Hello everyone! Just a short message now! I am at the narito airport in Tokyo right now! Waiting for my flight which leaves around 2! I have had such an amazing time and I can't believe it's over! Thank you for all your support and prayer! Pictures will be posted soon! For now, I'm heading home!!
-Elaine cutting :)
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Greetings!
Hi everyone! Sorry it's been a while since I posted! So much has happened. Today Monday and we leave wednesday morning! I can't believe my trip is almost over! I've seen and done so much it's so crazy!
Saturday was our last day of volunteer work. We worked in a large open area picking up rubble and sorting it into piles. We wen back early to clean the house before the house owner, Fujimura-San came back to make us dinner. His wife,sister and her family came as well! They made an AMAZING dinner with sushi and Edemame and all things good! They were so greatful that we were there helping. Everyone we met has been so thankful and happy that we had come so far to help them.
Sunday morning we left the house to return the cars. The Japanese people were in the middle of a three day festival of silence to remember their dead ancestors. However, the people were so grateful that we were here, they broke their silence to bring over a drum team to play for us before we left! It was such a cool and exciting experience! Theyre so intense! We got to try the drums and i got to try the flute! :) it was a fun experience!
After dropping off the cars, we had about twelve hours to kill before our buss left so we visited a temple called chusonji with big golden statues. It was cool, but not as awesome as the Japanese rock garden we visited later. That was Beautiful! I'm sorry I can't post pictures! After I get back and download them to my laptop, I'll share them with you guys!
After all that walking around we were hot and sweaty so we walked around looking for an onsen (bath house). We ended up finding the sketchiest onsen ever!!! It was located in a dark alleyway, it was 390 yen, you could almost see into the other side, and the lady running the place couldn't really understand our translators and we couldn't understand her so she was pretty much yelling at us the whole time! Needless to say, we did t spend too much time there at 8:30 at night, but it was nice to get clean!
Our bus arrived at 9:30pm and we departed shortly after starting our 8 hour bus ride! There was a lot of attempting to sleep, reshifting, disturbing my poor neighbor, Sarah, and overall soreness! After a way too long bus ride and a 40 minute trainride, we arrived in this city... I can't remember the name of it right now, but it's close to Tokyo. We had breakfast at McDonalds and mister donut! Heh! Silly place for breakfast, but we were tired and hungry and he coffee was soooooo good!!
Now were staying at a house in this city, which has Internet thankfully!! The owners are in America for a while so they offered us their home to stay in for two nights. It's very nice! Well just be chilling here for a while and one of these last two days will b spend looking around the actual main city of Tokyo! I'm so excited for that! It's gonna be AMAZING!! Don't worry, I'll take lots of pictures! Then on Wednesday we fly back home and thatll be it! Man! I can't believe it! Thank you so much for your prayer and support this whole time! It has been such a blessing to be on this trip and it's so comforting to know that people back home are praying for us! Thankfully no one has gotten seriously hurt! There was one girl, Rebecca who got a pretty bad rash and had to go to the hospital to get it checked out (I can't remember if I told you guys this already) but it's nothing too serious, and after some medicine and time, it's healing quite nicely!
Well that's about it for now! It's so weird to think I'll be back in California soon!! Well bye for now! lots of love!
-Elaine
Saturday was our last day of volunteer work. We worked in a large open area picking up rubble and sorting it into piles. We wen back early to clean the house before the house owner, Fujimura-San came back to make us dinner. His wife,sister and her family came as well! They made an AMAZING dinner with sushi and Edemame and all things good! They were so greatful that we were there helping. Everyone we met has been so thankful and happy that we had come so far to help them.
Sunday morning we left the house to return the cars. The Japanese people were in the middle of a three day festival of silence to remember their dead ancestors. However, the people were so grateful that we were here, they broke their silence to bring over a drum team to play for us before we left! It was such a cool and exciting experience! Theyre so intense! We got to try the drums and i got to try the flute! :) it was a fun experience!
After dropping off the cars, we had about twelve hours to kill before our buss left so we visited a temple called chusonji with big golden statues. It was cool, but not as awesome as the Japanese rock garden we visited later. That was Beautiful! I'm sorry I can't post pictures! After I get back and download them to my laptop, I'll share them with you guys!
