OUR DREAM OF A MISSIONS TRIP COMES TO AN END

Leaving Thailand at night and flying back to Japan, we were able to look down and see the lights of Laos, Vietnam and Taiwan.  As we flew over Taiwan, I thought of James and Esther Chuang who were serving there with the C&MA.  You may remember that James and Esther came as newlyweds to Lethbridge and became the first pastor of the Lethbridge Chinese Alliance Church.

We touched down at the Narita airport at 6:00am.  Can you imagine our surprise when we were standing in the hotel lobby, waiting for our room assignment for the day, when we heard our names being called out.  We were in for a pleasant surprise.  Don and Vivian Bruck, pastor of an international church in Tokyo, had come to the airport to take us on a whirlwind tour of Tokyo.  We had been on tour for sixteen days, without any sickness.  To the disappointment of the Brucks and us, we, along with several others on our trip, had upset stomachs that morning.  We attributed it to something that we had eaten the night before.  So we bought them breakfast at the hotel and we visited in our hotel room for a bit.  Hence our sight-seeing of Tokyo may have to wait until the millennium.

Don & Vivian Bruck & Leona at Narita airport, Tokyo

We left Tokyo at 6:00pm that evening, arriving back in Vancouver at 9:00am, or thereabouts, that same day.  We finally got back the day that we had lost on our way over.  As though we hadn't had enough traveling, we spent the day, or night, whichever it was, in a hotel near the Vancouver airport, flying out the next morning to Ontario, for the 60th wedding anniversary celebration for my Mom and Dad.

Our first Sunday back at Kamloops I gave a missions report and showed several of our slides.  I also wrote a poem, which I read that Sunday.  Below is the poem.
THE LOST - IN FAR OFF LANDS

I've seen the lost in far off lands,
They're blinded to the Light;
The devil makes his strong demands
But all is dark as night.

The beggar sits amidst the mess
Seeking to satisfy,
The misled priest with flowing dress
Bare footed walks on by.

The woman bows before a shrine
Hoping her peace to make,
An offering made with gods in mind
A fruit, or maybe a cake.

Is there no hope for these dear ones
Who continue down the road?
Is there no word for daughters and sons,
Weighed down with such a load?

Ah yes, there is an enlightened Word
From Christian men and women,
The sweetest Word that ever was heard
From darkness into heaven.

The story of Jesus and His love
That delivers from all our sin,
Light, peace, hope from God above
When Jesus comes within.


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