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...

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!

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

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

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!!!

Toledo to Tokyo

Update time!

Fundraising is going well and I'm now over 60%!!  Praise God!

Toledo skyline with Michigan way off in the distance

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). 

Tokyo's urban sprawl looking outward toward the suburbs

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!

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

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!

Me and Ashley in kimono!

 

The "Ends of the Earth" tables

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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!

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 3^rd through 5^th 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!

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

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!

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

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

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

 

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.

Thank you for reading and I hope to post another of my fond memories of my time in Tokyo soon!

God bless you,

Amanda

The Trains

Now that I'm back in America, I've been reviewing my time in Japan and I've come to realize that there are an awful lot of holes in this blog that I still have to fill in!  Like all the times I told you I would write about an experience... and never did.  Honto gomen nasai! (I'm really sorry!)  From now on, I'll be working to fill in those gaps and hopefully give you a more rounded picture of my time in Japan while keeping you updated on my process of returning to my favorite country. 

Firstly, everyone keeps asking why I would continuously get lost on the Tokyo train/subway system.  Let me explain it this way: imagine a plate of spaghetti with each of the train lines as a string of spaghetti.  Those are the JR (Japan Rail) lines that run above ground. Now imagine that plate of spaghetti on top of another plate of spaghetti.  The second plate represents the metro (subway) lines that run under ground.  Nothing goes in a straight line.  Some intersect, cross, or end randomly.  Almost nothing is in a language you can understand.  And once you find the correct line to follow, at the end of it is another equally perplexing set of options as to how to either connect to another line or properly exit the station at which you've just arrived (more of which is in a language you mostly don't understand).  Asking for directions would help, except for the fact that everyone around speaks a language you mostly don't understand.  Even with a map, some of the stations are so confusing that the Japanese themselves get lost if they're in an unfamiliar station. 

In fact, let me put it this way:

These are the subways (the bottom plate of spaghetti).

 

Which live underneath the JR lines (the top plate of spaghetti):

Which sometimes intersect at certain stations, creating an interweb of convenient (yet confusing) transport to anywhere in the city.

The station I most often got lost at was Shinjuku station.  It is the busiest station in the world, processing more than 3 MILLION people PER DAY.  An architectural brain-bender, it has several levels, various shopping centers, and over 300 exits.  It wasn't until Amanda Fosburg gave me a tour one day that I finally got the hang of the giant station.  The first time I tried using the trains alone took me through this station and was responsible for one of my seasons of disorientation that day.  It was this underground walkway that so befuddled my brain:

The trick is to know the color of your line and then follow the signs.  Trouble sprouts when the color of your line suddenly disappears from the signs above your head.  I had never been adept at reading maps or looking for signs until I spent the better part of 2 months learning Japan's rail systems.  It is comforting to know that I am not the only one who got lost.  Even Pastor Shelley got lost once when I was with her, which is another story worth telling (another time!). 

Trains were just one of the many ways God used to humble me during my time in Japan.  I don't take it for granted that I know where I am going now that I am back in my hometown, nor that I have a car to get me there.  Although, I have to admit that I do miss having an adventure ever day, as one never knows what route one will take on the trains in Tokyo!  :)  To God be the glory, I enjoy every memory I have of those moments this past summer.  And it taught me this; Every day is an adventure - if you're willing to look for it!

Stateside Again

Here I am, stateside again.  I've been spending the last couple of days unpacking and generally getting used to life back in America again.  The jet lag has been a struggle to deal with, but the wedding I came back in time to be a part of went beautifully and I was glad to have been able to celebrate my dear friends' special day. 

I got home early Thursday morning around 2:00 am by way of Tokyo then Toronto then Chicago then Detroit.  After spending over 35 hours awake, I slept for a while before waking up and heading to wedding rehearsal Thursday afternoon.  Friday was the wedding (which was simply lovely), and Saturday I spent in the fine company of my family.  Sunday was my first time back at my home church since leaving for Japan and it was great seeing the faces of people that I missed. 

