Shisa Dogs

In Japanese culture, as we learned in the movie 'Mulan,' dragons are guardians of the home. You find them on the roofs of homes, in front of buildings and outside of ball parks. These are just a few that I have come across.

Directionly Challenged

I am directionally challenged.
I need a map or something to get me to where I am supposed to be.
I have not been able to figure out how to use the GPS on my phone.
Better still, Okinawa has no street signs. You have to use alternative descriptions to get anyone anywhere.

For me, it's using the Starbucks as the point of reference.

It's a shame that I don't drink coffee.

Happy Birthday, Emah.

I missed my mother's birthday.
I was not paying attention.
So I promised her some flowers from Okinawa.

Retracing my Steps

I don't carry a phone when I run. I know, it's bad form, but I don't. So often times, I can't take pictures of things I see while on a run. So, when I have a chance, I walk the route and take the pictures that I missed.

I always tell people to look up so they see the beauty around them. Sometimes, you have to look down to appreciate beauty too.

Looks Can be Deceiving

As is Jewish custom, the first Mitzvah we fulfill after Yom Kippur is putting up the Sukkah for the holiday of Sukkot. It is a great time for the community to come together. At this gathering a gentleman came up and introduced himself as “Glen”. After looking at the Hebrew inscription on his wedding band, I took him for one of the members of the Jewish community I had yet to meet. In our discussion, he asked me why the Sukkah was not out in front, for everyone to see. I gave him my reasoning and to my dismay and embarrassment, it turns out that this mild mannered man was, in fact, the new command chaplain (i.e. my boss).

In Judaism, we teach that you should assume that everyone you meet could be the messiah. By doing that, it sets you up to speak to everyone with the utmost respect, patience and love. I did not say anything “wrong” to the command chaplain, I was simply less formal than I would have been had I known. 

96 = Isru Chag

In Israel and in Jewish tradition, we add a day after the holiday is over to extend the joy that it brought. For example. Passover ends on Monday, Tuesday is "Isru Chag" and it's an extra day off. 

It’s like a holiday from the holiday. 

Apparently, in the military, the same rule applies. When we have off for Labor Day, we get off Saturday through Tuesday. (This is called a 96.)  We get a holiday day to recover from the holiday. I love Jewish customs that appear to be integrated in US military operating procedures. 

Semper Gumbi - again

When I first got my assignment to come to Okinawa, I was told that I was going to be a base chaplain. Privately, I asked God to get me assigned to a battalion of some kind, where I would be the chaplain for a specific group of marines as well as running programs and services for the Jewish community. Someone knew better.

After coming here, I knew that I was send to Orlando for the year for a reason. There were lessons there that I needed to learn so I could succeed here.

As a base chaplain at Camp Foster, I provide for the Jewish community, counsel anyone who walks into the Chapel offices and currently oversee that all the chapel facilities and schedules run smoothly. (We have 8 faith groups that use the facilities weekly. If I had to guess, I'd say that there are over 1,000 people who walk through our doors on a weekly basis. We run/host over 80 programs a month here. It's busy.)

I just started to get a sense of the rhythm and needs of the chapel. I have had the time to bond with the RPs (Religions Programs Specialists - my enlisted counterparts and the backbone of the chapel) and see where support is needed so the chapel can be even more amazing than it already is.

I can only say that God must have had a plan that I would have the time get this cornerstone experience because I am moving over to H&S Battalion (Headquarters). It is housed at the same camp where I work now but just down the hill. It's closer to the Baskin Robbins on base. The chaplain who is there is swapping offices with me. I have just started to scratch the surface of what he does. It's going to be a challenge to fill his shoes but I have faith.

And the cherry on top is that we don't have a time frame for when this swap will happen.
Semper Gumbi (always flexible).

Orlando - Okinawa...

More often then not, I find myself saying, "that's just like in Orlando."

Well, here's one more - after services, I walked into my office to find a gecko on my wall. Do you see him?

Adventures at Home

I wish I had learned to read Japanese before I got here.
It has been an adventure every day since moving in.
Do you know which is the "big flush" and which is the "little flush"?

This is the panel for my dryer.

and my favorite - this is my oven/microwave/toaster!

Thank God I just got my hands on the English translations.

A Home

I know I mentioned that I was living in the BOQ and that is true but I moved out! I have received permission and I found a place to live. It is a classic Japanese style apartment with the no-shoes rule, 

a room with the tatami mats (being used as my bedroom for now)

 and is much closer to base to walk on Shabbat and Chagim. Some of the best features are that it has a balcony that wraps all the way around, I have a parking spot for ‘the tomato’ and the location is close enough to the beach that I can walk from my place and I am 2 blocks from the beach. (see the wind turbine? that's the beach.)

And there’s an ice cream place across the street and starbucks around the corner.