This is going to be short and to the point--and not sweet, according to Cindy, who sees the look on my face...
The prayer relay at Fukushima church starts in about 12 hours. The church building is set up, various resources have been placed strategically throughout the building, and care has been put into creating a space for peace and worship. However, several things still are sending off red alarms in my head.
First, the church members have not been excited about this. They haven't fought it (it was the pastor's idea), but they have definitely not been happy about it. Only one church member actually signed up to pray--most of the praying people are from a church that we've been partnering with across town.
It was only this morning that we learned that a negative teaching on prayer had previously circulated through the congregation.
I'm seething. Seething, I tell you. I get so angry when the truth is twisted, and lies are put in its place. It's no wonder why people aren't excited about praying.
The second reason why I'm seething is because I have spent several hours today looking for worship music, prayer resources, etc. Do you know that you cannot find a Japanese translation of the Bible even on biblegateway.com? I knew that, but for some reason it still shocks me. This is one of the most technologically advanced, economically-engaged countries in the world...but the resources they have for believers and churches are so limited I vary between wanting to cry and wanting to yell. Again, it's no wonder why people aren't excited... I know there is worship music...I know there are more than half-translated German hymns to sing...I know there is more than...this. The seething comes from watching people plod along, burdened with a religion instead of being freed by God's love. I know it happens in America too...sigh.
Something that has come up again and again in our discussions with the pastor over the last 12 hours is the word "fear." I have never lived in poverty--been protected from it, maybe? But I wonder now if poverty causes one to be fearful of abundance and push it away.
Maybe that is the root prayer request. Please pray that no amount of fear, negativity, miscommunication, pride, stress...anything!...would get in the way of God's abundant love...which just so happens to cast out all fear. :) Yay for God's promises...
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
Prayer Relay
For as crazy as working with people is sometimes, I really like what it teaches me about prayer. I've been struck so many times since coming here of the difference I see again between my faith and prayer life here versus at school. Now, I really enjoyed and grew through my years at Concordia, St. Paul, so I'm not saying that my faith life was just pushed to the side...but I could push it to the side if I so desired. Tests, papers, jobs...with almost everything that I did, I could expect that if I put in a certain amount of work, I would reap a certain reward---whether that reward would be a good grade, a paycheck, etc. It feels quite different here, working with people. Cindy and I have had hours of discussion just trying to understand each other--and we speak English! Then there are all the added dynamics of ministry and faith and life in Japanese. Before every single class that I teach, I find myself praying that my students come in with open hearts and minds--because no matter how well I've planned the lesson, a bad mood or harbored bitterness or fear can really ruin it!
So many things outside my control...(which reminds me, the subject of control is a topic for another posting...)
But the cool thing is that because of my lack of control, I am reminded often of my lack and God's abundance, my sin and His life, my sickness and His healing, my small goals and His overarching, good plans... And I find that so often, I'm poised, pushing to keep a door closed that I think will only lead to pain...only to find God opening the door and bringing blessing through sorrow, life through death, faithfulness in all His promises...
Starting tomorrow (Sunday here) after church, we're going to be taking turns praying at Fukushima Izumi Church for 24 hours...just one day of having people pray. My students are intrigued at the thought of a prayer relay--they know what a relay race is, and it is funny that the same thing can be a form of prayer! Want to join us? It's a good time of intentionally focusing on the fact that we are not in control, and we need God's guidance and the Holy Spirit's blessing...
More to come... :)
So many things outside my control...(which reminds me, the subject of control is a topic for another posting...)
But the cool thing is that because of my lack of control, I am reminded often of my lack and God's abundance, my sin and His life, my sickness and His healing, my small goals and His overarching, good plans... And I find that so often, I'm poised, pushing to keep a door closed that I think will only lead to pain...only to find God opening the door and bringing blessing through sorrow, life through death, faithfulness in all His promises...
Starting tomorrow (Sunday here) after church, we're going to be taking turns praying at Fukushima Izumi Church for 24 hours...just one day of having people pray. My students are intrigued at the thought of a prayer relay--they know what a relay race is, and it is funny that the same thing can be a form of prayer! Want to join us? It's a good time of intentionally focusing on the fact that we are not in control, and we need God's guidance and the Holy Spirit's blessing...
