Weird, New and Goodgood Things

Well, it's been quite an interesting week.  Last week was really stressful and I had a big test-- a Japanese proficiency test-- the N3, which is in the middle.  There are 5, 1 the highest, 5 the lowest.  It was a 2 hour test involving new words/kanji, grammar, reading comprehension and listening comprehension.

I was really nervous about it, beside the fact that I was really busy with everything else, and had everything from a fever to the sole of my foot swelling up and getting really sore, a trip to the doctor... so, I'll leave last week at that.  It wasn't my funnest.

But this week, there were lots of weird/new/good! happenings:

Creeeeeeepy: On Tuesday night, I had gone to meet a friend at Shimo-kitazawa, which probably means nothing to you.  I returned, messaging the team and waiting for them at the meeting place.  So, as I'm waiting, I'm standing there and this guy who is like 50ish, with bleach blonde hair and early 90s style sunglasses and a white leather jacket comes up to me.  He was from Turkey. Anyway, he was trying to pick me up, and I was definitely like... no.  Anyway, he kept talking, and tried to pinch my cheeks and touch my face and say you're beautiful, and I was like, Don't. Touch.  We don't touch people a whole lot in Japan (they just don't do it), and so a 50yr creepy guy trying to touch my face was like, even worse.  Anyhow, the team finally arrived and I was NEVER so happy to see them in my life.

By the way, I decided I was entirely too nice in this situation.

New: We had a group of breakdancers here!  They're from California, and did a break-dance workshop and did our street band outreaches, attracting a lot of people!  It was super cool, and one of them speaks Spanish which really, really confused my brain.  But in a good way. ;)

Good: And these are the things I'm thankful for (since it's Thanksgiving and all)

-My brother, niece and 2 others were in a terrible, terrible accident.  (wait for the good part)  It's one of those that people don't walk away from [i.e. rolling the car 4 times and then landing upside down, off the side of the highway]... but the worst that happened was that with the 2, the older had a concussion and 2 black eyes, and the youngest had a bump on her head.  That's it.  PRAISE GOD Who had His hand on them, because He is the only One who could have let them live through it. 

-I got to talk with all my family via Skype on your Thanksgiving Day, my Friday.  It was lovely to talk to all them.

-And to finish, I got the results of my Japanese test.  I was had been wondering about the results all week, because on 2 parts, I felt confident, on 1, I wasn't sure.  You need a 60% to pass, right.  On my last test, I got like a 82%, maybe?  It was like 2 levels down.  Anyway, my heart was beating beating beating as the teacher came by, passing out the strips of paper with the results from each section and the overall result.  I got a... dundundun: 89.5% .... !!!!!!!!!!! Score!  Praise God! I was so excited!

AHHHHHHHHH~ Good Things!

Dundundun!!  Good news everyone!

Last week, Mark met up with a guy who has been going to FUSE since September.  We really felt that he was open to Jesus, and were excited to see what was going to happen.  He seems to be a really popular guy, have lots of friends, and is amazing at talking to strangers, whether he's going us on street band or in FUSE.  Anyway, Mark caught up with him, and explained the Gospel simply, and Tomo decided he wanted to follow Jesus!

Praise God!  It's excited to see somebody take that step of belief!  He apparently, a while ago, wrote a blog on one of the social networking profiles here in Japan.  Yuiko read it and told us about it.  He had written about how excited he was about FUSE and getting to know this Jesus.  He knew that it wasn't just a religion, but really a relationship.  He also was grateful for feeling a part of the community of FUSE Jesus Community.  I don't remember how many, but Yuiko mentioned that he had an impressive amount of friends on there, and he wasn't afraid to post this blog even though he hadn't yet decided to follow Jesus at that point.

Also, we have a new girl (well, lots, but one in particular) coming to FUSE who joined my lifegroup last night.  She does understand a lot of English, but at the same time, she can have a hard time speaking it, so mostly I spoke in Japanese.  Anyway, we talked about Jesus and did a Bible study worksheet on who Jesus is.  It's really simple and good.  She was really into the Bible study, it seemed.  Afterward, I let her keep the New Testament that I gave her to use during the study.  It's bilingual.  She had this look on her face of, really?? :D  Lizzie and I had talked about what we learned in our journalling time this week, and I said, if you'd like to do that, please do, because I always feel great after doing it! 

I told her some books to start in~ either Mark or John~ and she looked them up in the index, and looked up the page number and looked up with this huge look of joy on her face and was like, I'll do it!

I was really excited, because she seemed to understand what was going on... though there were a few things that she didn't understand (like temptation and sin).  She also talked about how the words of the "Jesus Song" really touched her heart, and made this gesture of how it seemed to cut through into her heart.  So, I think she will be meeting Jesus soon too! 

Things are on the move here!

