Saturday, June 25th

What a day! I awoke to my lovely rash spreading. Is it bugs? It is heat rash? It is an allergic reaction - I DO NOT KNOW! I can only tell you that now, at the end of the day, it is still worse and I have not been home for it to be something in my house. I think I am going to take it easy. I guess one of our students has a dad who is a dermatologist down the hill. If I am not better on Monday, it has been determined that I will be going to see him - even without Japanese health insurance. I'm praying that I am better.

I left early this morning with my friend, Aidy, to go up North to the Baptist Camp. We cleaned several of the cabins, bathrooms, and the chapel itself. I got the job of cleaning all of the ghecko poop and other bug remains (or live occurances in some cases) out of all the bathrooms. I think I made quite a few faces throughout the morning. We were all dripping with sweat by the time we had those bathrooms cleaned. The camp served us lunch and then I was able to spend some time swimming/snorkeling down at the beach.

I rushed home for music practice only to learn that practice was canceled. I was fine with that, however, as I felt pretty horrible with all the itchy - rashes whatever. While I was outside cleaning up my snorkeling equipment a gal I had never met before pulled into the parking lot. I was able to meet Irina. Irina is of Ukrainian/Russian heritage. We were able to share first our memories of Ukraine and experiences there. She shared with me her faith history and we wound up sharing over 3 hours together. Our hearts connected in a way I never expected. Maybe God allowed the itchies just so I could meet and pray for her and her family. We did pray together before she went back upstairs to her family and apartment. A great conclusion to a special evening.

Now, I have my sheets and bed pad in the drier (that is a treat over here as "true missionaries don't use the driers") to try to kill anything that may be living there. I have a brand new futon that I could be sleeping on from my friend Aidy's house and a clean pillow that I can try. I pushed everything out of my kitchen and may set up my bed in there tonight. I'm also staying 100% out of the sun tomorrow to try to continue to heal. I will see what happense with all of that. (I have completely disassembled the bed. I do not see ANY signs of potential bugs in there. It is a CLEAN mattress, the walls are clean, the box spring is clear . . . I see no signs, so I don't think it is bed bugs. However, I will be taking it easy - just in case.)