Summertime, Part 2!

     

Hello, Everyone!

Here is an update from July, August, and September, 

the conclusion of summer and beginning of the fall semester!

(Warning, lots of photos ahead!)

In July, I started learning Japanese more intensely. Once a week, I met with a teacher online, with a language exchange partner, and a conversation partner. I focused a lot on conversation, grammar, vocabulary, and reading aloud during all of these meetings, so by now I can hold a decent conversation, talk about myself and ask about others when I first meet someone, and understand most common questions used when checking out or ordering. When I wasn't meeting with someone, I was either studying Japanese or exploring more around town and neighboring areas!

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Summertime, Part 1!

Hello Everyone!

Here is an update from May and June, the first part of summer!

A brief compilation of photos and videos from my adventures the last couple months! 

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The Schoolroom

At the end of May, the schoolroom had an end of year/semester party, and celebrated the graduation of our one senior. Even though the school year wasn’t over for some students, it was great to celebrate together with all the Be One Academy families while everyone was still around. For the month of June, there were 5 students in the schoolroom doing summer online classes, but now the schoolroom is closed for the summer holidays! It will reopen at the end of August, so until then I have lots of time to focus on language learning and to visit friends and other missionaries!

Too Darn Hot!

This summer has been the hottest on record for Japan! In Ishinomaki it got up to about 87º, and reached a heat index of 94º. Since air conditioning is so expensive in Japan, they opt for a single wall unit, which only heats or cools the room it's in. Many houses and apartments are also designed to allow for cross ventilation, which is sufficient for keeping slightly cooler when there is a breeze. Because of the lack of A/C, we have to find creative ways to stay comfortable during the day at home or at school, as well as overnight. Thankfully it has rained some the last few days, and has cooled off considerably. The heat has made for perfect days to visit local beaches, which has been immensely enjoyable and refreshing!

A Harp At Last!

As you may know, I was not able to bring my harp with me to Japan, and I have been missing having my own instrument since I got here. Thankfully, a team member knows a lady who happens to have an extra harp, so she is letting me rent it! This is much more affordable than buying even a used harp, and it is definitely an answer to prayer! Even though it is smaller than my harp back home, I have enjoyed playing different hymns and songs on it in the evenings, and look forward to using it for worship soon!

Make Friends and Influence People (for Christ)

One thing that is important for new missionaries is building community and relationships outside the church and outside the expat circles. Being a language learner has been a great foot-in-the-door for making friends. While I have a Japanese teacher I meet with via Zoom, I additionally meet with a local language exchange partner for coffee or lunch once a week. I have also joined a Gospel choir Surprisingly, Gospel music is a popular style in Japan, I have joined a Gospel choir (which includes only one other believer), and I am part of an a cappella ensemble, which meets in Sendai monthly. 

Have you ever had corn sushi or okra sushi?

I have taken several Sunday afternoon train trips to neighboring towns, and shop owners have been so kind and willing to briefly chat with me in my broken Japanese. This is improving my conversational skills, as well as my confidence in speaking with strangers. Pray for opportunities and the vocabulary to plant seeds in those with whom I speak.

Church, Ministry, and Looking to the Future

As I get more settled into life here, I’ve begun to seriously think and pray about how God wants to use me specifically in this community. Since Be One currently has Life Groups throughout the week and only meets all together for Sunday Celebration Service once a month, I have been visiting a church that meets in the neighboring town on the other Sundays. This has provided the chance to make a few more friends and join in their outreach events in addition to Be One’s events. Since Japan has lifted the restrictions on the size of gatherings allowed, pray as the other church and Be One consider the best way to do outreach or have events going forward. Pray for guidance for me as I continue settling in and finding my place and purpose here.

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With Heavy Hearts

Shinzo Abe

Even though this is an update from May and June, I must include what happened on July 7. Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated by a man with a homemade gun, while campaigning for a member of his national party. Gun violence is extremely rare here, and Abe was a beloved leader, as well as the longest-serving prime minister. This has shaken the Japanese people, and could cause a great deal of fear for the future. Pray for Abe's wife, who has visited Ishinomaki in the past and wears Nozomi jewelry often, and his family and friends. Pray for the Japanese people to not give into fear, but that they would seek the One True God, Who casts out fear and is near to the brokenhearted. Pray that we can use this as a way to share God's love and hope with the community.

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Praises:

• The school year finished well, and those who have traveled got everywhere safely!
• I have a harp to use while I'm here! What a special extra gift from God, and a great chance to bless the missionary from whom I'm renting it, as well as those for whom I will get to play!
• Language learning is going well! I'm making friends and connecting with the community in special ways. 
• I am comfortable traveling solo by train or by car, so I get to explore the beauty around me every week.

