Church in a shed

Today we helped run a church service in a shed on someone's property. Unfortunately the temperatures were in the high 30s (Celcius). It was stinking! I have to admit I felt as flat at the people who were facing me as I spoke. I just hope something of what I said made a difference for someone. In the midst of it all we mentioned that there is no grass on playgrounds in Japan - at Japanese schools as well as at the school my husband works at - Christian Academy in Japan. A bloke came up to us afterwards and admitted he was the groundkeeper for a local school. He wondered why no grass. The place we were meeting has been in drought for quite a number of years. He wondered if a lack of rain might be the answer - but no, most of Japan gets more than sufficient rain. Perhaps the amount of traffic the grass needs to endure? Perhaps it is just a cultural thing. Strange, really, that Australia is addicted to grass (and swimming pools) when our rainfall is so low in so many places. Traditional? It would be difficult for most Australians to imagine going to school without a grassy oval to play on!