Today the One Week To Shine team went to Akihabara, where anime and otaku culture married the electronics industry and created a district unique only to Tokyo. Akihabara is also the center of a darker underculture consisting of pornography and other sex industry perversion. In essence, a place that is saturated with what we Christ-followers would call "the world".
We went there today to pray and invite people to meet Jesus. Starting our day out with a prayer walk around the center of Akihabara, we got a feel for the lost people in that area. We began to sense that the heart of God was not fierce and condemnatory towards the people there. Rather, the Father wanted to reach out to them and heal their broken hearts and be a real father to the fatherless generations.
After we met back at Akihabara Station, we morphed into a flash mob of people dancing to the song "Happy". (Which, if you haven't heard it, can be found here.) Many people took notice of us and we were able to hand out a newspaper containing stories of how God has changed people's lives in Japan. It also invited them to our concert on Saturday where we will be able to invite them to church on Sunday.
Why is this effective? Because 99% of the Japanese population has no idea who Jesus is. Most of them have never heard of Jesus.
Ever.
We met a cameraman today by the station who wanted to use some of our foreign faces for the music video he was shooting. A few of us happily obliged his film-making and then began a conversation with him that led to his eczema being healed right there on the spot. He said he felt so light. One of our group asked him if he would like to feel that way all the time and he replied "Yes, please!" After some explanation, he accepted Christ right then and a huge smile broke out on his face! He was so happy, we hugged him and sang a song with him to celebrate - right there on the street. Before meeting us, he had never heard of Jesus and had never been told that God loves him.
We're making headway here in Japan. I am so thrilled to be a part of what God is doing here in Tokyo and I can't wait to share more awesome stories with you as the week goes on!
For God's glory!
Amanda
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Monday, June 9, 2014
One Week To Shine
Something crazy is going down in Tokyo.
It looks like people from all over the world collaborating to bring the hope of Jesus to Japan.
It sounds like people from all denominations praising God with one voice.
It's something of a God-movement, joining everyone for one purpose.
And we're calling it One Week To Shine.
Here in Japan, the week between the Global Day of Prayer (June 8th) and Global Outreach Day (June 14th) is being utilized for one purpose: giving the love and hope of Christ to everyone we can find. Every day from Monday to Friday, teams from all over the world will be going out into the city of Tokyo to pass out newspapers with the gospel, talk and pray with people, and invite them to an outreach concert on Saturday.
We will be doing everything we can to gather attention and open doors for conversations the ignite life change. Things like parkour, flash mobs, and musical street performances create opportunities for us to speak to those who would normally walk right by us on the street. And on the city streets of Tokyo where 99% of the people do not know Jesus, we need as many opportunities as possible.
Today, my new roommate, Amanda McGinness, and I met a 15-year-old girl in the park where we were practicing for our flash mob. Talking with her, we discovered that she had never heard of Jesus before. Amanda gave her a tract that explains Jesus' love for us. She read it and immediately started asking Amanda questions about it. Please pray that we will get to meet her again and lead her to the Lord!
During One Week To Shine, we will also be doing prayer walks around red light and entertainment districts, asking God to set people free who are in slavery both mentally and physically. We need to bring the name of Jesus to places where it may never before have been spoken.
You can find out more about One Week To Shine at their website: http://7media.org/1wts/ or follow what we're doing on the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/7MEDIAORG
I am expecting great things this upcoming week and I hope you will join me in prayer for Tokyo as we bring the light of the world to Japan! Be looking forward to many photos and updates as the week goes on! Can't wait to share with you what God is doing in Tokyo!
Thank you so much for your prayers, your encouragement, and your love!
~ Amanda
It looks like people from all over the world collaborating to bring the hope of Jesus to Japan.
It sounds like people from all denominations praising God with one voice.
It's something of a God-movement, joining everyone for one purpose.
And we're calling it One Week To Shine.
Here in Japan, the week between the Global Day of Prayer (June 8th) and Global Outreach Day (June 14th) is being utilized for one purpose: giving the love and hope of Christ to everyone we can find. Every day from Monday to Friday, teams from all over the world will be going out into the city of Tokyo to pass out newspapers with the gospel, talk and pray with people, and invite them to an outreach concert on Saturday.
We will be doing everything we can to gather attention and open doors for conversations the ignite life change. Things like parkour, flash mobs, and musical street performances create opportunities for us to speak to those who would normally walk right by us on the street. And on the city streets of Tokyo where 99% of the people do not know Jesus, we need as many opportunities as possible.
Today, my new roommate, Amanda McGinness, and I met a 15-year-old girl in the park where we were practicing for our flash mob. Talking with her, we discovered that she had never heard of Jesus before. Amanda gave her a tract that explains Jesus' love for us. She read it and immediately started asking Amanda questions about it. Please pray that we will get to meet her again and lead her to the Lord!
During One Week To Shine, we will also be doing prayer walks around red light and entertainment districts, asking God to set people free who are in slavery both mentally and physically. We need to bring the name of Jesus to places where it may never before have been spoken.
You can find out more about One Week To Shine at their website: http://7media.org/1wts/ or follow what we're doing on the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/7MEDIAORG
I am expecting great things this upcoming week and I hope you will join me in prayer for Tokyo as we bring the light of the world to Japan! Be looking forward to many photos and updates as the week goes on! Can't wait to share with you what God is doing in Tokyo!
Thank you so much for your prayers, your encouragement, and your love!
~ Amanda
Monday, April 21, 2014
Sakura Crazy
Here in Tokyo, the cherry blossoms, called "sakura" are almost all done blooming. It's beautiful but tragic to see them falling like delicate pink snow in the warm spring breeze. I wanted to capture as much of the season as I could since the blossoms only last about 10 days. So I went with some friends on a what turned out to be somewhat of a sakura pilgrimage all around the city to see various places where their loveliness is especially renowned.
This is the famous weeping sakura at Rikugien park in Komagome. Every year it draws thousands of visitors who come to see it both during the day and when it is illuminated for night viewing.
This was my first glimpse at a sakura tree in full bloom and the sight was absolutely stunning.
Coming to Japan, seeing the sakura was #1 on my Japan Bucket List. So, naturally I was like a small child, running around taking pictures of every sakura tree I could find and generally enjoying the peaceful atmosphere of God's creation.
Sakura season here in Japan is anticipated like nothing else I know. The newscasters give the nation a day-by-day update on how the blossoms are progressing toward full bloom in order to give the eternally busy Tokyoites time to plan a sakura viewing day with their friends, family, and co-workers. Leading up to the short-lived event, there is sakura themed everything for sale in shops all over. Sakura cakes, donuts, and other confections, sakura tea, sakura ice cream, and even a sakura burger at McDonald's. Here I am holding my sakura Starbucks mug given to me as a welcome gift by our church's lead pastors.
It's a craze that visibly sweeps the nation! And I got willingly caught up in it, being my first time ever experiencing such a buzz of widespread jubilation toward a change of the seasons.
Our ladies life group that meets ever Wednesday spent two weeks in a row outside enjoying picnic hanami (flower viewing) under the cherry blossoms. I even learned to make my own bento (lunch box)!
I also went to the Imperial Palace grounds to see the sakura trees that line the moat around the castle. It was unfortunately raining that day, but it made for some pretty pictures. The cloudy sky cast a soft grey light on the sakura petals that swirled in the moat's waters like green tea.
This is the famous weeping sakura at Rikugien park in Komagome. Every year it draws thousands of visitors who come to see it both during the day and when it is illuminated for night viewing.
This was my first glimpse at a sakura tree in full bloom and the sight was absolutely stunning.
