Christmas in Japan

Merry Christmas everyone!

By special request from my dad I am going to take some time to make a quick post about what Christmas season in Japan is like. Here in Tokyo it is quite apparent from daily observation that there is much American influence for the Christmas season. This was apparently inherited from the post-war years from what I have heard. It is apparent that the Japanese people really enjoy Christmas, or at least the Americanized Non-Christian ‘Material-mas’ version. Although they do not get Christmas day off, they do get Emperor’s birthday off on December 23rd. Just like America most major stores here began to play Christmas music as well as display Christmas advertisements in November. Merry Christmas or Merry X-Mas are most common in advertising. The Japanese do not seem to have a problem with saying ‘Christmas’ instead of ‘Happy Holidays’. Many city areas have Christmas lights as well as trees or wreaths.

Kodiara City

Mall near Shinjuku Station in Tokyo

I do want to note that many stores actually play spiritual Christian-themed Christmas music about Christ’s birth, which would probably be taboo in America these days! I have learned that there are some distinct features about Japanese Christmas that may seem amusing in the Western World. Apparently Kentucky Fried Chicken (or some form of fried chicken) is consumed on Christmas Day. Also, Christmas Eve is a day for ‘happiness’ and the exchanging of presents. Apparently the Japanese have a Buddhist monk equivalent to Santa Claus who gives gifts.

Chicken at Japanese 'Walmart'

Christmas Chicken Advertisement

'7-11' Style Gift Box

Around this time of year many expensive gift packs are seen in stores. Here in Japan the local ‘7-11’ has an expensive catalog containing various Christmas cakes, wines, and expensive food gift packs. In America to go to ‘7-11’ for a Christmas gift would be a joke, however here ‘7-11’ is seen in a different light! Of course this has been an excellent time to hand out gospel tracts to various people to explain the meaning of Christmas as well as invite people to our church. Our church did an in-house Christmas concert with close to twenty separate groups as well as a traditional Christmas Eve service!

Christmas Eve at Church

Christmas Eve Snacks at Church

Thank you for your prayers!

Shintoism in Japan - Shrine Experience

Here in Japan one of the most common belief systems is that of Shintoism. I am sure that many people (including myself) are curious about what this belief system entails. As I am here longer in this country I am sure that I will have more time to study this Japanese philosophy of life in greater detail since it is at the center of Japanese understanding of life. Recently, Katie and I were able to have some first hand encounters with Shintoism by going to Yoyogi Park in Tokyo during Japan’s “Labor Thanksgiving Day”. Some of you may have seen the pictures on Katie’s facebook page. We went to Yoyogi park because of its close location, free attendance, and close proximity to Harajuku street (popular area in Tokyo). Unbeknownst to me is that within Yoyogi Park is the Meiji Shrine, which is a large shrine that apparently dedicated to the ‘deified spirits’ of Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. The Meiji era in Japan was considered to be one of the most vital times in this country’s history, so this shrine is very well beloved. In 1920 this shrine was constructed for the purpose of enshrining their souls. I do not entirely know what this entails.

We decided to check out the shrine and to learn about Shintoism since it is one of the main world views that Japanese are taught to view reality through. However, Katie and I do not endorse entering any shrines as a practice since they are places of heavy spiritual oppression as will be described later. Those of you who are not Christians reading this blog please understand that this is not some kind of light-hearted cultural exchange. The reality is, is that heavy spiritual oppression exists in this land of which I will later describe. Most Japanese are in bondage to actual spirits or a form of spiritual oppression, and it is no laughing matter. Many rituals are actually inviting spirits to abide with them and their children. Katie and I are here in Japan also for the ministry of reconciliation of Japanese people to God through the sharing of the gospel. ( 2 Timothy 2:24-26 ) The Bible indicates that the *god of this world* blinds the minds of unbelievers. (2 Corinthians 4:1-6) Before I continue know that this is the Christian prospective according to the scriptures.

Before entering the shrine areas we walked through some large ‘Torii’ gates. From what I understand these gates are to mark the entry into ‘holy places’ as considered in Shintoism, with each gate entered through signifying an increased level holiness before actual shrine entry.

(Torii Gate)

After entering through the first Torii gate we came across a large area with barrels of wine as well as barrels of sake. The inscriptions on these barrels indicated that they were dedicated to the ‘deified spirits’ of Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken from various people around the world. In Shintoism there are thousands of gods which are mostly various people of the past that have been ‘deified’ and worshiped. This is essentially ancestor worship. This article quote from a Japanese blog website describes Shintoism:

“Shinto is a loose collection of faiths without any written commandments or creed. It is conveyed by ritual, practice, and behavior rather than by word. The following linguistic description of Shinto is, therefore, at best an external analysis rather than “Shinto doctrine” since Shinto avoids linguistic definition to the extent that other religions avoid idolatry.

