Hello!
I pray you have been well, safe, and warm during this chilly season! (Or is it only cold here?)
First, just a quick update of December's events and travels, then we'll look at how the first two months of 2023 have been!
The IKG (gospel choir) Christmas market performance went very well! I got to carpool with some members I haven't spoken with as much yet. This day was a great opportunity to share more about why I am in Japan, that I am so joyful in my singing because I truly believe the songs we sing and the One to Whom we sing, and about the true story of Christmas.
I was also able to share the story of Christmas with my language exchange partner, and she was very interested in what I shared and asked several questions about the meaning of different parts of the story! She had heard a little of it before but was excited to learn the whole story, including Who the Baby is, why He needed to come because of the Fall, the promise of a Savior and prophecies throughout the Old Testament, and the meaning of the gifts of the wise men that indicated Who He is and foreshadowing His sacrifice on the Cross. I was able to tie the Christmas story into the Gospel story and emphasise our need for a Savior and Redeemer. Pray for her as she continues to contemplate all I shared, that the seed planted would continue to grow, and that she would realize her need for a Savior.
During the weeks leading up to Christmas, I led the schoolroom kids through the Advent wreath (sans candles) and had a short lesson about the word each candle represents. It was so special to hear these students reading scripture and sharing their thoughts and hearts. I hope to continue having weekly devotional times with them in the new year.
We also had a schoolroom Christmas party! They had lots of fun showing their creativity and teamwork through marshmallow sculptures, acting out the "12 Days of Christmas," and other fun winter- and Christmas-themed games and activities!
I came back to Texas on December 20, just in time for Christmas! I was able to play harp with the orchestra for my church's Christmas Eve and Day services, as well as the other Sundays I was home. It was such a wonderful time, and I was glad to get to spend time with so many friends and see so much family in those few short weeks. Thank you to everyone who took time to meet with me over the holiday season.
Be One's Christmas service
I returned to Japan on January 14th, and started back in the schoolroom the following Monday. As a Texan, I'm not used to getting much snow, so this winter has been quite a learning curve, with so many days of snow, even though it doesn't accumulate more than an inch or so, if at all. I've learned that, since the snow here doesn't turn into ice, life continues as usual, if only slightly slower.
At the end of January, I made a brief trip to Nagoya to visit a friend I made when I was in Nagoya last summer, as well as to attend a concert.
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| Snow Day (one of many) |
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| Nagoya's Central Park the Mirai Tower (not the Eiffel Tower!) |
It snowed more in February, and IKG (Gospel choir) started rehearsing after the holiday break. We are learning a new song called Revelation 19:1, and the director took his time when introducing it to explain the story behind it, starting in the Garden, through the prophecies, the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ, the Church Age, and looking forward to His return, as seen in Revelation. For many of the members, it was the first time they had heard the story of the Bible so succinctly, from start to finish, in a way they could understand. Pray for their hearts to be receptive to the message of the One to Whom we sing.
One of the schoolroom families gave their daughter a new piano for Christmas, and gifted me with their old keyboard! It is such a huge and wonderful blessing! It is able to plug into my computer so I can use it for creating and composing songs or writing sheet music more easily, so I have been flexing my creative muscles a lot more over this past month. |
| Deer |
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| Snowy Trail |
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| Wild Monkeys |
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| Post-hike lunch of grilled Minke-whale meat. Yum! |
Praises:
- I was able to perform several times with the local Gospel Choir! I also got to share with more of the choir members why I am in Japan!
- The schoolroom, while small in number, is going strong, and everyone gets along well.
- Christmas at home was a wonderful time! I got to meet with friends and family, and I got back to Japan smoothly enough.
- I've had a lot of great meetings and time spent together with teammates, language partners, and both singing groups, since coming back after the holidays.
- Thanks to the generosity of one of the schoolroom families, I have my own keyboard, which I can use to create and record music, as well as prepare and practice for worship!
- Pray for all those with whom I've gotten to share my story of coming to Japan, that they would seek to know more about the One Who called me, especially the ladies in IKG and the members of the a cappella group.
- Pray for the new teammate as she settles in and adjusts to living in Japan and being part of the Be One team. Pray for all her ministry activities to bear fruit, especially with the children in the community.
- Continue to pray for those with whom I come into contact in the community, that they would see Jesus in me and want to know Him because of my presence.
- Continue to pray for church leadership as they seek God's guidance for the future of church and personal ministries. Also pray for me as I continue seeking what my part is in God's plan here.
- Pray for the hearts of the schoolroom kids, as they continue learning about and following God, that they would consider and act on the lessons learned during Advent.
- Pray for each other. Pray for the person who reads this next, only God knows who that is, that they will seek to be the light of Christ to those around them, active as missionaries wherever they live.