Today, Monday, was a lovely day in Toledo, Ohio.  I got to catch up with two of my good friends during breakfast this morning and bid them farewell as they both soon return to other parts of the country. 

Being back in the US again is somewhat strange as I have not gotten used to things quite yet.  Like this morning I got confused trying to pay for my bagel when I pulled out a 1,000 yen bill from my wallet.  I stared at it a minute in my jet lagged delirium until I realized my mistake and changed to dollars.  Driving on the right side of the road again is making my stomach feel all twisty - like I'm in constant fear of running into someone.  I can't shake the feeling that I'm on the "wrong" side of the road!  Driving at all is strange since I haven't had need or want of it in over 2 months.  I miss walking places and being able to just run down to the combini to pick up a bento or some onigiri and milk tea.  I miss fish.  And rice.  And a lot of other things.  I made Japanese chicken curry for my family the other night and was surprised to find that they liked it!  It sure satisfied the craving for Japanese food I had that day!  My stomach is not used to eating so much bread and meat and I feel heavy and full after every meal.  I keep wanting to use Japanese phrases in my normal conversation but have to stop and realize that the people around me no longer understand what I'm saying.  My siblings think it's funny how I translate for myself automatically after saying something in Japanese.  Some things are just best expressed in another language!

All of these adjustments are taking place gradually, but as I get used to life back in America again, my heart still longs for the days of adventure when every time I stepped out of the door commenced a new and unique learning experience.  I am learning new things about my hometown that I didn't know and am noticing all the various changes that have happened since I've been gone.  But my heart still yearns for Japan.  Some have asked me if I am having a hard time being back since I love being in Japan so much.  Truthfully, I am content in my situation.  I have comfort in knowing that some day I'll be back and that each day I am in the US is just one day closer to my return.  God has something in store for me in America in the near future, I'm just not sure what it is just yet.  Learning to trust in God has been one of the best by-products of my time in Japan.  Now I'm exercising that learned trait concerning both my near and distant future.  He has successfully gotten me to Japan and back.  I'm sure he's got the rest completely under control. :)

Pray for me as I continue to seek God's will in my life and that I may finally conquer jet lag and sleep on a normal schedule once again.  Thank you for all your prayers and keep looking for more remembered experiences from this summer in Tokyo, Japan!

Sayonara Time is the Hardest Time

Today was spent in the company of the wonderful team from Chambersburg, Pennsylvania as we explored the city and visited some of my favorite places.  We went to Harajuku and walked Takeshita Street, ate lunch at a kaiten zushi restaurant, shopped at the Oriental Bazaar, had delicious crepes, saw the Shibuya crossing, took pictures at the Hachiko statue, walked through the Meiji Jingu park, and made it all home safely!  Whew! 

I really enjoyed showing them my favorite spots in Tokyo today and had some nostalgic moments as I remembered the good times I've had there in these past two months.  Wednesday is my last day here and it will be a short one since I leave around noon for Narita airport.  God has been so good to me these last few days in Japan and I can say that I have been blessed beyond reason or measure to have been here so long. 

Now I am packing and my heart is breaking a little more each time I place something in my bag.  I don't want to leave.  I never want to leave.  But God is calling me home right now for a time until His plans are revealed for me to return here again.  Everyone keeps asking me "when will you come back?" and I always answer "as soon as God lets me."  I'm attached to this country now more than I ever have been to another place, people, or city.  God has truly placed me here for a season to prepare me for a lifetime of ministry in this place and I can't think of a better plan for my life.  I will cry rivers on the plane, no doubt, but I have comfort in the knowledge that I will come back and it will be for a much longer season than the short 2 month period I was here.  If anything, I can trust in the fact that if God got me here once, he can do it again!  All in His plan and His timing. 

