Wind, rain and broken umbrellas

BUT... a totally awesome day!

I'll get to that in a minute.

Friday, we went to Machida to do street outreach in the evening like we usually do.  Before we could even get started though, we were stopped by the police which often happens.  So, we went to another place and decided it wasn't going to be a good location, so we headed to Sagamiono. 

At Sagamiono, we had lots of opportunities to talk to people.  I approached one girl and then realized that she was on the phone, but I gave her a flyer anyway and stood a couple of feet away so that when she got off the phone, I could talk to her.  She told the person on the phone that she had just received a flyer, and then she looks at the special note we have stapled to it that says- special performance for Sakura Easter Sunday by MIS, Airi Shigemizu....

She goes-- Ah! Airi-chan!

I said, yeah!  You know her?

She says in the phone-- Airi-chan! I just saw a picture of you!

She was talking on the phone with Airi-- who happens to be in my lifegroup.  The girl ended up coming on Sunday and we were able to have more good conversation, and I hope to see her again!  And as for Airi, that night she sent me a message asking if it was too late because she wanted to get baptized also on Saturday.  I was like, no! Not too late! :)

At the beginning of the week, we had one confirmed person that wanted to get baptized.  By the end of the week, we baptized 4 girls in the ocean on a cold, rainy, very windy day.  So windy, in fact, that two of my umbrellas blew inside out and completely broke.  (to the right, our 4 girls getting baptized, XiPei, Kaori, Airi and Manami)

But that couldn't steal our joy!  It was an awesome day, despite the horizontal falling rain, as we ran out into the ocean hand-in-hand, baptized these girls, hugged, and then ran back and laid hands on each one and prayed for them. 

Easter Sunday saw many people attend FUSE for the first time, and many get to hear about Jesus likely for the first time.  What an awesome day to have that opportunity on!  Our friend Airi gave a special performance.  Below is a video of the last song in which she was accompanied by Yuiko.  The song is called Anata no Ai wa (Your Love is...) and talks about the greatness of God's love.  Totally beautiful!  Enjoy!

Shaking with Joy

Well, it would seem that Japan is so excited to see me that she shakes with joy.  Or at least, that's what I keep telling myself.  (Incidentally, Mark's message tomorrow is about the joy of the Lord...)

It hasn't been that bad.  Actually, I think there were like 3 days in a row this week where I didn't feel one.  And then today we had another earthquake early in the afternoon.  This week, there was one while I was at work, teaching my first English class of the new school year (the school year starts in April here).  The students jumped under the desk, and I stood, waiting to gauge it with my boss who was in the doorway.  We both paused, watching the walls.  We looked like we were listening for something.

"I think it's calming down..."

"Nope, it's getting stronger again..."

Then I happened to be on the rush hour train for another one.  All I heard was sirens above my music and then the train stopped, but only for like 5-7 minutes to check something.  We couldn't feel it, since we were moving. 

I did hear from one of my team teachers this week that she was on a bridge when the big one happened (March 11).  Everyone panicked and no one moved.  But she was screaming in her car.  I hadn't thought of what people must experience in a place like on a bridge.  I'd thought of what happens when people are in surgery, or giving birth, or in tall, sight-seeing buildings and then an earthquake happens....

I'm glad I was in none of those situations, but that God took me to a place where I was safe for the evening and not stranded...

Anyway.  Enough of that.  I've been trying to get back into schedule this week.  I've been getting back into my normal responsibilities, back to figuring out life here, and will be catching up more with people from this point on.  You have to schedule in advance here in Japan because people are so busy.  So that means an easy first week to settle in.

So, I'm excited for that.  And beside, next weekend is the Baptism Party.  I'm excited for it!  Let's be praying for lots of people to get baptized!!
Well... I'm going to get rest before FUSE tomorrow.  FUSE days are always very long days.... and I am, as of today, filling in on bass tomorrow... So... Well, write later!

Back

Welp.  I'm back in Japan.  How crazy does life seem lately?

After a great trip back to St. Louis and time spent with lots of lovely people, I am back in Japan.  Also in America happened to be lots of crazy weather, which gave me a nasty cold my last couple of days.  However, that made it nice in that because of a delayed flight to Chicago, I missed my connection to Tokyo.  So, they put me up in a hotel and I was able to get over the cold a little more before boarding a 13 hour flight.

So I'm back in Japan.  Since coming back, I've gotten things straightened out with my work schedule for teaching English this year and went to a seminar.  I've had like 3 different meetings and set up a schedule for this year now that I'm not in school anymore.  After talking with Mark and Yuiko yesterday morning, I'll be doing more admin stuff at FUSE and also be getting connected in to this Girls College like a five minute walk from my house.  I have one connection in there and I'm going to try to form more.  I'm pretty excited about that.  I'll keep studying in the mornings, though not at school.  And of course, the other stuff that I normally do and participate in, I'll continue doing.  So, I think it'll be good.

I do miss America (ha, Miss America) and the good times that I had there and I wish I could have been able to spend more time with people individually-- first and foremost my family. 

But it was cool to be able to share about Japan in such an oportune time when the whole world's eyes were on Japan.  Keep praying for us guys!  Even since I've been home, my second night, I was woken up as I had just fallen asleep by the largest aftershock (I keep hearing 7.1 and 7.4) since the one a half hour after the big one on March 11.  This new one left us rocking and shaking for a good one-two minutes. 

But there is still lots to be done, so help me in spreading the message about how we need more missionaries here in Japan and more people to help!  Short-term people and definitely long-term people!  This is the opportune time to share about the message of the cross to a hurting Japanese people!