In October of 2009, we spent one month in Tokyo testing the waters before we moved here to see what we thought of life in Tokyo. We emailed our missions organization at home to see what kind of PCA churches they had in Tokyo. Turns out, a church plant from Redeemer Presbyterian out of NYC was getting ready to start and by God's great design we met our Dutch friends that October. From the very beginning, we loved them, and knew if we moved to Tokyo, we wanted to live near them. For the past 3.5 years they have been a 10
minute walk from our place. We have shared laughs, pizza, tea, cookies, Christmas meals, tears, prayers, stories...well, life together. We have gone on church retreats together, received meals from them when we had the K Man and when we first moved into our apartment, enjoyed Disneyland with them, party boats, gyoza parties and more. Life...as missionaries here, they shared their lives. Hanging out with us did not feel like "work" - we felt their love for us, for our family. We received pastoral care from them in many ways. They loved us well. So, when they told us in May that God was calling them back to the Netherlands for a bit, we grieved. And to be honest, we are still grieving. I keep looking at their building as I write this post and think they will be coming back to Tokyo from home assignment in a few weeks. But that is not the case this year. I do know we ended our time with them well...with lots of fun, lots of laughs, lots of tears and lots of hugs. I also firmly believe we will see them again...these are lifelong friends and I know whether it is in Europe, Japan or the US we will see them again. They mean so much to us that we will pay lots of money to fly to see them again! Geert and Eline and to all of your precious kiddos - we miss you, we love you and we will continue to pray for you. Until we make more memories together, I will continue to look at these pictures and cherish our time in Tokyo together.
minute walk from our place. We have shared laughs, pizza, tea, cookies, Christmas meals, tears, prayers, stories...well, life together. We have gone on church retreats together, received meals from them when we had the K Man and when we first moved into our apartment, enjoyed Disneyland with them, party boats, gyoza parties and more. Life...as missionaries here, they shared their lives. Hanging out with us did not feel like "work" - we felt their love for us, for our family. We received pastoral care from them in many ways. They loved us well. So, when they told us in May that God was calling them back to the Netherlands for a bit, we grieved. And to be honest, we are still grieving. I keep looking at their building as I write this post and think they will be coming back to Tokyo from home assignment in a few weeks. But that is not the case this year. I do know we ended our time with them well...with lots of fun, lots of laughs, lots of tears and lots of hugs. I also firmly believe we will see them again...these are lifelong friends and I know whether it is in Europe, Japan or the US we will see them again. They mean so much to us that we will pay lots of money to fly to see them again! Geert and Eline and to all of your precious kiddos - we miss you, we love you and we will continue to pray for you. Until we make more memories together, I will continue to look at these pictures and cherish our time in Tokyo together.
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