I no longer write down phone numbers, I punch the number into my cell.  Of course, the problem is that I don’t have a cell in Japan.  Nancy and Grace (they’re both alums of Asian American Christian Fellowship) are now living in Japan.  We’d arranged to meet at 10:45.  We finally found each other around 12:30 (we were all at the train station in Ikebukuro, we just couldn’t find each other.  My fault.  Completely).  Sigh.  Didn’t have Nancy’s number with me, didn’t have the slip of paper with the number.  Somehow we did find each other, eventually. The time with Grace was short, but wonderful.  Nancy, on the other hand, spent the afternoon helping me purchase omiyage (gifts) for back home, and joined us at the Gospel concert that night.  Great time with “Nan-shee” indeed!

The concert itself was a charity event with all of the proceeds going to CRASH Japan.  The featured artists were Bola Taylor, Ray Sidney, John Lucas, Gregory Hooper, and Ruth Hooper.

It was a full-blown presentation of both the Gospel and Gospel music.  Five gospel singers were backed by a choir from all over Japan.  There was also a kids-only choir and solo performances.  And then there was something I’d never seen before…

…yup, that’s a taiko group performing with the Gospel choir!  It was at first startling, but it was very, very cool.  Great response from the audience.  And that is one big choir!

I’ve didn’t meet this gentleman personally, but his story is worth telling.  I do know for certain that he lives in the Tohoku area, and I think he’s a resident of Fukushima.  He’s living the trauma that I was merely introduced to on our voyage north.  He was in a lineup of choir members who reside in the Iwaki, Iwate, Sendai, and Fukushima prefectures, areas impacted by devastation, radiation, and loss.  There was an extended prayer time on behalf of those lined up in front, representing those so deeply affected by March 11.

Yet there he is, singing at the top of his lungs, and jumping around during several of the numbers performed.  Now that’s a man of faith.  Faith that I don’t pretend to understand, but faith that leaves me in awe.

I’d mentioned more than once that I was thinking God wanted to reboot my definition of joy on this trip.  This gentleman from Fukushima taught me something about joy that will stay with me for awhile.

As for family, I had the opportunity to spend the day with my Aunt and my cousin, along with other family.  More on that in the next edition.  And Happy Father’s Day to all of my fellow dads!