Check out this website - it includes a short video explaining the spiritual climate in Japan today. Hope you enjoy and inspired to pray!
http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/73217.aspx
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
I Love Northstar!
Wednesday to Friday of last week are quite possible the best days that I have enjoyed in Japan so far. My class, along with the 7/8 graders from our school, went on a 3 day trip to Northstar, a Christian retreat centre. Located in the mountains near Nagano, they specialize in sports like mountain biking, rock climbing, hiking, snowboarding, and skiing. It was an AMAZING time of outdoor fun, team building activities, and spiritual growth. I loved the opportunity to get to know my students on a more personal level, outside of an academic setting. I relished the opportunity to see a million stars again, breathe fresh air again, sit by water to pray again. And I got paid to go! :) God is so good...
Here are some pictures of the beautiful place and the fun we had:
Learning to work together and communicate on the low ropes course
Here are some pictures of the beautiful place and the fun we had:
Me being the flag in a modified version of Capture the Flag
A highlight for me, but less so for the city-kid girls I was with, was hiking to this waterfall
The nice view from outside the lodge
One of the first mountains I've seen that's higher than the tree line!
(I think - unless I saw one when I was little)
Learning to work together and communicate on the low ropes course
Sunday, October 7, 2007
The Church Chapter
One of the most urgent matters of prayer when I first moved here was that God would lead me to the right community of believers where I could join in worship, fellowship, and being fed by the Word of God. After several weeks of searching, trying different churches, and praying for direction, God has led me to a place that I can call "home." And He did it in a most amazing way...
For the first few weeks, I went to a local church along with my roommate and some other teachers. It is a good church with solid teaching, and an English group that meets afterward to discuss the sermon. Still, it somehow didn't seem to fit what I was looking for. I wanted to be someplace that felt more "Japanese." At this church, the community of foreigners seemed to stick together (rather natural), but I wanted more opportunities to interact with Japanese believers. I also just didn't feel 'at home' in this place - for one thing, it felt awkward to raise my hands in worship because so few people were doing it. I prayed about whether this was the church where God wanted me to stay or not, and I didn't feel peace about remaining there. The next church I tried was an international church that my principal, his wife, and two other teachers attend. I enjoyed the service there and it was nice to actually hear the message in English, but there I felt even MORE isolated from Japanese believers. I really wanted something more "Japanese," I thought.
I continued to pray about church, and one weekend, every time I prayed a certain family that attends our school came to mind. I know they are missionaries but, unlike some others, not pastoring a church. I didn't know what that impression meant, but I continued to pray and seek God for the right place to be. I was SO surprised when Monday morning, the father of that family entered my classroom with his son. It was the first time he'd come to the class, and after usual greetings his first question to me was, "Have you found a church?" I was slightly taken aback, but felt open to say that I was still looking, especially for something more Japanese than an international church. I really do want to learn the language and culture here. He told me about his church and it sounded like a great mix of Japanese & international people. The sermons are often visiting speakers who preach in English and it's translated into Japanese. The only issue was, it is outside of biking or walking distance from my house, and it's outside the city so public transit doesn't go there. I might have left it at that except for the fact that I had continually thought of this family when I prayed about a church. Maybe there will be a way...
I expressed interest in coming, and he said he would ask a friend if she could drive me. It was left at that...
That Wednesday evening at our teacher's Bible study, I started a conversation with Ibuki, a Japanese believer who has joined us. We started talking about church, and I asked her where she attended. "Parkside Chapel - Jody Kubo's church."
"Really?" I was excited because this was the same church I had been invited to on Monday. I told her that I was hoping to visit sometime.
"Really?!" (she was excited this time) "You should come with me! I love my church. And I can give you a ride. I live close to you...very close!"
Wow -- God brought the right person to Bible study! :) She has a car, lives less than a 10 minute walk from my house, and...to top it all off...I later learned that this was the EXACT friend that the parent had been talking about. God placed her in my path as a double confirmation that this is the right place for me. Ibuki is a wonderful sister in the Lord and a great Japanese teacher! She had also been praying for someone to accompany her on the 20-minute drive to church, so I was an answer to her prayers, as well. God is so good!
For the first few weeks, I went to a local church along with my roommate and some other teachers. It is a good church with solid teaching, and an English group that meets afterward to discuss the sermon. Still, it somehow didn't seem to fit what I was looking for. I wanted to be someplace that felt more "Japanese." At this church, the community of foreigners seemed to stick together (rather natural), but I wanted more opportunities to interact with Japanese believers. I also just didn't feel 'at home' in this place - for one thing, it felt awkward to raise my hands in worship because so few people were doing it. I prayed about whether this was the church where God wanted me to stay or not, and I didn't feel peace about remaining there. The next church I tried was an international church that my principal, his wife, and two other teachers attend. I enjoyed the service there and it was nice to actually hear the message in English, but there I felt even MORE isolated from Japanese believers. I really wanted something more "Japanese," I thought.
