Category: Random

Sorry that I haven’t updated my blog since Monday.  I sent an email update out, and just got wiped out from that one.  🙂  Today was my first official day as an EFL teacher.  You’ll note that I used an F instead of the standard S.  That’s because, here in Japan, we teach English as a Foreign Language, and not as their Second language.  Why?  Well…in America, they would have a regular place to use the English they learn, but here in Japan…this is pretty much their only opportunity (in our classrooms).  Only recently have schools begun to teach English in elementary schools, so a lot of the younger students are just parents wanting them to have a head start.  The adult students are those who just want conversation with native English speakers, or they might have a set purpose, like a desire to go to a university in the States or to get a job overseas.  Whatever the purpose for their coming, our purpose for teaching them English is for the 15 mins Bible Time at the end of class.  Even though most Japanese are not open to talk about religion…they are willing to put up with anything for a cheap English class, with native speakers.  It’s neat to see how it works.  For the kids, and the adults who have minimal English comprehension, a Japanese speaker will come in and lead a 15 minute Bible Study…or Gospel presentation.  For the adults who have a pretty good understanding of English and can carry on a conversation with it, we use the Easy Reader Edition of the Bible and ask comprehension questions and then try to engage them in a discussion of the events in that particular story.

For example, my Super Kids 1 class on Tuesdays have very, very basic English understanding.  So, Brian goes through a song and Gospel presentation with them.  They remember the song and sing along with him, and shout out answers.  It’s so sweet.  One of the girls, her grandmother comes and sits in the class with her.  I doubt she’s a believer, but she bows her head and prays with us, and takes notes.  Apparently, her husband came as well, once, and was trying to sneak out some of the free Christian material that’s available to them.  🙂  What pride…but great that despite it, they are still searching and willing to hear and learn more.

The Ladies’ class that night also, has a higher English comprehension, being level 3 students, and so we can go through the Easy Reader Bible.  This week, we read about Mary and Martha having Jesus in for a visit.  We had a pretty good discussion over it…though Nakayama-san had to do some translating and explanations in Japanese for further understanding.  None of the other women are believers in that class, I believe…but they are close.

My Saturday morning Side by Side class is the beginners level…but older generation students.  🙂  One of the men in that class is a church member, Mr Komatsu.  He accepted Christ many years ago while he was taking English lessons.  As a show of gratitude for God saving him that way, he presents the Bible time for that class.  He’s on the church leadership, but the only time I’ve ever really heard him say anything was at my contract-signing and he prayed for the year to come, and my service.

I’m so excited to be in this kind of a ministry…to be able to observe it and take notes, and the possibility of bringing it back home with me.  I can see such a need for it in our community at home, I feel like I’m actually learning how it’s supposed to work. 

As far as my needs right now…my skin is driving me nuts!  I don’t know if my skin has metamorphosized or if it’s just because I live right next to the ocean, but it is so dry!  I get so frustrated when I look in the mirror and see how dry it is.  It’s just my vanity, but it is still annoying.  Please pray that I can get this under control, or that God would correct my attitude about it.  It’s not hindering me from serving…but it’s just a little splinter that’s getting bothersome.  Thanks!

Tomorrow classes start.  I’m excited for this part of my service here to start…since it’s the bulk of what my job is!  Today was kind of chaotic.  I had my contract signing this morning in front of the church leadership.  I met Taka here at the Center and we rode the train over to Kawanaka.  We picked up where we had left off on my orientation, but soon were ushered in for my contract signing.  It was kind of intimidating to sit in front of the 6 membership of the board, and Pastor Tony.  It’s just intimidating because everything’s in Japanese and I can’t understand it yet.  So, Taka translated for me with them and that was helpful.  I didn’t know what to tell them about myself and Tony, in his dry humor way, said, “You’re not getting married!”  Hah.  They thought that was funny. 

