Typhoon and Delays

Dear Family and Friends,

Well I had a great time being home in Canada with family and friends. It was soo nice to see you all again! I took some pictures, however, the camera has temporarily been misplaced ( I think I left it on the bus coming back to Ikoma!!!) So please pray that someone didn't take it but returned it to the bus company and that they have it right now!!

I was very excited to come back to Japan because Tsuguto is here, and a month is a long time to be a part! And I missed the country, the food, the people, and yes my students and teaching!! It's nice to have a vacation, but I really love my work.

Well, I was suppose to arrive home Friday September 2nd in Osaka. Everything was going as planned. Air Canada had good service this time and I had two seats to myself on the long flight to Shanghai. After arriving in Shanghai I had to pick up my bags and then catch the last 2 hour flight to Osaka. I was smiling inside cause I was almost home!

I found the check in place after some running around, only to be told that my flight had been canceled. CANCELED?!?!?! Why??

A huge typhoon was making its way to Japan as I was traveling. A typhoon and hurricane are the same thing just different names in Asia. Typhoon Talas was slow moving because it was carrying lots of rain with it, flooding rivers and wiping out homes. Air China did not want to fly to Japan in the middle of the typhoon. So here I was stranded in Shanghai. What to do next?

I had no RMB, Chinese money. I had no idea if it was safe to stay in the airport as a single, foreign woman ( China feels very different compared to Japan), I didn't know how much a good hotel would be or where. Usually airport hotels are expensive. So as I was contemplating what to do I met a Japanese man who could speak English very well, who was in the same situation.

He had been in Shanghai on business and did not know that our flight was canceled, until now. He was thinking about returning to his hotel, heard about my story, and very kindly (and I was trusting GOD that this man was good) offered to pay for the taxi ride to the hotel, and reserve 2 hotel rooms, one for me and one for him. I had no better option, and so on faith and a little desperation, I joined my new friend on a journey in Shanghai.

The hotel was 1 hour away from the airport. In Japan taking a taxi for one hour would cost you a fortune, so I was very grateful that my friend was willing to pay. The whole time I was praying that he was a decent man, and that because he was married with a family, worked for a good company, and my woman's intuition wasn't giving me any red flags, I could trust him.

Well, God really did send me an angel. When we arrived at the hotel, it was in a beautiful part of the city, with a huge park across the street. Trees everywhere. And the hotel was nice. He told me it was a 5 star hotel. I started to panic, thinking how can I afford this???

But he said that his company gets a discount when he stays, and he asked them to give me the same discount!! I had a beautiful room, on the 11th floor, with a queen size bed, beautiful view, huge tub, fancy shower, and breakfast was included in the morning! I was so thankful.

After I went to my room I collapsed from exhaustion. I had been up at 3:30am that day, and it was at least 24 hours since then. I had this huge comfortable bed and I could take a shower- I was so grateful.

The next day I tried to figure out something with Air China, but because it was a weekend, they were closed...really weird. So I phoned my boss in Japan, and asked him what to do. He said he would call them in Japan and see when the next flight was.

Well good news, the service in Japan is great and he arranged to put me on the next flight out, confirmed and all. I was so happy!! Then I looked at the day...Monday!?!? It was Saturday afternoon, so I would spend Friday night, Sat night, and Sunday night at the hotel.....not what I was hoping for. I really wanted to go back to Japan, and it was only a 2 hour flight away!

But David said that the typhoon was very strong, and that I could try to go to the airport, but the flight might be canceled again. So I decided to wait. I didn't want to at all, but I did. I thought over and over again, why is this happening?? But I remembered something Neil said, about there always being a reason for the things that happen to us, so instead of grumbling I really tried to be positive. I enjoyed my room, I was grateful to have met a nice man like Mottoo Nishimura, I read books that I didn't have time to read in Canada, and I made sure that on Monday morning everything was in order and I was ready to go. I wasn't going to miss this flight because of me!

Well I am happy to say that that flight was on time, I got through all the immigration and customs ok, and I met some other nice Japanese people while waiting in the huge line for Air China. Now I am happily back in Japan, getting ready for my first day back teaching, and the weather is beautiful :)

I want to thank you all for your prayers. I was a nervous wreck, trying to be smart and protect myself but at the same time having to trust a total stranger. I couldn't trust him right away, but I knew God knew where I was, who I was with, and that He could know what was going to happen next. We really do serve a God who cares!!

Love you all and please continue to pray for a new year of teaching in Japan, for the new and old students, and for Japan Mission!