After all that walking around we were hot and sweaty so we walked around looking for an onsen (bath house). We ended up finding the sketchiest onsen ever!!! It was located in a dark alleyway, it was 390 yen, you could almost see into the other side, and the lady running the place couldn't really understand our translators and we couldn't understand her so she was pretty much yelling at us the whole time! Needless to say, we did t spend too much time there at 8:30 at night, but it was nice to get clean!
Our bus arrived at 9:30pm and we departed shortly after starting our 8 hour bus ride! There was a lot of attempting to sleep, reshifting, disturbing my poor neighbor, Sarah, and overall soreness! After a way too long bus ride and a 40 minute trainride, we arrived in this city... I can't remember the name of it right now, but it's close to Tokyo. We had breakfast at McDonalds and mister donut! Heh! Silly place for breakfast, but we were tired and hungry and he coffee was soooooo good!!
Now were staying at a house in this city, which has Internet thankfully!! The owners are in America for a while so they offered us their home to stay in for two nights. It's very nice! Well just be chilling here for a while and one of these last two days will b spend looking around the actual main city of Tokyo! I'm so excited for that! It's gonna be AMAZING!! Don't worry, I'll take lots of pictures! Then on Wednesday we fly back home and thatll be it! Man! I can't believe it! Thank you so much for your prayer and support this whole time! It has been such a blessing to be on this trip and it's so comforting to know that people back home are praying for us! Thankfully no one has gotten seriously hurt! There was one girl, Rebecca who got a pretty bad rash and had to go to the hospital to get it checked out (I can't remember if I told you guys this already) but it's nothing too serious, and after some medicine and time, it's healing quite nicely!
Well that's about it for now! It's so weird to think I'll be back in California soon!! Well bye for now! lots of love!
-Elaine
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Hey everyone! Today is Wednesday! Our day off! I cant believe I'll be flying back to LA In a week! It's really been a crazy experience! Ive learned and grown so much! I'll miss Japan when I leave but I'm also very excited to see home again!
Yesterday we worked at a hotel by the seashore. The entire building had been swept away and all that was left was about half a foot of wall and a few rooms of flooring! The owner said he had been waiting and calling the city hall for help ever since the tsunami but we were the first group sent! He was very grateful that we were there!
Today we relaxed and got to know our two new Japanese students who will be joining us for the rest of the time. There is a girl named Jasmine and her mom as well as a boy named Tomoya. We are very excited to have them living and working with us for these last few days!
In other news there were two earthquakes last night. Nothing too big, we've heard it was something like a 4.0 but it was enough to wake most of us up. There was another one earlier this afternoon, but again nothing too bad! Everything's all good here!
Well that's about it! Sometime next week we might be working at a Japanese festival! We are all very excited about that! I'll tell you how things work out! Bye for now!
-Elaine
Yesterday we worked at a hotel by the seashore. The entire building had been swept away and all that was left was about half a foot of wall and a few rooms of flooring! The owner said he had been waiting and calling the city hall for help ever since the tsunami but we were the first group sent! He was very grateful that we were there!
Today we relaxed and got to know our two new Japanese students who will be joining us for the rest of the time. There is a girl named Jasmine and her mom as well as a boy named Tomoya. We are very excited to have them living and working with us for these last few days!
In other news there were two earthquakes last night. Nothing too big, we've heard it was something like a 4.0 but it was enough to wake most of us up. There was another one earlier this afternoon, but again nothing too bad! Everything's all good here!
Well that's about it! Sometime next week we might be working at a Japanese festival! We are all very excited about that! I'll tell you how things work out! Bye for now!
-Elaine
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Hii again! We went back to the same onset (bath house) today so there's Internet again! And I have a full battery! Japan has been crazy! Like I said we stayed the first night in Mitaka a city that's sort of part of Tokyo. We explored for a while and lol our first breakfast was at... Mcdonalds! It was good though! Japan is sooo cool! There are vending machines litelly everywhere! On Monday we took an 8 hour night bus to Kesennuma! Not very fun at all! We spent tuesday recouperating and the volunteer center was closed on Wednesday so we explored a little! We visited a tree that had lasted the tsunami and had become something of a symbol of hope for the Japanese people. It was touching and eye opening. This was the first we had encountered the devastation that still persists after all this time! There are piles and piles of rubble and cars stacked on top of each other, houses ranging from almost in tact to completely destroyed! It's so sad! But it's also a very real remnder of why were here and also to keep praying for the Japanese people who have been devistated.