Taka and I finished my orientation and then told me I’d be meeting Brian for a discussion on my classes and how to teach.  I didn’t have any idea this meeting was supposed to happen, so we called Brian to see if we could do it later.  It was alright, so I took the train back to the Center all by myself!  I was so excited!  Then, I found the int’l ATM…and then went grocery shopping.  It was at a new place, and Samantha walked me to it, and then left me to find my way back to the Center myself.  I did…but I kind of underestimated the distance and the weight of the bags I was carrying.  My arms were exhausted when I got back…since I had to walk the whole way.  BUT…I found my way back to the Center!!  Then, I took the train back to Kawanaka and got to the church for my meeting with Brian…but he never showed up.  Turned out he was sick…but we didn’t have any idea that was why he ditched me.  Hah.  Oh well.  Samantha and I had dinner with the Haug’s (Pastor Tony’s family), which was fun…even the morose game of UNO afterwards.  I should have brought Apples to Apples…they would get a kick out of that game.  Tony drove us back to the Center and now I’m here enjoying a can of Pringles.  I feel so proud of myself after taking the train all by myself and going grocery shopping all by myself.  It wasn’t that intimidating, not really.  Well, even though it’s not late, I’m going to go to bed.  I thought I’d read through “The Love Languages of God.”  I have heard so much about it, but have never read it for myself.  I hope I like it.  Have a great week guys!!

This was my first Sunday here in Shimonoseki.  Apparently the missionaries are required to go to the Kawanaka (main church) service.  From the train station near the Center, it costs 190yen, 380y roundtrip.  For an approximate cost, just divide the yen amount by 100 and you’ll get the USD amount…but it’s not completely accurate as it’s about 93 y/1 usd.  It’s intimidating meeting all the Japanese church members because I don’t know how many really know English or not…so I just smile and shake hands and bow slightly to all of them and wait for their cue.  They are used to dealing with foreigners, so it’s not a big deal…they’re very forgiving for breaking social norms.  But, I don’t want to do anything wrong. 

Pastor Tony introduced me and then had me sing a solo.  After a mix-up of not having any music for it, I ended up singing “The Wonderful Cross” with their pianist.  Tony’s daughter Tiffany is home on spring break from Thailand.  She goes to high school in Chang Mai for missionary kids…and she is really nice and fun to talk to.  We’re having a group of the church gals over for a movie night/sleepover this Saturday, so I’ll get to chat some more with her.  I’m excited to build a relationship with these girls, and Eri will be there.  She is so sweet (we went to Kokura with her a couple days ago)…pray for her family as they are not believers.  Her dad actually goes to a new Buddhist sect temple near our Center.  We walk by it on the way to the train station, Daiei and Sea Mall.  I’m getting my bearings on the simple paths now…but beyond that, it’s still a big city.  Once I get a cell phone for emergency calls, I might get myself lost and try to find my way back to the Center.

After church, Brian and his wife Yoko, invited Samantha and I to have lunch with them and their two little girls.  Their daughters names are Naomi (6) and Sara (3).  They are so much fun.  Sara is Samantha’s shadow…and I think that Naomi is going to adopt me.  Hah!  She and I were having fun with my camera after lunch while Yoko helped Sam with her Japanese studying.  I’ll have to get the pictures up soon…but not today…it’s pretty late.  We came back to the Center for very little activity.  I did some laundry, and have been in my room writing letters and responding to people.  It’s tough keeping up with correspondence.  I will be going with Taka tomorrow to Kawanaka to sign my contract and finish orientation.  Then in the evening I’m having lunch with Pastor Tony’s family.  In the afternoon, I will try my hand at grocery shopping!  Woohoo!!

So, I’ve been in Japan for my third full day.  It’s pretty amazing…I still don’t feel like I am here…it’s starting to sink in slowly, but it hasn’t hit me that I’m here for a year!  Maybe once I start teaching my classes I’ll realize the full brunt of it…or the first big event back home that I have to miss out on.  I’m not sure, but right now I’m having a great time.  We have been walking everywhere, and I’m not very acquainted with walking this much, but I’m getting there.  I’ll get better used to it, but according to Samantha (the other teacher), we’ve been doing more than is usual…but I really am glad that I’m strengthening my muscles.

Let’s see…from my point of arrival, I was picked up at the airport by Brian, Taka and Samantha.  Though I was pretty wiped out from the plane transit, I was able to stay awake and talk with them and get to know them kind of superficially.  Since then, I’ve spent a ton of time with Samantha walking around and getting familiar with the areas and customs.  On my second day, Sam made me pancakes (here known as hotcakes…and the maple syrup is called “cake syrup, the maple kind”).  Then Brian came and took us to City Hall to have me registered as an alien.  I’ll go back in a few days to get my actual registration card.  Afterwards, Sam and I met up with Hanae and Takashi, a couple students here, and had lunch with them.  We ate Yu Dong (soup noodles) with tempura (vegetables).  Some of the Japanese food is right up my alley, since I’m already familiar with real Chinese food…but then again, some of it is so weird to me.  We had a great time, and even had some pictures taken called puri-kuri, which you take yourself in a photobooth.  Then, you decorate them afterwards and they are printed out as stickers for you.  We had some really good shots.  It was a lot of fun.