Coming to Japan, seeing the sakura was #1 on my Japan Bucket List. So, naturally I was like a small child, running around taking pictures of every sakura tree I could find and generally enjoying the peaceful atmosphere of God's creation.
Sakura season here in Japan is anticipated like nothing else I know. The newscasters give the nation a day-by-day update on how the blossoms are progressing toward full bloom in order to give the eternally busy Tokyoites time to plan a sakura viewing day with their friends, family, and co-workers. Leading up to the short-lived event, there is sakura themed everything for sale in shops all over. Sakura cakes, donuts, and other confections, sakura tea, sakura ice cream, and even a sakura burger at McDonald's. Here I am holding my sakura Starbucks mug given to me as a welcome gift by our church's lead pastors.
It's a craze that visibly sweeps the nation! And I got willingly caught up in it, being my first time ever experiencing such a buzz of widespread jubilation toward a change of the seasons.
Our ladies life group that meets ever Wednesday spent two weeks in a row outside enjoying picnic hanami (flower viewing) under the cherry blossoms. I even learned to make my own bento (lunch box)!
I also went to the Imperial Palace grounds to see the sakura trees that line the moat around the castle. It was unfortunately raining that day, but it made for some pretty pictures. The cloudy sky cast a soft grey light on the sakura petals that swirled in the moat's waters like green tea.
All in all, sakura season is my favorite time of year in Japan. The anticipation, the beauty, the childlike wonder, the communal appreciation of God's creation, and the collective sigh when all the petals fall is like an entire life span in just a few short days. I cannot wait for the next time I get to see them!
Thank you again for praying for me and for waiting so patiently for this post. You are so amazing and I cannot wait to share with you more of what is happening here in Japan!
Mata ne! (Later!)
Amanda
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Cross-Cultural Cookie Baking
Church potlucks around the world are universal. Lots of food, lots of people, lots of laughter, and lots of full tummies by the end!
This past Sunday at ICA Tokyo, we held our monthly church potluck with many guests present due to the Phil Stacey concert held that morning (an evangelistic outreach to bring many new people to hear about God's love). It was my solemn duty as a new pastor to bring something very American to this largely Asian food mosaic. I chose what any good American girl would choose: cookies! Oatmeal chocolate chip, of course!
Now, this being one of my first forays into the baking world outside of US, I was fairly confident in my ability to whip up a batch of cookies while armed with my box mix I brought from home. Add eggs and butter, mix, bake, done. Right?
No.
Why? Because this is Japan. Not America.
I had neglected to purchase enough butter required for the recipe and ended up Google-searching a substitution: vegetable oil. Good, I had that. Now, on to the actual measuring. One half-cup of oil. Now, where to find US measuring cups in a Japanese kitchen? Back to Google: "metric conversions". Got it. Measured the oil, mixed in the egg, and things are looking great. Crisis averted.
Now, something about most Japanese kitchens in Tokyo is that they are generally too small for ovens. Most don't have large ovens like American kitchens. They have nifty microwave/convection ovens that function as both a microwave AND oven! Very handy! But there's a catch.
Everything's in Japanese. And Celsius. And that size baking sheet fits only 9 cookies at a time. And it doesn't pre-heat... that I could find.
Stay cool. What do I do? Okay, think this through:
Whip out Japanese dictionary app to figure out which button works the oven (NOT the microwave) and how to set the temperature. Back to Google for more conversions. 350 degrees Fahrenheit equals 175 degrees Celsius. The microwave oven only sets to 170 or 180 degrees. Take the dark cooking sheet into consideration. Adjust approximate cooking time. Rethink cooking time to factor in lack of pre-heating feature. Set oven to bake for 1 hour just to be safe. Oven shuts off after only 10 minutes. Reset oven. Cookies done after 4 additional minutes. Stop oven, remove cookies, replace with new cookie dough, reset oven. Oven shuts off after 10 minutes. Reset oven again. Cookie batch #2 complete. Reset everything again. Repeat.
It took me 3 hours to bake 24 cookies. But they were the best-tasking cookies I've ever made in a foreign country! Needless to say, they were missing from their plate by the end of the potluck.
One cross-cultural experience down, with many more to come!
Thank you again to everyone who is supporting me! You are all amazing and your thoughts and prayers keep me steady though the crazy days. Thank you, thank you!
~ Amanda
This past Sunday at ICA Tokyo, we held our monthly church potluck with many guests present due to the Phil Stacey concert held that morning (an evangelistic outreach to bring many new people to hear about God's love). It was my solemn duty as a new pastor to bring something very American to this largely Asian food mosaic. I chose what any good American girl would choose: cookies! Oatmeal chocolate chip, of course!
Now, this being one of my first forays into the baking world outside of US, I was fairly confident in my ability to whip up a batch of cookies while armed with my box mix I brought from home. Add eggs and butter, mix, bake, done. Right?
No.
Why? Because this is Japan. Not America.
I had neglected to purchase enough butter required for the recipe and ended up Google-searching a substitution: vegetable oil. Good, I had that. Now, on to the actual measuring. One half-cup of oil. Now, where to find US measuring cups in a Japanese kitchen? Back to Google: "metric conversions". Got it. Measured the oil, mixed in the egg, and things are looking great. Crisis averted.
Now, something about most Japanese kitchens in Tokyo is that they are generally too small for ovens. Most don't have large ovens like American kitchens. They have nifty microwave/convection ovens that function as both a microwave AND oven! Very handy! But there's a catch.
Stay cool. What do I do? Okay, think this through:
Whip out Japanese dictionary app to figure out which button works the oven (NOT the microwave) and how to set the temperature. Back to Google for more conversions. 350 degrees Fahrenheit equals 175 degrees Celsius. The microwave oven only sets to 170 or 180 degrees. Take the dark cooking sheet into consideration. Adjust approximate cooking time. Rethink cooking time to factor in lack of pre-heating feature. Set oven to bake for 1 hour just to be safe. Oven shuts off after only 10 minutes. Reset oven. Cookies done after 4 additional minutes. Stop oven, remove cookies, replace with new cookie dough, reset oven. Oven shuts off after 10 minutes. Reset oven again. Cookie batch #2 complete. Reset everything again. Repeat.
It took me 3 hours to bake 24 cookies. But they were the best-tasking cookies I've ever made in a foreign country! Needless to say, they were missing from their plate by the end of the potluck.
One cross-cultural experience down, with many more to come!
Thank you again to everyone who is supporting me! You are all amazing and your thoughts and prayers keep me steady though the crazy days. Thank you, thank you!
~ Amanda
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Culture Culture Culture!
Over the past week, I have been steadily pulled into the undertow of Japanese culture - often without knowing it.
For example, I have ceased to count it an accomplishment when I arrive at the correct station on time without mishap. This level of skill is a triumph for me since last time I was here, getting lost was a semi-regular concurrence. I have now also upgraded my level of independent cooking by successfully making rice, fish, and miso soup the other night! Grocery shopping is becoming easier as well now that I know most of what is available.
Other things are more culturally prominent - such as a funeral. I had never been to a Japanese funeral until this past Monday. Everyone wore all black with pearls which is the traditional funeral attire in Japan. The person being remembered was a Christian, so the ceremony included some scripture and hymns as well as some things that were purely Japanese. Some things stood out to me, like the covering of the deceased with flowers after the first part of the ceremony and the customs surrounding the cremation. It is common for people in Japan to be cremated and for the second part of the ceremony to take place at the crematorium. We (all of the pastors and family) were part of a custom I had never head of before. We helped transfer the bones from the ashes to the urn with chopsticks. This is as unsettling as it sounds for someone's first time at a Japanese funeral. However, God was with me. Nothing too awful happened and I survived emotionally intact.