Prayer Requests:

• Pray for the summer break to be a productive time of both Bible study and Japanese study. Pray that I can learn a lot of Japanese over this break time, and that I can focus well to the end. Pray that my travel is smooth and refreshing.
• Pray for people to stay safe in the heat, especially young children, expectant mothers, and the elderly. Pray that the power grid in densely populated areas can stand up to so much power use for A/Cs.
• Pray for those with whom I come into contact in the community and in my adventures. Pray that I can learn and use vocabulary for witnessing that they can understand.
• Pray for church leadership as they seek God's guidance for the future of church and personal ministries.
• Pray for Shinzo Abe's family and the country of Japan as they mourn his sudden and tragic death. Pray that many come to Christ because of this, and that the people do not become fearful and make sudden and detrimental decisions and laws because of it. Pray for justice regarding the shooter, but also that he may come to know Christ and repent.
• Pray for each other. Pray for the person who reads this next, only God knows who that is, that they will feel God's love and know He is in control and is not surprised by anything.

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

In Him,
Amanda

Japan, At Last!

Hello Everyone! 

Well, I finally made it to Japan! The following post will be both a journal of what has happened so far and a list of what God has done for me in this time of transitions. Fasten your seatbelts, we're about to take off!

April 18, 1 day before the flight:
Japan requires all travelers to get tested for COVID within 72 hours of their flight departure. There is a specific form which the one administering the COVID test must fill out. After much searching and several calls, I was able to find a testing site that could give me the correct type in a short enough time and said they would be able to fill out this form! I drove up that morning, the pharmacist explained how to use the test, and I'm ready for it. However, when I mentioned the forms, they said it was impossible for them to do. How frustrating! So I left without taking the test and went to a local, Christian-owned pharmacy, and not only could they give me the right test and fill out the form, they had an intern that had recently gone on a mission trip to Japan! I was able to get the test, which was negative, the form, and their prayers!

That evening, my family and I had a time of fellowship and prayer as they would be sending me off the next day. It was such a special time. Over the last few weeks before moving, I felt such an outpouring of love and support from everyone around me. Without a doubt, I would not be able to believe the lie that no one loves or cares about me. What a great reminder from God to cling to as I go join a new family of believers!

April 19, flying to Japan:
Waving to my parents from the other side of security and making my way through the airport by myself was so surreal. I thank God for my parents being there and encouraging me every step of the way. Thankfully I had plenty of time to walk around and get some food and coffee before the flight, so being alone was not lonely. The day before the flight, the mask mandate on flights was lifted, and I had three seats to myself on the flight, so I had a pretty comfortable and uneventful flight. They fed us well and I was able to sleep a couple of hours.

April 20, landing in Japan:
We landed about 20 minutes ahead of schedule! This is great because apparently how fast you can get through the entry process partially depends on how busy they are based on how many flights land at the same time. I had read that transiting passengers (not staying in Japan) were let off first and those staying had to wait until last, but thankfully they let us off first! From the moment I deplaned, it was almost non-stop walking. There were several stations where they give you a paper, check the paper, mark things on the paper, ask to see that my phone had a green screen (if you filled out the paperwork electronically ahead of time and had been approved), etc. Somewhere in there, I did the saliva COVID test, and they started processing that while I went to more stations. By the time I reached the "wait for test results" area, I had walked 1550 steps in about an hour and a half. That's a lot, especially after sitting on a plane for 13 hours, and including many stairs as well. I waited for about half an hour before my number was called to get my result, which was negative. During that time, I chatted with the lady in the seat next to me, who was coming as a student to learn Japanese, and I was able to share that I was coming as a missionary! God gave me several opportunities along this journey until then to share why I was going (and in some cases I explained what a missionary was), which is a great way to plant some seeds wherever I am.

After receiving my negative test paper and quarantine instructions, I went through immigration, where I got my foreign residency card, and customs, and was finally out and able to meet my teammates to drive me up to Ishinomaki for my quarantine! Wonder of wonders, I made it through all the entry process in only 2 hours! I had still been reading of people waiting 5-9 hours to get through everything, even having done paperwork ahead of time, so it was a great work that God did allowing me to get through so smoothly and quickly! It is also wonderful that my teammates' schedule changed and they needed to come to Tokyo anyway, so they were able to pick me up and drive me, instead of me having to spend the night in a nearby hotel and navigate the trains alone the next morning. We got to my quarantine apartment around 11pm, which worked out perfectly to avoid jet lag!

April 21-27, quarantine:
For unvaccinated travelers from low-risk countries like America, quarantine is 7 days, which can be reduced if you submit a negative test taken on or after day 3. Unfortunately, my third day fell on a Saturday, and Ishinomaki is small enough that the only government-approved testing facility was closed on weekends, so I had to wait until Monday. I got tested on Monday about noon, and results are supposed come within 24 hours. I didn't get mine until after 7pm on Tuesday! Once you get the results, you have to submit them to the app that monitors location and health condition during quarantine. Since I got the results so late, they didn't respond and clear me from quarantine until 9:30 Wednesday morning, the day I would have finished quarantine anyway! Oh well, God's timing is perfect, and if nothing else, it meant not having to move to my long-term apartment in the rain.