More to come... :)
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Living Water
Cindy told me emphatically over lunch that she needed to read me a quote from Brother Yun's book Living Water...and I thought it was so good that I should share it with you guys too! :)
"God has long been turning contaminated water into living water. Before Elijah was taken to heaven in a whirlwind, Elisha asked for a double portion of his spirit. The very first miracle that Elisha performed occurred after the men of Jericho said to him, "Look, our Lord, this town is well situated, as you can see, but the water is bad and the land is unproductive" (2 Kings 2:19). Is this an accurate description of your own life, or your church? Is the water also bad and the land unproductive? If so, don't lose hope, because we serve a God who can intervene and transform your life. Elisha instructed the men to bring a new bowl with some salt in it. He threw salt into the town's spring and declared, "This is what the Lord says: 'I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.' And the water has remained wholesome to this day, according to the word Elisha had spoken" (2 Kings 2:21-22). When Jesus Christ changes you, not only will streams of living water flow from within, but that fresh blessing results in the surrounding land becoming productive" (127-128).
I just spent a couple hours with Nomura-sensei, driving through the countryside to an orphanage where we hope to rebuild connections and offer help. As we drove through lush gardens, orchards, and rice fields, I was reminded of the promise of life and hope that God gives... Working in the church in Japan is not different than working in communities all over the world. People fight. There is pain. Some of the arguments and darkness that other church members dwell on seem ridiculously needless and selfish. Many times, I find the arguments and selfishness coming out of my own heart. I struggle with when to yell and when to love--for myself, as a sinner, and for others.
So often the water that comes out of us is nasty, acid...bringing death instead of life. But Jesus promises streams of living water...life...the church where I am working is called "Fukushima Izumi Lutheran Church," and "izumi" in Japanese means a spring of water...I pray that for all of us here, we continue to be healed daily from the destructive effects of our infected water, and that God would "salt" us and cleanse us, so that living water really would pour forth in this place...
"God has long been turning contaminated water into living water. Before Elijah was taken to heaven in a whirlwind, Elisha asked for a double portion of his spirit. The very first miracle that Elisha performed occurred after the men of Jericho said to him, "Look, our Lord, this town is well situated, as you can see, but the water is bad and the land is unproductive" (2 Kings 2:19). Is this an accurate description of your own life, or your church? Is the water also bad and the land unproductive? If so, don't lose hope, because we serve a God who can intervene and transform your life. Elisha instructed the men to bring a new bowl with some salt in it. He threw salt into the town's spring and declared, "This is what the Lord says: 'I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.' And the water has remained wholesome to this day, according to the word Elisha had spoken" (2 Kings 2:21-22). When Jesus Christ changes you, not only will streams of living water flow from within, but that fresh blessing results in the surrounding land becoming productive" (127-128).
I just spent a couple hours with Nomura-sensei, driving through the countryside to an orphanage where we hope to rebuild connections and offer help. As we drove through lush gardens, orchards, and rice fields, I was reminded of the promise of life and hope that God gives... Working in the church in Japan is not different than working in communities all over the world. People fight. There is pain. Some of the arguments and darkness that other church members dwell on seem ridiculously needless and selfish. Many times, I find the arguments and selfishness coming out of my own heart. I struggle with when to yell and when to love--for myself, as a sinner, and for others.
So often the water that comes out of us is nasty, acid...bringing death instead of life. But Jesus promises streams of living water...life...the church where I am working is called "Fukushima Izumi Lutheran Church," and "izumi" in Japanese means a spring of water...I pray that for all of us here, we continue to be healed daily from the destructive effects of our infected water, and that God would "salt" us and cleanse us, so that living water really would pour forth in this place...
Rest
I think I'd forgotten just how much energy it takes to move to a new country...
Yesterday was the first day that I didn't have to go to church. Monday is our normal "day off," because we teach Tuesday through Saturday and have church stuff Sunday, but the last few weeks have been anything but normal. There have been times of rest and plenty of open parts of the day, but yesterday was our first full day off since I arrived, and I think I was counting down to it all week before hand.
