We have been so busy this past month! So much to do; so little time!

First, more updates on the “barn’s” progress.

Fellow missionary Tom Carr uses his height to help put up the ceiling.

The kids helped paint.

The shower is put in the right place.

Walls are in for privacy in at least part of the bathroom!

The toilet is in and functioning! This is a great addition for those living in the cabin. Amanda and Keiko don’t have to traipse across the yard to visit the bathroom in our house now.

Getting the kitchen set up. Little by little, things are coming together!

The shower has cold water…but not hot yet! We hooked up Keiko’s clothes washer so she can use it whenever she wants.

As you can see, Norman’s been hard at work trying to finish this project in the midst of all the other things he’s doing these days. This week, he began clearing out the storage things in the large meeting room in hopes of hosting a larger gathering in June.

Moving to another topic, our grand “renewal” opening of the Guidepost Gallery and Coffee store went well enough. Definitely, more customers walked through the door, but our coffee adviser who’s helped us get this thing going was much more optimistic regarding sales. However, we were able to meet many new people and make more of a realistic effort to pay the bills.

We hosted a concert on May 21, inviting an area man to play acoustic guitar and harmonica and sing folk songs. It was well attended. We served dessert sets which included our flavorful coffee and sweets made by me! The Japanese people really seem to like apple cake! Chloe and Cameron also sang solos and played guitar and ukulele for a short part of the concert.

Life in Kumamoto is settling into some sense of normality. There are still many blue tarps covering rooftops due to shifting (or missing) roof tiles. Lots of remodeling is going on. Others are still waiting for insurance estimates and carpenters. Donations have come in to ABWE to be used for helping victims, and our missionaries have discussed how to disperse it. We hope to give it out very soon to those in need.

We are preparing for Chris and Sarah O’Reilly and their two children to be here for 8 weeks this summer! It’ll be a new kind of “GRIT”! Actually, it won’t be GRIT-like, but we hope it’s a blessing to them and to the work here. They should arrive June 1.

As always, we appreciate your prayers for us and the work here in Japan. We need your help!