Great Ministry!

 I thought I'd start with an updated picture of the plant.  It is really starting to bloom now.  Every day it seems more and more flowers are opening, non have fallen off yet.  I love the colour! 
It has only been three days since the beginning of the week, but to some degree it feels like it's been a whole week!  There have been a lot of things packed into these three days.  I'm glad I have officially begun the break and hopefully things will really start to slow down. 
Monday was an exciting day for me, as the grade seven class was involved in another ministry to three different nursing homes in Higashi Kurume.  One smaller group went to one home and spent the afternoon there singing and participating in various activities with the residents.  A larger group went to two other homes where they sang and shared the real story of Christmas.  When we went to shake hands or bow, some had tears.  It was quite moving! 

Grade seven students getting ready to sing and share.

A couple of the grade 7 teachers and some of the residents from the home.

More and more residents were showing up.

Some of the employees of the home were also there.

We are ready to start.

Afterwards we were able to go through and greet the residents.  Quite a moving experience for them and for our students.

We had a larger crowd at our second home we visited.  They were busy having snack when we came.

So, what are my plans for break you ask?  Well, I'm going to relax and rest up.  I do have some fun activities planned such as putting the bookcase together for my office, visiting with friends, writing some newsletters, getting my hair cut, some Hana sitting and I just made plans to go to see a movie.  I also plan to read a book, The Unseen Face of Japan by David C. Lewis.  I've started it already and it's interesting. 

Have you read this book?

I hope you all will have the opportunity to celebrate Christ's birth, whether it be with family or friends or even with people you do not know but can share the story of Christ's birth.  Merry Christmas!  Vrolijk Kerstfeest!  Feliz Navidad!  Joyeaux Noel! メリークリスマス(Merii Kurisumasu)!