Heights (Fuji), depths (baptism) and new life.
In true Japanese style there is only one week of summer holidays for office workers; and I took the opportunity in this peaktime week to head up to Tokyo to catch up with friends, behave like a tourist and climb Mt Fuji.
On the 12th of August myself and 3 TBC (church) friends, plus one of their flatmate’s brother, started from one of the 5th base stations (2000m altitude) at 10:15pm. Thankfully the weather was mild (so the underprepared boys with us didn’t freeze to death), we were above the clouds for most of then night so we could stargaze during our rest intervals (I saw over 20 shooting stars!) and it only drizzled for a short time while up top, so we can claim that we conquered the 3667m altitude of Mt Fuji!
While in the Tokyo area I took the opportunity to meet up with a Jap girl I went surfing with in Sydney a couple of times. Having not been surfing for almost 7 months, I was raring to go, and the waves weren’t too bad for Japanese standards, so I was in for 5 hours straight! Finally, despite the fun I was having spinning my body 180 and riding switch on the longboard (thanks to snowboarding I guess), I caught a wave most of the way to shore and my body said; that’s it, you’re not going in again! After washing off we supped and enjoyed some wine on the terrace of a nearby restaurant; enjoying the balmy weather and watching the sunset.
While in Osaka I’ve been involved in both Osaka International Church (Sat night and teaching an English class) and a house church run by a Sydney guy and family in Koshien. Last weekend we went out the families’ house in Hyogo prefecture (the countryside) and enjoyed fellowship, several meaty Bible studies and playing with fireworks. I was also baptised, along with 2 fairly new Christians, in the local river. Now, to those who think it’s somewhat strange I haven’t been baptised, especially since I’ve been a Christian since I was 14, maybe it’s a Presby. thing, is all I can say. Obviously being baptised or not doesn’t affect the state of one’s salvation; which is based on faith in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour, so, as something which is just a symbol of my already existing state of death and rebirth with Jesus, it’s not an activity that I have pursued. However, the opportunity arose, so I did it. Not one of the “to do” things on my list for Japan, but there you go, finally done!
By now I have been in Japan 7 months and one week, with only 4 weeks left to go. Overall excited to be able to see you all, although slightly dreading leaving for all the usual reasons, but especially since I have a very busy looking 4 weeks of travel ahead of me! Hehe.
To those working in the city and still at uni; what’s a good time/day of the week 28/9-10/10 to meet for lunch/coffee? Dinner/weekends are out since I miss my family more than you… :P This Alicia exhibition is limited to 2 weeks only so book now! ;) Most loved, first served, hehe. Pun, that’s you hun, got any non-Phil-filled time off during that period? Tell Cat and tell her to take the time off too ;).
In true Japanese style there is only one week of summer holidays for office workers; and I took the opportunity in this peaktime week to head up to Tokyo to catch up with friends, behave like a tourist and climb Mt Fuji.
On the 12th of August myself and 3 TBC (church) friends, plus one of their flatmate’s brother, started from one of the 5th base stations (2000m altitude) at 10:15pm. Thankfully the weather was mild (so the underprepared boys with us didn’t freeze to death), we were above the clouds for most of then night so we could stargaze during our rest intervals (I saw over 20 shooting stars!) and it only drizzled for a short time while up top, so we can claim that we conquered the 3667m altitude of Mt Fuji!
While in the Tokyo area I took the opportunity to meet up with a Jap girl I went surfing with in Sydney a couple of times. Having not been surfing for almost 7 months, I was raring to go, and the waves weren’t too bad for Japanese standards, so I was in for 5 hours straight! Finally, despite the fun I was having spinning my body 180 and riding switch on the longboard (thanks to snowboarding I guess), I caught a wave most of the way to shore and my body said; that’s it, you’re not going in again! After washing off we supped and enjoyed some wine on the terrace of a nearby restaurant; enjoying the balmy weather and watching the sunset.
While in Osaka I’ve been involved in both Osaka International Church (Sat night and teaching an English class) and a house church run by a Sydney guy and family in Koshien. Last weekend we went out the families’ house in Hyogo prefecture (the countryside) and enjoyed fellowship, several meaty Bible studies and playing with fireworks. I was also baptised, along with 2 fairly new Christians, in the local river. Now, to those who think it’s somewhat strange I haven’t been baptised, especially since I’ve been a Christian since I was 14, maybe it’s a Presby. thing, is all I can say. Obviously being baptised or not doesn’t affect the state of one’s salvation; which is based on faith in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour, so, as something which is just a symbol of my already existing state of death and rebirth with Jesus, it’s not an activity that I have pursued. However, the opportunity arose, so I did it. Not one of the “to do” things on my list for Japan, but there you go, finally done!
By now I have been in Japan 7 months and one week, with only 4 weeks left to go. Overall excited to be able to see you all, although slightly dreading leaving for all the usual reasons, but especially since I have a very busy looking 4 weeks of travel ahead of me! Hehe.
To those working in the city and still at uni; what’s a good time/day of the week 28/9-10/10 to meet for lunch/coffee? Dinner/weekends are out since I miss my family more than you… :P This Alicia exhibition is limited to 2 weeks only so book now! ;) Most loved, first served, hehe. Pun, that’s you hun, got any non-Phil-filled time off during that period? Tell Cat and tell her to take the time off too ;).
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