"Feels kinda like a war zone" AKA When realities collide

Today was not nearly as much fun as yesterday.

Another difficult morning commute with lots of waiting involved. I did manage to make it to school a whole 20 mins earlier than yesterday however. I suppose that's something. Fortunately I didn't have any morning classes, so I didn't miss anything.

Everyone's in power-saving mode. We spent most of the day with most of the lights off. I noticed the station was doing the same, and I even went shopping at a convenience store in the dark.

I decided later that it was probably this blocks turn for the rotating power outages that have been implemented.

But shopping in the dark was fun. Good news was there was food! (especially good news considering I didn't have a lunch for today.)

I spent two hours waiting for my transfer, because the one train line only runs in the early mornings right now, and then stops until 3PM when it starts to run at 70%. The problem is my connecting train, which today didn't start running until 9:45. And then it was late.

And then trying to get home has been fun too. Today they decided the night trains would run at 10:30pm! insane. Fortunately a teacher drove me to the connecting station.

Who knew just getting to work could be this complicated?


Then we have the rolling black-outs. We are all divided up into 5 groups that take turns having about 3 hours of black out at a time. Today we had a black out while school was going. Then I came home to my group in a black out.

There's no gasoline right now. Can't buy batteries or flashlights etc.

And you wait. Stand in line and wait.

I've never been in a war zone, but it kinda feels like one to me. Like those old WWII movies you see, where everyone's rationing things and you have to wait in line for bread.

So I was commenting to my roommate tonight, Japan's physical reality is finally reflecting their spiritual reality, and even emotional reality.

And this is what happens when realities clash.






Lines.





(Just kidding.)


Thankfully the black-out times are also rotating, so while we had the most inconvient time today for a black-out (coming home to no electricity means you can't cook or, more importantly, use the internet!) they won't be as bad for the rest of the week I think.

Tonight I decided it would be the perfect chance to play guitar in the dark. That was fun. I had my computer on battery power for my light, and played songs from memory. Makes for a nice atmosphere.

Then I thought I would go to bed early, but decided to look outside to see what no electricity looks like from the outside.

Wow, just turning off a neighborhood's lights let's you see the stars so much more clearly. The moon is bright tonight.

Then I noticed that there was light coming from the church next door. They were having English class. A beacon of Light in the night. How beautiful.
















































This has become her last class in Japan. I just got an e-mail that the missionaries in the Kanto (around Tokyo) area are being evacuated to Kobe. They were told this morning.

This is devastating for them, and I ask for your prayers. They are all scheduled to leave the country anyway in a couple of weeks, and this is robbing them of their chances to say good-bye.

Please pray for God's love and mercy to surround all those effected by this decision.

Everyday brings new revelations of reality...

I wonder what tomorrow has in store.

(I'd be happier with a smoother commute.)