An infinite number of gods or spirits are revered in Shinto, but at the supreme level in the Shinto cosmology is the unity of nature from which all things are born. Humans depend upon the spirits, which are features of nature (such as mountains, waterfalls, trees and the sun) and our human ancestors. The spirits depend upon humans and by being enshrined and how revered they come to be.”

It is no wonder then on this national holiday that many people came to the Meiji shrine for various reasons which I will show later. Before entering the shrine a small building on the side was dedicated to a purification ceremony.

Purification 

The idea is apparently to remove evil and pollution with water so that one may enter the shrine for a form of worship. (Japanese have a different idea of sin/pollution than Western-thinking people. I will speak on this on another blog.) Obviously many people were rinsing out their mouths and fingers before entry into the shrine, since they believe in this act for purification. I could not help but notice that this ritual was much like that of ancient Israel before entering the temple. I will allude to this later in another post with an interesting link about Japan and Ancient Israel.

On the outside of the shrine exists some small booths that sell items that are akin to talismans, charms, and items that are apparently endowed with blessings to increase certain attributes in life. (luck, fortune, health, etc.) After paying your homage in the shrine you can come out and purchase some of these things for yourself. They are roughly eight dollars or more a piece. I could not help but see similarities between this and that of hearing of pre-reformation Catholicism in which icons as well as relics were purchased and believed to be endowed with certain real-life benefits.

Spiritual Items for Purchase

Before we entered the shrine area for pictures I could sense the ominous spirit of the whole matter of being in this area within my soul, but it was not until I had entered the shrine itself that I could feel the heavy spiritual pressure not of God. It was quite intense, like a feeling of utter emptiness and doubt.

Shrine Entry

Shrine main area inside

I would like to say that the design of the shrine is impressive. The craftsmanship is really something to write home about.

Within this shrine is a tree that contains prayers. You can pay to have your ‘prayer requests’ posted for the Shinto priests to dedicate when they do their rituals. I also learned that offerings are required in the shrine lest the spirits become angry and bestow you with misfortune! I witnessed many people tossing coins into a box in the main area. Apparently money, gifts, food, and flowers can be offered.

Prayer Tree and Prayers on Cards

Shinto Prayer Request Cards

While in the shrine we witnessed a lot of activity going on. Many people were getting married, many children were being dedicated in ceremonies, and many people were generally involved in spiritual activities in the shrine. The weddings appeared to be very serious and solemn occasions!

Wedding Ceremony in Temple

Apparently at certain ages Japanese children are dedicated through various ceremonies. (link) This is one of the reasons why many believe that Christians are few in this land. Hearing the gong during the ceremony was particularly ominous.

Child Dedication far inside

Large Drum used as part of ceremony

One of the side buildings which contained some golden tablets had a particular ominous sense of spiritual heaviness about it, and I could only bare to withstand it for a short period of time enough to get a picture.

Golden Tablets

At this point we took a few pictures and were glad to leave the area. Once exiting out of the side Torii gate I could feel the some of the spiritual heaviness disappear. Even writing about it now brings back a certain sense of spiritual oppression. After having been to this shrine I am certainly thankful that as I child that I was not dedicated to strange spirits on multiple occasions. This is all the more reason why it is such a major event when a Japanese person becomes a born-again Christian. They are often essentially rejecting a lifetime of deeply ingrained pressures to conform to Shintoism, spiritual oppression, as well as the apparent shame of their ancestors and family for their decision. This is a lot of pressure to bare, but all the more reason why becoming a born-again Christian is an amazing miracle for a Japanese person! The power of God is really supernatural to enable a person to go against so much of what they have been taught! This is also a good reason to pray for Japan. Newly born-again Christians have a lot to learn and must make some incredible sacrifices to remove the Shinto influences from their homes and lives over a long period of time. Though an advantage in this country is that it is quite clear what separation from the world means when becoming a Christian! Please continue to pray and comment. God Bless.

Back to Genesis

In many sermons and apologetic resources we as Christians are given the example of the Apostle Paul preaching at Mars Hill in Athens to the ‘pagan’ intellectuals of the area at that time. Acts 17:22-34 gives the account quite clearly. These scriptures make it quite clear that the Apostle Paul had to present a biblical world view to those that had no idea about what the newly arrived Christianity entailed. He had to start from the account of creation, and was able to move into talking of turning from their old beliefs (repentance). It is similar here in Japan where the average person knows little of Christianity. This takes a lot of time, explanation, and contemplation for the average Japanese person to understand what Christianity is implying. The thought that God can connect with an individual person in  a personal way is quite foreign to the communal-oriented Asian mindset. Also, the thought of a loving God (or God at all!) is quite different from a system in which gods are believed to be like human beings, and should be appeased through various actions! From the average Japanese person to the average Atheistic mainland Chinese student here (studying in school) it is quite clear that the biblical worldview is about as strange as hearing a message from an alien from another planet! “God”, “Sin”, and “Salvation” are largely unknown. Though strange as it may seem to them, the reality of the need for finding the truth exists for all people. This article as well as others make it clear that many Japanese are searching for truth.