So, I'd love to tell you of the last few days.  Like how we've seen 3 new people come to Christ since I last posted, how the Lord has brought a team of worshipers from Pennsylvania to usher in the sound of hope to this city, or how I've been swept up in a trillion emotions over leaving and yet seeing a hundred lovely faces in my mind that all hold good memories for me.  I can't wait to return to see them again.  Some will be older, some will be taller, some will be farther away, but every one of them will always be near to my heart. All of these stories I'd love to tell you, but they're going to have to wait until I return home and continue to recount all of the amazing adventures God has allowed me to experience here in Japan.  Please continue to read this blog if you could spare a few minutes and never stop praying for Japan.  We need your continued support and blessing in this country like never before!  God is definitely starting to do something new and we can't quite see it yet.  But one day, the day will come when we look back on these moments and say, "Wow!  Way back then, God was completely setting us up for the awesome things He's doing now!" 

Next time I post will be back in the states, but I hope you will continue to pray for me and God's leading as we discover the path for my life.  Also, keep praying for those devastated by the earthquake.  They need your help, but above all, they need the Lord's help.  Thank you and I pray each of you have received a little bit of a blessing from reading my posts all the time I was in Japan.  You are faithful readers, each and every one of you and I admire you for that.  Arigatou gozamiasu.

Mata ne!

This post has no title because honestly too much happened this past week for me to cleverly come up with an all-encompassing one.  Let's review the past week starting from where I left off - trying not to get lost on the trains... again. (Recent story of my life.)

On Monday, I went to Harajuku with Amanda and Liz for shopping and sushi, both of which were amazing.  It was good to just get out and walk around and for that, one of the best places is Harajuku!  Being the center of Japanese fashion, it has the best people-watching in all of Tokyo!  After hitting up some of the stores on Takeshita Street, we went to kaiten zushi, a sushi bar that has a conveyor belt that circles the room that carries sushi right in front of you.  The plates are different colors and the colors correspond to how much the sushi costs.  At the end, they just add up your plates and pay that way.  Very entertaining (and delicious!) experience. :)

Tuesday, I worked cleaning the office with Pastor Shelley in the morning, cleaned the upstairs of the Mission House for the Snider's who returned that night, worked on my sermon for Sunday, and prepared for Wednesday night youth service!  Whew!

Wednesday began with working outside (only for a short time since it was close to 100 degrees and about a zillion percent humidity).  The rest of the day was spend finishing preparations for youth at Yokota, traveling to the church, and having a blast with some of the best teenagers in Japan.  I was sad to leave them but it was a good experience that taught me a lot.  (I hope they learned a little something, too, lol)

Thursday found me furiously working on my sermon for Sunday as it had to be sent to the translator by the end of that day.  That afternoon, I went to help the lovely Miss Amanda Fosburg teach her last English class of the year at Megumi church.  It was sad again, leaving the kids, but they were so much fun I can't help but smile when I think of them.  You'll have to see my facebook for the cutest pictures of them.

Friday dawned a little too early for my taste (after I had stayed up late finishing my sermon...) and I found myself again on the road up to Tohoku for relief work.  It was a lovely day that made for great pictures of the mountains that rose up out of the rice fields and clear pictures of the devastated city of Shichigahama once we arrived.  The pictures from my previous trip were blurry due to the perpetual rain that weighed down the mud we dug up out of the rain gutters.  This trip was for a different purpose: bicycles.  We arrived Saturday at Higashi Matsushima at 10:00 in the morning to discover that 70 adult bicycles had already been delivered and were standing in neat rows (very Japanese) for distribution.  In the course of the morning, we installed a bunch of baby seats, unloaded a truck full of 70-some more children's bikes, correctly distributed each bike to it's new owner, took a ton of pictures, and got some unfortunately nasty sunburns.  (Lucky for me the Mission House sports three lovely aloe plants for which I am eternally grateful.) 

