We finally arrived home in Billings shortly after noon.  It's strange to be back after what felt like the longest day in the world!  It's even more strange to be back where they all speak my language and all the signs are in English!  We were looking through some of the pictures we took and it sure makes me miss people we met.  I truly believe that we'll be back there next year.  I will begin posting the pictures we took and seeing what I can do with e-mail now that we're back but for now the first priority is to get some rest.  Thank God for keeping us safe and bringing us home with such a good testimony!

I can hardly believe that it's been so long that I've been able to get on the net here in Japan.  Ironically that's the one thing I thought wouldn't be a problem for me here but that's the one thing that's been a thorn in my side...go figure.  It seems that even when I am able to get on line here from my mother in law's house I can't get mail to go where I send it though I can read what has been sent to me...and that's pretty slim pickings.  I am so glad for the things that we've been able to do here.  We have met some of the best people in the world and I believe that they will be enduring friends of the ministry in the future as well.  We went and saw the cities of Nikko and then were able to go to see Kyoto.  These places have an air of ancient Japan that I can see is really fading in the modern age.  Kyoto is especially awesome.  I know that mom would love to see it and I can't help but think of RD and Julie as well.  I feel bad when I think of how my attitude has been over Japan.  I have to say that many of the many concerns I had were founded and have come up but they haven't at all been a hinderance to making this trip really one of the most wonderful experiences in my life.  Kazu and Ann have been the best friends in the world.  They have personally driven us to places that otherwise would have been far more difficult to visit.  They have been the best guides a person could ever ask for as well.  I lost my contact part way through the trip to Kyoto and was in danger of not being able to see a darn thing.  We all prayed openly with Kazu and Ann there.  We looked to no avail and so determined to press on anyway.  The first day I could see very little but still enjoyed what I could see before we went to the hotel.  The next day we thought we'd check just one more time and see if we could find anything.  We stopped in front of the place we were going to view and moved some seats around in the van while we all looked for the contact lense.  Much to our joy my wife found my contact in a totally impossible place...it was the one place that it wouldn't have been trampled and broken!  Kazu and Ann actually cried...it was a really triumphant moment to say the least!  Kazu isn't Christian but he said that Jesus really made a way for us to find it....I still get choked up when I think of him saying that.  The rest of the trip was beyond beautiful and we even went back and I was able to see much of what was just a blur the day before.  Our God is a great God!  His mercy is beyond understanding.  Our prayers remain for Kazu and Ann to find Christ and see what life is really meant to be.  I was feeling that this may be our only chance to visit Kyoto but Kazu said that one way or another we would rent a large vehicle and bring the team to see it all when we return!  I remain so thankful to God for all of this.  I'm thankful for the prayers at home that have been there since long before we even left.  I wish that people could see this and know what a difference they've meant ot my life but it seems that scrapbooking queens who come here for a week get more attention...what can you do?  LOL!