Last night was the longest night ever!. I think
I woke up about every
10 minutes. Actualy, I slept fairly well from about 9+00 a.m. until
about 11+30. Then, every hour I would wake up.
Finally the time arrived to get up. We had a nice
little buffet
breakfast in the hotel and then took a taxi to the mission home,
arriving right at 9;00. It was pouring rain outside as we left the
hotel and it is still raining right now as I write this (it is 2:15
p.m and Rebecca wanted to check her email...we are in a community
center on the fifth or sixth floor of a big department store - like a
library - that has a lot of computers for public use.)
\what an experience the taxi ride was. Not dangerous
in any way, but
lots of traffic and narrow winding roads to get to the mission home.
We had to basically go over a major hill in the middle of town...by
the remains of the Sendai Castle and by the zoo and then to the
mission home. Beautiful ride even in the rain and fog.
When we found the mission home we couldn:t see
any address so we went
in the only door we could see that was near the mission nameplate
outside. Turned out to be the mission office and only one senior
elder was there. We chatted for a few minutes and finally he said,
well, they are all next door waiting for you. The mission home was
just across a small courtyard and indeed there everyone was; Rebecca,
the mission president and his wife, the office elders, a senior couple
also returning home today, and one other sister missionary returning
home today as well. It was a great occasion, especially to see the
love and admiration that everyone had for Rebecca and how she had done
as a missionary (she later told us that she was the "zone leader"
for
the sister missionaries for about the last year of her mission). We
gave them our gifts; Danielles popcorn for the office, and a box of
Ethel M chocolates for President and Sister Miyashita. Sister
Miyashita had fixed some pastries and fruit and brownies so we, of
course, had to eat some of them (ok, I ate all of them.) Really were
good, actually. We visited, and took pictures, until about 10;30 and
then we left in the mission van with the APs, Pres andSister M., and
Sister Yokimura to take Sister Y. to the train station so she could
catch her train home. Still raining cats and dogs.
After they dropped us off at the Hoiday Inn, we
rested for a bit and
then headed downtown. After we check email, etc., we are going to
take the subway to another of Rebecca's areas; Nagamachi (never made it there.)
We are also looking for a "bread" store where they sell great "pan"...they
even use the spanish word for bread.
I am taking lots of pictures but none of the computers
that I have
used so far will allow you to plug into a USB port so you can download
and email pictures.
We actually packed light so when we woke up to
a cool rain this
morning we weren:t quite prepared. Even as cool as it is outside,
when you go inside, you start to sweat from the humidity (well, at
least I started to sweat). Hopefully the rain will ease up a bit so
we can see more of the scenery.
Well, enough of the up to the minute reporting.
I'll try and check in
again tonight.
Love, Dad
Exhausted in Sendai
After we left the community center we walked the
downtown area for awhile and then walked to the chapel and took a few pictures.
\we walked and walked and walked and eventually we ended up back at our room
for a short rest. then back out walking some more and finally home and I am
exhausted and can:t type so thats all folks.
Dad
Day 2 - Friday, June 29th (we lose a day going to Japan) - To Mission Home |