A Great Day—Thirty Years in the Making

At the close of the day as I am settling into bed, I like to review the events of the day. I enjoy recalling all that has taken place. Usually there are many things to thank God for. I ask myself what I have accomplished. If the list of completed tasks is long, I feel particularly gratified. If the list is short and I feel overwhelmed with unfinished work, rest may not come as easily.

                Last night as I lay my head on the pillow I had a lot to be thankful for. The day had been full of accomplishments. The work day began with a twenty minute taxi ride from our former home in Nagakute, Japan to Kinjo Gakuin University in Nagoya. Arriving early, my wife and I had time for a relaxed prayer time in the Bible Garden and a short stroll about campus in the morning sunshine.

                Soon enough it was time to deliver my ‘guest lecture’ to about thirty students in Professor Kawahara’s translation class. What a lot of fun that was! It began with me doing a storytelling of my book, Little Froggy Explores the BIG World. That’s always loads of fun with lots of actions and amusing sounds to make. That was followed by an explanation of how Little Froggy was born in Japan, raised in Canada and was turned into a picture book there. Finally, there was a question and answer session. The university students had many fascinating questions about how to translate this book into Japanese. My wife, Karen, was able to help when I was stumped by a few questions.

After thirty years Little Froggy had returned home to Japan at last where his story was being translated into Japanese. What an honour!

                The entire visit to Kinjo Gakuin University was a superb experience. Visiting with Professor Kawahara and two of his graduate students after class was a special treat. Later we caught a ride home with Matthew Taylor, who I had led to the Lord as a young man more than thirty years ago while we were living here in Japan. It was great to see him and listen to his heart and his struggles as he has remained faithful to the Lord while living in Japan ever since that time. The Lord has kept him through thick and thin.

                We spent the evening in worship at the Christian Life midweek service. A guest speaker from Israel gave a praise report about how the Japanese church is building bridges between Christians and Jewish immigrants to Israel. What an amazing example of the gospel at work in the world across cultures!

                At the close of the service a woman approached me to say I had been the reason she came to Christian Life Church thirty years ago. She heard of me due to a one-time visit to an English class. Later she tried to search me out, but I had already returned to Canada. In a small way I had been instrumental in her coming to faith and I had no knowledge of her story until last night. 

                As I closed my eyes, I had so much to be thankful for. Sometimes a great day is thirty years in the making.