TOHOKU ROLLS

Paul just found some pictures from a project we joined when we lived in Tohoku 2011.
It´s called "Rolls Tohoku". And the deal was that they gave out a instant camera to different people. Then they uploaded the pictures to this place, so everyone could show there point of view of their situation.
My Roll is NR. 015
http://www.rolls7.com/tohoku/2011_1208/

Iwaki December 2013

The day before take off to Japan, I heard an inspiring story about an old friend of mine from Iwaki, and from that moment, I felt THE same feeling that I had when I was called to Japan in 2005-2009, THE special Love, the love for the country and the people.

When I moved back to Norway in 2009, I did no longer have this special feeling for Japan. So to get it back this time felt wonderful, so I sent messages around to ask people to pray for our trip to Iwaki this time, and I felt exited!:)

And the trip turned out AMAZING!:)

I might not be able to explain to you the feeling I had the whole week we were in Iwaki, but I will try to explain how excitingly we were led around for that week!:)

My only wish for this trip was to feel a bit like when I lived there from 2005-2009, so it was perfect to end up staying at the church “Home Chapel” I used to go to, that also happens to be in the same neighborhood I used to live in. 

It was also perfect because I got to meet my church-family almost everyday.

I had also decided that this time I would not plan too much, not schedule a concert or anything but just take things as it comes! Be lead!

So here`s what happened:

My wonderful church-family-friend-Etsuko asked us to come and play a couple of songs at this “worship night event” at Iwakis biggest public concert place “Alios” Friday night, so we decided that Friday would be our first day in Iwaki this time.

I always had a wish to sing at “Alios”, so great news for me.

As we merged into Iwaki, Paul and I tried to figure out how we could meet up with “The Kasai-family” so I wrote them a message, and they suggested Saturday daytime (the next day) It was perfect.Hurray!
And right after that, Hoshi-san, that manages the concert place “Burrows” wrote me a message saying:
“Hi Nina. Are you in Iwaki?Do you wanna play some songs at Burrows Saturday night? Your good old friend Naoki is also in town and playing”

Have no idea how he knew I was in town, but it was perfect! Not only that we could have a concert the day after, but also that my old friend Naoki (that recorded my first songs in 2005) also was there(He usually lives in Tokyo).

Friday: While I was singing, my closest friends in Iwaki popped in the door and it made me really really happy to see them.

Saturday: Had a great lunch at the Kasai family´s place, went to Karaoke together and jammed in their house later. 

With Mio&Shizuka karaoke 2007

Mio &Shizuka 2013

BURROWS: Played the concert at Burrows and was so happy to see Naoki again!

Noki Endo and his band 
"Taihen Ningen"

Sunday: Sunday started with a Christmas-party at Home Chapel, it was a wonderful service and I cried happily almost the whole time. I felt so happy to see the healthy church, wonderful free people, singing, great relationships being a resource, kids running around laughing, people I had not seen since 2009 being married and gotten kids, good news here and there. It was just too overwhelming. (Thank you Orie for the Mickey Mouse tissue;)

Afterwards some of us went out eating Okonomiyaki together.

I must admit that I tried to plan and arrange lots of things by myself this day, this totally messed up everything, so I just had to give it up and gave it all to God- And then things got back on track again- God´s plan`s the best!

Monday: THE CHIKA DAY

Monday, Chika was off, so the two of us just had a really nice quality day together. 

While Paul stayed at Hide´s Coffee roasting place to learn Coffee roasting from him.

In the evening we were invited to Natsuki&Hideki´s beautiful new wooden house where we ate great food together and enjoyed the nice christmas feeling with fireplace and everything! It was so great!

Tuesday: Paul and Ninas fixing day:

Started the day at Saty, looking for a gift from me&Chika to a Norwegian friend of us. I found a potential gift at a this special spot at the third floor and thought:

“When I meet Chika this evening after her work, maybe I can show her this spot and ask if it´s a good gift”.

We drove on to fix other stuff. On my “Need to buy-list” was japanese records and cd´s, so the plan was to go by a recycling store, but first we needed to change oil on the car. Chikas´father happens to be a car-dealer, so we went there for a cup of coffee and oil-change, we had such a fun time talking to him, then all of a sudden he says “I have lots of records and cd´s, have a look and bring whatever you want!”

