Peace, Love, & Rice: Tons of food, tons of songs, and tons of goodbyes

Let Us Walk Together Project's Staff's last meal together

The Let Us Walk Together Project has come to an end in June. The Tohoku Diocese will continue the project but at a more local level. The national church however will continue to support the victims of radiation. Not much information about the radiation “clean-up” and the things going on with the radiation are getting out of Fukushima Prefecture nor the to the wider world. So the national Anglican church of Japan’s priorities in this next phase will be supporting the victims and to tell others both domestic and abroad about all that is going on in the radiation contaminated areas.

I have moved back to Nagoya again to finish out my contract with the church in Japan. I resumed some of the work I was doing here last year and this past spring. I have moved back just in time to help out with the busiest part of the year. While I am thrilled to be returning to my Japanese home, I am not so excited about leaving the community in Sendai. It constantly amazes me how fast a new place can become a home. I have yet another family here in Japan. I

My Filipino family! Miss them so much already

have learned so much from the church members and the people we have been working with. I will miss the Filipino women that I have come to call my friends. I will miss the men in the church that love to tease me about my hair or lack there of. I will miss the women that have stepped in as my mother since I am away from my own.

This past month has been filled with closing off programs, writing reports, and saying goodbyes. I think I have been to enough goodbye parties to last me quite awhile. Here are some pictures of all the friends I have had to say goodbye to for the meantime.