On Thursday we started volunteering at a hotel in Kesennuma. We dug out mud from the back and searched for bits of garbage amongst the rocks. It was hard work and we got very dirty! I have never been so excited to visit the onsen! (although I get increasingly more excited every volunteer day!)
Yesterday we visited a very nice house by the shore that was completely trashed with debris. We were in the merciless sun all day and yes that is where I got my atrocious sun burn! It was cool though because halfway through the day a big group of Japanese people came to help and we got to talk with them while we worked! I heard many stories and met many people! One girl was in Kesennuma when the earthquake and tsunami hit, living with her grandparents. Her grandp was in a wheelchair so she struggled to pull him up the stairs to safety. Right when she was going to give up, the water stopped and both her and her grandpa survived! We told her that God had protected her and her family and she agreed. After we volunteered we went to dinner and I learned a very important lession! The round black thing on a Japanese plate is called a hot plate and you do NOT touch it! Ever! Thankfully, God is keeping an eye on me and the nasty burn on my finger is healing VERY fast! As well as the burns on my arms!
Today we went back to the hotel, we've formed a friendship with the owner, Katou-San. She was with her guests when the tsunami hit and she and her guests ran to the mountain while the waves rushed towards them. She said the tops of the waves were on fire! She is very grateful to be alive! She is currently living in a room on the third floor of her hotel,which was mostly uneffected, but she hasn't had electricity sincethe earthquake! She is very happy though, and very nice! Today she bought us Popsicles and iced coffee! We worked hard shoveling out rubble from the inside of the first floor and tearing out decaying drywall! It was hard work but at least we were out of the sun!
The house were staying at is AMAZING! I don't have a picture now, but it's beautiful and old! I'm running out of time now, but I'll post again when I can! Lots of love!
-Elaine!
Ps sorry there's no pictures! I haven't figured it out and I'm out of time! Later!
On Thursday we started volunteering at a hotel in Kesennuma. We dug out mud from the back and searched for bits of garbage amongst the rocks. It was hard work and we got very dirty! I have never been so excited to visit the onsen! (although I get increasingly more excited every volunteer day!)
Yesterday we visited a very nice house by the shore that was completely trashed with debris. We were in the merciless sun all day and yes that is where I got my atrocious sun burn! It was cool though because halfway through the day a big group of Japanese people came to help and we got to talk with them while we worked! I heard many stories and met many people! One girl was in Kesennuma when the earthquake and tsunami hit, living with her grandparents. Her grandp was in a wheelchair so she struggled to pull him up the stairs to safety. Right when she was going to give up, the water stopped and both her and her grandpa survived! We told her that God had protected her and her family and she agreed. After we volunteered we went to dinner and I learned a very important lession! The round black thing on a Japanese plate is called a hot plate and you do NOT touch it! Ever! Thankfully, God is keeping an eye on me and the nasty burn on my finger is healing VERY fast! As well as the burns on my arms!
Today we went back to the hotel, we've formed a friendship with the owner, Katou-San. She was with her guests when the tsunami hit and she and her guests ran to the mountain while the waves rushed towards them. She said the tops of the waves were on fire! She is very grateful to be alive! She is currently living in a room on the third floor of her hotel,which was mostly uneffected, but she hasn't had electricity sincethe earthquake! She is very happy though, and very nice! Today she bought us Popsicles and iced coffee! We worked hard shoveling out rubble from the inside of the first floor and tearing out decaying drywall! It was hard work but at least we were out of the sun!
The house were staying at is AMAZING! I don't have a picture now, but it's beautiful and old! I'm running out of time now, but I'll post again when I can! Lots of love!
-Elaine!
Ps sorry there's no pictures! I haven't figured it out and I'm out of time! Later!
Friday, August 5, 2011
First post in Japan! Sorry my batteries low!