The people of the Be One team and parents of the students I will be teaching brought me a meal each day, which was so kind and generous! I appreciated it not only because I wouldn't have to figure out getting enough food for a week, but I also got to meet each family, or couple, individually and make each connection special. This kindness makes me think of the church in Acts, just one big family, doing for and giving to other believers; a strong community built on the foundation of Christ. Though I had video-chatted with some of them, when I first met them, I could instantly feel that we were brothers and sisters in Christ, all parts of the same Body, worshiping and sharing the love of the same God. I will never get tired of this amazing representation of Heaven, of people from everywhere being connected and in one place because of the love of God and the gift of His Son.

April 27-28, moving in, getting acquainted:

Since I got the all clear notice Wednesday morning, I was able to move into my apartment that afternoon, and the pastor took me to get registered at city hall to make me an official resident of Ishinomaki, Japan! I was able to get mostly unpacked before going to my first LifeGroup that evening. Recently, the church has been trying the model of several locations of LifeGroup (small group Bible study) meetings throughout the week and having a Sunday Celebration (more traditional "church service") once a month, trying to meet the needs of the congregation and encourage local believers to be more personally involved and connected to the scriptures. Thursday I finished moving in, visited the store, and spent time with a couple who have been here about a year and a half, to discuss language learning strategies and options, and create a plan for my continued and increasingly-intense Japanese language learning. I connected with this couple very well and we talked for quite a while about music things! It's a blessing to have friends and teammates with whom I can nerd out over music!

April 29-May 1, team retreat:
I had only spent two days getting settled in my new apartment when it was time to throw things in a bag for a three day-two night retreat with the Be One team! This was a very special time with not only team leaders, but also with their families, having fellowship, discussing how ministry has been, and thanking God for any progress. We also looked toward the future and prayed for God to guide us going forward, and listened to a couple teaching about different church and growth models they've seen bear fruit in the Tokyo area. We started by having a scavenger hunt in the mall, and that was a great way to experience a mall in Japan without the pressure of spending a lot of time looking. We then had lunch in the food court, and went on to the facility where we would be staying. It was a place usually used for sports camps or tournaments, but it was open for us to use! They served us dinner, we played some games, and spent some time sharing stories of how we came to Japan or a time in our lives we felt God moving in us. I enjoyed the chance to hear my teammates' stories and share my own.

Saturday, we had some worship time (I'm working on learning the Japanese worship songs and vocabulary used, not just singing phonetically) and had a training time lead by a couple who work with an organization based in the Tokyo area called No Place Left, which works toward training Japanese believers to share and spread the Gospel until there is no place left in Japan that has not heard. We were able to listen and discuss and study scriptural evidence of how we should approach growing the Body in our local community. We then spent some time in the nearby park, which has a large "roller slide" (look it up, they're super fun) to get down to the open area, which most of us rode, and we had some lovely time playing and enjoying the beauty of God's creation in the nature around us. We even got a Salsa dancing lesson from the couple who had been training us that morning! In the evening, we 

had worship and discussion time, to process what we had learned, and to brainstorm ways we might implement the training going forward. Sunday, we had a time of worship and the pastor gave a sermon about Ezekiel and the dry bones, and asked God to daily give us hearts of flesh instead of stone. Then we went back home!

May 2-9, settling in, visiting Tokyo:

Tokyo Tower        

More orientation and settling in, driving practice (they drive on the opposite side, which can make things a little confusing), having dinner with different families from either the church or the school room, enjoying the few days of holiday and beautiful weather God gave for lots of fun local exploring! It turns out I'll be in Tokyo area for the weekend to help with children's ministry at a retreat one of the Be One families is attending, as well as the chance to see a friend from college and visit a family I knew from Texas! I survived and even enjoyed riding the trains of Tokyo by myself, and only took the wrong train once, which was easy to correct. I am glad God gave me this time to settle in, see friends, and travel a little before the regular schedule of teaching and ministry sets in on May 10.

    Outside Shinjuku station while transferring

PRAISES:

• I was able to get the right COVID test and was negative both there and upon entry to Japan!
• I made it to Japan! I got my visa, they let me in, I am now a resident of Japan!
• I didn't have to wear a mask on the plane and the seats to either side of me were empty!
• The entry process went quickly and smoothly, and my teammates were able to drive me to my quarantine apartment right away!
• All of my team is so welcoming and lovely and generous! I feel so at home with them already!
• Kind of an unusual one, but sometimes it's the little things: there are only three ways one has to sort basic trash! I was concerned about having to divide between 6-7 different categories, but thankfully Ishinomaki only has 3, and they're really easy to understand and follow!
• I had time to see my friends and get settled before starting my job!
• The view out of my apartment is beautiful! I can see mountains from my bedroom and the ocean from the living room! The weather is so beautiful, even with some rain, and even snow on one night!
• So far I have been able to navigate well enough with my limited Japanese. A teammate and I came up with a plan for language learning, which will become more intense during the summer break!
• There have been so many daily blessings and mercies God has given, which to me just confirms that I am where I should be!

