CHEA Japan Conference
(Church & Home Educators Association) - Nagano, Japan

Noah braved the 7 -8 hour bus ride to Nagano very well. He is learning to sit up by himself ... and suck on his toes! He loves to smile at everyone.

Green Plaza Hotel - Hakuba. This is the beautiful place we got to stay for two nights.

The snowy mountains (Japanese Alps) were refreshing to see.

The kids were all so well behaved and joyful. We were very impressed with all the people we met.

Joshua Harris' brothers, Alex and Brett were there to give some very important messages for young people and for those who raise them. All of the Harris' were or are being home-schooled. In fact, their dad, Gregg, is one of the leaders of the home-schooling movement in the USA.

Here is Gregg Harris sharing a few words. I was very impressed with Pastor Gregg's insight, love for his family and for others and for his strong Biblical knowledge and stance. I had a great time asking him about his family a couple different times during the weekend. Maki had a good time talking with his wife, Sono, who is a Japanese-American.

All in all, 700 people came for this national event. We are feeling more and more led to homeschooling, at least for the first few years of school. We want to be the main influencers in our children's lives as well as get them off on the right foot towards a thoroughly bi-lingual education. As a teacher, I am excited to spend individual time raising up my child(ren) in the way that he should go. Maki also wants to be able to spend lots of time with her children helping them in many ways. We are very happy for this great support system in Japan.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9
4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.