Hey everyone! Sorry, this is the first time I've gotten Internet and I'm running low on battery so I'll keep it short. We arrived in Tokyo on time and took a two hour bus ride to mitaka where we were staying, although that holds nothing to the 8 hour night bus we took to kesennuma! We've been working hard and I have an furious sun burn! I'll have to post again later sometime! Almost out of bAttery! It's beautiful here but it's also sad with all the devastation! Pictures later! I miss you all like crazy but I'm having a blast! Lots of love!
-Elaine
-Elaine
Thursday, July 28, 2011
TOMORROW!
Hey everyone!
I am currently looking at my half packed suitcase sitting propped on my bed and thinking "OH my goodness! Where did that last week goo?!" The answer? "I dunno!" But here it is! The night before I head over to the airport! I'm pretty sure tomorrow's just gonna be briefing at LAX and we're not actually leaving for Japan until Saturday, but still! This is it! I'm really going!
Thank you everyone for all your amazing and wonderful support! For now I have to finish packing! Aaah! Still so much! It's crazy! But I am so excited for this trip and this opportunity and the amazing ways I know God will use me.
Well sayonara for now! Thanks so much, lots of love to you all and I'll keep you posted!
-Elaine Cutting
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
10 Days!
Hello everyone!
I can't believe it! Today is the 19th of July! Where did all that time go?! You know what this means! In just 10 days I'll be leaving for Japan! Aaaah!! Madness!! I am so excited and nervous I can hardly stand it, but I know God will take care of me!
First of all, I would like to thank those who have decided to support me both through prayer and financially. It is so unbelievably encouraging to see all the positive responses I've gotten back! X) All the encouraging notes telling me that you're keeping me and my group in your prayers brings warmness to my heart! (Okay that was a little cliche and corny but there really is no other way to express the happiness your amazing support has given me!) It's been about a week and a half since I've started receiving responses and I've already collected $875! Whooo hoo! This brings my total up to almost $2,000! I'm halfway there!
I'd like to ask you to keep me in your prayers more than ever right now, while I'm preparing to go. Like i said before, I am extremely nervous for this trip, which will be completely full of new experiences and a group of people I'll be meeting for the first time at the airport on the 29th. Please pray that God grants me the peace and serenity I need going into this commitment.
Thank you again for all your support and positive responses! I am so grateful for the swiftness of your replies! They are all a great encouragement and have added immensely to my excitement! As always, I'll keep you posted!
~Elaine
P.s. If you would like to give financial support online please go to http://www.ccci.org/. Click on the the button that says "give" at the bottom. My number is 5622198.
P.p.s. You may have heard, but yes, I did dye my hair pink for the midnight release of Harry Potter. But don't worry! It's fading fast and I have no doubt it'll be gone before I leave for Japan! (or mostly at least!) :)
I can't believe it! Today is the 19th of July! Where did all that time go?! You know what this means! In just 10 days I'll be leaving for Japan! Aaaah!! Madness!! I am so excited and nervous I can hardly stand it, but I know God will take care of me!
First of all, I would like to thank those who have decided to support me both through prayer and financially. It is so unbelievably encouraging to see all the positive responses I've gotten back! X) All the encouraging notes telling me that you're keeping me and my group in your prayers brings warmness to my heart! (Okay that was a little cliche and corny but there really is no other way to express the happiness your amazing support has given me!) It's been about a week and a half since I've started receiving responses and I've already collected $875! Whooo hoo! This brings my total up to almost $2,000! I'm halfway there!
I'd like to ask you to keep me in your prayers more than ever right now, while I'm preparing to go. Like i said before, I am extremely nervous for this trip, which will be completely full of new experiences and a group of people I'll be meeting for the first time at the airport on the 29th. Please pray that God grants me the peace and serenity I need going into this commitment.
Thank you again for all your support and positive responses! I am so grateful for the swiftness of your replies! They are all a great encouragement and have added immensely to my excitement! As always, I'll keep you posted!
~Elaine
P.s. If you would like to give financial support online please go to http://www.ccci.org/. Click on the the button that says "give" at the bottom. My number is 5622198.
P.p.s. You may have heard, but yes, I did dye my hair pink for the midnight release of Harry Potter. But don't worry! It's fading fast and I have no doubt it'll be gone before I leave for Japan! (or mostly at least!) :)
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