(Board member forwards a message from his daughter about her mission trip to Japan)

“It's 9:17 pm Wednesday here in Tokyo. That would be about 7:17 am where you are. Today, we went prayer walking at Asakusa Temple, and it was devastating. As you enter through the large gates, you see two huge statues of "protectors" (translation: demons). Beyond that is a market place and then another gate with yet more demon representations. As you enter the second gate, you can see people bowing to the false gods before they enter. Then, you're greeted by the smell of incense as you watch people stand around an altar, bathing themselves in the smoke in order to purify themselves. After that, they go to the right where a large water fountain/basin is located so that they can rinse their hands and mouths to purify those. To the left is an atrocity. They have a bronze Buddha called a "healing Buddha." People rub the place on the idol that needs healing and then rub themselves in the same stop. It's terrible. Inside the temple was bad, too. People were throwing money into this large...thing...and clapping their hands before saying a prayer. Yes, they have to pay the gods to listen to their prayers and clap to wake them up. It's the worst. There are two large lantern-like things to either side in which people place small white birthday candles to pray for aborted babies (this is normally done by a family who suffered this tragedy). Beyond this is an area where only members of the temple can enter in which they pray to false gods. Beyond that is something similar to the Holy of Holies in the Jewish temple. Only the monks could enter. I saw someone open the door, and the monks were simply lounging about."... "Outside to the right of the temple was a Shinto shrine. There, someone had brought their new car to get blessed, and we watched as a shrine priest performed a very long ceremony over it. These people are lost. They are so spiritually blind. I've never seen idol worship to this extent before, and it's a sad thing.

Also, yesterday, we did 5 minute English lessons. I felt I was largely unsuccessful. It took a long time for people to come to me, and when they did, they were all men. The problem with that is that I, as a woman, can't ask a man for any sort of friendship without it meaning something...more. And none of them were actually interested in what I had to say. Although, many lost interest when they found out I was with a Christian organization.”