Tomorrow is a holiday only celebrated in Japan (and some other Asian countries) called White Day. Valentine's Day here is primarily when ladies give chocolate to the men in their lives. White Day is when the men get to reciprocate by returning the favor with white chocolate or other sweets. We are having a White Day prayer night at ICA tomorrow night where we will thank God for loving us so purely - and eat white cupcakes as well!
Hopefully I will have more pictures for you soon!
Thank you for your continued prayers for Japan!
~ Amanda
For example, I have ceased to count it an accomplishment when I arrive at the correct station on time without mishap. This level of skill is a triumph for me since last time I was here, getting lost was a semi-regular concurrence. I have now also upgraded my level of independent cooking by successfully making rice, fish, and miso soup the other night! Grocery shopping is becoming easier as well now that I know most of what is available.
Other things are more culturally prominent - such as a funeral. I had never been to a Japanese funeral until this past Monday. Everyone wore all black with pearls which is the traditional funeral attire in Japan. The person being remembered was a Christian, so the ceremony included some scripture and hymns as well as some things that were purely Japanese. Some things stood out to me, like the covering of the deceased with flowers after the first part of the ceremony and the customs surrounding the cremation. It is common for people in Japan to be cremated and for the second part of the ceremony to take place at the crematorium. We (all of the pastors and family) were part of a custom I had never head of before. We helped transfer the bones from the ashes to the urn with chopsticks. This is as unsettling as it sounds for someone's first time at a Japanese funeral. However, God was with me. Nothing too awful happened and I survived emotionally intact.
Tomorrow is a holiday only celebrated in Japan (and some other Asian countries) called White Day. Valentine's Day here is primarily when ladies give chocolate to the men in their lives. White Day is when the men get to reciprocate by returning the favor with white chocolate or other sweets. We are having a White Day prayer night at ICA tomorrow night where we will thank God for loving us so purely - and eat white cupcakes as well!
Hopefully I will have more pictures for you soon!
Thank you for your continued prayers for Japan!
~ Amanda
Monday, March 3, 2014
Super-ficial!
I've been going around the last two weeks getting everything all set up here in Japan and let me tell you - there's a lot to set up!
Luckily for me, I have a wonderful missionary next door to me who speaks perfect Japanese and who has taken this fledgeling missionary under her wing. We've been to the Kita-ku ward office to register my residence card, to the stationary shop to order and pick up my hanko (a carved stamp with my name in Japanese that serves as my unique signature on legal documents), to the post office to set up an account (the post office here serves also as a community bank for savings), and to the phone store to get a cell phone.
I have so many official documents in my possession right now, there's no doubt that I'm legal! In fact, I have so many official things, you could say I'm SUPERFICIAL! Haha!
Our last stop on our official tour was to the bike shop to pick out my brand new mint green cycling machine!
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Luckily for me, I have a wonderful missionary next door to me who speaks perfect Japanese and who has taken this fledgeling missionary under her wing. We've been to the Kita-ku ward office to register my residence card, to the stationary shop to order and pick up my hanko (a carved stamp with my name in Japanese that serves as my unique signature on legal documents), to the post office to set up an account (the post office here serves also as a community bank for savings), and to the phone store to get a cell phone.
I have so many official documents in my possession right now, there's no doubt that I'm legal! In fact, I have so many official things, you could say I'm SUPERFICIAL! Haha!
Our last stop on our official tour was to the bike shop to pick out my brand new mint green cycling machine!
The fantastic youth at Calvary Church in my hometown raised funds for STL as well as this bike! Now I get to pedal my way around Tokyo in style!
Besides my awesome bike, I also get to travel to Chiba and teach English at a church there. Last Thursday, I went to meet them and we had a great time! I'm looking forward to the relationships to be built there and the fun times! Here are some of the junior high and high school students who come to the church after school.
My other adventures include successful grocery shopping, making it to several destinations on the train *without* getting lost, and hanging out with my friend Christina from SEU in Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Harajuku! Check out my facebook for pictures of that adventure!
I'm off to get ready for the Japan Assemblies of God Bible School graduation ceremony. As this is the end of their school year (the new one starts in April), the graduates are getting ready to be put into full-time positions. I'm glad I get to witness their transition from student to pastor!
One day at a time,
Amanda
Friday, February 21, 2014
Good Morning, Tokyo!
Well, I made it! It is a miracle that I managed to make my way through four airports, three flights, and a bus ride to Tokyo without being able to sleep on planes. The Lord was with me is all I'll say on that. :)
And now here I am! I'm in my apartment, getting moved in, and am conquering jet lag like a champion. Truly, it hasn't been as bad as I had been anticipating, so there's more good news! I am getting used to the food, the neighborhood, the trains, and my neighbors. Honestly, the only thing that has gone wrong thus far has been a painful crick in my neck from trying to sleep on the plane. A quick stop at the local pharmacy yesterday for a heat pack is fixing that. Thanking God for my neighbor missionary who speaks Japanese!
This is part of my little apartment. The kitchen...
Small story:
On the flight from LA to Tokyo, I sat next to a Korean guy who wasn't very talkative the whole trip until the end when we landed. I found out he lives in America and is going to visit his grandparents in Korea. He said the thing he is most excited to do there was visit his church. I smiled. I told him what I would be doing while in Tokyo and his eyes lit up. We had a simple bonding moment of faith that transcended cultural barriers in under 5 minutes. That's how God works.
Things I got to do yesterday that I sincerely missed about Japan:
Eat curry, ride the train, pay with yen, walk to a convenience store, and walk from Komagome Station to Pastor Shelley's house.
Things I got to do yesterday that I sincerely miss about America:
Drink black tea with cream, put my mini version of Van Gogh's "What Fields" on the fridge (reminds me of the Toledo Museum of Art), unpack my books, and eat peanut butter.
It's the small things that make life grand.
More on that to come!
And now here I am! I'm in my apartment, getting moved in, and am conquering jet lag like a champion. Truly, it hasn't been as bad as I had been anticipating, so there's more good news! I am getting used to the food, the neighborhood, the trains, and my neighbors. Honestly, the only thing that has gone wrong thus far has been a painful crick in my neck from trying to sleep on the plane. A quick stop at the local pharmacy yesterday for a heat pack is fixing that. Thanking God for my neighbor missionary who speaks Japanese!
This is part of my little apartment. The kitchen...
and the livingroom/bedroom!
Small story:
On the flight from LA to Tokyo, I sat next to a Korean guy who wasn't very talkative the whole trip until the end when we landed. I found out he lives in America and is going to visit his grandparents in Korea. He said the thing he is most excited to do there was visit his church. I smiled. I told him what I would be doing while in Tokyo and his eyes lit up. We had a simple bonding moment of faith that transcended cultural barriers in under 5 minutes. That's how God works.
Things I got to do yesterday that I sincerely missed about Japan:
Eat curry, ride the train, pay with yen, walk to a convenience store, and walk from Komagome Station to Pastor Shelley's house.
Things I got to do yesterday that I sincerely miss about America:
Drink black tea with cream, put my mini version of Van Gogh's "What Fields" on the fridge (reminds me of the Toledo Museum of Art), unpack my books, and eat peanut butter.
It's the small things that make life grand.
More on that to come!
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Departure Time!
I got my visa yesterday!!! Which means this missionary is off to Japan the 19th - in 6 days!
My tickets squared away, I now am looking at the daunting prospect of actually packing all the things I have been preparing for weeks. It doesn't seem like that much until you try to put it in a bag!
