First Week Down!

The longer I'm here, the shorter five months sounds. 20 weeks. 16 sessions per class. That's it. A day's schedule may be busier here, but life is slower. Five months at home? I'm missing birthdays and moving and changes changes changes. Here, little will change. The Japanese culture is difficult to break into. Building relationships anywhere takes time, but it seems that especially here it will take a long time. Five months? That's it. It makes me question why I was so hesitant to commit to a year when SEND first asked me wayyyyy back in August. Life is comprised of these "hindsight moments," I suppose.

I have officially held one weeks worth of classes. Each class was more and more enjoyable, but perhaps that's because I felt more comfortable and had more of an idea as to what was going to happen. I had a few minor difficulties in feeling out each class (and beleive it or not, it wasn't the language barrier!). Most of them had to do with the previous teacher. She finished last term and left, leaving behind none of her curriculum or materials. That in itself is not so bad, until you walk into your first class and they already have their text books out ready to pick up where they left off. So much of school is rote that its difficult to break into or out of the repetition.

The first class on Tuesday night was perhaps the most challenging, though even challenging is a strong word. They are all beginners (or "pre-intermediate" according to the textbooks they all brought) so communication at first was definitely feeling out one another.

The class this morning was at Chuo Church, as was the one on Tuesday night. Chuo Church is my church. I have an open schedule to add more classes (hopefully one for children!) and I'll be attending Sunday mornings. I love this church already. Kim Sensei is so loving and so welcoming. The 5 ladies on Tuesday night are more advanced and want to focus on conversation and pronunciation. I think pronunciation will be the most difficult for me because I'm not sure how to teach it effectively. It's interesting listening to myself read outloud for these classes because my enunciation becomes impeccable. So many words I find myself slurring--"for," for example, usually comes out "fer." It makes ME shiver every time I say it, but I apparently don't care enough to put energy into changing the habit. :P :)

Tonight's class was most enjoyable for me. There are 7 students, including Tomita Sensei, and they are all advanced. Leading this class tonight seemed so natural and easy. I'm looking forward to preparing these lessons. I'm going to pick one subject each week and I'll bring in articles or stories surrounding that topic. I'll read to them, we'll read together, and then we'll discuss--the topic in general as well as any questions they had about the reading. There is one lady who is a Japanese teacher and one who mentioned wanting one-on-one time: two open doors right away! I left Saginuma tonight encouraged.

The only downside about traveling to Saginuma is the trains. I end up traveling during rush hour and the sheer volume of people is horrible. Well, horrible from my point of view, I suppose. So many people. And these are not even downtown trains. Close, but no cigar. As much as I'm looking forward to helping out at HiBA on Thursday evenings, I'm not looking forward to facing those crowds! HiBA is right outside Shibuya, one of the largest train stations in downtown Tokyo. People people people!

Tonight I am considerably less tired than I was last night and I think this is that latest that I've stayed up since I've been here! Cheers! Tomorrow Anne Marie is taking me downtown so that I can practice the train route to Shibuya. We may even break from Japanese food for one day and get T.G.I.Friday's for lunch! That may be a good thing after the frustrations I had this evening with my ricecooker! If Michelle Mikoski isn't even sure how to use it, there is little hope for me! Haha!

Glories

I've always considered God's greatest earthly glory to lie in His Creation--His people. We are made in His likeness, His Spirit resides within us. We are His glory.

And today, here, this truth is repeatedly making itself evident.

People here have been so welcoming, so willing and excited to bless me with their hospitality. I feel almost undeserving! From the Mokskis to Anne Marie and her family to the people in the churches I've been to thus far.

This morning I attended the church here in the SEND Center Tokorozawa Megumi (Grace) Church. Of course, it was all in Japanese, but they provided an English summation so that I could follow along. We sung a few familiar hymns and the blend of languages when we sang it was beautiful. I was able to enjoy a Bento lunch with the congregation where several ladies showed off their 100 and 200 yen purchases from the CAJ school's Thrift Store fundraiser on Saturday.