Local Shinjuku Temple

Therein lies the importance of beginning at Genesis. Fortunately, aside from personal study of the book of Genesis in the past, there are many resources online to really learn about the creation account in order to build a biblical foundation. Websites like ICR.org and AnswersInGenesis.org have been excellent tools for apologetics. (If you have never been exposed to ideas other than evolution, this link sums up some main contentions well.) The people here that I am able to talk to about beliefs have never really been exposed to ideas contrary to Evolution, let alone Christianity! It is likely a shock to have these views challenged. Yet natural doubts about an evolutionary world view exist within the people I have talked with. Thank you for your prayers, because one man that I have been meeting with claimed that he no longer believed in Evolution now that he has been able to have some important questions answered. When confronted with the question of a random universe with no purpose versus a loving God with purpose for man, a person needs time and consideration to come to a conclusion. After this comes the real work of the gospel: actually sitting down with a person and studying from the beginning of the Book of Genesis to build that foundation to even understand what the gospels and the Book of Romans mean.

As “Westerners”, whether we believe it or not, we often take for granted the fact that there are churches everywhere. We also take for granted the Christian ideas built into our culture, having Christians friends or family members, or even access to Christian material! Consider how much knowledge you have in your head about the Bible, Genesis, and other areas of apologetics. Consider for a moment how you could use this knowledge to help others around you come to a clear understanding of your faith! There may be people that you know and see every day who have no clue about alternatives to Evolution or what Christianity really entails other than what they happen hear from media sources. Take some time to talk with them, and if they are open to conversation, then by all means take some more time to talk to them! Pray about it. We may be amazed at how God can use us in simple ways. (Matthew 5:14-16)

Thank you for your prayers, comments, and financial support!

Japanese University Presentation

Hello everyone. Once again I thank you for your prayers and consideration during this time. I just wanted to give a quick update of our speaking engagement at Aoyama Gakuin University. This speaking engagement was able to come about through a Japanese student friend of mine that came to the University of Montana to study last year. His professor heard that we spoke at a university last year and asked us to give a presentation at their university. This university is apparently "Christian", as it was founded by Methodists. However 95% of the students are not Christian. In the class we spoke at only one student out of about thirty was a Christian. Fortunately the professor was a Christian who was 'saved' in the United States as a student many years ago. He apparently attends a local Methodist church in Tokyo.

So, after Language school last Tuesday, Katie and I went over to the University as soon as possible. (30 minute trip by train as well as walking.) We then came to the classroom and waited awhile before the teacher gave us permission to speak. The class was an upper-level class about doing researched presentations in English. ( I think it was a combination of advanced speech as well as research.) I was able to give a presentation on the "6 Big Questions" in life. (Refer to my mission trip last year in a previous post http://mtwitnessjapan.blogspot.jp/2013/10/japan-mission-trip-week-1.html to day 3 for the questions.) I also added the question, 'Does God Exist?'. After giving the presentation the professor had the students 
break up into groups and discuss the questions for five minutes each. Katie and I then went around and asked as well as answered questions. (In my interactions I was able to talk about some of the flaws of evolution as well as answer questions about Christianity.) Most students had never really considered the questions before in their lives and did not really know what they believed. They gave the general consensus of what is often said about Japanese people: Shinto, Buddist, and Secular-Humanism all mixed together.  The professor also engaged the students in detail as well.

Katie then gave a personal testimony to the students in Japanese and was able to answer their questions afterwards. I believe the students and professors were impacted by her testimony greatly based upon the response afterward. Later Katie was able to pray over a student. A student also said that he thought many Japanese people would become Christians if we spoke with them one on one and answered their questions, since Japanese are very shy in a group setting. I have also heard that Japanese as a whole are interested in Christianity, but the way their system is structured it makes it difficult to become Christian. We also placed our contact information on the board.

Afterward the professor gave his testimony in Japanese as well. He appeared to be highly encouraged and even offered to take us out to eat afterward. He also said that we were welcome to come back another time and do another presentation. I spoke with a student who was interested in learning more English ( which is common here ) and asked him to consider reading the Bible in English with him. Please pray for him as well as others in the classroom.

Though we have been very pressed by the rigors of language school there are opportunities like this one in Japan by simply being Christian Westerners. If you have any questions or comments feel free to ask. Thank you for your support.

October in Japan

Hello everyone! Much has happened since I last posted on this blog. I am now quite over the jet lag as well as sickness and am in the process of adjusting to life in Japan day to day. Also, last weekend we faced some heavy rain, winds, and flooding from the Typhoon, but all is well now. As you can well imagine adjusting to another culture is not easy. Day to day communication is quite difficult, however I am learning new words each day. There have been a few ups and downs with adjusting to the culture as well as big city life. Adjusting can be tiresome, but God is ever present. Mostly my brain has been continuing to get used to new sounds, sights, tastes, and expectations. Here is a link to my video about some Japanese foods:

Japanese Food

Last week Japanese language school just started. My language school, KCP, has about 500 to 600 students and is located near the center of Tokyo in a place called Shinjuku. Every day I get up early and take about an hour train ride into the center of the city to go to school.

