Xapa to the World

Category: Missions

  • Protected: Since the Return (An Update)

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  • A Veteran

    Disclaimer: I’m not trying to detract from those who have served the United States in the military during a war, so please don’t think that I don’t appreciate what they have offered and sacrificed.

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    I’ve recently been confronted over and over with the knowledge of just how patriotic I am.  It runs deep in me.  I bleed the colors of my allegiance.

    I will be the first to admit that I am American, by birth.  I will also be the first to admit that I love traveling the globe and meeting people around the world.  I crave learning and being around other cultures (those within my country and those without).  The summertime is chock-full of holidays in the US to celebrate this great nation.  Festivals, concerts, etc are scattered throughout the season and peppered with the cheese-ball post-9/11 American music and red, white and blue waving from the corners of every tent.

    This is not what I mean though.  I went to the Butler County Fair a couple of weeks ago, and it was everywhere.  I went to the remote-control air show at the Butler County Regional Airport this Sunday (I know…feel free to judge my nerdiness, but I had a great time with good company!) and it was everywhere as well.  What gets to me is when they ask for the Veterans to stand up.  I love it.  I may not have served in the US armed forces, but the honor of having gone somewhere and served your country, on the front lines, or even just in small side-skirmishes – it’s inspiring.

    Something inside of me wants to stand up too when they make that call.  I’ve not been in battle or brandished arms, but I have been a soldier in the Lord’s army.  My allegiance is with God.  He’s my portion, my captain, my commander.  I have been in the reserves – at home, going about business, waiting for the call to take up and go – and have had to leave everything to go serve Him.  I have been on the frontlines of spiritual battles.  I have been in the small side-skirmishes.  I’ve also been on the relief team and covered others in prayer who were on the field.

    But, just because I am home now, does that mean I am retired?  Can I consider myself a veteran just yet?  I’m not sure how the military handles things.  Is it that once you’ve been in active duty then you can be considered a veteran?  Or do you have to serve a full active duty term until you are discharged or are too injured to continue?

    The truth of it is that my heart aligns so much more with my God than with my country.  I have a sort of apathy that I’m not fully proud of concerning being an American.  But this is not just national apathy.  It’s also global.  I may not truly feel like this country is my original home, but I neither feel like any other country is my home.  This is my place of residence, and when I am living in a country, I abide by their laws because that is what Jesus said to do.  But it doesn’t make it my home.  It’s where I live.

    And I am so thankful for that.  And with this proclamation, I’m asking all you veterans for the kingdom of God to stand up and be acknowledged.  Those of you in active duty (which, I guess, would be all of us!), stand as well and be honored.  We fight in a glorious battle against the evil one, and it’s already won.

    (Not sure how much this post makes sense, but it’s what I woke up with on my mind this morning.)

  • Shimonoseki Update – Japan #13

    This is one of a series of emails I sent while preparing and living overseas in Japan, from April 2008 to April 2009. They are mostly for my own benefit, but also for anyone who may care to read them. Enjoy 🙂

    Hello from the breezy blue skies of Shimo!  We have had some great weather this weekend!  It’s been beautiful!  I think it may change soon, but such is life, I’ve enjoyed this while it was here. 

    This has been a great week.  One person in particular has been the main highlight of the week’s events and that is MIKA!  Below is an account of the Bible Time in our Tuesday night class.  Let’s see, Mika and I had dinner on Friday…on Saturday she and a few others came to the Center and we watched Chronicles of Narnia 1 (The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe)…then today, she and I went down to Kokura and saw the new Prince Caspian!  It was great, I laughed, I cried…all I expected from the movie.  Afterwards, we caught up with Eri who was just getting off work in one of the Kokura malls.  We all rode the train back to Shimonoseki and chilled with Eri until her connecting train arrived.  Mika and I were starving and so went to Mr. Donuts and had some noodles and doughnuts…what a combo!  She is always searching and always asking questions, some that really throw me at times.  She’s really curious about church, Christianity, and the Trinity and the various roles of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Please look below for an encouraging story!

    I would also like to take this moment to ask YOU for a special favor.  I know that I send out these emails each week (more or less…heh), and that you all have really enjoyed them.  I have been praying about it and trying to think of something else we could do.  It’s great that you are reading about what’s happening here, but I want you involved so much more!  Would you be willing to pray specifically for my students.  I know, I know…you already probably are…but I would like to ask that you, your Bible Study group, your Sunday School class, you church, or your family…whatever…would adopt one of my classes, or students, or friends.  I have been getting individual pictures together, and working up biographies for each of the people, focusing on how you can pray for that person.  I’m also putting up their birthday, so maybe you would like to send a birthday card for that person…whatever God lays on your heart.  BUT, there’s a power that I don’t feel is being put to good enough use and that is prayer!  Maybe it is just on my side…He knows that I don’t talk with Him enough…but I really am excited about this project.  I’m including adults, young adults, teens, and children.  Here is the link to the page I am using for this information:  link has expired and has been removed
      I am so thankful for you all.  If you diligently pray for these people with me, you will share in the harvest at the end.  What a great reunion it will be in heaven!  Right now, I only have one class posted, but I’m working on the rest.  Thank you so much and here’s the link to my daily (semi-) blog:  http://xanga.com/pkcricket

    In Him,

    Sarah ><>
    BTW, have you noticed that it’s June yet??  🙂  Yep yep!
    Oh, and let me know which class or person you are going to pray for and I will try to make sure you have up-to-date info on them.  🙂

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    Our Bible Time on May 27th, was tremendously good! We covered the story of Jesus welcoming the children and then the story of Zaccheus. Everyone seemed to get a lot out of the two stories, especially the great love that Jesus must have to associate with such a bad man as Zaccheus, and then the subsequent change in Zaccheus’ life.

    Following the Bible Time and some English exercises and such, we were asking each other, “How long…” questions; i.e., How long have you lived in Shimonoseki? How long have you known your husband? How long have you owned your car? I then asked if they had any questions for me. Mika raised her hand immediately and asked, “How long have you believed in Jesus?” I answered that it was since I was 7 years old. Suddenly, the whole class went in an uproar of discussion, all of which was in Japanese. Before I knew it, Nakayama-san was explaining something to them, and this went on for a good 5-10 minutes. I had no idea what was going on, but I felt like it was important, that I was sitting in on God doing something. I prayed that God would give Nakayama-san the words to say, and that He would open the ladies’ hearts to the words.

    The next day, I asked Taka to find out from Nakayama-san what had happened, since I don’t speak well enough Japanese and she doesn’t speak well enough English for her to explain to me. So, as he approached her, she came to him and asked him if he could tell me what had happened in class. It was funny.

    She said the big discussion was from the shock of me saying that I became a Christian when I was 7 years old. They were of the mindset that people in America are all Christian because their parents were…it is something you are born into. But Nakayama-san was able to explain that it’s not the case…God has no grandchildren, only children. They were able to see that it is a personal decision, representative of a personal relationship with Christ.