Prayer Requests:

• Pray as I begin teaching in the classroom and start adjusting to my new schedule, that it will go smoothly and I will be useful to both parents and students.
• Pray as I discern which Life Group (weekly Bible study) to join out of the 4 options. Pray as Be One continues to discern the best "church" model and opportunities to fit the needs of local believers.
• Pray that the ministries here will see growth, both in number of seekers and faith of believers, that they would feel the burden to share their faith with their family and community.
• Pray that those around me would see only Jesus and the hope that His love can bring, and that I would find ways to start conversations with neighbors and find English-speakers until I can become more fluent.
• Pray as I start soon with a Japanese teacher and continue looking for a language helper, that I would find just the right people to help me learn quickly and easily, and that I would boldly use what I know instead of reverting to gesturing or translating. Pray that my brain would absorb new information well and bring what I've learned to mind easily.
• Pray for each other. Pray for the person who reads this next, only God knows who that is, that they will feel God's presence in their day today and know He is their only hope.

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

In Him,
Amanda

Big Changes, Happening Fast

Hello everyone! 

So much has changed in the last few weeks! On February 25, we found out that, starting March 1, Japan would be opening its borders to everyone except tourists, so I was finally allowed to apply for my visa! 

On March 3, my mom and I took my visa application in-person to the consulate to make sure they got everything and had all the right documents. I was glad we did that, as one of the documents had the wrong number in one place, but, thank the Lord, they were able to accept all the other documents. I was able to email the corrected document to them the next day, and they started processing it right away. They normally don't let people email in documents, but because I live far enough away, they made the exception. What a huge answer to prayer! 

An even bigger answer to prayer, they have already approved my visa and sent it back to me, all in only one week! It could have taken several weeks with the influx of so many new visa applications, but I suppose I got it in early enough that they were able to already process it! The Lord is so good to provide this, and it is an assurance that I am following His will. As my mom said, "when He was ready to open this door, He flung it open!"

One of the documents normally would have expired in January, but they extended it to be valid until April 30! This means, however, that I MUST enter Japan before this date. Since I need a little time to pack and get everything ready, my team and I agreed that the week after Easter was long enough to prepare, but still early enough to get in well before the deadline and allow for possible delays. I have booked a flight for April 19, landing on April 20! Right now, I will be able to quarantine in the empty apartment provided by my team, and the requirements are greatly decreased from the previous two full weeks to only 3-7 days (3 days if you take a test and are negative, 7 days without a test)! Then I will be able to move into my new apartment with two roommates from the church!

Please pray that everything goes smoothly as I begin again to get everything ready and that I can pack efficiently and wisely. As I look toward going, I will be looking at my monthly donations, so I can budget accordingly. If you feel led, and have been waiting until I go to start giving monthly, even if it is $5 a month, now is the time to start! (Some have mentioned they have had issues getting into the system to give online. If you have been having issues, please let me know so CTEN's financial team and I can work with you on getting that donation to the right place.) I will be entirely financially supported by donations you make, and while I appreciate any one-time gifts, I can feel confident in being financially able to stay there based on the monthly donations I receive. Pray that I can learn to rely on God to provide what I need each day, as Jesus says when teaching His disciples how they should pray, "Give us this day our daily bread," (Matthew 6:11). Our daily bread. Not weekly, not monthly, but what we need for that day. When the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness and God provided manna, they were to collect only what they needed for the day. If they tried to collect more to have some for the next day, it would spoil overnight (Exodus 16). Pray that I would be content with the manna for each day, and that the Lord would provide enough monthly supporters to provide my "daily bread." I trust Him in His provision of everything for life and godliness to provide for me wherever I am, as long as I follow Him.

Local updates:

My nephew walking some on vacation
with his daddy's help!

We just celebrated my sweet nephew's first birthday! He is now able to stand up and walk somewhat independently, and is babbling with a greater variety of sounds. I can tell he has so much to tell us and is very close to real words! We were also able to go on a family vacation, and it was a beautiful, fun, and refreshing time of togetherness. My nephew did great on the plane and while we were there!

It has been such a joy and privilege to watch him grow and develop this year. As I think about it, I think this year was a gift from God, for me to have time with him, to build into him for his first year of life, to learn what it is to care for an infant and gain first-hand experience in the development process. I will miss him very much, but at least there is technology available for me to stay connected and watch him grow, even from the other side of the world!