Stuffed into the Train

Alley of Shinjuku area

Main street around Shinjuku

There are seven levels of schooling which are supposed to take about two years to complete. Once these levels are complete most people here will be prepared to attend a Japanese college. For most students, this is their chance at a better life since the Japanese standard of living is one of the highest in Asia. My class mostly consists of Chinese and Malaysian students that are about 19-23 years old. (There is also an American, a British man, and a few other southeastern Asians.) Many of these students study Japanese in their home country before coming, do rigorous language school study here, and some work 1-2 jobs at night to pay for everything. They hardly sleep and are in large apartments with a lot of people. For many Asians life is a competition from day one for a better quality of life, so the rigorous schedule of work in Japan is no problem for them. In America it almost seems like we expect a certain level of prosperity without having to work as hard. (40-50 hours a week versus 60+ hours a week, and yes I am not talking about doctors, lawyers, and business owners.) It makes me consider what do we do with our success in America. We have great responsibility to use our resources to further the Kingdom given that most of the world is in some form of poverty. (Luke 12:48)

Orientation at KCP

The Chinese students that I have met are very friendly. I can tell that they have limited access to outside information in their country. (No Facebook, limited internet, gasp!) I sit next to a girl named ‘Jessica’ and a guy named ‘Chris’. They both understand English very well. Jessica speaks English very well and has offered to help me understand any of the Japanese in class since the whole class is in Japanese. Please pray for them as they are from the mainland of China and have likely not heard much of Christianity. I will attempt to befriend them to share the gospel. On a lighter note I met another Chinese guy in class that spoke some English. His first words to me were: “I love United States. I love Michael Jackson and Justin Timberlake.” Our culture definitely reaches people more than anything! The first two days of language school were intense. Please pray that I can understand as well as speak Japanese! Katie has had multiple opportunities for witnessing to people as well as doing some actual bible studies. Please pray for her as well as those she is meeting with!

As many of you have seen on the news, a second typhoon has come through Tokyo bringing much rain and shutting down public transportation for awhile. Hopefully this will be the last Typhoon of the season as the first Typhoon killed 9 people from what I have heard! Also a lunar eclipse occurred with great clarity here in Tokyo!

Lunar Eclipse Photo

 Thank you for your thoughts, support, and prayers as I continue to adjust here!

Arrival in Japan

Earlier this week I arrived in Japan after a very long day of travel which began in Montana at about 4:30 A.M. Tuesday (9/16/14) and ended in my apartment in Japan at midnight the next day. Considering that Japan is about sixteen hours ahead of my normal time in Montana it will likely take some time to overcome the jet lag. The flights were not too bad overall. I was able to sit next to a South Korean man who spoke English fairly well. He indicated that he was a minister visiting the United States to talk about his ministry with North Koreans. He spoke about much of what I had previously learned from Voice of the Martyrs (Bible Route to North Korea) about how much of the ministry to North Koreans is done in China. If you are interested in this check out that ministry's Youtube channel. He also indicated how Chinese authorities would beat ministers who were found to try to minister to North Koreans if they were discovered! I gave him my email address and hope to hear more about his ministry.

Since my arrival I have been slowly adjusting to some various differences in culture. This feeling is very disorienting, like I am in a dream-like state. Not only am I not used to living in a new culture, but also I have been adjusting to living in a mega-city. Fortunately, Katie has been here to help me along the way. Much of the Japanese that I have learned has been hard to apply since their communication has various layers of meaning as well as situational usage. My brain has literally been working overtime taking in all of the sights, sounds, and trying to read the language. I am certain that over time this will go away. I will say that each day my brain is very tired!

                                                                 Kodiara Shopping Area

                                                                  Kodiara Station 


My apartment located in Kodiara, Tokyo, Japan is quite nice. I really thought that it would be quite small as well as expensive, but was glad to find out that it was relatively large as well as cheap for what was needed. God really provided! There is plenty of space to work, sleep, prepare food, and store items. It takes about 20 minutes by bike to go to the church and 10 minutes to get to the main train station. I will try to use a bike as much as possible since travel here on the train can get expensive quickly. Fortunately, my language school will be able to provide a discount travel card when I take school associated routes which will save a lot of money.