Yesterday was lovely...lovely! Talked to Eric, Miah, and Dad and went and wandered until I found an electronics store (where I also randomly found the shampoo I like to use here--does that sound strange to anyone else?:)) and a pair of flip-flops, since the staples in my previous pair were no longer working (I have tried my hand at shoe repairs of many kinds over the years--doesn't seem to be my calling :)). Cindy and I studied Japanese and watched a movie in the evening. "Normal" things--family things. So much of rest, for me, involves the people that I rest with.
So after such a good day of rest, I'm slightly dismayed to find myself dragging again this evening, wishing that I was settled enough to have a safe place and safe people around me. Not that Cindy and the Nomura's aren't safe--not that at all! They are such huge blessings!!! But there is still the tired, slightly achy feeling of missing people and being engulfed in new things...feelings I wish I could just push aside and forget about until I'm over them and re-acclimated. As I've sat here for the last half hour, the words to Third Day's "Cry Out to Jesus" song came into my head:
There is hope for the helpless, rest for the weary,
And love for the broken heart.
There is grace and forgiveness, mercy and healing
He'll meet you wherever you are;
Cry out to Jesus.
I'm so glad that He's patient with my cries! :)
Yesterday was the first day that I didn't have to go to church. Monday is our normal "day off," because we teach Tuesday through Saturday and have church stuff Sunday, but the last few weeks have been anything but normal. There have been times of rest and plenty of open parts of the day, but yesterday was our first full day off since I arrived, and I think I was counting down to it all week before hand.
Yesterday was lovely...lovely! Talked to Eric, Miah, and Dad and went and wandered until I found an electronics store (where I also randomly found the shampoo I like to use here--does that sound strange to anyone else?:)) and a pair of flip-flops, since the staples in my previous pair were no longer working (I have tried my hand at shoe repairs of many kinds over the years--doesn't seem to be my calling :)). Cindy and I studied Japanese and watched a movie in the evening. "Normal" things--family things. So much of rest, for me, involves the people that I rest with.
So after such a good day of rest, I'm slightly dismayed to find myself dragging again this evening, wishing that I was settled enough to have a safe place and safe people around me. Not that Cindy and the Nomura's aren't safe--not that at all! They are such huge blessings!!! But there is still the tired, slightly achy feeling of missing people and being engulfed in new things...feelings I wish I could just push aside and forget about until I'm over them and re-acclimated. As I've sat here for the last half hour, the words to Third Day's "Cry Out to Jesus" song came into my head:
There is hope for the helpless, rest for the weary,
And love for the broken heart.
There is grace and forgiveness, mercy and healing
He'll meet you wherever you are;
Cry out to Jesus.
I'm so glad that He's patient with my cries! :)
Saturday, July 24, 2010
BBQ: Take 2
Highlights from Fukushima's BBQ Party:
- Meeting neighbors!
- Rambunctious children! Several of whom are not yet students, but who are talking about joining the school...
- Chatting mothers!
- Overhearing a conversation between two young boys: "Hey, are you going to come to Sunday school at the church this Sunday?" "Hmmm...I'm not sure. You?" I love hearing people who aren't Christian yet inviting each other to church. :)
- Meeting an older gentleman who is a handbell instructor for the city--who teaches handbells both to groups that have traveled around the world and as a volunteer.
- Overhearing the church member who came to help us casually chatting with neighbors and inviting them to eat and hang out with us...and then later seeing her good-naturedly smack one of the boys, whom she apparently knew...creating that all-around family-like atmosphere.
In other good news and highlights: two new students today promised to come back next Tuesday for Bible study!
This week has been...so good!! The kids' ministry seminar that happened Monday somehow feels like a lifetime ago though...this morning I woke up and thought about running, but decided that I felt like I'd been run over by a truck. Cindy said earlier, "I wonder if I'm ever really going to wake up and feel alive today...?" It is definitely time to sleep...more later!
