July 29: Starting VBS at Yamanakako

TODAY WAS THE DAY THAT THE VBS CAMP AT YAMANAKAKO STARTED!! WOOOOT! WE STARTED OFF THE DAY BY EATING BREAKFAST AT 7 (EXCEPT RICHIE, JENNY, AND MIYOU WERE LATE). WE ALL GOT READY AND WENT DOWNSTAIRS TO WAIT FOR THE CHILDREN. THEY STARTED TRICKLING IN AND WE COULDN'T HELP BUT SAY 'AWWW!' Richie just told me to not type in all capitals. Okay! So! It started raining really hard, which was a refreshing change. The bus was supposed to be late but it all worked out and the kids were doing fine waiting for a little while. We got on the bus and all of the Agape team tried to split up and sit next to the kids. Jenny sat next to this little ball of loud sunshine named Koto-chan. Richie sat next to a boy named Kohei. Everyone started bonding on the bus and even though some had language barriers, they found a way past that by playing hand games and more. Sato and Shun were great bus leaders and we played balloon games that the kids really got into. There was laughing and smiling all around!

We arrived at the Hana No Minako Park, which is a huge flower park with a greenhouse and many other things. As we walked from the bus to the park, the rain and wind started going super saiyan and people's umbrellas even flipped inside out. The kids were all enjoying the flowers inside the greenhouse. We walked outside all the way to this communal space where they had tatami mats and a stage where we all ate lunch. The girls asked Jenny, Jen, and Sato to sit with them. Tama-chan taught all of us how to properly open a store bought rice ball:P. Everyone took out all their snacks and shared with everyone and we had a feast of amazing Japanese snacks. Japan really does have the best snacks! After, we all walked around the park and went into a cave that was a result of hardened lava from Fuji-san. The kids were all amazed and and were dragging Agape team members to try to show them how cool it was. We walked further and there was a waterfall with loooots of water coming out. It was really pretty! We all walked back to the bus singing disney songs, "Country Road," and "Tonari no Totoro". (:

On the bus ride to the camp Yamanakako cabin, we all marveled at the lush, green mountains and the actual lake. We were still bonding and it was still raining. We arrived at the cabin and somehow Jenny's bag was left outside in the rain when we were bringing everything inside. (THANKS GUYS.) We all went and put our bags in all of our rooms. There was orientation and we all got to know each other's names.

After getting cleaned up and taking showers, we were separated into three groups : The Flower Angels, The Colorful Eleven, and Team Happy. We read Bible stories and came up with the general idea for our skits. The kids were really creative and came up with most of it. We had a delicious dinner of Hamburger, Saba shioyaki with a tomato sauce, corn soup, salad, and a cream shrimp dish on a clam shell. Isn't that ridiculously amazing?! Okay! soo, after dinner we had our first session. People were shy at first, but we sang songs and soon enough everyone was laughing and having a blast. Jenny gave her testimony and there was a "camp fire" ( wood with candles on it) and we ended off on a really good note.

We played a game called Pterodactyl where we had to say "Pterodactyl" without showing any teeth. The kids really liked it and it took a full half hour. It ended with Richie battling it out with Tama-chan and we could not handle the intensity. Seriously. It was crazy. Tama-chan owned him. :D

Overall, it was a great day, and God is doing great things.

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-Jenny Morris