Other things surrounding going away for a year are more emotional. Like saying goodbye to my church family. Ms. Pat and the other members of the missions committee at my church gave me a lovely going-away party last night. I was hugged, congratulated, and encouraged more than I can count. The people of my church are fantastic and I just can't hug and thank them enough!
Now I'm down to the final count of what must be done before I go. Truthfully, it seems like a lot in such a short time span, but I know it will all get done.
One thing I have to come back to time and time again is God's faithfulness throughout it all. He has been faithful in bringing me though the difficult challenges of fundraising as well as the high points of seeing it come to fruition. I know that now he has a plan for me actually getting to Japan as well as what I will do when I come home. His ways are perfect and I trust his judgement completely.
One day at a time, this crazy adventure moves on. And I cannot wait to share it with you!
Living in His blessings,
Amanda
My tickets squared away, I now am looking at the daunting prospect of actually packing all the things I have been preparing for weeks. It doesn't seem like that much until you try to put it in a bag!
Other things surrounding going away for a year are more emotional. Like saying goodbye to my church family. Ms. Pat and the other members of the missions committee at my church gave me a lovely going-away party last night. I was hugged, congratulated, and encouraged more than I can count. The people of my church are fantastic and I just can't hug and thank them enough!
Now I'm down to the final count of what must be done before I go. Truthfully, it seems like a lot in such a short time span, but I know it will all get done.
One thing I have to come back to time and time again is God's faithfulness throughout it all. He has been faithful in bringing me though the difficult challenges of fundraising as well as the high points of seeing it come to fruition. I know that now he has a plan for me actually getting to Japan as well as what I will do when I come home. His ways are perfect and I trust his judgement completely.
One day at a time, this crazy adventure moves on. And I cannot wait to share it with you!
Living in His blessings,
Amanda
Friday, January 17, 2014
When Mountains Move
When God tells you he'll move a mountain for you, allow him room to do so.
I started out this journey as a missionary by bargaining with God. I'm not proud of that fact, but I told God that I would become a missionary only if He promised to move my budget mountain (the financial miracle I would need to go to a foreign country like Japan). Not just move it, but move it 110%. I wanted it to be an undoubtable miracle. God promised.
I asked him for 110%. Truly, I thought that I might actually make 90 or 95% of my total budget to go to Japan. Maybe.
And then God did something incredible. Without using the traditional route, he started making the mountain move. It went slowly at first; a shudder here, a rumble there, but always some sort of movement. My mountain never stalled out - not completely. Not once.
I asked again and again when it would be done, how I would get to see it happen. Once, I lost hope that it would ever completely move. And still his miracles continued.
From January 2013 to November 2013 my mountain moved 75%. And then in December 2013, in one night God did the unthinkable. He moved not only the remaining 25% I needed - he moved my mountain 35%.
He gave me 110% just like I'd asked. In one night.
(Sincere thanks to Calvary Church whose boundless love and giving overwhelmed me to the point of a blubbering emotional mess that night.)
My God, the Impossible One. The God of far-flung hopes and dreams. The God of wonders. He always keeps his promises.
One thing I have learned in my time of itinerating is that God likes using unique people with beautiful dreams who live generously to do what he promised he would do. I would never have been able to accomplish something like this myself. At the beginning, that frightened me. But now I can say I have been truly humbled by the response of so many people whom God has chosen to help move my mountain.
I would like to say thank you to everyone who is giving generously and praying lavishly on behalf of this missionary. I cannot thank you enough! You are wonderful.
All of that to say, I am now done raising funds and am currently waiting on my visa to come through so I can go! Japan will be coming soon, though you will know before I get on a plane! Pray for an expedient visa process and be ready for another post coming very soon!
Blessings,
Amanda
I started out this journey as a missionary by bargaining with God. I'm not proud of that fact, but I told God that I would become a missionary only if He promised to move my budget mountain (the financial miracle I would need to go to a foreign country like Japan). Not just move it, but move it 110%. I wanted it to be an undoubtable miracle. God promised.
I asked him for 110%. Truly, I thought that I might actually make 90 or 95% of my total budget to go to Japan. Maybe.
And then God did something incredible. Without using the traditional route, he started making the mountain move. It went slowly at first; a shudder here, a rumble there, but always some sort of movement. My mountain never stalled out - not completely. Not once.
I asked again and again when it would be done, how I would get to see it happen. Once, I lost hope that it would ever completely move. And still his miracles continued.
From January 2013 to November 2013 my mountain moved 75%. And then in December 2013, in one night God did the unthinkable. He moved not only the remaining 25% I needed - he moved my mountain 35%.
He gave me 110% just like I'd asked. In one night.
(Sincere thanks to Calvary Church whose boundless love and giving overwhelmed me to the point of a blubbering emotional mess that night.)
My God, the Impossible One. The God of far-flung hopes and dreams. The God of wonders. He always keeps his promises.
One thing I have learned in my time of itinerating is that God likes using unique people with beautiful dreams who live generously to do what he promised he would do. I would never have been able to accomplish something like this myself. At the beginning, that frightened me. But now I can say I have been truly humbled by the response of so many people whom God has chosen to help move my mountain.
I would like to say thank you to everyone who is giving generously and praying lavishly on behalf of this missionary. I cannot thank you enough! You are wonderful.
All of that to say, I am now done raising funds and am currently waiting on my visa to come through so I can go! Japan will be coming soon, though you will know before I get on a plane! Pray for an expedient visa process and be ready for another post coming very soon!
Blessings,
Amanda
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Thank You
Tonight I go onstage as the focus missionary for my church's annual missions dinner called Extravaganza. And all I want to do is say thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you, Calvary, for being a loving and supportive church not only to missionaries, but also to me personally.
Thank you to the Missions Committee who have spent hours and hours planning, preparing, and putting together the best event at Calvary all year.
Thank you to all of the table hosts who have put time, energy, and creativity into decorating each and every table to look its finest.
Thank you to all of the young people coming to volunteer their smiles and servant's hands to help serve drinks and greet every guest who walks in.
Thank you to all of the pastors who are about to make fools of themselves in front of all of us to make us smile. You're the best staff a church could ask for.
Thank you to the decorating team who brought a little bit of my home away from home into Calvary's atrium. (And seriously, that koi pond!)
And lastly, thank you to all of my Panera ladies who folded countless origami cranes and who encourage and uplift me more than I can say every single week I'm there with them.
You all are part of the great work God is doing over in Japan and around the world. May you be blessed for all of your efforts!
Tomorrow I go to Columbus to be a part of a pioneer church's Sunday service, but I want all of you to know how much I value, love, and appreciate Calvary's blessing in my life.
So just in case I haven't said it enough, THANK YOU!!!
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you, Calvary, for being a loving and supportive church not only to missionaries, but also to me personally.
Thank you to the Missions Committee who have spent hours and hours planning, preparing, and putting together the best event at Calvary all year.
Thank you to all of the table hosts who have put time, energy, and creativity into decorating each and every table to look its finest.
Thank you to all of the young people coming to volunteer their smiles and servant's hands to help serve drinks and greet every guest who walks in.
Thank you to all of the pastors who are about to make fools of themselves in front of all of us to make us smile. You're the best staff a church could ask for.
Thank you to the decorating team who brought a little bit of my home away from home into Calvary's atrium. (And seriously, that koi pond!)
And lastly, thank you to all of my Panera ladies who folded countless origami cranes and who encourage and uplift me more than I can say every single week I'm there with them.