I continued to pray about church, and one weekend, every time I prayed a certain family that attends our school came to mind. I know they are missionaries but, unlike some others, not pastoring a church. I didn't know what that impression meant, but I continued to pray and seek God for the right place to be. I was SO surprised when Monday morning, the father of that family entered my classroom with his son. It was the first time he'd come to the class, and after usual greetings his first question to me was, "Have you found a church?" I was slightly taken aback, but felt open to say that I was still looking, especially for something more Japanese than an international church. I really do want to learn the language and culture here. He told me about his church and it sounded like a great mix of Japanese & international people. The sermons are often visiting speakers who preach in English and it's translated into Japanese. The only issue was, it is outside of biking or walking distance from my house, and it's outside the city so public transit doesn't go there. I might have left it at that except for the fact that I had continually thought of this family when I prayed about a church. Maybe there will be a way...
I expressed interest in coming, and he said he would ask a friend if she could drive me. It was left at that...
That Wednesday evening at our teacher's Bible study, I started a conversation with Ibuki, a Japanese believer who has joined us. We started talking about church, and I asked her where she attended. "Parkside Chapel - Jody Kubo's church."
"Really?" I was excited because this was the same church I had been invited to on Monday. I told her that I was hoping to visit sometime.
"Really?!" (she was excited this time) "You should come with me! I love my church. And I can give you a ride. I live close to you...very close!"
Wow -- God brought the right person to Bible study! :) She has a car, lives less than a 10 minute walk from my house, and...to top it all off...I later learned that this was the EXACT friend that the parent had been talking about. God placed her in my path as a double confirmation that this is the right place for me. Ibuki is a wonderful sister in the Lord and a great Japanese teacher! She had also been praying for someone to accompany her on the 20-minute drive to church, so I was an answer to her prayers, as well. God is so good!
Ibuki, Emily (another teacher), and me
Parkside Chapel
Fun at the 100 Yen store on the way home :)
Fun at the 100 Yen store on the way home :)
Weekend Adventures Part 2 - Crazy Crowds
My roommate and I decided to go downtown to enjoy a day at the mall (yes, I did say enjoy it. She loves shopping. It's growing on me). The mall was fine, but we weren't prepared for the deluge of PEOPLE that swarmed the sidewalks as we were leaving in the evening! I have never walked past so many people in my entire life! The crowds marching toward us here continued with this intensity as we walked an entire 15 minutes towards the subway station! I felt so overwhelmed by the crowds! I think we were the only people in Nagoya going the opposite direction! We're still not sure what all the excitement was about, but rumour has it there was a baseball game starting at the stadium near the mall. Whatever the reason, this experience will remain etched in my memory of life in urban Japan! (Disclaimer: this is the only time in a whole year that my roommate saw crowds like this, so it's not 'normal' for Japan - maybe in Tokyo, but not in Nagoya - but it was CRAZY!)
The madness begins...
I was SO happy to get back to home-sweet-suburbian-home!
Getting there -- nice and quiet...
The madness begins...
and goes on, and on, and on...
But just think - Jesus loves every one of those people,
and He knows their every thought!
and He knows their every thought!
I was SO happy to get back to home-sweet-suburbian-home!
Weekend Adventures Part 1 - Nagoya Port
I was uploading some pictures from my camera to my computer and I realized how many different places I've been and things I have experienced already, in my first two months in Japan. Here are some photos to share those experiences with you!
A visit to the Italian village (a small version of Venice) at Nagoya Port
Exploring the Aquarium at Nagoya Port
Monday, October 1, 2007
Reflections on the First Month
The month has been full--of joys, of treasured times with students, of laughter, of excitement and nervousness and exhaustion and (almost) tears. I don't think I've cried yet, and that surprises me. I'm usually quite emotional in times of transition. Perhaps I'm being emotional in other ways--quieter ways, like needing to take this Friday night to do nothing but be home. Laundry, cooking, baking, tidying, and writing. Writing friends I've wanted to write to for ages. Friends like you. It's been a joyful month. I remember leaving school on the first day, competely drained of energy but absolutely looking forward to the year. There was so much I didn't know, and yet I felt so much had gone well on that day. In some ways, far better than expected. There have been some fun times of exploring the city with fellow teachers, enjoying worship, prayer & fellowship with fellow believers, moves and talks and laughter with new-found friends. I'm so thankful for Erin, who teaches grades 7/8, and Tim (ESL teacher and Erin's husband), who are ull of advice and ideas, share a building with me (our school has 3 different buildings), share Friday night movies and dinner with me, and share a rueful sense of humor with me. There have definitely been times to laugh! Sometimes I have to laugh at my own mistakes, like starting school 15 minutes late on the first day of school--but usually it's more amusing than that. :) It's been a learning month. The first test showed my students had learned something, after all, and I've learned 5x's more along the way. Who knew that there was so much involved in being a teacher. It's been a tiring month, and I'm always thankful for the weekend. Still, at the end of the weekend I'm tired of the weekend and missing my students. That's an awesome thing! I've been so thankful for all the little ways that I have seen God working in my life here, and how His love and mercy is always there watching over me. I know that He has picked me for this job, right here, right now, and every time I pray I'm reminded that He will give me the strength to be and do all He wants for me. Pray for me, that I will continually rely on His strength when I am weary, on His joy when I am tired, and on His peace when I am anxious. I want to be a great teacher, but I don't want to burn myself out striving in my own strength--especially when His strength is more than enough.
Thank you to everyone who is praying for me, and please know that I miss you and think of you often, even though I can't always be in contact with each of you individually.
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