Apartment Panorama

Being a Westerner is still somewhat of a spectacle in Japan, so some people want to talk and find out who you are and why you are here. I noticed again upon my arrival that people do not generally speak with each other unless some occasion permits them to do so. For instance, when Katie and I went into an organic shop to buy some goods the store owner wanted to talk once a conversation was initiated due to an item purchase. This led to an extensive conversation (20-30 mins) in which this lady claimed interest in visiting our church due to the sign-language program. Also, on another occasion at Starbucks a lady sat next to us but was too shy to say anything the whole time until Katie asked her for some help with directions on a map. This led to her confessing that she was lonely, did not know any foreigners, and wanted to know Katie more. I do not yet know if these people are just being polite, or if they actually want to do things. Only time will tell. Generally in America people will freely talk with one another without an excuse to do so as we are a very out-going type of people. Not so much in Japan.

Recently I met my language partner. His name is Shinya, age 44. He speaks English relatively well since he had lived in the United States for about 4 months. His wife is a Christian who attends the church. We seem to have some commonalities as he studied social psychology in college. I will be spending a lot of time with him. He is not Christian, so please pray for him! I still have some time left before language school starts, so please pray that I continue to adjust!  Also, an exchange student that I helped with English while in Montana named Kobiyashi would like me to speak at his university. His professor is apparently Christian. Please pray for this opportunity coming up soon. Thank you!

Leaving for Japan

Currently, I am in the process of going through the normal routine one goes through to move including: packing up possessions, selling possessions, giving away possessions, and throwing away possessions. This time really makes me think about how it is nice to really simplify our lives with all of the possessions we accumulate over time. This also made me realize that there is a lot of emotional attachment to every-day mundane regular items! This article really comes to mind at a time like this:

https://www.probe.org/consumerism/

Jesus' own words come to mind as well:

"And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." - Luke 12:15 KJV

What is really important?

Japan Mission Trip: Week 3

Day 1

This day I got up early again, and packed my bags to go to Kuriozawa, Japan which is a small town about a half hour or so north of Tokyo via Bullet Train. (Bullet trains go 300km/hr). Mrs. A's father gave a ride to the train station in his car. I would be in Kuriozawa for about three days to help with a language school ministry with whatever they needed. Katie decided to go and help me. It was definitely easier to have her guide as opposed to walking around looking at the signs alone! We arrived, ate some lunch, looked around, and walked to the language school. Kuriozawa was like Aspen, Colorado in my opinion. It had the appearance of a rich resort type town.

I do not have many pictures from this day. But I do recall that I immediately started to help the language school with their project which included moving a lot of things out of a building so that it could start the process of being demolished to be turned into a parking lot. So, some of the time on these three days would be spent clearing out stuff and destructing the building. 

Day 2

This day I recall doing work for about half of the day. We spent some time demolishing the building as well as removing items that were on the inside. Katie even got in on the action!

Later on the in day we went to see some waterfalls in the area. This area is really like a tropical type forest. Katie also go the opportunity to speak with two women who were visiting from Tokyo, and to invite them to church.

During that night a Typhoon occurred by Tokyo, so we got some rain from it. I think the bullet trains were shut down for a few hours as well. 

Day 3

This day we got up early and again helped with the project for the language school. We then went out to lunch with some Christians from Singapore and heard of their story in detail. I was able to learn much about Singapore and what they were experiencing there as Christians. I really appreciated these people as they spent the previous day praying for Japan. I think that it is almost unheard of in the West for people to spend an entire day praying. Later on in the evening we then went back to Tokyo. We made it in time for the church prayer group. I recall that I was tired, and was able to pray over a lady in the church. Turns out later that I offended her because I touched her shoulder while praying. (even though we asked ahead of time) She apparently did not like to be touched. I later had to make it up to her the next day. I also recall speaking with a lady named Miyuki about belief from Mark chapter 9.  I do not recall what happened the rest of that day as I had no pictures.

Day 4

This day we again got up early to go visit the lady who I offended at the hospital. She basically takes care of her elderly mother who can not do much of anything but sleep as she is bed-ridden. We went to a gift store and purchased a gift for the lady. We met up a woman from Takiyama Bible Baptist, then took the train over to the section of Tokyo where this lady lived. Before arriving we practiced a formal apology, where each of us said a respectful apology in Japanese followed by a deep bow on my part. It was a good/humbling experience, as cross-cultural mistakes are bound to happen in other countries. So we arrived at the care facility and made our way upstairs to meet this woman. We quickly prayed, then entered the woman's room. She was watching TV and her mother was sleeping. She told us to wait while she finished the TV program. After that was finished Katie began the apology process, followed by my own apology. At first the woman would not take the gift, but eventually decided to do so and was happy. We then spent some time singing a hymn to the woman's mother, praying, and reading some scripture. This woman was so happy that she made us an offer that we could not refuse: she was going to buy us all lunch at a traditional Japanese style restaurant. We went to the restaurant and enjoyed her company for about an hour.