While there are a few opportunities available to me, were I to stay home, I am willing to miss out on those things in order to finally go fulfill the call I've been working toward for five years now. I understand that part of the sacrifices of mission work abroad is missing out on life events, like birthdays, my cousin's wedding, and Christmas. In exchange, however, I get to experience an entirely different culture, and I get to share the Gospel with those who have nothing in which, or in whom, they can hope or believe.

The past year, after several attempts to go anywhere abroad on mission, I wondered if God still wanted me to be a missionary, or if He was testing my willingness to follow wherever He led. I could relate to Paul in his desire and planning to visit his brethren in multiple churches, but never being able to fulfill that goal (Acts 16:6-10, 1 Thessalonians 2:17-19). Learning to be willing to go wherever God calls, when He calls, is difficult. However, one of the most important qualities of a missionary is flexibility. Just as I began to explore to what else He might be calling me, He reaffirmed His original call. It was an important lesson to remind me that I should do nothing without His direction (Psalm 127:1, Exodus 33:14-16). As Paul writes to the Romans, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). He is working things out in His time, not mine, for His glory, not mine, but it is still for my good and the good of others who love Him, but ultimately for His Kingdom. He is preparing me for my call and the call for me, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Prayer Requests:

• Praise that borders are finally open and that my visa was processed and approved so quickly!
• Pray for borders to remain open, at least long enough for me to get there.
• Pray as I get ready to go, that I would remember everything I need and need to do, that I would use this remaining time wisely. 
• Pray as I continue raising support in preparation for moving. Pray that God would especially provide monthly supporters that make it possible to stay there long-term as a missionary.
• Pray for we three apartment mates to be bound in the unity of the Holy Spirit, to support and encourage one another in love, and to walk in the Spirit, even as they adjust to having a new member.
• Pray as I meet the students whom I will teach, that the Lord will give me rapport, but proper authority, and that I able to step in easily to my role and grasp the various curricula. 
• Pray for each other. Pray for the person who reads this next, only God knows who that is, that they will feel God's presence in their day today and know He cares for them. As Paul urges the Ephesians, be "eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:3).

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  

In Him,

Amanda

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If you feel led to partner with me financially, just click here, or go to cten.org/missionary/amandagriffin/ and click donate, or mail a check to "Commission to Every Nation, P.O. Box 291307, Kerrville, TX 78029-1307" and include a separate note stating that you are supporting Amanda Griffin. 

2021 in Review. Merry Christmas! Thank you for your support this year!

Year in Review. Merry Christmas and Hello!

Thanksgiving dinner. Yum!

I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving, and pray you are safe and well as we celebrate the joy and wonder of Jesus' birth.

When I first sat down to write this update, I had great news, that Japan was relaxing their entry ban and I was working on the last paperwork before applying for my visa, looking at going in February, 2022. Monday, November 29, I woke up to news that the new variant has, yet again, put everything on hold. Japan has re-tightened their borders in an effort to keep it out, and only God knows how long it will be before those are relaxed.

In the absence of a positive update on that situation, here is an update on my life in the meantime! 

Missions Conference and Support

     In July, my home church had a Mission's Conference, with a special event on Sunday, and training and fellowship throughout the week. The event on Sunday included a sermon with a mission emphasis, and displays placed throughout the building to acquaint attendees with the countries and ministries of missionaries sent by, or endorsed by, my home church. This was a wonderful opportunity to share my heart for Japan with new people, and to update those who have supported and prayed for me. Through this event, I gained many new supporters and prayer warriors!  

My table at the missions conference at my home church this summer.
I got to share my heart for Japan with lots of new people!

Through the missions conference and other face-to-face meetings, my travel and set-up costs have been fully funded! Praise the Lord for His provision through His people! Now, I am beginning to raise the monthly support that is so key to keeping me there long-term, as I am solely support-based through the generosity of believers like you. While every dollar helps, and I am beyond grateful for any one-time gifts, the gifts that make the most long-term impact in helping me spread His Kingdom is a monthly donation. This provides for things like groceries, gas in my car to broaden my ministry area, ministry supplies, language tutoring so I can communicate and minister more effectively, and utilities in the apartment provided by the church.

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Faithful in the Waiting, Blooming Where I am Planted

My sweet nephew!

    During this period of waiting, I have continued to help my parents take care of my nephew a few days a week while his parents are at work! During the school year, I substitute teach once or twice a week, mostly in middle school band. These have both been of great benefit, as I gain experience as a teacher and an aunt, and have enjoyed getting to see my nephew growing in these first months of his life. The hardest part of eventually moving to Japan will be not being here in person to watch him grow up, and being apart from my family for a long time for the first time. One comfort is the wonder of technology to text, call, and video-chat as often as we like. Pray for peace in this separation, whenever it comes, and that I will not feel too homesick, especially as restrictions will most likely still keep my family from visiting me or I them.

