We are in the middle of packing, and panicking about the luggage allowance. Due to the generosity of the two churches and our home stays we are definitely returning with more than we brought. Our final treat today was a trip to a gourmet coffee shop, where they roast and ground their own coffee, the owner had just received his diploma today as a “Coffee Meister” (maestro).
We went for dinner with Graham, Alison and Daniel this evening, said our good-byes to Graham and Daniel. Alison is escorting us to Narita airport tomorrow, we leave the guest house at 7.00 am (11.00pm BST) our flight is scheduled to leave at 10.50 am (2.50 am BST).
As much as everybody is looking forward to seeing their families again, it really is with great sadness that we will leave tomorrow. We have made some great friends in Yotsukaido and Ichikawa and are sad to say Sayounara. Davy, Tony & Angela I will give you my credit card bill when I arrive home as your daughters have maxed it out today.
DF
Lorna
Hi all for my last blog reply,
My prayers are with you for both the packing and the return journey home. Remember you have two hang luggage allowances for the way home so be sure to use them. Anyway Davy, Jonathan and I had to pay access baggage allowance on 3kg at 9 euros a kilo after just 11 days in Tenerife. So try not to worry and as long as you can get everything packed it is only money. Our main concern is to get you home safely. I will bring the church treasurer to the airport with me!!!
I am sure you all will shed tears as you leave and we will have this covered as well. Just remember your anxious family back here and our anticipation at all the stories you will have to share. Be sure to pass on our thanks to Alison on behalf of us all.
Jon is going to the holiday bible club for a little while tomorrow night and then will come to the airport also.
Will see you then
Lots of love
XOXO
Hi team
Just home from Muckamore and heading to Granny so hope you get this final blog before the long journey home begins. Hope that you are fast asleep now ready for the early start.We are looking forward to seeing you all but appreciate that leaving your friends in Japan and all this past three+ weeks have meant to you will be very difficult. Be assured of our ongoing thoughts and prayer.
As for the maxed out credit card thing Farrow-san,…do you do terms or can you wait until the next installment of the student loan hits Arf’s account!!! Only jokin’! As Lorna says, sure we’ll have the treasurer with us at the airport!
Until then, The LORD bless you and keep you all enfolded in his safe and loving arms.
SEE YOU SOON! Angela xxx
Hi,
Watch that your bags are not heavier than 23kgs. Bring a spare plastic bag and make sure they weigh all the cases together and divide by 9. Rem you will not be allowed more liquid more than 100ml in your hand luggage.
As Lorna says if you have to pay excess baggage its only money. We can’t expect you to go and not bring back presents people have very kindly given you.
Keep safe – and try to sleep as much as poss. on the plane.
See you all tomorrow night.
God bless
LOL to J+S
Davy
XOXO
Hi all,
The saying goes, “All good things come to an end” but we know that, with the outworking of the Holy Spirit in your lives after your experiences in Japan, this won’t happen. The seed planted will be watered and God will give the increase. Praise His holy name. And may He have all the glory.
We hope, after your hectic packing and sad farewells, etc. that you will all be able to catch up on some sleep on the flight home. We will be praying for you as you go.
See you at the airport.
Love and blessings,
N a P x
hi team
you are up and about now getting ready to leave. know that this may be a little late for you to read it before you go but we are remembering you as you journey home.
see you tomorrow
Love T & J
Just in case anyone checks the blog when you wake up this morning and takes the time to read through the comments, this is to let you know that the team are now safely in the air, having left on time, just before 11.00 this morning Japan time.
Even though several of the bags weighed over the 23kg maximum weight allowance there was no problem. The check-in desk that David F chose to line up at was staffed by the mum of one of Daniel’s friends from Japanese school who not only overlooked the excess weight but also up-graded everyone’s seat from Economy to Economy Plus!
We were sad to see the team go. They have done a fantastic job and it has been a great joy to have each one of them here.
Thank you for all the support in the background and especially for all your prayers.
Love Alison, Graham, Kathryn & Daniel
Good evening Alison
How good to blog you! Thank you for the message giving the “status” of the travellers! We are looking forward to the reunion at the City Airport thisevening but appreciate that the parting and goodbyes over there must have been very difficult. For now, may I just say thank you for absolutely everything… with a promise to correspond in a more meaningful way via email. Enjoy your forthcoming holiday and say “hello”to Graham, Kathryn and Daniel.
With love from Jim & Angela xxx
Just”happened to casually” (as you do!) check the blog and laughed out loud (but in a praise and delight way ) when I read Alison’s blog. How good is that!! God is so good . Like Angela and all the other parents , we are so very grateful to Alison, Graham ,Kathryn , and Daniel for all that they have done . We look forward to hearing “tales of the ORRIENT ” first hand and realise there will be much to pray for in ways we maybe haven’t fully understood before , so a BIG thank you to them and all the folks at the Chapel and Yotsukaido . On the countdown now to the City Airport re-union but admit the time differences are beating my brain today ! Don’t forget ,Orr family , a little bit of Glengormley stays with you ,(maybe in true Presbyterian style you could add “2nd Glengormley to your church title!) We hope you know how much love goes to you in Japan from all of us here God Bless Sue xx
Alison,
What do you mean ‘just in case’. You should know by now that that this has developed into ‘The fellowship of the Blog’; it’s Glengormley’s, Facebook and Friends United rolled into one. I imagine that there will still be a few comments posted before this blog is closed.
Whilst our thoughts are very much with the travellers (currently 2/3 the way through their main flight) we are still thinking about you and Graham and the children. We know that the team found the work intense and tiring, but it is now complete and they are coming home. But , for yourselves, we also know that it is considerably harder to keeps things going – we just didn’t realise how hard. Go, now, and enjoy your own holiday, and I hope that you all get the rest and refreshment that you need and deserve.
2nd Glengormley Honarary Father
(Ebenezer and Mizpah)