Exchange Student from Japan

This school year we've been the privileged hosts of an exchange student from Japan. Masa, as he goes by, is 16 years old and has quickly become a part of our family life over the past few months. We can already begin to feel how much we'll miss him once he has to return to Japan next June. I think his visa allows for him to stay three weeks past the end of school, so I'm sure we'll be packing all sorts of activities into those final days.

Philip Jr. has long loved Japanese culture. It's been so cool to be driving down the road listening to J-Pop (Japanese Pop) on the radio with Philip and Masa singing Japanese lyrics in perfect tandem. I'm grateful that God has given this opportunity for Philip to learn more about the culture and people for whom he's got such a large heart. I've promised to make every effort to take Philip to Tokyo during the summer between his Junior and Senior years of high school. Hopefully by then he'll be able to speak the language with ease, and can translate for his ignorant dad!