    One thing the Lord has taught me during this waiting is to trust that His plan is perfect, and as long as I seek and follow His will for my future instead of my own, I will be exactly where He wants me, whether here, there, or anywhere. I asked Him many times if He wanted me somewhere else besides Japan, and any door I tried to open to other places refused to open. I held, and continue to hold, Japan with open hands, not grasping it firmly, refusing to give it up, but willing to go there or stay here. It is like when some ask, "How long are you going to stay in Japan?" and my answer is, "Until He takes me somewhere else," I learned that I am still here until He takes me there. I learned more about being useful wherever I am, even when at home, blooming where I am planted. The sermon yesterday even addressed this! Even if you are somewhere for a week, bloom while you are there. Might we all live this way, willing to be useful for His Kingdom where we are, to go wherever He leads, to do whatever He asks, for however long He wills, ready to go when He calls.

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PRAYER REQUESTS

• Pray for God's comfort at this further delay after the hope from the relaxed regulations. There are several teams, including myself, who have been waiting so long and were working on the last paperwork to finally go, and are now being kept from that mission field. Pray we are all able to find how God would have us bloom as we stay planted where we are for the foreseeable future. 

• Pray as I continue raising support, as I will be relying solely on the support from people like you for monthly living and ministry expenses once I am there. Pray that God would especially provide monthly supporters that make it possible to stay there long-term as a missionary.

• Pray as I face the reality of staying here for the foreseeable future, that I could look forward with hope and excitement for whatever God has for me. Pray that I can feel His love, especially during this holiday season, as we celebrate the reason for the season, the perfect Christmas gift, the Son who came as a baby, to save us from our sins.

• Pray for each other. Pray for the person who reads this next, only God knows who that is, that they will feel God's presence in their day today and know He cares for them. As Paul urges the Ephesians, be "eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Eph. 4:3).

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

In Him,

Amanda

_________________________________________________________________

If you feel led to partner with me financially, just click here, or go to cten.org/missionary/amandagriffin/ and click donate, or mail a check to "Commission to Every Nation, P.O. Box 291307, Kerrville, TX 78029-1307" and include a separate note stating that you are supporting Amanda Griffin. 

Welcome to Ishinomaki!

Welcome to my new blog! 

As you can see, I have reposted by writing from Texan In Nagoya so that you can see how God was working in me in 2020. As I am no longer going to Nagoya, I decided I should start fresh with a new blog that can follow all my adventures in Japan, not just where I live. 

Ishinomaki is in the Miyagi prefecture, about 90 minutes North of Tokyo by bullet train. The capital of Miyagi is Sendai, about 20 minutes southeast of Ishinomaki. Ishinomaki is a coastal town, and was one of the main cities most severely damaged by the Great Tohoku Tsunami of March 11, 2011. 

My new job is at Be One Academy, teaching the junior and senior high school students of local missionaries at Be One. These missionaries were called to Ishinomaki after God burdened their hearts for the people of the area affected by the tsunami. In addition to teaching these students during the day, I will also be part of the Be One ministry team, doing local outreach and mission work, being part of and leading Bible studies and the musical portion of Sunday services. 

Right now, I am in the process of applying for my Certificate of Eligibility, which is one required document when applying for a visa. Once all documents are submitted, it will take 4-6 weeks before it will be sent, then I can apply for my visa. One thing we are praying for is that borders will be open enough to let me in. The difference between my previous visa, Instructor, and my current visa, Religious, is that there was a special allowance for teachers at international schools because, to ban them from entering was to deprive students at international schools of their right to receive education. That was a very specific allowance, which was an answer to prayer for my visa at the time. We are praying for such a specific allowance with this visa, as well. With the Olympics going forward this summer in Tokyo, they have allowed Olympic-related travelers to enter, but no tourists. Our hope is that everything will go smoothly and there will be no rise in number of cases as participants arrive in the country and that the government is encouraged by this to open the borders or make this allowance so I can move to Japan at the end of the summer. 

During the time between when my contract in Nagoya ended and I was hired by Be One, at first, I was very distraught. I despaired of ever going to Japan, and I felt a total lack of purpose. There were days I didn't know why I should get out of bed. I know God had a plan for me, and He has my best in mind, but I couldn't understand why He would take this away from me after being so close to finally going. I knew I couldn't do nothing forever, and I started looking into other schools and organizations in Japan, but not without first resting. Last year was stressful and crazy for everyone, but I also had spent a majority of the year studying and preparing and packing to be ready the moment I got my visa, so it was extremely disappointing to have all that preparation and time go to waste. At least I know what and how to pack, though!

