Kopi and Kaya, a Great Couple!

Thanks to Ya Kun Coffeestall of Singapore having an outlet in Toyosu, the adjacent island to ours, we can continue to enjoy Kopi and Kaya from time to time. A taste of Singapore. What is Kaya? A great breakfast or snack with butter on toast. A sweet jam made of coconut, milk and some unknown plant. And Kopi? Maximum strength coffee, usually mixed with condensed milk. It's great hot or iced, provided you don't enjoy it too late in the afternoon, or worse still, in the evening.

While you can enjoy Kopi in Malaysia and Thailand, and now even Japan, the half boiled egg is a Singapore tradition. Immerse an egg in hot, but not boiling, water for 30 seconds or so, and then crack open in a saucer. If we want that, I guess we'll have to do it at home, but I don't think anyone's developed nostalgia for that yet.

Asia Spice Conference

An excellent conference in Penang, Malaysia last week for all Asia Spice international workers, and their families. Since Heather's contemplating a career overseas, we were delighted that she could get time off work to attend!

There were some sessions and seminars that were of benefit to her, but it was the networking over meals that was really memorable. It was great to hear stories of what God is doing all over Asia.

We had a little time off the last afternoon, and Heather and Megan went parasailing. Here they are harnessed up for flight.

Two steps forward, and then airborne! A great feeling, and in Penang at least, a low cost.

While we enjoyed flying into Haneda airport's new international terminal, a mere 40 minute journey from our apartment (compared to about two hours to Narita airport), I don't think Megan enjoyed the all-night flight.

A Pastoral Visit

Toshimi had been involved with our Harumi Praise Time since our return to Japan in 2009, and our girls enjoyed her son Kazuki. I had met with her husband a few times for coffee and English conversation. Then last summer they moved to Singapore.

Since we had the Asia Spice conference to attend in Penang, Malaysia, a stopover in Singapore seemed in order. They graciously showed us some of the sights in a city that is spectacular.

I'd have to say their new neighbourhood is like Harumi, but of course much warmer. Especially this time of year!

Looks like the school uniforms are made with the hot sun in mind! We were able to give Toshimi the addresses of some churches in town, including a couple of Japanese congregations.

More of Christmas

Carol had a Christmas party for the children and mothers in her programs.

After a few carols, some puppets told the story of Christmas to the children

who enjoyed it. They also enjoyed the Christmas crafts.

Not only did these old CD-ROM discs make a good craft, but the Loves were pleased to get rid of all of them prior to their home assignment this summer!

Not all of the Santa cookies turned out as well as the example...

But, no matter how the cookies looked, they were all fun to eat!

And, later that evening we had good attendance for the Christmas Candle Service.

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Christmas, All At Once

Every year, Christmas seems to arrive suddenly, but this year we did the four Sundays of advent plus Christmas Eve all at once, on December 12.

That is to say, we did a month's worth of candle lighting all on one Sunday morning, for the sake of explaining the meaning of Christmas to those who gathered.

A number of us did the introduction and lighting of the candles and the scripture readings. Of course for each candle there was a corresponding Christmas carol. Perhaps you'll recognize this one:

Yes, that's right. O Come All Ye Faithful, verse 4. Of course, what's a Christmas celebration without a turkey dinner? We had a 10 pound turkette, so we carefully removed every scrap of meat from it and had nothing left over after our meal together.