After that, I came back to Shimonoseki Christian Center for a meeting with Pastor Tony.  He was an hour late…so I unpacked and got everything put into a place.  It was nice to have everything in one location.  I feel so much better about my room now that my suitcases aren’t strewn all over the floor.  After that, I just kind of hung out at the Center, getting myself settled in, having some instant curry and rice, which is very popular here.  There’s supposed to be an Indian restaurant nearby, which I loooove Indian food, so I’m going to have to find out where and get out to it!

Yesterday (Friday), I had a meeting with Taka first thing in the morning.  Taka is the Ministry Director here at the Center and also the English Ministry “Principal”.  Basically, along with Pastor Tony, he’s my boss…but he’s pretty cool.  His wife, Aki, is three months pregnant, and really nice.  I got to meet her at the start of our meeting too.  We didn’t get very far through it, before I had to take the train to the Kawanaka with Samantha.  We met Pastor Tony and the two secretaries of Shimonoseki Christ Bible Church for lunch.  We went to Joyfull, which seems kind of like a Ponderosa…it’s a popular Japanese Family Restaurant chain…not very traditional food, as I had Italian chicken, with potato and corn, and of course, a side of white rice.  Samantha and I then met with a church member, Eri, who is 19, at the train station and took it to Kokura for some shopping and to see the cherry blossoms.  Apparently, I have come just at the right time.  The blossoms bloomed not too long before I got here, and then, it’s supposed to rain tomorrow night, and that will be the end of them – they will fall off mostly in the rain.  We spent a lot of time in Kokura, even having dinner there.  It was a lot of fun.  Kokura was a Dutch settlement, so there are some remnants of that influence, but not too much.  One great feature of Kokura is a great castle, with cherry blossoms and parks.  It was beautiful.  We also found a novelty store with a lot of random things…a more tame Spencers, I would say, that provided many moments of laughter. 

Today, I had a video call with my mom, oldest sister Bronlyn, and my nephew Jason, and two nieces Allison and Anna.  It was really nice to talk with them and see them on camera.  It takes getting used to, but it is such a blessing to be able to communicate so easily with everyone back home…it helps cut down on homesickness (which I haven’t had yet…but I remember it from CN).  After the phone call, Samantha and I walked around and she showed me the grocery stores and Sea Mall.  I’m so glad to know where things are now and where I can find my things, since Samantha will eventually have to delve back into her studies (she’s taking distance learning classes through Liberty).  When we got back to the Center, we had our lunch and then decided to go on a hike with Sakura, a woman from China who comes to International Cafe.  It was so neat to hang out with her because I could speak my Mandarin with her and she understood (for the most part).  For the past few days, everything on the tip of my brain has been Chinese…and I’ve had to stop myself in mid-speech because I’m speaking Chinese and not even English…and definitely not Japanese.  It’s to the point where I’m even throwing Hindi out there…doesn’t make any sense at all!!  OOoo, one thing is that there is a ton of French around the town and in the shopping centers.  It’s really nice and helps me feel a little more comfortable.  Reading through these last few sentences makes me realize how much of a nut I am.  I’m sure you all have known it for some time now…thanks for waiting for me to realize it on my own.  🙂

So, Sam, Sakura, and I walked over to an area called Hikoshima, which is like a suburb of Shimonoseki.  We then walked up a mountain to a park called Oinoyama.  It’s free and is at the summit, over looking the region, and full of cherry blossoms.  It was so beautiful, and though exhausting to walk up the incline, it was amazing!  I have a ton of pictures.  We met a class of girls, all on their school’s tennis team.  They insisted on taking a picture with us.  Ha!  It was fun.  The Japenese aren’t as austentatious as the Chinese, so it’s been weird to be approached by people…although they all still do stare at us, at me.  I’m going to have a lot to get used to about the Japanese culture that is so different from the Chinese.  We were walking up and saw a car called “Midget 2” and we were trying to explain the meaning of “midget.”  Sakura proudly said, “Oh, short people…travel-sized!”  That was one of the most amazing moments of the past few days for me.  It’s so awful, but so hilarious.  We then explained that that expression is used only for objects…not for people.  She got it, but it’s going to be a joke with us for a very long time.  Please pray for her as she is not saved.  She was given a Chinese Bible, but I’m not sure if she reads it.  She’s not very fond of her heritage…maybe I have been brought here to encourage her and bring her closer to God.  I am so excited to know her.  She has such a great personality.  I already have her affection because I appreciate Chinese…I don’t look down on her because she’s Chinese.  She faces a lot of discrimination here in Japan for it.