I thought I trusted God entirely before, and I still did, but this forced me to trust Him in a different way. I had to trust that He really really really knew what He was doing, and that there were reasons that this was not the place for me after all, or maybe I wasn't best for that place, but that there was something that seemed to fit my calling even better than ICAN. He taught me to be at peace with, and even enjoy  wherever I am and whatever my situation is. I learned to keep seeking His will and jiggling the handle of each door to see which one opened. 

I learned the importance of James 4:13-15, where James reminds us that only God knows and holds the future, and in all plans we make, we must say "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that" (v. 15). When I would tell people about the job in Nagoya, I spoke with confidence that it would happen, as it was clearly provided by the Lord. My mother would always add "Lord willing" when she talked about it, (y'all, my mom is so wise. If she ever says or suggests something, listen.) but I did not want to think about the possibility of not actually being able to go. Boy, did I learn my lesson. Now, I remember that God can give opportunities and guide you but also take things away, as Job said, "The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." (Job 1:21)

There were also good things that came about by remaining at home for this year. I was here to comfort my family when my uncle passed away, I was able to be a part of my friend's wedding, and I was able to be here for when my nephew was born; all things that I would have missed out on if I had already been in Japan. Even though my nephew is not a month old yet, I have gotten to spend so much quality time with him already, holding him, feeding him, singing to him, learning how to handle a newborn. I cherish this time, and will be sad when I do have to leave him. I have also been able to take part in a ladies Bible study my church offers to learn how to live out Titus 2. Only God knows what else I will get to be a part of while I wait on Him for each next step.

Since I had already given up my position teaching music locally last year, I could not go back to that, but I had been hired as a substitute teacher in the district before I had that job, so it was as easy to begin that again as asking them to reactivate me as a substitute. I have had so many wonderful and educational experiences by being a sub and filling in many different subjects and grade levels. One placement lasted three weeks, and I got to learn how to teach band. One placement had only a few students and we spent most of the time in a deep theological discussion, with plenty of time to share what I believe and why with a student who preferred to sit on the theological fence, also exposing the other students to the truth of the Gospel. I thank God that I have had these opportunities to be a witness for Him with a freedom that a full-time teacher would have difficulty feeling. 

Whether Japan ever opens or not, whether I can ever move to Japan or not, no matter what happens in the future, I know I can trust God in every step and that every turn brings me closer to Him. If the Lord wills, I will be a bright light in the darkness no matter where I am, for as long as I live. 

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

In Him,
Amanda

REPOSTED from Texan in Nagoya: Journal 2: Hurry Up and Wait (Aka: Can I have my Visa now?) UPDATED Sept 19

 September 8, 2020

Warning, long update ahead. A lot has happened in the last two weeks.

Two weeks ago, I woke up to a call from my director with very good news! She told me that the Japanese government decided that they should exempt teachers at international schools from the entry ban because to keep them out of the country deprives the students at the international school of their right to receive education. That is a pretty specific exception, if you asked me! It is so specific that it could not possibly be anything other than God saying "I am showing you My power to get you specifically there." I know it is thanks to all of my wonderful prayer warriors bringing my needs before His Throne day after day.

Throughout that day, I went about making sure I had everything I needed to send off my application to the consulate in Houston. I overnighted it via FedEx, and it got there Wednesday morning! Smooth sailing from here, right? Of course not! Cue Hurricane Laura, threatening the whole Gulf Coast, and causing Houston, including the consulate, to shut down and prepare for evacuation. Thankfully, nothing happened in Houston besides some rain, but the consulate was still closed all of Wednesday and Thursday.

I received an email from the consulate on Friday saying I needed a letter of reason stating my case of why they should allow me in when the country is still closed to Americans. They said my school could mail it to me and I could mail it to Houston, or my school could mail it directly to them. Well, if we waited for it to get there from Japan, I would be delayed by several days. So once my director woke up (thank you 14 hour time difference for delaying important things that need to happen during business hours), she wrote the letter, and since it wouldn't really make a difference, emailed it to me and I printed it in color and mailed it from here. We figure that, as long as it has the school's letter head and her signature, it's good enough. I couldn't mail it until Monday, and it got there Tuesday, a week ago.

After sending off my application, I had booked a flight from DFW into Narita, one of Tokyo's two international airports, and the one that American Airlines flies into from DFW. Back when I thought I would be coming in the summer, my director had said someone could drive to Tokyo to pick me up and drive me to Nagakute (3 hours by Shinkansen (bullet train) but 5-9 hours by car depending on traffic), but due to school already being in session, she said it would be too far to ask someone to drive there and back.

So I looked into different flight options to get a flight into Nagoya. Of course, it is small enough that I would have to transfer to a domestic flight from an international one in Tokyo, and the only direct transfer was from Los Angeles to Haneda, Tokyo's other airport. So I booked a flight from DFW to LA to Haneda to Nagoya. Wow, so many transfers!