I have to take this time to mention something interesting about Japanese culture. In Japan they are crazy about their toilets. So, in this restaurant I went into the bathroom and was met by one of these high tech toilets. It immediately opened the lid and said something in Japanese upon entry. It also started to play classical music. When I sat down the lid was so warm that I did not want to leave. Oh my. Ok, thats enough.

 notice side panel with options

We then started to head back home. By this time it was about 3:30pm, so we decided to see a tourist area of Tokyo with some neat old buildings. I can not recall the name of the district, but it had some great sites and I was glad that we went. Along the way we could see an idol shop and a Buddha statue. It should be noted in Japan that there are some kind of Shinto or Buddhist style icons in practically every building or public place as everything is intertwined. There is no real idea of separation of religious and secular life in Japan. 

 Buddha Statue

 Ancestor Worship Box

 Shinto Shrine

Day 5

I do not recall much of the morning on this day, but I do remember that we went to go eat lunch with Miyuki at a Vietnamese restaurant and spoke with her about her life and Christianity. I remember the pictures of Vietnam's communist leader dancing with children.

She also took us to her brother's house to give us some fruit.

We then went back to Takiyama Bible Baptist church and helped with two English classes for children in the local area. A ministry here is inviting children from surrounding areas into the church to learn basic English for free. The ages were about 4 to 12. The hope is to make contact with them and their parents so that they would consider attending the church. 

Day 6

I do not recall a lot of what happened this day as I did not take any pictures. I believe that I took my host family out for lunch. We then came back later and helped one of their neighbors get some persimmons down from the tree for the church meal the next day.

The A's also took me to some local stores for some tourist shopping. I then went to the Canadian missionary Ray's house for a dinner, which was quite good. I remember hearing some stuff about Canada. We had a good time of fellowship hearing life story.

Day 7

This day I recall waking up early and starting my packing. I then went to T Bible Baptist church for the morning service. After this I was able to attend the teen group again. After the message to the teens was given, we split up into two groups: men and women. I was able to go to the men's group and give a short 15-20 minute devotional about the previous week's work in Sendai. 

I then later ate lunch with the same group. I remember the rest of the day I packed for home, spent some time talking with Katie, and ate a going-away dinner at A's. They made a traditional style sushi dinner, which was very good. We also watched a movie. I have to say that I am thankful for the A's hospitality and willingness to take me into their home as a complete stranger. They were a major blessing from God, and made the mission trip a lot easier. Thank you A family! 

Day 8

On this day I recall getting up early, packing, praying with Katie, then driving off to the bus station. It was about 30-40 minutes to the bus station. From there I said my final goodbyes and headed out. The bus ride to the airport was about two hours. Upon arrival at the airport I went through security and ticketing in Tokyo with great ease and was even able to each lunch there. I will say that security in Japan is way more lax than the USA. I recall boarding the flight which was about 9 hours. This time I sat next to a man from the Philippines that was going to a church conference in Arizona. I spoke with him briefly, but he did not speak English well. I recall that this flight was difficult because I could never get into a good position to sleep. After the flight I landed in LA and it hit that I was in the USA because I had to go through three security check-points and speak with various customs people about the nature of my trip and what I was bringing back. Such a vast difference from Japan! lol! Before I got on my next flight to Salt Lake City I could feel heavily that I already missed being in Japan. Fortunately, the next flight I was seated next to a Christian from Hong Kong and was able to talk with her a good portion of the trip. She was apparently in the USA for 8 days on a business trip. I then boarded my final flight from Salt Lake City to Missoula and was sat next to a man who was going to Montana for the first time ever. He was also in a transitional point in his life about what to do next, so I was able to speak with him about the five big questions (as presented to the college class in Japan) as well as the gospel. He had a lot of questions, and a lot to think about. His name was Assad. Pray for him as well. I arrived home and met up with my parents for dinner, thus ending the mission trip!

Japan Mission Trip: Week 2

Day 1

It was now Monday October 7th, 2013. This day everyone was busy, so it was the first time that I had some down time to go explore Hiragashikarumi alone as well as rest. I was able to reflect on what happened during the week before leaving that evening to go to my second week's events in Sendai, Japan.

 random sign

I do not recall the exact time, but I left in the evening to take the trains alone to Sendai after I had sushi for lunch with Pastor E. The previous night Nobu san had printed out some instructions for how to get to the bullet train. Mrs. A's father gave me a ride to the station where I would begin my next journey. The key to this part of the trip was TRUST because I did not know much Japanese. (I can read hiragana and katakana, but do not understand what they translate to! lol!) So, I went through the first station and followed the map and times closely from place to place. At the third stop I had only eight minutes to get from one side of the station to the other. Only one problem: the Sushi that I ate for lunch was coming up and I had to use the restroom very badly. I only had 4 minutes left and had to decide fast, so I quickly ran into the bathroom. Believe me I was praying the whole time! I quickly got out and ran up the stairs and made it through the doors literally when the train was leaving. That was intense. Next I landed in the main train station where I had to buy the bullet train ticket. I asked the Japanese lady in broken Japanese about buying a ticket to Sendai. She did not speak any English, but just patiently pointed and smiled at the buttons on the screen. I believe that it was a miracle that we got the correct bullet train ticket. After getting the ticket I went through the gate only to find about 20 different signs. I asked a worker which way to go for my ticket in broken Japanese. He smiled at me and pointed me in the wrong direction. I knew it was wrong so I kept on asking him, and finally asked another guy. After that and some prayer I went up the stairs to the correct spot and got to the train with a few minutes to spare. At this time I was pretty thirsty so I decided to get something from the vending machine. Turns out I ordered some HOT tea. lol! nice! After I got on the bullet train the rest of the trip went fairly well.