I think that’s all for today.  This is a long update, I’m sorry I didn’t blog as things were happening, but it’s been a settling time for me.  I’m so glad that I have you to share this with.  Much love and prayers,

Sarah ><>

PS.  By the way, Takashi and Hanae are not believers either…Hanae is close, but Takashi is pretty agnostic.  Eri is a believer and a great sister to talk with. 🙂  Pray for them, and for Eri to be encouraged in her faith.  Thanks!

Oh, and here are some picatures:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=101360&l=c3be4&id=500635206

I am in my last week of employment at Union Savings Bank.  It’s wonderful!  This Sunday will start our four-day revival at church with Richard Green.  I’m very excited to hear him speak again before I leave for Japan.

Speaking of Japan, my paperwork is still in Japan.  What I’m waiting on right now is my certificate of eligibility.  This is issued by the Japanese government, and my paperwork for it had to be mailed to the church in Japan, and they had to take it to the immigration office.  Once it’s approved and processed (we’re in the third week of the process), then the church will mail it back to me, and I will mail that, with my visa application and passport, to he Japanese embassy in Detroit.  I could drive up there…but I don’t really feel like it.  Mailing it won’t take much time at all though, a max of 5 days.  Either way, it doesn’t look like I’m leaving on the 24th, since I’ll have to have my passport to board the plane.  Yippee!  Just waiting on God for this, He’s got it all taken care of. 

This Saturday is my going away party!  I hope that a lot of people show up.  I also get to see my brother and sister-in-law, and I’m thrilled about that!  It’ll be a while before I see them again, so I’m excited.  Also, I believe that my cousins who live in Tokyo are going to come and visit me in Shimonoseki during my break in August.  We’ll get to go sight-seeing then, and that’ll be so much fun to spend time with them.

I don’t like to think that I’m psychosomatic, or a hypochondriac in any way, BUT I’ve developed a cough lately, and that doesn’t usually happen for me…I’m thinking I have walking pneumonia.  I don’t feel sick except for my cough…so I’m thinking that’s it.  I’ve discovered that if I breathe through my nose, I don’t cough nearly as much. 

My uncle Tom has been sent back home.  The mass in his abdomen (the one the size of a softball) is too large to operate on, so, they biopsied it and will get the results back for that early next week.  They’re hoping he will get stronger and then they can do maybe used chemo to reduce the size and then operate.  This is cool, his website: http://ourfriendtom.com/web/
Near the bottom on the right is a link to “Who’s Among Us”. Click on the link and then on the upper left side, click on “MAPS”.  A screen will come up with stars showing people who have visited the sight.  Those currently on are representd by pulsating stars, but it’s really neat to see how wide-spread my uncle’s influence has been…all around the world!  What a blessed man to know that so many care for him!  What great things God has done with his life!

I think that’s it for me!  Oh…Happy Pi Day (3/14)…it’s also my 9 month birthday.  No gifts just yet…come to my party tomorrow though!  🙂  Later!!

On a day when circumstances could really get me down, God allows a warm wind to blow through the region, and the presence of cloud shadows calm me and remind me of God’s everpresent love and concern.  Even though rain is just around the corner…the fact that I can walk outside without a sweater or jacket, and let the wind blow in my hair, and sit at the airport on the trunk of my car (though it’s windy enough that not many planes will be flying), and open the windows in the house, and sit on the hill at Harbin, all if I wanted to…it makes me feel so much better.  (I probably have Seasonal Affective Disorder…but who doesn’t!?).  Here’s the purpose of my post:

  I just wanted to pass the word along and ask for prayer for my uncle Tom.  He and his family live in Alabama.  Back in December he had surgery to remove a tumor (sarcoma), and it was a very involved procedure, as it was spreading rapidly, they had to remove part of his aorta (by the spine) and a kidney, and something else that I’m not remembering exactly.  He was doing great for several weeks, but developed a fever a few days ago.  He was on his way to Houston to have some tests done and about 20 minutes before landing, he started shaking all over.  They took him to the hotel to rest and then had to take him to the Emergency Room.  Right now, he is in ICU in pretty poor condition.  He has low vitamin levels, and the remaining kidney is having trouble.  They believe his body is rejecting the graft they did for his aorta.  Please, please, please keep him and his family in prayer.  This is really hard on all of us, that they are going through this.  One of the best men I know.  Thank you. 

