The final trip of the month and the first trip of October was to Okinawa. In partnership with LCMS Ministry to the Armed Forces, I journey twice a year to Okinawa to provide Word & Sacrament service and pastoral care to LCMS military personnel and their families. They are served also by Rev. Dr. Daniel Jastram who is based in Tokyo. It was wonderful to reconnect with folks I met back in April on my first visit, although I’m still more of a writer than a photographer – I didn’t get any pictures of our time together!
Military life is a unique thing and the men and women and children who embrace it are definitely worth our respect and thanks. One family is in their final year of a four-year deployment to Okinawa. While they’ve enjoyed themselves they’re looking forward to re-integrating into life Stateside.
This time I stayed in Naha, the main city on Okinawa and close to the airport instead of the Chatan area my family and I stayed in last time. It was an interesting contrast – the bustling tourist center of Naha compared to the leisurely, island-style feel of Chatan a few kilometers to the north.
Please pray for our military personnel, Lutheran and otherwise. I look forward to returning (God-willing) in March or April.
The Nelson Family Indonesia 