 Fukushima

 bullet train

After a nice ride on the bullet train I arrived in Sendai. Sendai had a huge train station from what I recall. After finding my way around I boarded the train to Geba station. Once I got downstairs to board the train I noticed that there was no English anywhere to be found. Upon getting on the train I noticed that there was no English either! I basically had to Trust God that I was on the right train. Fortunately when I arrived at the last station I saw that it was Geba and got off. I then waited for about ten minutes and met with Hope Miyagi missionary Robert who took me to Hope Miyagi. There I met my new mission team from 'Woodstock Church near Atlanta Georgia' (SBC), and immediately got to work making bracelets for the presentation the next day. I did not know what to expect from total strangers, but decided to jump right in and get to know everyone and cooperate from day one. Fortunately, we all got along great.

Day 2

This day we awoke quite early to do some training with Hope Miyagi at 8:00am and to get an idea of what was going to happen during the week. The original intent of this ministry was to be an active arm of Shiogama Bible Baptist church in Sendai after the Tsunami occurred in 2011. Now this ministry takes in volunteers for all around the world to go in areas around Sendai, Japan to do ministry to people devastated by the Tsunami. Our job essentially was to come alongside the full time missionaries to assist them with their work to help build long term relationships with people.

 team meeting

 SBBC

Our first project was at 1:30pm. We were to meet at the location of a group of elderly people who were living in temporary housing due to losing their homes to the Tsunami. We were essentially there to tell them demonstrate the 'love of Christ', tell them about the USA, and do a craft with them to make a bracelet. This was our first action as a team, so we started off a little slow in meeting with the people. By the time the craft was finished I was able to get permission to speak to the group as a whole about our true purpose for being there, and to direct them to the SBBC ministry. I could sense the presence of the Holy Spirit there, which was followed by an open period where we could give the people some hugs. Some of the old ladies really enjoyed hugging! lol!

I was also able to talk to a high school student that was there to help translate. He spoke English quite well, went to a Christian High School, and had dreams of being a singer someday. (Pictured on the left below.) He admittedly was not a Christian. We spoke for about 15 minutes about Christianity and life. He had a lot to say. My prayers go out to him for his future. Pray for him.

x 

We then went to a park near a large housing complex to play various sports with local children. Children really do have limitless amounts of energy! The trick was keeping them busy! lol. Before the night was over, a member of our team named Wes was able to give a small gospel presentation to about 6 children. They had never heard anything like that before and did not know what to think. They were directed to the SBBC ministry.

We then went back home, ate dinner, and ended the night with a devotional.

Day 3

This day we would again get up early in the morning and drive to Oginohama fishing village about two hours north of Sendai. This village was an Oyster farming village that was destroyed by the Tsunami. Only two buildings remained out of about fifty. The damage was essentially cleared, but we went to help out the local people who had remained. We spent the first half of the time clearing out a small park area.

 on way up

 Oginohama

 park cleared

Next a man came in a car and asked Chas (another team member who could speak Japanese) and I to help him with some projects. We essentially helped him move all of his fishing nets, clear out his backyard, and then helped him move some ropes from one shed to the next. He was highly thankful and brought us into his house (1 of 2 houses left in the area) to cook some oysters, give us something to drink, and to talk. We told him why we were there, and thanks to Chas I was able to share my testimony with him when he asked why/how I became a Christian. We were able to talk to him about Christianity for a good 20-30 minutes. He stated that he had never met a foreigner in Japan let alone a Christian until after the Tsunami. (He was over 50 years old!) Pray for him as well.

x

After this we went back to the main village area for lunch, and to talk to Hope Miyagi's contact person for the village. We were able to hear his about his life. He was so grateful that he gave us some Oysters and clams to take back home. And of course Tomo (team member) the real Japanese, ate an Oyster raw! He also brought us into his house (the other remaining house) to show us pictures of the devastation of the Tsunami to the area.

 go Tomo!

We then drove back home. On the way back we stopped to see a small ministry that had apparently taken broken pottery from the Tsunami and turned it into jewelry.

We then arrived back home, ate dinner, prepared the crafts for the next day, and did a devotional before going to bed.