And I got to be around kids. I love kids. I love that kids, no matter what language or nationality are still kids. They learn in similar ways, they act out in similar ways, they all like to play peek-a-boo, they all respond to smiles and kind words. They're kids. American. Japanese. Taiwanese. Whatever. They're kids. And its such a beautiful testament to how Christ has designed the Church. We are all created in glorious diversity, but captured by the same Spirit. Different, yet the same. How beautiful.

I spent my afternoon playing cards with some of the middle school girls, and then I got to enjoy the beautiful weather out on the roof, starting a new book--Frank Peretti's The Oath. Japan is really bringing out the adventurous in me! (Many of you know my reluctance to read Christian fiction!) I was able to talk a bit with Michelle Mikoski and play a little with Conner (who likes to play the same games as Mona! which brought me so much joy!). And I was able to Skype with Christie McNabb!

As thankful as I am for the easily accessible internet, I was struck today with the realization that it has such potential to be a hindrance to my ministry here. It pulls me back across the Pacific, when I want to be wholly here. I don't want to strattle the line between that life and this. They are the same, but when I spend so much time on Facebook or AIM or Skype, it seems to create that division. To split my attention, my focus, my heart. I need to find the appropriate balance.

Tonight I met the Barkmans--Phil and Miko. We talked for a bit, and then they took me to the market to find butter (the one item I couldn't find when I went on my own!) and to the electronics store (fantastic! I can't wait to explore it!) to get a 9V battery for my alarm clock. And they took me out to dinner. It was a very different dinner from the more traditional Japanese meals I've had. While still traditional, the restaurant they took me to emerged at a time when the Japanese were trying in introduce more European dishes and habits. So I used a fork! Pizza and pasta. And their pizza is so delicious! The crust is very very thin, so it is less filling, and their toppings seem odd, but tast magnificent together. Tuna and corn was my favorite of the night, I think. They also had some with roe and mushrooms and bacon that I didn't try.

But the people. It's all about the people. Where would we be without people? They are one of the most tangible representations of God that we have available to us. I am so thankful for all of them. :)

The Greatest

Sometimes, as a Christian, it feels like there are an overwhelming number of rules. And not the thou shalt not rules... excessive drinking, lying, stealing, drugs, etc. and so forth. I mean the rules that aren't really rules, but guidelines--the ones they make three point sermons on.

Be thankful always. Be an encourager. Don't get overwhelmed because you know that in all things God is working towards His Purpose, His Greatest Good. Be aware of those around you at all times. Stop. Pause. Take time out. Rest. Be holy. Respectful. Observe. Listen. Talk. Share. Be vulnerable. Be gentle: humble, teachable, submissive. How many more can you add to the list?

It overwhelms me at times.

I'm reading a book called "Cross-Cultural Connections," and while incredibly helpful, it adds so many more things onto the already-long list of things I need to be doing and be aware of and be sensitive to. The thing that kicks me is that every one of these things is true. They are good guidelines.

But they all add up.
The pile and pile and pile ontop of each other until they seem almost suffocating...

.. And then I think, "aren't they all supposed to happen naturally when we LOVE?"

How can being a Christian be so complicated and so easy all at the same time?

Nippon e yōkoso!

Welcome to Japan!

I'm officially here and subtly suffering from jetlag. I don't necessarily feel tired, but I feel my body shutting down. I can't think to do a crossword puzzle (I know..horrible for me!) and it comes to a point where I can barely put words together into a sentence. Haha.. But beyond that, I'm trying to soak everything in.

