It definitely feels like summer now in southern Japan! We have many new and exciting things happening this month and next. Let me tell you about them!

First, a new customer to the coffee shop, Mrs. Y, decided that not enough people know about this wonderful place to drink coffee, meet friends, and talk leisurely with the owner. So she keeps coming back with different friends several times a week. Not only that, she has connections with local television stations. So two of them contacted Norman this month, asking to do interviews or short sections of their program, showcasing us and the coffee shop! The slight problem was that we already had a pretty booked schedule, and they wanted to film things this month, too.

All that to say, a 3-man camera crew came to the coffee shop last week to do interviews with us and our new employee, Mr. Shimazu. This particular show features couples in the Kumamoto area, highlighting their levels of happiness throughout their married lives. The crew came to our house afterward, took footage of our family singing, the O’Reillys (asking why they were in Japan), and interviewed the rest of the family. We will go to the TV station on July 26 for the live section of the show! Pray for us, please!

The second station will be filming us both at the coffee shop and our house on July 25. (Can you see how crazy our lives have become?) They will be asking why we’re in Japan and shoot footage of me making an American meal. This program highlights Suppers Around the World. The reporter will also eat with us. The O’Reillys don’t leave until July 27th, so we’ll probably have 12 people around the table that night!

Do please keep us in your prayers! We have no idea what God has in store through these opportunities, but we know He has a plan and it’s a good one! We’ll let you know how it goes!

Time to cool down! It’s hot!

Chris and Norman do garden duty, picking green beans.

Other things on our schedule coming up include the following:

• Two concerts (July 23 & 30) at Michishirube (coffee shop) as a way to help pay the bills
• Sell coffee as a vendor during a summer festival
• Kids’ Camp (July 27-28) – Chloe will be a helper; Cameron and Melodie will attend
• Norman speaks at a different Kids’ Camp (Aug. 1-2)
• Multi-church ABWE fellowship (Aug. 7); we’re renting a bus to attend it.
• We hope to begin homeschool again, the second week of August! (Whew, are we ready for that one yet?)
• Two charity mini-concerts in August by our family for the children who are homeless due to the earthquakes
• Chloe and Marty will be baptized on August 14th!
• Five days away for our annual ABWE retreat (August)
• Multi-church fellowship at Michishirube (Aug. 27) for Kumamoto area

This is all in addition to our regular Sunday Bible studies, individual Bible studies, English classes, and life! One lovely thing that has been a huge treat to Norman and me is that the O’Reillys graciously agreed to watch our children for a couple days this week. This enabled the two of us to have a little getaway which we can’t remember doing in a very long time. It’s the lull before the storm! Reality is a’comin’!

Thank you for your prayers! We need them this summer more than ever!