A Big Oops! And a Miracle!

On Thursday, we were supposed to do a second Easter party in Sakata.  We made all of the same treats, games, etc. expecting a repeat performance.  I baked more cookies and boxed them up.  Ken was filling the cupcake papers with the dessert, so I took the car keys and took a big load of stuff out to load in the trunk.  I put it all in the trunk and slammed down the lid.  It wasn't until a few minutes later when Ken asked for the keys that I realized what I had done- locked the keys in the trunk!!!!!!!!
Now what?  We had no idea how such problems are solved in Japan.  We didn't have a spare key.  We did have some time to work with as we had planned to visit several people in Sakata before the party, but what do we do?
We started by offering a prayer- a plea for help.  We then felt to call the Satohs in the branch.  By no small miracle, they were both home. Imi hadn't left for her evening job yet.  They weren't sure what to do, either, but they said they would talk about it and call us back.  In the meantime, we called the mission home.  They did have a spare key there, but they are in Sendai and it would take at least overnight to get that key to us.  They really didn't know what to do, either.  The Satohs called back to give us two suggestions they had come up with: 1) Call the Toyoto dealer and see if they could help.  They had actually called them and they said that if the car was old enough, they could maybe help.  On newer model cars, they could not. and 2) Call a roadside assistance service- Japan's equivalent of AAA.  We are not members, but they thought they might would do it for a fee.  Then, as we were talking, Imi had another idea pop into her head:  Sometimes car insurance has a rider on it that covers roadside assistance.  We could check to see if we have that.
So, 1) We called Toyoto.  Our car is too new.  They couldn't help us.
2) We called Japan's AAA- It was very, very expensive, but they could do it. 
3) We called the mission home back and asked about the insurance.  They didn't know, but they gave us the number of the insurance company.  Ken called them.  They said they would check if we had that coverage and call us back.
While we waited for their call,  4) Ken decided to walk to the local police station to see if they could help.  They said they couldn't.  But on the way home, the insurance company called back and said that, yes, indeed, we did have that rider on our insurance.  They arranged for a business in the next town to come out and help us. 
We called the elders to tell them we weren't going to make it.  No party tonight!

This is my "I am an idiot" face.

Soon, a kind man arrived and broke into our car.

And opened it and pulled the lever to open the trunk!  Yea!  Blessed relief!  We thanked him and thanked him and showered him with gifts (party treats.)

By now, it was after 6:20pm.  Eikaiwa starts at 6:00 and it's 40 minutes away.  So we hauled all the stuff back into the apartment, made a big plate of treats for the elders with an apology note, and took it and put in on their apartment door.  We also returned stuff to the church.  We then went to Hotto Motto (Japanese fast food) and got our favorite, chicken nan ban and took it  home and watched a movie!

After her work, Imi called to find out what happened.  We thanked her profusely and told her that her insurance idea saved us.  That is when she told us that the insurance rider idea had just popped into her head while we were talking.  After we got off the phone, we offered a prayer of thanksgiving.  Our prayer wasn't answered how we expected it to be, but it was answered through Imi.  Thank you, thank you, dear Imi!

I have to add a couple of things:
1)  I appreciate Ken.  Even in that most stressful moment when we realized what I had done, he didn't attack or berate me in any way.  Those are the moments you see the true character of your mate.  I am grateful for mine.
2)  While Ken was making the phone calls, I decided to do a "brother of Jared."  I had faith that God could help me get in that car.  So, like the Brother of Jared, I came up with a plan:  With a coat hanger, I fashioned a key.  I then asked Heavenly Father to make it work.  I stuck it in the keyhole of the trunk.  It did not work.  I had faith that God could make that hanger work as a key if He wanted to.  He didn't want to.  I guess I do not have the faith of the Brother of Jared  . . .yet.  
I shouldn't have told that part.

Sakata eikaiwa Easter party will be a week late!