Celebrating Occi's 32nd birthday! She is the one in the green shirt next to Jennifer---yes she looks 21 I know!! Like Mark's new haircut?

Last night we went to Yasu's house for his birthday dinner... Pictured is Mark, Hisape (Sashi), Kazuna, and Jennifer....very much fun...Yasu turned 32.... 

Mark with Fumiko, Yasu, Shin, Yasu's 91 year old grandmother and her friend.  

Fumiko, Yasu, and Shin praying at Yasu's ancestors grave site. They pray and thank them for life, health, and tell them their life is good. They hold their hands this way to pray correctly. We pray that they would turn their hearts and prayers to the giver of life and of all good things....Jesus Christ. 

We visited Yasu's grandmother's home on Monday. They say it is a holiday like Halloween in USA. It is a day when they go and pray to their dead ancestors and offer them gifts. This is a small shrine that is in his grandmother's home with the pictures of his deceased ancestors above it. You can see the offerings of fruit, and other food in the shrine. They light incense to help their ancestors find their way to heaven.  

Typical road in Japan...this is 40 kph (26 mph) not mph----VERY slow here---the highest you ever really see may be around 80 kph---yes Mark had to adjust quite a bit! 

Good times with friends eating at a Japanese like "Food Court" in Kochi 

Psalm 19 "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky proclaims the work of His hands..." AMEN! 

Mark in a Yukata---with friends Shin and Yasu--Japanese wear these often in summer time...was in our hotel... 

Lucky for us they do not have a MEAN DAY CARD!! HAHA!! This was a store... 

This is a pilgrim..they walk the island of Shikoku to visit the 88 temples bthat are on this island. This is a Buddhist ritual--we see many each day... 

This was one of the hotel rooms we stayed in for $70 a night!! These are twin beds and this is the FULL size of the room! There was a TINY bathroom in the room!  

We LOVE Mister Donut! Tastes like Dunkin Donuts in USA! 

Beautiful picture of the beach at Nakamura that we surfed on our recent surf trip...picture does not give justice to the beauty! 

Students from our friend Fumiko's English classes! Very cute! Again they give the famous peace signs for pictures! Never fails!! 

Here is Mark with one of the young students...see below caption for details! 

Sharing

Here we got to help our friend Fumiko with the English classes she teaches! It was a great day and we loved meeting all the students. They were nervous to use their English with us at first---we were able to give each student (4) a copy of a Jesus comic that shares the life of Christ! Please pray that they will read it and that the Lord will open their hearts to His message! We praise Him that He gave us the opportunity to share with these kids!

This is what we see typically everyday...many of the people dress this way and go to the ocean to fish or clam...or we are not sure what else. These people are just coming in carrying what they got...they are very cute....pray that God will also teach them to be "Fishers of men" in their country. 

The children here love to see us and practice their English...they say "Hello" and laugh...it seems to be the Japan way to do the peasce sign when you get your picture taken.... 

Beautiful place we found adventuring near our home town...on Route 149..can not wait for summer when we can swim in these waters...isnt God amazing?