Hakone Conferance

Every year in Japan they have a Bible conference at the beginning of August.  When we arrived last year it was just 2 weeks after we arrived and we didn't feel the children, nor ourselves would be ready to venture out so soon.  Each year it is hosted by a different assembly, and this year just happened to be Tokyo's turn.  They held it in Hakone, a famous hot spring area about a hour outside the city.  The meetings were held in the hotel and I had forgotten how nice that is with children.  Our room was mere steps away from the meeting area, restaurant and of course the onsen, or public baths.

We arrived on Friday evening, not really sure what to expect.  I have been to many conferences over the years, but you honestly never quite know what to expect here.

They had had a evening Bible study and we arrived soon after.  We were ushered into the center of the room, and our arrival was announced on the microphone, in case anyone missed it.  Not likely, being American with 4 disheveled children in tow.

Feeling rather on the spot

Evening snack of bean jelly, sour cream pretzel sticks and a tea wafer.

Morning prayer was in this garden at 6:30 am.  Mount Fuji is in the distance

Andrew was the only one from our brood to attend...

The kids were so excited to wake up and wear their hot spring robes (people wear them around the hotel everywhere)  Audrey wanted to go like this.  Note the slippers...shoes were replaced by slippers for almost everyone.

Every morning this little one starts her day with a cup of green tea..

Below are some photos of all who attended...

Mrs. Yachidate and Mrs. Fujishiro

with Mrs. Nakamura

Yuto

Shu and Yano

Yuki and No

There was such a wonderful sense of fellowship and kinship among everyone.  And much emphasis was put on relaxing and enjoying each others company.  On Saturday afternoon, there were not any meetings, just the baptism of Stanley, Molly, and Yu, a boy here from Bangkok.  

Molly and Stanley had both asked to be baptized a couple months ago, and it was arranged to be done at the conference.  Their Sunday school teacher Nozomu Yachidate did it, and it was wonderful.

Getting ready to give their testimony to everyone...Stanley was so nervous!

Stanley

Molly

Yu

They were baptized in an onsen or hot spring fed to the hotel from the volcano nearby.  The water was very hot, and needed cooling with cold water for the children.

After the baptism, for the rest of the afternoon we were encouraged to relax and explore the area.  We had been to this area before, but we decided to go to a open air modern art museum with some of the others at the conference.

Playground anyone?

lookout tower

The lookout from the top

So when we got back, everyone was taking advantage of the hot springs...so we did too!

unimpressed

Loving it

Dinner looked a shade different than other conferences we have been to...

Crab legs, sashimi, octopus, squid, trout, and seasonal veggies...

Soup with mussels

You are kidding right mom?

But they did eat most of their dinner, thankfully, in the end.

Andrew and I came away from the conference truly refreshed.  They took up the book of Jonah, and though I cannot say I understood very much, the fellowship was very special, and much needed.

Hakone 2014