tonight and here are some shots.

 Modern and clean with no outward appearance of need

 We love the city and ask you to continue to pray for Chiba

Every convenience and indulgence! But like any big modern city, the great need is hidden just under the surface. May the Kingdom advance through such as us.

Sign of the Covenant

After The Flood God promised he wouldn't destroy the world again by water, and as a sign put a rainbow in the sky. 

We saw this last evening. Our house is the one on the left. 

And a beautiful sunset too

Sayonara Brent-san!

Our friend and two-week house mate Brent left for the States yesterday. He hopes to raise support in order to return in a year as a career missionary with MTW to Osaka.

 Last details taken care of!

Loading bags

Last stroll down the walkway

Goodbye Committee gathered

Loading up.
Bob's not waving, he's holding up the carport.

One more place to stuff one more thing

Goodbye, dear friend! Hurry back!


 

Sunsets and iPhones

Here's the view we had from our second floor a few evenings ago.

 In other news, we pre-ordered iPhones today. I have been without my iPhone since leaving the US a month ago. We have been using pre-paid temporary cell phones which were lent to us, waiting for the iPhone 5 to come out b/c it is a 2 year contract. So the release date was today starting at 4 p.m. and we got to our local SoftBank (a prominent Japanese carrier like AT&T or Verizon) store around 4:15. There was a machine that spits out numbered tickets. There were 3 agents at the counter. As you can see we were number 11. Out of 13 people waiting. Took about 2 hours total.

 It says:

"iPhone5 Advance Registration, place #11, Sept 14, 2012, 4:12 p.m.; In a few minutes you will be promising to pay more money than you imagined possible for a cell phone."

 OK, I'm not that sure about the last part.

Seriously, I haven't received a monthly bill but it doesn't sound a whole lot different from what I was paying before, if I understood correctly, and that's a big if. It really was a very pleasant experience. They will call us within 5 days after Sept. 21 to say we can come pick them up. Or, they said if we don't pick it up within 5 days after they call, the order is cancelled. No danger of that!

This One Woke Us Up!

Definitely the biggest earthquake since we've been here (just over a month now). Hit at 2:22 a.m. and woke us all up. Not big enough to break anything, though. Good reminder that all things are in the hands of our sovereign God.

Second Floor View and "Thot I Felt Something"

It's been awhile since the last post. We're getting busier! Barbara took two videos from our upstairs windows to give you an idea of what our house and neighborhood look like. More coming up as we settle in!

Then there was this yesterday. Not that big but enough to feel a little something.

In His Time

This morning we went to Honda Chapel where Dave preached and did the Lord's Supper. The praise team practiced In His Time before the service.

So good to be with God's people on the Lord's day!