Take me out to the ballgame...

You wouldn't believe where I was last evening!  A baseball game!  I went with Brian and Bette to watch the Saitama Seibu Lions play the Chiba Lotte Marines.  It was quite exciting!  Attending a baseball game in Japan is not really like going to a baseball game in Canada or the US.  The feel is more like going to a football (soccer for your North American folks) game.  There's a lot of chanting/cheering.  For each inning, the visitors and the home team fans would alternate.  If the visitors were up to bat, their fans would be chanting/singing.  I think there were certain chants for each player that went to up to bat, but I'm not quite sure.  Once there were three out and the home team went up to bat, the home team fans would do the chanting and singing. These baseball players are of the Major League caliber.  Some of these players do end up playing in the MLB in the US/Canada.
At the top of the 7th inning, the visitor team fans would blow up these balloons and release them all at the same time.  During the middle of that inning, the home team fans did the same.  It was quite the sight!   There were young girls walking around with these mini-kegs on their back trying to sell you beer.  There were also people walking around with bowls of soup or rice.  There was even a Kentucky Fried Chicken booth there.  A great adventure!
Here is some video of what watching a game is like!

I have been attending Kurume Bible Fellowship on Sunday mornings.  It is an English speaking church where many of the staff from Christian Academy in Japan attend.  I have enjoyed worshiping there and of course do know a few people, which is helpful.  The first Sunday of every month we have Communion, so today was kind of special.  I pray that I may be continually be challenged spiritually.

Kurume Baptist Fellowship Church

September 2, 2012