You all are part of the great work God is doing over in Japan and around the world. May you be blessed for all of your efforts!
Tomorrow I go to Columbus to be a part of a pioneer church's Sunday service, but I want all of you to know how much I value, love, and appreciate Calvary's blessing in my life.
So just in case I haven't said it enough, THANK YOU!!!
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Toledo to Tokyo
Update time!
Fundraising is going well and I'm now over 60%!! Praise God!
Working toward my goal of 100% by January, I've been traveling around Ohio to different missions and ministry functions - one of which was a ministers' meeting for all the AG pastors in the Northwest Ohio area. The meeting which was held on one of the highest floors of the One Seagate Building in downtown Toledo. We got a unique perspective of the city as we talked about various ministries and people who are affecting the city positively toward the gospel. Towards the end, we got to pray over the city as we looked out the windows, giving us a clear view all the way to Michigan (thanks to the pancake flatness of NW Ohio).
While we were praying, I couldn't help thinking that from 20 stories up, my hometown looked very similar to Tokyo. I remembered looking down at the urban sprawl of Japan and praying for Tokyo just like all of the pastors gathered in our meeting were praying for Toledo.
As a missionary, I feel like to have two hometowns. Both are very close to my heart and I get to call both "home". It is inevitable that when I am in one, I miss the other, and so when I was looking out over Toledo I found myself praying for Tokyo.
I love Toledo, but I long for Tokyo. Until I get to leave home to go home, I'll stay at home and pray for my home. :)
On a different note, I've also been traveling Ohio with the Ohio Ministry Network's Celebration Tour to all of the area dinners to introduce myself as a new missionary and to make connections with other leaders outside my area. They have been wonderful and encouraging as I get to see some of what God is doing all over Ohio.
Quick Updates:
~ The journals project is going well and I'm up to my eyeballs in commissions! If you have an idea for a journal that you don't see in my Etsy shop, feel free to email or Facebook me and make a request.
~ If you know me at all, you know how much I love students. This weekend, I get to participate in an event my home church's youth group is hosting called "Insomnia". You guessed it, it's an all-nighter! The theme is "samurai" and I get to be the missionary guest for the duration of the event. Can anyone say "I survived a Japanese game show?" It's going to be crazy and so much fun! (A report on that later!)
Pray that my energy remains steady as I gear up for the final stretch of my fundraising marathon!
Thank you to everyone for your prayers and support! This wouldn't happen without you!
Fundraising is going well and I'm now over 60%!! Praise God!
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| Toledo skyline with Michigan way off in the distance |
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| Tokyo's urban sprawl looking outward toward the suburbs |
As a missionary, I feel like to have two hometowns. Both are very close to my heart and I get to call both "home". It is inevitable that when I am in one, I miss the other, and so when I was looking out over Toledo I found myself praying for Tokyo.
I love Toledo, but I long for Tokyo. Until I get to leave home to go home, I'll stay at home and pray for my home. :)
On a different note, I've also been traveling Ohio with the Ohio Ministry Network's Celebration Tour to all of the area dinners to introduce myself as a new missionary and to make connections with other leaders outside my area. They have been wonderful and encouraging as I get to see some of what God is doing all over Ohio.
Quick Updates:
~ The journals project is going well and I'm up to my eyeballs in commissions! If you have an idea for a journal that you don't see in my Etsy shop, feel free to email or Facebook me and make a request.
~ If you know me at all, you know how much I love students. This weekend, I get to participate in an event my home church's youth group is hosting called "Insomnia". You guessed it, it's an all-nighter! The theme is "samurai" and I get to be the missionary guest for the duration of the event. Can anyone say "I survived a Japanese game show?" It's going to be crazy and so much fun! (A report on that later!)
Pray that my energy remains steady as I gear up for the final stretch of my fundraising marathon!
Thank you to everyone for your prayers and support! This wouldn't happen without you!
Monday, September 16, 2013
Journals and Noodles
Things have sure been interesting lately! Let me share two stories with you.
Journals for Japan
At the beginning of the summer, I had made it a goal to begin a new hobby. I chose bookbinding as it held an interest to my book lover's mind. So, I began by fiddling around with some materials, looking up ideas on Pinterest, and generally watching a lot of how-to youtube videos. It turned out, I liked it a lot. A whole lot! It was a fun summer hobby that scratched the creative itch I'd had for a while.
Then, in May, I was thinking about journal-making when a thought crossed my mind. I could make journals and sell them for Japan . Immediately, I dismissed the thought. I was overloaded with work and didn't have the time for a new project. Until God grabbed the idea back out of the air and said "I think you need to take a look at this." I argued that it was too much for me. I was busy!
And that's when he smiled at me.
"Just do this for one month and see what happens." He said. I had the feeling that he was challenging me. I said okay - though I was not yet convinced.
I told one of the girls from my small group about the idea and she encouraged me to give it a try.
A month later, I had a small shop on Etsy (a site that sells handmade and vintage items online), about a dozen journals for sale, and had sold enough to make a profit. I was thrilled!
God came through just like he said he would. As usual. :)
I now get to use my journals as not only a way to help my budget along, but also as a tool that helps people to recognize their story and how they are important in the Grand Adventure that God is writing. Check out the inside cover of one of my journals sometime and see what I mean!
More of the story of how God is using my shop for His Purpose can be found in the About section of the shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/JournalsforJapan/about/
Please take some time to browse through the Journals for Japan shop and see if anything piques your interest!
Taste of Missions
Journals for Japan
At the beginning of the summer, I had made it a goal to begin a new hobby. I chose bookbinding as it held an interest to my book lover's mind. So, I began by fiddling around with some materials, looking up ideas on Pinterest, and generally watching a lot of how-to youtube videos. It turned out, I liked it a lot. A whole lot! It was a fun summer hobby that scratched the creative itch I'd had for a while.
Then, in May, I was thinking about journal-making when a thought crossed my mind. I could make journals and sell them for Japan . Immediately, I dismissed the thought. I was overloaded with work and didn't have the time for a new project. Until God grabbed the idea back out of the air and said "I think you need to take a look at this." I argued that it was too much for me. I was busy!
And that's when he smiled at me.
"Just do this for one month and see what happens." He said. I had the feeling that he was challenging me. I said okay - though I was not yet convinced.
I told one of the girls from my small group about the idea and she encouraged me to give it a try.
A month later, I had a small shop on Etsy (a site that sells handmade and vintage items online), about a dozen journals for sale, and had sold enough to make a profit. I was thrilled!
God came through just like he said he would. As usual. :)
I now get to use my journals as not only a way to help my budget along, but also as a tool that helps people to recognize their story and how they are important in the Grand Adventure that God is writing. Check out the inside cover of one of my journals sometime and see what I mean!
More of the story of how God is using my shop for His Purpose can be found in the About section of the shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/JournalsforJapan/about/
Please take some time to browse through the Journals for Japan shop and see if anything piques your interest!
Taste of Missions
Last Sunday was Calvary Church's event called Taste of Missions!
Tables full of food from all over the world filled the atrium with exotic smells and flavors. People dressed in clothing from their host nation served small portions of food to give Calvary a taste of their country. Many local ministries hosted tables as well, making it a full missions experience!
I got to host a table for Japan with the help of my mom and my mentee, Ashley! We served cold soba noodles and hot green tea while sharing some of the culture of Japan with people. I also hosted a table full of my journals, which many people graciously supported. It was a wonderful event at Calvary that helped more people understand why missions is vital to our purpose as a church and how it all works together to build the Kingdom of God.
That, and I got to talk to a lot of wonderful people about my heart for Japan!
