Greetings from Japan, everyone! It hardly seems possible that it’s already been a week since we arrived. Emily Rachel and I are grateful to each of you who have been praying for our safe travels, and we are happy to report that God directed us AND our luggage through all of the planned connections. That’s always a great start to any trip, but especially one with several steps along the way. We got up super-early the morning of Monday, June 3rd, and made it to the airport in plenty of time to get everything checked and secured. Our son, Ben, was there to see us off as well as Emily’s parents, Dwight and Josephine Albright.
It was particularly sweet to be there with Emily’s parents because we have done this very thing for these seasoned travelers on a number occasions over the years, and it was finally our turn to swap places! The flight from Memphis to Detroit turned out to be uneventful. For a little while, we weren’t sure because there was very heavy fog in Detroit and the pilots opted to circle in a holding pattern for about 20 minutes hoping it would clear off enough to land. There was even mention of diverting to Toledo, Ohio, if conditions didn’t improve in time. Thankfully, visibility opened up just enough for us to go on and land in Detroit without issue. Whew!
After exploring the terminal for a few hours in Detroit, we finally boarded the plane and settled in for the longest portion of the trip. Due to favorable winds, the estimated time between takeoff and touchdown was only 12 hours and 40 minutes. Before we left, a number of you asked about which direction the flight goes, and I tried to describe how much the flight path goes to the North. We took off and headed through Canada and Alaska before coming back down through (or near) Russia toward Japan. It sounds pretty round-about when picturing it in my head, but in truth it’s a pretty straight shot. I grabbed a picture of the in-flight map on the plane and it looks much straighter from this angle! I imagine going this way also avoids a great deal of headwind from the jet stream.
Our flight landed at Haneda airport in Tokyo a little ahead of schedule, but we didn’t really notice. Since we crossed 10 time zones and the international date line, our Monday morning had become Tuesday evening! Overall, it was a pretty smooth trip. We are thankful for the ways God has gone ahead of us.
Our first couple of days consisted of taking it slow, adjusting body clocks, setting up housekeeping here, and generally trying to make preparations for when English and music times start up. The brothers and sisters here at the Tachikawa church are genuinely excited that we are here, and we have felt their warmth and hospitality deeply. They have also been busy with preparations of their own for our arrival! Nao and Noriko Fukushima distributed a great many flyers advertising our ministry around the local neighborhood as well as enlarged the flyer’s front page to use as posters. There is a glass information board outside the building facing the sidewalk, and we are prominently featured.
The Fukushima’s are such wonderful hosts! They have seen to our every need, and we are so encouraged by their Spirit-led service to the church here as well as their heart for reaching the Tachikawa community at-large with the life-saving message of the Gospel. Not long after we arrived, we took a break from unpacking to walk the neighborhood nearby to spread the word about our offerings. We stuffed flyers into many mailboxes in the area, and visited a couple of daycare locations around pick-up time hoping to chat with some young mothers who might be interested in coming for the music classes.
Noriko also gave us a lift one morning so that we could visit the 100¥ store for some containers to use during the music classes as well as a trip to Costco to stock up on some staples. The Costco was about like you would expect it to be, and as I walked around there were a number of times I almost felt like I was back in the US. Just as soon as I did, though, there would be a little something so completely Japanese to help me remember. We enjoyed lunch, got what we needed, and then were on our way.
For the first couple of days, Nao was out of town attending the Japan Minister’s Retreat at a camp facility near Nagano, so Noriko was gracious enough to take us to their preferred conveyer belt sushi restaurant, Hama-Sushi. It was delicious! We took just one picture, and that was at the very beginning (before the plates started adding up!). It was a pleasant chance to chat and catch up over a splendid array of sushi options (and more!).
June 9th was our first Sunday at Tachikawa, and we were blessed by the faithful members who gathered for worship. Nao preached and led singing, and though the congregation gathered might seem small to many back home, there was an eagerness to worship God and an anticipation to hear the Word that encouraged me very much. I was able to follow the songs a little better than I was the sermon, due to my limited language ability, but it was a blessing all the same knowing that the same Spirit moves among these people as it does back home. Nao formally introduced us to the congregation during the service, and several were eager to come chat with both Emily and me afterward.
Speaking of after worship, the congregation planned a potluck meal in our honor as a way to welcome us to Tachikawa. We all adjourned up to the 2nd floor fellowship space where a delicious spread was prepared. There is a Chinese group of believers who meet in the Tachikawa building one Sunday afternoon per month, and they joined in the potluck meal as well. We ate and laughed and enjoyed time together, and eventually we each went around the room and introduced ourselves. The atmosphere was homey and genuine, and we loved every minute (and the food was great, too!). Afterward, a number of takeout trays were filled with food ready for everyone to take home for later.
Our first official activity for this trip occurred later that evening at 5pm. We hosted a come-and-go orientation meeting for everyone who had signed up for the English conversation times or for the family music classes. A number of individuals came and we were able to greet them in person, answer any questions they might have, and confirm their preferred time of the week for coming back to study or have class. Emily also had a selection of instruments from the music class available as a “petting zoo” for anyone interested to get a taste of what she uses in her classes. The kids who came really had a good time checking it all out!
Near the end of the evening, there was one really sweet moment that touched us. One of the young girls who came with her mother started off very shy. She was wary of the people around, hesitant to be more than an arm’s length away from mom, and just not sure what to make of it all. But by the time things were starting to wind down, and just before she and her mom headed out the door, she came right up to Emily and gave her a big hug! It truly is amazing what effect being around Spirit-filled people can have.
Our second week will see the start of English reader sessions as well as the first family music classes, so we are looking forward to telling you all about how they go in the next edition. We also have some opportunities while we are here to make a couple of day-trips to see other ministers in Japan and encourage them in the Faith and be encouraged in return. In the meantime, we highly value knowing that you are thinking of us and praying for these individuals. May the seeds we are planting today one day produce healthy, vibrant Spiritual fruit in the future.
As a parting note, I leave you with an image. This photo was taken facing North from the platform of the nearby monorail station. The red brick building is the Tachikawa Church of Christ and next to it is a free-standing tower with a red cross on top. After dark, the cross is outlined with bright white lights. It is a landmark clearly visible from both the street below and the monorail above. God is present, though He sometimes feels far away. We simply look to the cross and follow Jesus, wherever that may lead.
~ Clay
Fowlers in Japan 
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