Our greatest joy is the people we serve and those we serve with. Regardless what we do, we always seem to receive far more than we give.
While our mission president was here for training meetings, we "kidnapped" his wife for a day to tour the cultural theme park Okinawa World. Several houses over 100 years old have been relocated there and restored to show the rich architectural style of the Ryukyu Kingdom. 
We had our picture taken in traditional Okinawan kimonos and walked amid lush flowering gardens. We watched demonstrations of cultural crafts including glass blowing, pottery making, textile weaving and dyeing, We also enjoyed a lively demonstration of traditional eisa dancing. [More about that in this month's Culture Corner.]
Later, we dined with President and Sister Margetts at a traditional Japanese teppanyaki restaurant. Yummm.
We are helping to plan a young single adult overnight retreat for September. This should be lots of fun and give our military men and women a welcome change of pace from barracks life. On the north end of Okinawa, there is a recreation facility known for its outdoor activities including parasailing, ski boats, snorkeling... More about this in next month's post.
As I write this, we are in the midst of a typhoon. Warnings of this storm came early; we've been expecting it for a couple of days. The wind and rain have just begun, about 15 hours later than forecast.
Many friends have inquired about Phil's health. He is doing very well. He received the go-ahead from his doctor to resume all normal activities. He has joined Weight Watchers on-line program and we are working out at a small military gym three to five mornings a week. Regular exercise and losing a few pounds will do us both good.
Culture Corner - Festival of the Dead Obon or just Bon is a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the deceased spirits of one's ancestors. Most Japanese people associate themselves with Shinto and Buddhism. Ancestor worship is common. It is believed that at the time of Obon, the spirits of ancestors revisit the household alters. Obon has been celebrated in Japan for more than 500 years and traditionally includes a dance.
The eisa is a folk dance performed at the mid-summer festival. The men play large barrel drums and small hand drums. The dance may be performed by both men and women. On the night of July 15th, after the ancestral spirits have returned to the world of the dead, the dancers of each village gather and begin the eisa. After offering the first dance to the village gods, the dancers make the rounds of homes and businesses performing the dance. We caught this performance at a corner gas station!
Unfortunately, my little camera does not record sound. You won't hear the drums but you can see the energy of the dance.