More interesting and exciting things are on the horizon! Can't wait to see where He leads me!
More interesting and exciting things are on the horizon! Can't wait to see where He leads me!
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| Me and Ashley in kimono! |
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| The "Ends of the Earth" tables |
Monday, August 19, 2013
Storytime
Grab a carpet square - it's story time!
I've been working steadily on my fundraising these past weeks and over the course of which I have accumulated some stories to share with you. Some cute ones, some clever ones, and all of them giving praise to the God who guides and lights the adventure that is my life.
The Soap Ladies
Back in January, I had the privilege of teaching two young ladies named Kennedi and Lindsey (both around age 11) the art of folding paper cranes. A little while later, they pioneered their own soap making business called "Sud Sisters". They remembered me and dedicated a percentage of their profits to help me get to Japan, calling their project "Soap for Hope!"
Flash forward to a few weeks ago.
The Maumee Garage Sale
The parents of my soap ladies are part of the same small group. I spoke to them about Japan the same night I taught their kids origami. They decided to hold a garage sale. All of them donated items to sell and then gave me the profits of their work. I was stunned! I love watching people use their creativity, ingenuity, and elbow grease to work for the Kingdom!
So that got me thinking, "what if I had my own garage sale?"
The Holland Garage Sale
The items left from the Maumee garage sale were graciously transported to my house where it was added to the small thrift shop's worth of stuff from my own family and some friends. The sale went really well and some more income was added to the Japan fund!
During the sale, 3 little girls (probably between age 4 and 7) came up to my table where I was sitting. One of them, the littlest, handed me a drawing she had made of Strawberry Shortcake. "This is for you!" she said, shyly. Another one of the girls handed me $3. Confused, I asked "Did you find something you wanted to buy?" "No," she said, "It's for you to get to Japan." Overcome by their sweet hearts, I thanked them and asked for their names. They were Mariah, Lydia, and Mateya (guessed at the spelling, but pronounced "Mah-TAY-uh"). Their mom was watching from the van just at the curb. I waved to her and thanked the girls again, watching as they held hands down the driveway, got into the van, and drove away.
Their offering, though it was small, was one of the most generous I'd ever been given.
Another generous moment came during the sale when a retired Army Chaplain and his wife (now ministers at a local church) came and encouraged me in my calling as well as prayed for me right there in my garage. I am constantly astounded how the Lord seems to always know when I need an encouraging word and sends someone like the Chaplain and his wife to build up my faith.
Cupcake
I get the opportunity to not only minister in Japan but also to be a teacher of missions here in the States. Some of those moments look like giving, some like receiving. One moment came when I had visited with a family in my church and talked with them over dinner about my call to Japan and what Christianity is like there. A few weeks later, their young daughter, Hope, approached me at church with a small envelope in her hand. She had started a cupcake business and wanted to give me an offering from what she had made. After thanking and hugging her, I thought to myself, "There is a family teaching their children to give."
That is a lesson that will not return void.
The stories continue as the adventure unfolds. Thank you for supporting me in life, love, and prayer! More stories to come!
I've been working steadily on my fundraising these past weeks and over the course of which I have accumulated some stories to share with you. Some cute ones, some clever ones, and all of them giving praise to the God who guides and lights the adventure that is my life.
The Soap Ladies
Back in January, I had the privilege of teaching two young ladies named Kennedi and Lindsey (both around age 11) the art of folding paper cranes. A little while later, they pioneered their own soap making business called "Sud Sisters". They remembered me and dedicated a percentage of their profits to help me get to Japan, calling their project "Soap for Hope!"
Flash forward to a few weeks ago.
The Maumee Garage Sale
The parents of my soap ladies are part of the same small group. I spoke to them about Japan the same night I taught their kids origami. They decided to hold a garage sale. All of them donated items to sell and then gave me the profits of their work. I was stunned! I love watching people use their creativity, ingenuity, and elbow grease to work for the Kingdom!
So that got me thinking, "what if I had my own garage sale?"
The Holland Garage Sale
The items left from the Maumee garage sale were graciously transported to my house where it was added to the small thrift shop's worth of stuff from my own family and some friends. The sale went really well and some more income was added to the Japan fund!
During the sale, 3 little girls (probably between age 4 and 7) came up to my table where I was sitting. One of them, the littlest, handed me a drawing she had made of Strawberry Shortcake. "This is for you!" she said, shyly. Another one of the girls handed me $3. Confused, I asked "Did you find something you wanted to buy?" "No," she said, "It's for you to get to Japan." Overcome by their sweet hearts, I thanked them and asked for their names. They were Mariah, Lydia, and Mateya (guessed at the spelling, but pronounced "Mah-TAY-uh"). Their mom was watching from the van just at the curb. I waved to her and thanked the girls again, watching as they held hands down the driveway, got into the van, and drove away.
Their offering, though it was small, was one of the most generous I'd ever been given.
Another generous moment came during the sale when a retired Army Chaplain and his wife (now ministers at a local church) came and encouraged me in my calling as well as prayed for me right there in my garage. I am constantly astounded how the Lord seems to always know when I need an encouraging word and sends someone like the Chaplain and his wife to build up my faith.
Cupcake
I get the opportunity to not only minister in Japan but also to be a teacher of missions here in the States. Some of those moments look like giving, some like receiving. One moment came when I had visited with a family in my church and talked with them over dinner about my call to Japan and what Christianity is like there. A few weeks later, their young daughter, Hope, approached me at church with a small envelope in her hand. She had started a cupcake business and wanted to give me an offering from what she had made. After thanking and hugging her, I thought to myself, "There is a family teaching their children to give."
That is a lesson that will not return void.
The stories continue as the adventure unfolds. Thank you for supporting me in life, love, and prayer! More stories to come!
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Simple Things
Little kids have a
way of making complicated things simple.
That is why in the midst of itineration when a lot of things seem very
complicated I like to work with kids.
They help me remember that this is all very simple – and that I can
trust God to do the impossible.
I was asked by a
wonderful lady if I would come teach her Stars class one Wednesday night. Stars is a branch of the Assemblies of God’s
Girls’ Ministries for 3rd through 5th grade girls. It’s a little like girl scouts plus Biblical
teaching. I was an Honor Star (graduated
from the program) when I was young, which is a very big deal for someone of that
age. I was honored to be asked to teach;
to pour into young girls’ lives just as someone once poured into mine.
We had a great time.
We talked about the
population of Japan, showed it to them on a map, told them how less than 1% of
Japanese people know Jesus, and explained a bit about their beliefs. We looked at pictures of Tokyo and the girls
marveled at how many people there
are. I let them touch real Yen (Japanese
currency) and we ate Japanese jello snacks and Pocky after a simple prayer to
thank God for the food (in my limited Japanese). We made origami cranes which was harder for
the adults than the kids! Then, for the
grand finale, I pulled out two of my summer kimono and dressed the girls up in
them. What little girls don’t love
playing dress up? (I still do!)
Afterward, we took
pictures and they prayed for me to “be able to tell people about Jesus’ love
and raise all my money really fast.”
Simple things. That’s what it all
boils down to: faith like the heart of a child.
I might not be going
to Japan in May or June like I originally thought, but I trust my God to
provide for my every need.
Everything
according to His timing. God be praised!
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Something SO big...
When I was in junior high, I had a youth pastor who had a few sayings that he liked to repeat often. One of them went like this: "At least once in your life, you ought to attempt something so big, so crazy, so adventurous that if God does not intervene, you are bound to fail."
In the journey of my itineration, I have realized that what I am attempting is just what he described. This is my big, crazy adventure. And it is bound to fail - unless God intervenes.