CRAZY! He had no idea about us looking for records, and it´s of cause a lot nicer to have records from His place. We had a lot of fun with him, digging out records and talking:) Suddenly it was time for us to meet up with Chika.

Chika suggested to meet at Saty at a certain time, and we drove to the parking lot- we were about 20 minutes too early, so we just hanged out in the car.

I sat there and though

“Too bad, today we did not manage to meet Hide at the coffee shop”

The moment I thought the thought, a car drives into the parking lot, and parked right in front of us- “WHAAAAAT???? It HAPPENED TO BE HIDE!!!”

Of cause I became super-happy, and Paul and I jumped out of the car and said “Surprise!!!”
He was of cause super surprised and confused why we were there, but it brought a big smile to us all.

Then Chika calls me and tells us she is inside Saty, not on the parking lot...third floor...
This is crazy, I thought, what if she is at the “SPOT” that I was imagining to bring her, AND SHE WAS ! Standing right in front of the same clothes I was thinking of showing her. We just laughed and laughed, cause it was too crazy! We bought it and was ready to go eating.

We really wanted to eat Ramen, and drove around. Paul in one car, and Chika and I in her car, but everywhere was closed, we drove around and around, but no Ramen was open, it was so strange, but then Chika and I remembered our good old friend Baba-san at the Indian restaurant, we rolled down the window to tell Paul, but before we get to say anything, Paul says “What about going to that Indian restaurant?”

Talk about telepathy,HAHAHA!
We drove to Ba-ba san and he is always so good at making me feel welcome back!

We ordered the Christmas plate (since it was 24th) and had a great time.

This restaurant is very close to where the old Taira church used to be before the fire, so he is good friend with Akira Mori too, and then he said 

“Nina, you know, I was very very sick in my body, but last year Akira brought a group of volunteers and they prayed for me, and this year I have felt Soooooo great!”  :)

Wednesday:

Wednesday was “Junko-day” so she came and picked me up in the morning (as the old days) and brought me to this very nice art-cafe where this married couple worked and made all the art! It was very inspiring to see! And we had a really good time together as always. 

She dropped me off and and I met Paul again. It was 15 minutes until our next appointment, and I really wanted to drop by the Old skate-shop/hairdresser/Echos Where Satoshi and his wife Yuka works, with their kids Sou-kun,Kou-kun&Fu chan.

We hurried over to see if they still were there. The moment we see the building, we can see that Satoshi and Sou-kun closes the door and is about to go into their car, so we yell “Heeey”:)

They invite us in, they tell us that they actually had left already, but had forgotten something, so they came back again. We had a really fun 15 minutes together and when we were about to leave, Satoshi gives me this japanese toy that also was on my “To-buy-list” I was once again super surprised and told them. HAppy happy happy and thankful to be able to meet them.

Nina&Sou-kun 2006:

Next thing on the schedule was to visit Hide´s home together with everyone. We bought some food and had a really fun time together: This was the result: (elf-myself)

Thursday (Last day in Iwaki):

One more thing on our “to-do-list” was to visit “Cross cafe`” the cafe´that´s connected to Global mission center. So we did! And I must say that this cafe is super great, the food is great and the staff is great! And it was the perfect last lunch in Iwaki for this time. 
(A chair Tanaksan and I bought for Lighthouse 2007

We drove off to our next destination “Matsudo” on our way back to Nagoya and Pauls family.

You see, my very good and spontaneous friend Sato-yan sent me a message wednesday night saying “Do you wanna come to my Tacoyakiparty in Matsudo tomorrow?”

This is 2 hours away, but we needed to pass there anyways, so it was amazingly perfect timing---once again! 

HAHA, we dropped by for a couple of hours, then drove another 20 minutes to visit this other friends of us in their house, Asami&Ryousuke&Ryoutaro, 

Then we drove on, slept a bit, drove on, had lunch with Pauls former boss from his time in USA that also happened to be in Nagoya this time too, drove some more and ended up in the Topland family home for Ribbedinner, walking around the christmas tree and a real christmas evening with the family. 

It´s very difficult to explain how wonderful it was and how many small special things that happened this time, but I know that Jesus was with us this time, cause I felt so enormously happy that I haven´t felt in really loong time, like I was flying on a cloud- seriously!!! It was indescribably! I was so filled with joy! And it felt like everything was prepared before us, no stress!

I loooooooooove Iwaki