I attended my last ladies meeting at Hope Church this morning.  We usually meet the second and fourth Wed. of each month but, since Feb. 11 is yet another national holiday in Japan, there won’t be a meeting that day.

Our contract expires on Feb. 21 and we’ll move out of our apartment and fly to Hong Kong on Feb. 25.  It had been our original intention to fly directly back to Canada from there but recent changes to airline regulations have severely restricted the amount of luggage allowed on flights within Asia.  Instead, we’ll leave the bulk of our stuff with a fellow teacher who lives a few blocks from here and return to Japan for two nights before finally heading for home.

We’ve alerted our adult students to the fact that we’ll be leaving soon.  While they’re only guaranteed the same teacher for one six month term, we’ve been teaching most of them for ten months now.  Clearly, they have enjoyed their time with us and are sad to see us go.  It will be difficult to say good-bye to them and seeing some of my littlest students for the last time is something I don’t even want to think about.

After this morning’s meeting, it was announced that I would be leaving soon and the women gathered around me for a time of prayer.  The news came as a surprise to some of them.  The year has gone so quickly!

We’re excited about going home, of course.  We miss friends and family and there’s a certain little grandson who is threatening to take his first steps before Gram and Grandpa have a chance to meet him!  On the other hand, it’s difficult to say good-bye.  When I look across the church and catch Amu-chan’s eye, he gives me a huge smile.  He’s my “adopted” Japanese grandson and I won’t get the opportunity to watch him grow up.  Being a part of Hope Church for the past ten months has been an amazing blessing to us and we will miss the people there.

On a whole, this year has been a great experience and in spite of the fact that we’ve begun the long good-bye, it isn’t over yet.  Hopefully there are still a few exciting moments out in front of us!