A Night Off

Tonight is a special night off for me.  Well, not special, I suppose.  I usually do lifegroup on Wednesday nights with Yuiko and Naomi.  But Yuiko wasn't feeling good, and I was feeling pretty terrible as I had a cough, a cold, and I think a stress rash coming up. (FUSE last Sunday)

School was a little bit like torture today, as I sat with my coat all buttoned up, super tired and wanting just to lay down, but sitting through class.  I barely made it through and came home to sleep pretty solidly for 2 hours.  I had been trying to decide, should I take off school tomorrow or go?  And I kept going back and forth because we have a big test next week that I need to study for- particularly at school-, but this weekend is also full with a promise to take the group visiting to Kamakura or some place like that, and then a FUSE party for getting to know the team (and really, for us to form more relationships with people from FUSE and people new to FUSE), and FUSE on Sunday.  I eventually stuck with going to school tomorrow...

Anyway, after some messages talking about lifegroups, Yuiko and I decided we had better spend tonight recovering.  And so, I am trying to take it easy, do a little studying and then head back to bed.

If you think about it, please be praying for the dollar to go up.  When I first got to Japan, it was about 91 yen to the dollar.  Today, it's 81.  That's a pretty significant drop, when you notice that it's about a 10% drop.  So, I think if you do the math, it's like a $100 difference for every $1000.  So, even though the same amounts are being given, effectively it's a drop for me when I withdraw it in yen- I have to live off less money. 

Well, I don't want to talk about money, and that's not a beg for money.  But, if you would pray for the dollar to increase, I would really appreciate it.

Last Sunday, we had 32 people, and 13 new people (including the team of 4 who are here from America).  We were missing a few regulars, but, amazing!  9 non-American new people!  A lot of them joined lifegroups afterward.  My lifegroup was 7 people, 5 of whom had never been to lifegroup before.  And what's more-- they spoke mostly (only) Japanese.  So, we talked about the message, and it was a good introduction to what lifegroup is like, sharing life and talking about Jesus and the Bible.  Saki was a great help in that, translating for me when I did need it.  But as of yet, we need more Japanese leaders who are ready to lead lifegroups!  So, please be praying for us!  This week went well, and we want to see more growth, but we need more "ready leaders"!

I was pleased with it, and for Sunday night and Monday, the girls attending my lifegroup were all about leaving comments about how awesome FUSE was, and they had a great time and want to come back and get more involved!  So, praise God!  People are taking steps (among the guys too, great stories) to know God more, and we are excited!

Well, I should probably study now, but I thought I'd share this good news with you!

A Note on Fashion

So... Last Saturday, I was told, "You look like a poor girl."

What?!?! Of course, this was coming from someone who was wearing at that moment a $600 coat. I was also told at the moment with a slightly contemptuous look, "Take that scarf off, you look old."

Have you seen The Devil Wears Prada? There's a moment after Andy gets her job that Meryl Streep looks her from head to toe and then says, "That's all..." If you have seen it, you will know how Andy felt in that moment, and how I also felt in that moment as I was standing on the train platform.

Granted, this wasn't a stranger that said that to me, but a person who dearly loves me as a sister and I dearly love as a brother (and there is nothing more to be read into that sentence).

But, oh my gosh. The comment about my scarf was indeed reiterated the next day by another girl, as we were joking about me looking poor.

Fashion is super important to Japanese people. I know I've said it before, but it was in that moment that I really experienced it. It's superficial, but the Japanese are used to quality. That and I've heard Japanese people say about certain styles of dress-- that person dresses like people in the cults. Thankfully, my fashion is not at that level.

Now, I haven't gone out and bought a new wardrobe, but I am thinking more and more about what I put on each day.

And it certainly won't be that scarf.

A Note on Giving

Dear friends, the following communication I received from the WIM office about credit card donations, which I know some of you do. I thought you might be interested to hear about this. So, without further ado~
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As many of you know there are new rules and guidelines set by congress for credit card companies to follow. This has caused an increase in the fees the credit card companies charge their customers. Therefore, effective October 1, 2010 the following changes will be made in the WIM office.

1. For donations from MasterCard or Visa the donation will be assessed a 3.1% fee plus $0.18 transaction fee. The current rate is 2.24% plus $0.18 transaction fee. For example, a $100 donation will come to you as $87.05

$100.00
- 3.10 (3.1% Credit Card fee)
96.90
- 0.18 (Transaction fee)
96.72
- 9.67 (10%)
$87.05

2. For donations from Discover Card the donation will be assessed a 2.34% fee plus $0.18 transaction fee. The current rate is 2.24% plus $0.18 transaction fee. For example, a $100 donation will come to you as $87.73

$100.00
- 2.34 (2.34% Credit Card fee)
97.66
- 0.18 (Transaction fee)
97.48
- 9.75 (10%)
$87.73

The most cost effective way to have your donors give electronically is through their bank. The donor needs to set up monthly bill pay from their bank to WIM. There is no cost to the donor and no additional cost to you. Sometimes simple communication with your donors will help them understand why this is a more effective way to give.
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If you have any questions about your donations or would like to learn about another way to donate, please contact me and we can figure it out! Thank you!