Saturday Event-Takidashi

The amazing tent that we use for our Saturday events and other special events.
Thanks to Samaritan's Purse for providing it!

Every Saturday is we hold our biggest regular event. This event has been going on since day 3 after the tsunami hit by our team. Many many volunteers from all over the world have participated and have made this event happen weekly. It originally was called takidashi which means soup kitchen. Now it is a community meal in which on average a 100 people attend and fellowship with each other. We start at 9 setting up and preparing whatever is the menu for that particular day's meal. From 9 to 11:30 the people come and chat and drink coffee and help prepare the meal. At 11:30 we have a game of Bingo for everyone. At 12 we serve the meal and thanks to our new permanent tent many people stay, eat, and continue to fellowship.

The reason why we have continued it even though the need for food is over the need for community and hope is still so very real! We have had many stories from people who come regularly that this event brings them hope and gives them courage to face another week. So many of the people who come have had loved ones die, lost jobs, lost homes, and endured unbelievable stories because of the tsunami.
Based off the constant testimonies of those who come every bit of weariness and frustration on the volunteer's and my part in order to make this event happen weekly has been completely worth it!
Below are pictures from this past saturday.

We set up small tents outside the big tent to cook under.

Inside the big tent people have coffee and enjoy being out of the cold.

It was snowing really hard this past saturday.

One of the local community members brought oysters in which many of the community helped cook.

Everyone loved the oysters young and old a like. :)

Massage and Make-up events (and basketball)

The last week and half has been non-stop with events and volunteer groups coming through. Last week we had very popular Japanese make-up group(equivalent to May Kay in America I think) come and do an event here at the house. They gave hand massages, make overs for the ladies, and a dietitian talked with them on various health issues. They have come before and done 2 events last fall. They will be coming two more times this month as well.

make up and hand massage

hand massage!

We also had a massage/acupuncture guy come through for 3 days this past week as well. He worked out of the house for 2 of the days and the other day he worked at a nearby temporary housing. We had a videographer come through  as well for several days. He was gathering footage for a fundraising video for childrens' programs in tsunami hit areas.

Thanks to meeting a home owner through a house dedication by Samaritan's Purse I finally found a place to play basketball. This is my favorite sport and I had not been able to play since being in Japan. They meet every sunday evening for two hours at the local elementary school. It is pretty exciting for it has given us a chance to get to know another group of people in this area. Below are some pictures from the last couple of weeks.

One of the men on our team

This past sunday three different teams got together to play.

The man with the jersey #4 is the homeowner who invited us to play!  Many thanks to him!

So much fun!