Christmas Tea Party

Yesterday the Hiragishi ladies (Lorna, Kaori and Nora) hosted the first of our Christmas events this year. The idea was to have something low-key and informal in our house for ladies. The weather forecast of the previous evening was proved correct - high winds and heavy rain, quite unusual for this time of year in Hokkaido. In fact it is one of the worst days we have experienced here for some time. But everyone made it - helped by Lorna offering to pick some of them up. A good time was had by all (in fact people didn't leave till an hour after it was meant to finish!) Conversation flowed easily. There were good times of sharing. And some want to meet up again. It turned out that 9 of the 10 are mothers Lorna knows from school (or friends of these mothers) and the other one there was our neighbour who meets each week with Lorna for French lessons. It really shows the value of building up personal relationships with people in the early months of church planting. The Hiragishi guys were not present - but David and JP were at the same time meeting with a young man who comes once or twice a month to our service and who was keen to meet to talk and share more about the Bible. That too was a special time - but no space for that here so there will be more on that next time. Now our thoughts turn to our Family Christmas outreach next Saturday - lots to plan and prepare for that.