The gift war is ON

As is customary in Japan, we visited each of our neighbors with a small gift when we moved in. People often give little hand towels, wrapped especially for the occasion. I usually bake something, since it's cheaper and most Japanese don't bake so it seems special.

This last week (it was a little late, since we had been in our house for several weeks already) all 5 of us rang the doorbell on the cement wall of each of our 5 neighbors touching each side of our house. We read the Kanji (difficult Chinese characters) of their family name inscribed onto the stone nameplate.

After we explained that we were "the Driscolls from next door" via the intercom they came out to the iron gate to meet these white faced foreigners. As I carefully handed them the bannana bread with 2 hands and a low bow, I appoligized in Japanese that "It isn't very tasty, but...please eat it anyway" (the customary thing to say when giving someone food). They took the festive bag tied with ribbon and responded with a bow, "Please accept us too".

One sweet older woman hurried back into her house producing a package of green tea in a decorated envelope. Tim whispered to me, "The gift war is on!" as we stiffled our giggles. We remembered how when we first came to Japan an elderly neighbor lady would always give us something (flowers, a bag a groceries) if Tim did anything to help her or if we gave her something. Older Japanese (not young people anymore) feel they don't want to be "beholding" to you, so each gift has to be reciprocated.

All of our neighbors were so friendly and didn't seem frightened off that we are the only non-Japanese in our neighborhood. (Maybe because this is a big city, maybe because many prayers have gone up for them already; maybe a little of both.) Tim has been praying that God would give us "devine contacts", people whom God is preparing. And I have been praying that God would give us "favor" in the eyes of our neighbors and those we meet, speeding up the long process of building trust and friendship. We know God has placed us in this house specifically and He wants to use our family to draw others to Him.