Day 4

This day we were able to sleep some followed by two events meeting with elderly people who were living in temporary housing units because they had lost their home in the Tsunami. We again spoke about America and did crafts. We were told just to love on these people, but not to speak about Christ. The first house had a few people, so I sat to the side and listened mostly. This day would mostly consist of me keeping my mouth shut, listening, and playing a secondary role. I do remember an old lady with a sweet spirit who had been a Kimono designer. She was very old, and slowly walked into the building and quietly sat down on her feet on a chair. Wes was able to talk to her. Afterward I remember her quietly walking out to the garden and paying respects to something.

 sweet old lady

We then ate lunch and went to the second temporary housing unit. We again met with some elderly people who had lost their home, spoke about America, and then did a craft. The team was able to connect with these people quite well. I spoke with the director of this home briefly in broken Japanese. I do not think we were able to speak about Christianity here either. I do recall a man named George who really liked American visitors. He made some kind of Shinto prayer charm for the members of the team. I had to politely refuse it. He also had a Buddist prayer necklace, to which he described the meaning in detail. He was apparently a religious man in the sense of the world. Please pray for him as well.

 George on Right

After the housing unit we went back home to SBBC to do a craft with the church children and to help assist with an English class. 

That night I attended the SBBC prayer group, where a second time the passage Matthew 10:35-39 came up to me. (The first being during David Platt's sermon the last week.) This particular time it was intense for me to hear this, and I believe that God was definitely speaking to me. After the prayer, I spoke with the team again, and went to bed.

Day 5

This day would be much more encouraging than the last. Again we would get up early and travel to the other side of Sendai about forty minutes away to meet with a group of displaced elderly people in a live-in hospital like setting. This time we would be meeting with the pastor of a local church plant. Also on this day we would be encouraged to speak about Christ and Christianity which was nice. We arrived, met the people, did some crafts, and sang some hymns before leaving.

We then went to the second location, which was by far the largest with about 25 people total. Again it was a temporary housing unit for elderly people who had lost their home during the Tsunami. We again spoke about America, Christianity, and did some crafts. I remember being able to sit at a table of older women and speak broken Japanese to them. It was a good experience as I did catch a few of their words, and they could understand me.

Next we went out with the pastor of the church plant to see his story of what happened during the Tsunami. This was a moving part of the trip as he showed us the school where he stayed at during the Tsunami, the events of the Tsunami before and after, traumatic experiences, and his ideas for the future. In the picture below you can see just how high the Tsunami got. It was apparently during the winter, so they had to huddle together on top of the roof to stay alive until help could arrive. You will also see a picture of where the pastor's house used to be, and where he plans to rebuild the church. We were able to visit the spot where he plans to rebuild to pray over it. This man said that he was depressed after losing everything to the Tsunami, but that he was encouraged because many Christians from around the world came and helped to encourage him and to clear the debris to rebuild. He was so encouraged by that, that he gained his hope back and decided to rebuild his house and church plant. His faith is greatly increased.

 new church plant site

 school

 watermark on chalkboard was the max height

 area where house used to be

( Also if you would like to find out about how you can help this man rebuild his church please feel free to email me at MTwitness@gmail.com. ) This is where some of your mission money for this trip went. After the day was over we headed back home.

Day 6

This day we had about a half day to do beach ministry with a local missionary out of SBBC named Garett. He was from LA and had lived in Japan for 6 months. His Japanese was excellent for such a short period of time. We got up in the morning and prayed, then went to a beach near Sendai for the ministry. Garett liked to surf, so he established a ministry for surfers. Basically after people surf, Garett is ready to meet them when they come out of the water with some free coffee and snacks. It is there that he tries to establish relationships with the people which hopefully leads to witnessing opportunities. So we arrived at the beach early and started to clean up the garbage. Later on we were able to talk to some people. I met a college student who spoke some English and was eventually able to befriend him on Facebook. He was interested in America. His friend was out surfing for the first time and could speak English quite well.

The rest of the day the team went to watch a baseball game and shopping as it was their last day in Japan before leaving early the next morning. I decided to stay behind and bike around Sendai as well as check out local things. At about 800pm everyone came back and started the cleanup process so that they could leave the next day early in the morning.

Day 7

This day the team got up early and left for the airport. I stayed behind and attended the morning worship service at SBBC.

I was then given a ride by a Japanese man who helped to buy my ticket all the way back to my original station in Tokyo. I did not get to get his contact information for the future, but I am thankful for his patience. I then took the train to Sendai, and got on the bullet train to Tokyo, and then came back and was met by Pastor Elisha.

Pastor E immediately told me that there was a man in his nineties in the hospital who decided that he wanted to know about Christ, and that we needed to go visit him. So visit him we did. Pastor E spoke with him and reassured him while I prayed. In Japan a pastor's duties are endless. I suppose it is the same here in the USA in many ways.

I then went to T Bible Baptist's BBQ, talked with a lot of people, and went home to go clean and pack for the next portion of my trip to Kuriozawa.