Thursday, July 22, 2010
BBQ: Take One
I'm sitting in front of my fan in front of my window, trying to catch any small breeze or cool air that might be around me...Fukushima is WARM! Confession: I get incredibly grouchy and whiny when I'm hot and sticky all the time. Cindy can attest to such things...the poor girl! Seriously, whenever I have to remind myself that I have a sinful nature (which is seldom forget-able anyway! :)), I just need to sit in our very-warm apartment for awhile...sigh. Cindy laughs at me, because I talk about winter and Christmas and cold air a lot.
Even though summer is ridiculously warm, it also brings great opportunities that don't come at other times of the year. It's fairly customary to have summer BBQs in Japan (which do NOT include hamburgers, hotdog buns, or s'mores...), and each English school I've worked at in Japan has celebrated the beginning of summer vacation with some sort of BBQ party. Today we had our first such gathering at Koriyama church, which is in a city a little over an hour from where I live. First gatherings are kind of difficult, because you never know who or what to expect, but here were some highlights:
- Momo-chan, a chubby, friendly, little girl under two years old still, toddled around in the midst of everything. She is comfortable enough with me to grab hold of my legs and then lift up her arms, indicating that she wants to be picked up, and she bravely mingled with people and played with us throughout the evening.
- Two boys who had never come to the school before came as friends of some other students. They were only 5 years old, and at first they wouldn't come into the church building or talk to anyone because they were so shy. We brought the food to them in the parking lot area, talked a little, and played some games, and by the end of the night they were playing a running game that somehow included whirling full-speed into my arms. They ran in and out of the church as they needed and grabbed whatever food they wanted, with the former fears forgotten.
- Two of the five mothers present had just moved into the area, and it was fun to see the mothers talking to each other. Everybody (it seems to me, at least) wants a safe place or a place to belong (in some capacity), and it was cool to see the mothers chatting and looking for that friendship amongst each other and us.
Having just come off of the kid's ministry seminar earlier in the week, my brain is full of ideas and thoughts for the future...but for now, I just want to sit and think about the people for awhile and pray for them. Each person is dear, is loved, is known by a heavenly Father...and He knows way better than I do what they need.
Tomorrow is a BBQ in Fukushima! Craziness...more updates and pictures later (once I learn how to correctly upload pics and organize them within the blog :))...
Even though summer is ridiculously warm, it also brings great opportunities that don't come at other times of the year. It's fairly customary to have summer BBQs in Japan (which do NOT include hamburgers, hotdog buns, or s'mores...), and each English school I've worked at in Japan has celebrated the beginning of summer vacation with some sort of BBQ party. Today we had our first such gathering at Koriyama church, which is in a city a little over an hour from where I live. First gatherings are kind of difficult, because you never know who or what to expect, but here were some highlights:
- Momo-chan, a chubby, friendly, little girl under two years old still, toddled around in the midst of everything. She is comfortable enough with me to grab hold of my legs and then lift up her arms, indicating that she wants to be picked up, and she bravely mingled with people and played with us throughout the evening.
- Two boys who had never come to the school before came as friends of some other students. They were only 5 years old, and at first they wouldn't come into the church building or talk to anyone because they were so shy. We brought the food to them in the parking lot area, talked a little, and played some games, and by the end of the night they were playing a running game that somehow included whirling full-speed into my arms. They ran in and out of the church as they needed and grabbed whatever food they wanted, with the former fears forgotten.
- Two of the five mothers present had just moved into the area, and it was fun to see the mothers talking to each other. Everybody (it seems to me, at least) wants a safe place or a place to belong (in some capacity), and it was cool to see the mothers chatting and looking for that friendship amongst each other and us.
Having just come off of the kid's ministry seminar earlier in the week, my brain is full of ideas and thoughts for the future...but for now, I just want to sit and think about the people for awhile and pray for them. Each person is dear, is loved, is known by a heavenly Father...and He knows way better than I do what they need.
Tomorrow is a BBQ in Fukushima! Craziness...more updates and pictures later (once I learn how to correctly upload pics and organize them within the blog :))...
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Some quick nature pics
Finally, some Fukushima pictures! I'll try to add more of actual people, classes, etc., now that I can upload them! These are all pictures taken near our apartment along my jogging route--one is from our balcony of our nearby volcano! :)
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