The flight in was easy overall.. I slept for most of it which made it go fairly quickly. I sat beside a gentleman who travels once a month to Vietnam for work. He had already been traveling for almost a full day and still had another flight to catch into Hanoi. Made me thankful I was only going into Tokyo! Immigration went smoothly.. I spent half an hour waiting in line with an older couple on vacation and went through all my paperwork with no questions. Much easier than getting into Ireland, oddly enough! The nice thing about waiting so long for Immigration was that by the time I got through, all of our baggage had come through the conveyor and was set out. After I picked those up, I went out to the receiving room where I met Richard Nakumura. He was nice enough to push his way to the front of the group of people waiting to pick up passengers and held up a large "SEND International" sign, so he was the first person I saw. We drove two more hours through rice fields (flooded and ready for planting season) and small towns to get to Tokorozawa, where the offices are. Tokorozawa is just outside Tokyo, similar to Fishers or Camp Hill--Just a pinch over the city limits.

It was great to talk to and listen to Richard on the drive--he told me a lot about the Church in Japan and its needs. He told me about the churches I'll be working at and some of the people I'll get to know. It was so encouraging to hear just how God is brought us together at the Right time. They need someone to work on their monthly newsletters because the man who puts them together is currently on home servie! If all works out, I'll get to do some writing while I'm over here as well :) It was also neat to hear how ministry is shifting towards people-focused as opposed to program-focused, something that's been really weighing on my heart the last year or so as well. There's a push to increase discipleship and urge people to pour into one another--a steel on steel type of focus as opposed to come, sit and listen to a sermon, and go. We are all charged with the Great Commission, to go and make disciples, and this is one area where there is need here. Truth be told, a lot of the issues that Richard brought up here I see at home as well. But at home, there's more of an idea that that is how religion is supposed to be done--that it is an individual experience as opposed to a corporate one. Both places there is a lack of vulnerability that needs to be challenged.

After we got to the offices, Richard got me settled into my apartment. It's very nice and very Japanese! I have a rice mat in my living-bedroom where I was threatened in the nicest way several times to never ever wear shoes. I have a futon (not like ours at all! pronounced Fu TONE) that folds up and is put away every morning. After I got settled in, I went over to the neighbors' apartment--the Mikoskis--to play Wii Mariokart. Very fun. They have two young boys, Conner and Troy, who are crazy energetic!

This morning, Anne Marie picked me up and took me to Starbucks! What a comforting familiar thing to start off my stay in Japan! We talked about business-y type stuff mostly and then came back to the SEND offices. She walked me around to the grocery stores and showed me what to get where and offered advice on how to buy food. Grocery shopping is a daily thing here, as produce especially molds within two days of purchasing it. We had lunch at the office with some of the other SEND workers, including the Kunneckes, who are from Grace. Following that was a short financial seminar, a nap for me, and dinner with Michelle and Nate Mikoski. I went over early and Michelle taught me how to make curry. It was delicious :)

Everyone has been so helpful and welcoming. I feel so at home even in a culture that is so shockingly different from what I'm used to. One thing that really made me feel at home? Get ready all you PAers--Anne Marie's van has a huge PennState decal on it! I got SO excited when I saw that.. the kind of excited where you have to apologize afterwards because of your sudden outburst. :)

It's currently almost 9pm here and I should be heading to bed soon. Although I don't feel tired, I know that as soon as I put my head down, I'll be asleep! That's for the best :) Tomorrow Richard is showing me around downtown Tokyo via train and then I'm having dinner with Anne Marie and her family. Should be another good day :)

Prayer requests... probably right now, for getting comfortable with the language and manners, and for ease in getting an international drivers license. :)

I will miss Perkins.

Ten minutes away from leaving for the airport and I'm jittery from five and a half cups of coffee. I haven't quite been able to place my emotions the last few days--they fall comfortably somewhere between being a nervous wreck and extremely excited. At least this is for certain: I have been blessed with a wonderful support system in my family, friends, and coworkers. I am so thankful for the phone calls and letters, the hugs, and those who were brave enough to stay up all night with me and drive down to the airport. God is most definitely moving; and I can feel something Big is on its way.

Thanks to my roommate, Jamie, the last question on my mind as I leave the States for five months: What if Elvis was my father?