I had booked the flight from Haneda to Nagoya, but as I looked at the layout of Haneda to decide what to do while I wait for my next flight and how to get from one place to another depending on which terminals certain airlines usually fly into, I noticed that American Airlines only flies into Terminal 3, the International Terminal at Haneda, which happens to be across a tarmac from the other two terminals. After reading what I could find, I realized I would have to go through Immigration and Customs just to get from one terminal to the other. This is where everything started getting messy. After Immigration and Customs is the quarantine officer, who decides where you get to quarantine for 14 days, whether at a local hotel or elsewhere. This officer could easily say I needed to quarantine in Tokyo and not take my flight to Nagoya. Yikes!

Through talking to the consulate in Houston, I was informed that a domestic flight counts as public transportation, which is not allowed to someone who hasn't gone through 14 day quarantine yet. So, to yet again change flight plans, I canceled the final leg from Tokyo to Nagoya. My director said she found a special taxi service, which will not count as public transportation for Covid quarantine, to take me from the airport all the way to my apartment. The timing will be interesting because I have to have another Covid test (despite the one I have to get here before leaving) before I can leave the airport, and from what I've heard, it isn't the 15-minute test, more like the up-to-5-hours test. (Even though I have to test negative to leave the airport, I still have to quarantine for 14 days.) All the little details of getting from one point to the next feel to be constantly changing, and all of this plan is contingent on the assumption of getting my visa either tomorrow or Thursday. It all gets shifted ridiculously if I don't hear that I will get my Visa by Thursday. *Gulp*

Wow, that was a long explanation. And a few minutes from now it may not even be accurate. Yay.*

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Before the call from my director two weeks ago, I had been so disheartened. I felt that I would be stuck here for several months, and no kind words of encouragement or assurance that I would go soon helped to really encourage me. I put on a brave face, but inside I felt lost. I was getting used to the feeling of being in limbo, which is not a good place to be. I felt a lack of purpose for whatever time I remained here. No job, busy friends, no ability to prepare for my job once I got there, no real schedule or drive to make one. Teetering on the edge of depression for that long time, exhausted from waiting, not knowing, trying to figure a way around the ban. Nothing I could do or think of was any use.

But God:

Back in March, my mom and I began reading Tony Evans' "The Power of God's Names," though we hadn't gotten very far into it. She suggested we watch his teaching sessions to back up what we had read so far. The books starts at the beginning of the Bible with the first name we find, Elohim. The Creator God. It was a great first lesson, but there was one point that stood out to me the most, and was exactly what I had needed to hear this whole time.

After the 6 days of creation, He rested on the 7th day. He didn't rest because He was tired, but because He was finished. He is so powerful that He can create everything and not be tired, and can now enjoy what He has done. There is rest promised to His people (see the whole book of Hebrews). Once you have done all that God has asked so far (work or gather for 6 days), you can turn it over to God and rest in Him (the 7th day). "God, You've done everything, I have responded to what You've done, You take it from here. Since you rested, I'm going to rest." Then you let God take it from there. You have to understand that "the powerful God, Elohim, is big enough for whatever is taking place in your life."

This point made such a huge difference for me. I knew I had done all I could and all that God asked of me, and now it was time to stop trying to do it in my own power, turn it over to Him, and rest. How freeing! Did anything in my circumstances change? No, but realizing I was not in control anyway, and turning it over to God did indeed bring rest. Of course, this was only the night before my director called to say I could apply for my Visa! Man, I should have watched that video and turned it over to God sooner!

I thank God for each and every one of you for your constant support and prayers through the last several months. I thank Him for the wonderful team of teachers who have been teaching my classes for me, and will continue to teach them until my quarantine is done. I thank God for those who will be keeping in contact me so I don't die of loneliness in quarantine, and for the teachers who will be bringing me groceries and food so I don't starve in my new apartment.

I covet your continued prayers for me as I remember to trust that God's timing is perfect and not subject to my plans of timing. Pray for peace going forward. Going through all of the complicated immigration and quarantine officer and taxi ride and whatever happens between Dallas and my apartment has slowly been looking more daunting and less exciting, fearing getting stuck or losing a lot of money that has been graciously given to support me, doing or saying the wrong thing and getting sent home, etc. Pray that I can focus on God and His power and the Holy Spirit guiding me through each moment. Pray for those with whom I will be interacting, that they would see Jesus instead of me, no matter how jet-lagged I am. Pray for my students and the school staff as they await my arrive and do everything they can to help me get there, and that my trials would draw them and me closer to Him in new ways.

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

In Him,

Amanda

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*Update, September 19: How right I was as I wrote that. All of my plane tickets and transfers had to be canceled, as I still don't have my Visa yet, and half of next week is a Japanese national holiday. Great. So for now, I'll be stateside until you hear from me again. Hey, at least I get to spend my birthday with family and friends instead of in quarantine!