Sunday was another scorching hot day.  I preached in both the morning and afternoon services which were translated line by line into Japanese.  I'd never preached to a real congregation before, nor to an international congregation, nor with translation, nor an entirely scripted sermon.  In some ways, it was great since all I had to do was basically read what I had written, but in other ways I missed the spontaneous creativity of extemporaneous preaching.  Glory to God though, several people told me later that it was just what they needed to hear and they identified with what I had said.  Knowing that my words somehow made a way for people to get closer to the Lord is the greatest congratulations I could wish for.  

Monday was a blissful day off after a long week of traveling and preaching.  I met up with Amanda Fosburg and Liz Dunagan in Shinjuku for shopping and my first purikura (photo booth) experience.  Japanese photo booths are possibly the most fun/entertaining thing I've seen since I discovered DDR my freshman year.  Speaking of DDR, I couldn't leave the arcade without dragging Liz onto the game with me for 4 complete songs of awesomeness.  After that, we went shopping for some souvenirs (since we're all leaving somewhat shortly) and then off to this amazing burger place for dinner with some more friends.  I'll never forget the inspirational conversation that happened afterwards at Starbucks, however.  You'll just have to wait for a few years to hear the completion of that story, Lord willing. ;)  Good stuff.

Tuesday and Wednesday required my utmost concentration and detail-oriented attention (which is difficult to get for more than 5 minutes at a time).  I addressed envelopes for a mailing Pastor Shelley is doing soon for Teen Challenge in Japan.  Some days you preach, some days you address envelopes.  Such is the life of a missionary intern.

Thursday (today) is the day written about in my last post.  It was chilly today as a cold front replaced the super hot weather after the typhoon swept through the country.  I wasn't complaining even as goose bumps broke out on my arms as I walked down the sidewalk today.  It is a welcome change from the sticky-hot days of last week.

Tomorrow may foretell another COSTCO adventure.  Lord preserve me, but this time I will get pictures!  Ever day this week, I've been trying to get out of the house at least once a day and have a convenience store adventure.  There are so many unique foods to try, some of which should remain untested.  One of my snack attacks led me to buy a small bag of chips that were supposed to be sour cream and onion flavored (as opposed to their seaweed and shrimp-flavored neighbors).  I just wanted something crunchy to go with my old favorite: a bottle of milk tea. Well, either the milk tea and chip flavors didn't mix or they were seriously confused when they wrote the katakana on the packaging, but the chips tasted more like sour coffee creamer and dried herb flakes than anything remotely what I am used to.  Not exactly the appetizing distraction I was hoping for...

Well, there you have it.  All that and a bag of chips.  A bag of unsatisfying, wanna-be sour cream and onion chips.  But at least they were crunchy :)

To God be the glory!  Thanks for another adventurous week, Jesus!  Looking forward to my last 2 weeks.  I'm gonna bet they'll be memorable!

By the Skyline of the City

Something beautiful happened today by the skyline of the city.  I was with Pastor Shelley at the 9th story apartment of a woman from Tokyo ICA, looking out over the skyline of Tokyo listening to the sound of something that brought tears to my eyes.  I stood there in disbelief, wondering how on earth I was special enough to be present at that moment.  Standing there, my heart understood what my ears could not - a woman giving her life to the Lord in Japanese. 

All of my life, I have prepared for something so significant - but there in that moment, I was mystified that I would be allowed to witness such a beautiful thing.  God truly did a work of the miraculous in that woman's life and I was privy to the life-changing experience.  Listening to her voice trembling with emotion as she repeated the words of the prayer in Japanese stirred something deep in my heart... something I don''t even understand.  All I knew as I looked out the window at the Tokyo skyline was that the horizon never looked so full of promise and potential than at that moment.  I'm here to hear this sound, I thought.  The sound of the hearts of your people speaking to you in the language of their heart.  It is something truly beautiful. 

And now I'd like to offer my routine apology for not posting as often as I'd hoped.  My next post will be a compilation of what's been happening the last week or so and a short description of each day that has passed.  I don't think I'll be able to fully describe it in these posts, but this country has fully and completely captured my heart and I don't think I'll be going back the same.  No... I'll never be the same again.