I know He will. Because it's His dream too.
Many people have asked me about how my fundraising is going and what my perspective departure date will be. Currently, I'm at about 10% of my goal. Much of my time lately has consisted of visiting small groups, churches, and individuals and contacting people about joining my support team. If you're interested in joining me in what God is doing in Japan, check out the "Contact Me" and "Give Online" tabs above.
My big, crazy, adventurous dream is to be in Japan in May. For this to happen, God is going to have to intervene. I'm believing for some miraculous intervention and I can't wait to share it with you when it happens!
Thank you and God bless!
~ Amanda
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
From the Mouths of Children Comes Honesty
The promised post has arrived! This past Sunday, I was given a special privilege that not all missionaries have. I got to be the special guest at a local church's children's ministry! Kids are truly a gift from God, full of raw openness and honesty. Because of this, I get some of the best questions when I'm talking to kids about missions.
Dressed in my kimono, I walked into the classroom and immediately garnered the attention of everyone under 12. "Why are you wearing that?" "Are you a karate teacher?" "What's your name?" "Can you speak Chinese?" My wonderful cousin, Jen, faithfully handles this inquisitive class every week. She introduced me to the class and then turned it over to me for the next 45 minutes. I showed them where Japan was located on a world map, pointed out Tokyo, told them what I do as a missionary. After a game of Janken-Pon (Japanese rock-paper-scissors), a jello snack, and a quick Japanese counting lesson, we all gathered on the floor to make origami cranes. You can see a few of them in the picture below. :)
The very best part by far was when Jen asked three kids to pray for me. They stood up, placed their little hands on my arm, and prayed with such sincerity that I was humbled to the core. I believe that God honors the prayers of children and those were probably the best that I've received as an itinerating missionary.
To all the kids (both old and young) at The Dwelling Place, thank you for letting me come and share about Japan! You guys are great!
Dressed in my kimono, I walked into the classroom and immediately garnered the attention of everyone under 12. "Why are you wearing that?" "Are you a karate teacher?" "What's your name?" "Can you speak Chinese?" My wonderful cousin, Jen, faithfully handles this inquisitive class every week. She introduced me to the class and then turned it over to me for the next 45 minutes. I showed them where Japan was located on a world map, pointed out Tokyo, told them what I do as a missionary. After a game of Janken-Pon (Japanese rock-paper-scissors), a jello snack, and a quick Japanese counting lesson, we all gathered on the floor to make origami cranes. You can see a few of them in the picture below. :)
The very best part by far was when Jen asked three kids to pray for me. They stood up, placed their little hands on my arm, and prayed with such sincerity that I was humbled to the core. I believe that God honors the prayers of children and those were probably the best that I've received as an itinerating missionary.
To all the kids (both old and young) at The Dwelling Place, thank you for letting me come and share about Japan! You guys are great!
Monday, January 28, 2013
Off the Diving Board
Well, it's been a while indeed since I've had something happen that was post-worthy, but this certainly meets the criteria!
This week was Calvary Church's Missions Summit, (my home church's missions week) where I got to be a missionary guest along with some other missionaries from all over the world. It was a whirlwind experience that left me feeling truly humbled.
I got the opportunity to speak at several small groups, have meals with delightful people, talk to kids in Japanese, and be prayed over by wonderful individuals whose hearts are broken for the world. I met other missionaries who like me are just starting out and got advice from some veterans in the field.
One of the most interesting surprises came on Sunday when Pastor Chad (our lead pastor) used me as an illustration in his sermon. Our church has recently moved into a renovated movie theater and when they showed my picture on the screen, I was 30 feet tall! Pastor Chad laughed a little bit at seeing the shock on my face which didn't diminish in the least after seeing it 3 services in a row.
I want to send out a great big THANK YOU to all of the people at Calvary Church who made the event possible and who believed enough in this new missionary to let her be a part of it.
I also want to thank the many people who agreed to be my prayer partners during this time of fundraising and while I'm in Japan. To everyone who has my card stuck in their Bibles, on their mirror or fridge, THANK YOU!
Finally, I want to thank those of you who support me financially. Without you following the Lord's leading, I wouldn't have the privilege to serve Japan. You are much appreciated! THANK YOU!!!
Another post will follow shortly, giving an update as to where I am with raising my budget. God has been so good and I know He has some surprises up His sleeve! There is more to come!
Blessings,
Amanda
This week was Calvary Church's Missions Summit, (my home church's missions week) where I got to be a missionary guest along with some other missionaries from all over the world. It was a whirlwind experience that left me feeling truly humbled.
I want to send out a great big THANK YOU to all of the people at Calvary Church who made the event possible and who believed enough in this new missionary to let her be a part of it.
I also want to thank the many people who agreed to be my prayer partners during this time of fundraising and while I'm in Japan. To everyone who has my card stuck in their Bibles, on their mirror or fridge, THANK YOU!
Finally, I want to thank those of you who support me financially. Without you following the Lord's leading, I wouldn't have the privilege to serve Japan. You are much appreciated! THANK YOU!!!
Another post will follow shortly, giving an update as to where I am with raising my budget. God has been so good and I know He has some surprises up His sleeve! There is more to come!
Blessings,
Amanda
Thursday, October 11, 2012
The Epic Drive to Springfield
Tomorrow I will make the epic 13-hour drive to Springfield, Missouri for my Pre-Field Orientation at the Assemblies of God National Headquarters. Orientation is required for any Missionary Associate before they are allowed to leave for the field, which in my case is Japan!
I will attend 6 days of sessions designed to inform me of all the necessary details for my assignment as well as to encourage spiritual growth and introduce me to other MAs in my field.
I've been looking forward to this since my official approval in June and can't wait to keep moving in what God has for me to do!
Also, as an incredibly welcome bonus, I get to visit my friends who go to school at the AG Universities in Springfield! What a great job I have! Finally, I get to see all of the places they've been telling me about for years!
God is amazingly faithful and always looking out for my needs. He blesses me and cares for me beyond what I could even imagine. This will mark yet another part of the life-long journey he has set out before me and I simply cannot wait to share with you the adventures as they come.
May the Lord bless you and keep you,
Amanda
P. S.
The Assemblies of God has updated their online giving site to be much more user-friendly! I checked it out today and I can say that it is both simple and easy to use. Give it a try if the previous version stumped you. Thank you for praying for and giving to Japan!
giving.ag.org
I will attend 6 days of sessions designed to inform me of all the necessary details for my assignment as well as to encourage spiritual growth and introduce me to other MAs in my field.
I've been looking forward to this since my official approval in June and can't wait to keep moving in what God has for me to do!
Also, as an incredibly welcome bonus, I get to visit my friends who go to school at the AG Universities in Springfield! What a great job I have! Finally, I get to see all of the places they've been telling me about for years!
God is amazingly faithful and always looking out for my needs. He blesses me and cares for me beyond what I could even imagine. This will mark yet another part of the life-long journey he has set out before me and I simply cannot wait to share with you the adventures as they come.
May the Lord bless you and keep you,
Amanda
P. S.
The Assemblies of God has updated their online giving site to be much more user-friendly! I checked it out today and I can say that it is both simple and easy to use. Give it a try if the previous version stumped you. Thank you for praying for and giving to Japan!
giving.ag.org
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
My City
This is a post that I'd started while in Japan and never got to finish. It's written about the last day of adventuring I got to have before leaving Tokyo - and oh what a day it was! :) The date referred to is July 25th.
***
So, yesterday was a day that can only be described one moment at a time. I had an awesome day of touring, adventure, and silliness with Liz, Amanda, and Tony in my favorite city: Tokyo.