Also, my paperwork for my Certificate of Eligibility have been filed with the Japanese Customs office in Shimonseki…we’re waiting on that to be processed, and then I’ll get my papers back and can send off for my visa into the country from Detroit.  Keep the whole process in your prayers…my EDD is still March 24th.  It’s comin’ fast!

This past Sunday, I went in front of my church and shared publicly what I was going to be doing in Japan and how I feel God has called me specifically for this ministry, and that He has supernaturally stepped in to show me that this is His will in my life.  Almost immediately after making that declaration, though I had already made it through email and in prayer requests, I began to freak.  I started to worry about not receiving recent communication from the team in Japan.  I started to worry about my visa being approved.  I started to worry that I wouldn’t be able to raise enough money.  I started to worry that God really hadn’t called me and that it was just wishful thinking. 

At first, it was just an internal ache, and then a frenzy, and then it started to show itself to others.  And at that point, I decided that I needed to investigate what was going on.  All the signs pointed to my own lack of faith.  Yeah, even though I have surrendered to serve God for a year in Japan – I was showing that my faith isn’t exactly what I profess it to be.  I was, essentially, saying, “God, I’m going to do this for you, but I’m afraid that after I make that stand, You’re going to show me to be a fool for believing You.”

I’ve been continuing to listen to the many sermons available online by Francis Chan and some other pastors at his congregation in Simi Valley, California.  Right now, Francis is going through a series on Grace.  It’s beautiful, and I’ve really enjoyed listening to them.  I’ve been learning so much too, and it’s all pointed and directed towards this time in my life.  In one of the sermons, Francis distinguishes a verse in James 5:

“Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth.” (vs 17, ESV)

The version that Francis read stated that “Elijah was a man like us.”  When he said that, it hit me a little, and made me stop enough to think that it might be important.  But I didn’t have much of an application for it, so I went on with the sermon and then on with my day.  It left enough of an impression on me to make me think God had something to tell me that I decided to read through Elijah’s life, as shown in 1 Kings 17- 2 Kings 2.  Elijah comes out of nowhere, from a town that isn’t worth being mentioned before this time called Tishbe.  But he comes right out and calls down a judgment for no rain to fall in the land until he gives the word.  He fed by ravens near a brook in the wilderness sent by God.  When the brook dries up, God tells him to go find a widow in Zarephath.  The woman is about to make the last meal for her and her son before they die of hunger, but Elijah tells her to first bring food to him and then her flour and oil will never run out.  And so she does, and so they never run out.  He then raises her son from the dead after he becomes sick.  All he does is stretch himself out three times over the boy and cry out to God, and God hears him and raises the boy back to life.  After this, Elijah confronts the king Ahab and challenges the prophets of Baal which have been given free run of the nation of Israel.  After a miraculous showdown (found in 1 Kings 18:20-40), we then see Elijah running away, fleeing from Jezebel, Ahab’s wife, and hiding in a cave.  At this point, God draws Elijah out of the cave to give him a little lesson in the nature of God and the humility of man.

I’ve read this story dozens of times.  I’ve always found it interesting how the showdown of 450 prophets of Baal and Elijah actually happens, and then the subsequent, “Woe is me!” attitude of Elijah afterwards.  But with the statement by James, “Elijah was man just like us” and my own current state of being, it takes on a different light.  Elijah, even after God has done great and wonderful things in his life, doubts God’s ability, or even will, to preserve him from the wrath of Jezebel.  He took that great step and acted as God’s judgment on the prophets of Baal, but then feared that God would leave him out in the open and unprotected, and alone.  It seems to be only a little struggle for Elijah, but enough that it was documented for our benefit all these years later.

There’s always the fear, when dealing with the wild God of ours, that He’s going to ask us to do something that will lead to our ruin.  But does He really?  I have heard that He has the best in mind for us, I know that He has the best in mind for us, but do I believe that He has the best in mind for me?  It’s one thing to say, “Yes God, I’ll go to Japan for you for a year.” It’s quite another to say, “God, I’ll let you work in me as well and increase my faith and walk in You.”  How dare I offer myself to God for service and then not allow Him to work in me?  Please pray with me for this.