Soap

I know that I started this blog while I was in Japan, and I'm sure it was much more interesting as I wrote about things I did while I was there... BUT... I feel like I just have to tell about one of my latest activities. Two Saturdays ago I went with Daddy to help at a church work day. While there, we were told we could have a piece of counter-top that had been torn out. We brought it home and after Daddy cut it 14x15" he attached sides to it and I had a soap mold!! Our family started selling homemade goat milk soap while I was in Japan. Being very interested in it, I started watching videos on YouTube about soap making. I fell in love with a swirled soap I watched being made. To be able to make swirled soap I had to have a new mold (which I now have). Today Momma helped me make my very first batch of soap!! It is Bergamot Grapefruit. I used a peachy-orange color for my swirl. It is in the freezer cooling now. I am so excited!!! I'll have to take pictures of it to post as soon as I can cut it. To see the rest of our soaps check out brightarrows.blogspot.com.


All my love,
Hannah

Earthquake

I lived in Tokyo, Japan for 222 days (exactly). I never once thought what would happen if a major earthquake or other natural disaster struck while I was there. I simply went about my daily tasks, business, etc. I took walks by myself and with friends. I made frequent runs to the 7-11 as you know from reading my blog. I made it to the trains and missed trains all the time! I never thought: "what if this is my last action?" Often I walked down the streets of Tokyo and Ginza, or Harajuku some of the top shopping places in the world. After being there and seeing all of it I wonder: "How could all of it be completely destroyed in 5 minutes?"


Doubtless you have heard about the earthquake, tsunami, and following aftershocks that hit Japan late last week. That 8.9 earthquake was the largest earthquake to ever hit Japan, and the 5th largest to ever occur. Thousands of people have lost their lives. When they left home or even woke up that morning, I wonder how many of them thought that this would be their last day. Even the people who have not lost their lives have lost much. The Japanese economy will suffer greatly. The Japanese people have lost homes, family, health, jobs, etc. The train systems that were punctual to the second while I was there are not the same now. The malls and shopping streets are all changed. The people I visited are now in bad times. What else can I say? I don't think it has all even sunk into my brain yet. Practically everything that I knew is now changed in some way or another. 


I have heard from many of my friends. The Lowthers are all OK. The Fukuda family (the pastor of the church in Tokyo) is safe. Everyone in Chiba (the MTW team) is safe. To read my friend's blog about her experiences that day go to http://operation-arigatou-jesus.blogspot.com/ . 


All my love,
Hannah