It began with meeting Liz for my first real taste of Japanese ramen. She had consulted with a friend to find the best ramen in Tokyo and it happened to be right near Takadanobaba station.
We had a small difficulty finding it (due in part to both of our lack of kanji-reading skills) but find it we did. I had never been to a ramen shop before but let me tell you, this stuff is delicious. We walked in, placed our order via a vending-machine-like thing that spit out both our change and a ticket telling our order to the chefs, and found a couple of stools at the bar.
We already looked odd being two white girls in a ramen bar frequented by mostly Japanese businessmen, but we couldn't help but accept the added oddness factor when the chef offered us two white paper aprons to protect our clothes from the sloshing ramen. We looked amazing, let me tell you. Sitting there, eating the most delicious ramen in the world (take note that ramen you get in America that comes out of those little inexpensive packages is not real ramen and should never be considered ramen), Liz and I both giggled over the fact that we recognized various American boy bands being played over the speakers. In case we weren't being stared at enough, Liz started singing along to the songs from our adolescent years, much to the ramen guy's amusement. I had to laugh. It was a good experience. :)
From there, we headed down to Harajuku to visit the Meiji Jingu shrine (dedicated to the Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken) which is surrounded by a large forest planted in 1920 with trees from all over the world. The forest was a pleasant change from the busy, humid life of Harajuku, and the garden within is beautiful. After passing through two huge tori gates, we passed through the shrine area. I would tell you all about it but frankly, shrines leave me with an empty feeling, so we'll move on.
Our moods improved significantly as we walked back towards Harajuku station and down Takeshita street, one of my favorite places in all of Japan, to get one of my favorite things in all of Japan: crepes! Thin, light crepes rolled into a cone filled with lemon sorbet, fresh berries, and whipped cream! Ah! Oishii! (Yummy!) Crepe stands are a familiar fixture in this part of town and you can get a crepe filled with anything from ice cream, to fruit, to ceasar salad! (We brought the team from Pennsylvania here on their sightseeing day. They thought they were just as amazing as we said!)
After thoroughly enjoying our crepes, we moved on to Shibuya to see the famous street crossing. On any given day, thousands of people cross at this one intersection, creating a chaotic scramble of pedestrians every 30 seconds.
We watched a few from the ground before actually crossing the street and heading up past the busiest Starbucks in the world to meet Amanda and Tony. Together, the four of us crossed the street yet again and headed up to the upper floor of Shibuya station where you can get a bird's eye view of the crossing.
From Shibuya, we headed to Shinjuku (home of my notorious day of disorientation) to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (which was a lot easier to find this time around).
At the top of each tower, there is an observation floor where you can see an almost 360 degree view of Tokyo. It is absolutely breathtaking to see. You feel like you're right in the middle of it, yet so far above it all that it's hardly even real. Miles and miles of city stretch out before you so that you feel like you're in an ocean of buildings from horizon to horizon.
Isn't my city lovely? :) From Shinjuku, we headed off to see the most famous structure in Tokyo: Tokyo Tower. I was most excited to see the symbolic tower of all the things we saw that day. Looking a lot like the Eiffel tower, it stretches 333 meters (1,092 feet), making it taller than it's French cousin. It is one of the landmarks that can be seen from almost anywhere in the city, helping easily-lost people (like me) find their bearings in the city where nothing goes in a straight line.
We had a good time taking pictures and resting for a while by the foot of it before heading off again to find a good place in the city to see it lit up at night.
Amanda took us to Roppongi Hills, the theater district and one of the more high-end areas of Tokyo. From there, I caught this beautiful shot of the tower glowing against the backdrop of the city. I think this is one of my favorite shots taken the whole trip
Thank you for reading and I hope to post another of my fond memories of my time in Tokyo soon!
God bless you,
Amanda
***
So, yesterday was a day that can only be described one moment at a time. I had an awesome day of touring, adventure, and silliness with Liz, Amanda, and Tony in my favorite city: Tokyo.
It began with meeting Liz for my first real taste of Japanese ramen. She had consulted with a friend to find the best ramen in Tokyo and it happened to be right near Takadanobaba station.
We had a small difficulty finding it (due in part to both of our lack of kanji-reading skills) but find it we did. I had never been to a ramen shop before but let me tell you, this stuff is delicious. We walked in, placed our order via a vending-machine-like thing that spit out both our change and a ticket telling our order to the chefs, and found a couple of stools at the bar.
We already looked odd being two white girls in a ramen bar frequented by mostly Japanese businessmen, but we couldn't help but accept the added oddness factor when the chef offered us two white paper aprons to protect our clothes from the sloshing ramen. We looked amazing, let me tell you. Sitting there, eating the most delicious ramen in the world (take note that ramen you get in America that comes out of those little inexpensive packages is not real ramen and should never be considered ramen), Liz and I both giggled over the fact that we recognized various American boy bands being played over the speakers. In case we weren't being stared at enough, Liz started singing along to the songs from our adolescent years, much to the ramen guy's amusement. I had to laugh. It was a good experience. :)
From there, we headed down to Harajuku to visit the Meiji Jingu shrine (dedicated to the Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken) which is surrounded by a large forest planted in 1920 with trees from all over the world. The forest was a pleasant change from the busy, humid life of Harajuku, and the garden within is beautiful. After passing through two huge tori gates, we passed through the shrine area. I would tell you all about it but frankly, shrines leave me with an empty feeling, so we'll move on.
Our moods improved significantly as we walked back towards Harajuku station and down Takeshita street, one of my favorite places in all of Japan, to get one of my favorite things in all of Japan: crepes! Thin, light crepes rolled into a cone filled with lemon sorbet, fresh berries, and whipped cream! Ah! Oishii! (Yummy!) Crepe stands are a familiar fixture in this part of town and you can get a crepe filled with anything from ice cream, to fruit, to ceasar salad! (We brought the team from Pennsylvania here on their sightseeing day. They thought they were just as amazing as we said!)
After thoroughly enjoying our crepes, we moved on to Shibuya to see the famous street crossing. On any given day, thousands of people cross at this one intersection, creating a chaotic scramble of pedestrians every 30 seconds. We watched a few from the ground before actually crossing the street and heading up past the busiest Starbucks in the world to meet Amanda and Tony. Together, the four of us crossed the street yet again and headed up to the upper floor of Shibuya station where you can get a bird's eye view of the crossing.
From Shibuya, we headed to Shinjuku (home of my notorious day of disorientation) to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (which was a lot easier to find this time around). At the top of each tower, there is an observation floor where you can see an almost 360 degree view of Tokyo. It is absolutely breathtaking to see. You feel like you're right in the middle of it, yet so far above it all that it's hardly even real. Miles and miles of city stretch out before you so that you feel like you're in an ocean of buildings from horizon to horizon.
We had a good time taking pictures and resting for a while by the foot of it before heading off again to find a good place in the city to see it lit up at night.
Amanda took us to Roppongi Hills, the theater district and one of the more high-end areas of Tokyo. From there, I caught this beautiful shot of the tower glowing against the backdrop of the city. I think this is one of my favorite shots taken the whole trip
Well, do you like it? This is my city. A little place I like to call Tokyo. I really feel like I could spend the rest of my life exploring it and never know all of it's mysteries. Each day I spent in it was an adventure and every day I long to go back reminds me of the awesome times I had there. One day, the Lord will bring me back and I will get to experience every-day adventures once again. Just typing these words brings a smile to my face as I look both forward at the future and backward at the fond memories I keep close.
God bless you,
Amanda
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