English Summer School started this week! So far, we've had two students a day, but our last week we're going to average 7 to 10, ranging from 2 yrs. all the way to 11. It's going to be tough to figure out lessons for that.
So far, the oldest kid we've had was 6. We've been doing mostly alphabet, colors, and numbers. Yesterday, our kids were very active kids who needed energetic activities to get them engaged. Today, we had two quiet girls. I find the quieter kids more challenging. Active kids will learn if you get them running around, and you can tell they're learning because they'll shout what you're trying to teach them if they get excited enough. Quiet kids are another story. You can't tell if they're learning much because they don't speak. We had to do activities where they showed us things, because we couldn't get a peep out of them.
I'm looking forward to the bigger groups. They're challenging, but more fun.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Update
Today we went to Utsunomiya, and Yuji-san came with us. I've been praying for opportunities to talk to him about God, and I got to a little bit today. But there are barriers, some questions and struggles that need answers. I don't think I have the time here with Yuji-san to help him through it, but I suppose that's what facebook is going to have to be for. Pray for him, that God would open his heart and mind to the gospel.
Classes are going well. We spent Tuesday and Wednesday in Nikko, teaching. We did some more group teaching sessions at the kindergarten up there, similar to what we did for the kindergarten in Omochanomachi. It was fun. I've decided that kindergarteners are my very favorite age to teach in large groups. They are so great!
Summer school starts next week. Pray that we can plan a great course that will teach the kids a lot, both about English, and about God.
Slightly amusing story: at dinner tonight, it was my turn to pray. We joked a bit about me praying in Japanese. I said all I knew in Japanese was how to say "Dear God," and "Amen." After I spent about half a minute butchering "Dear God" in Japanese, Ruriko-san said, "Pray in English... please."
Classes are going well. We spent Tuesday and Wednesday in Nikko, teaching. We did some more group teaching sessions at the kindergarten up there, similar to what we did for the kindergarten in Omochanomachi. It was fun. I've decided that kindergarteners are my very favorite age to teach in large groups. They are so great!
Summer school starts next week. Pray that we can plan a great course that will teach the kids a lot, both about English, and about God.
Slightly amusing story: at dinner tonight, it was my turn to pray. We joked a bit about me praying in Japanese. I said all I knew in Japanese was how to say "Dear God," and "Amen." After I spent about half a minute butchering "Dear God" in Japanese, Ruriko-san said, "Pray in English... please."
A Peek into my Prayers
God, I ache for people to believe in you. I wish it was easier. I wish some Christians wouldn't be jerks. I wish the Church wouldn't get caught up in doctrines and disputes, and would love like you commanded it to.
I wish you would show yourself clearly. I wish it didn't seem so stupid sometimes to believe in You. But you don't make sense. You want the stupid people, the sell-outs, the losers, the failures, the disabled, the handicapped, the ones society has given up on.
You don't make sense. You ask me to die, so that I can live. Your tell me to surrender so that I can be victorious. You tell me to be foolish, so that I can be wise.
I ache for those who don't believe in you. I ache for the church to be one, for us to love one another the way you intended. I ache for our hearts to be broken by your heartache.
I ache for the children who will search for you their whole lives and not even know it.
I ache for your return. But I ache for the time that is running out before that happens. I ache for this nation, Father, and all the people I see walking down the street who do not know you. You know every name, and you ache for your name to be written on their hearts.
I never expected love to be this painful, but you would know about that better than I, wouldn't you?
I wish you would show yourself clearly. I wish it didn't seem so stupid sometimes to believe in You. But you don't make sense. You want the stupid people, the sell-outs, the losers, the failures, the disabled, the handicapped, the ones society has given up on.
You don't make sense. You ask me to die, so that I can live. Your tell me to surrender so that I can be victorious. You tell me to be foolish, so that I can be wise.
I ache for those who don't believe in you. I ache for the church to be one, for us to love one another the way you intended. I ache for our hearts to be broken by your heartache.
I ache for the children who will search for you their whole lives and not even know it.
I ache for your return. But I ache for the time that is running out before that happens. I ache for this nation, Father, and all the people I see walking down the street who do not know you. You know every name, and you ache for your name to be written on their hearts.
I never expected love to be this painful, but you would know about that better than I, wouldn't you?
Saturday, July 11, 2009
More Classes
Classes have been going well! Yesterday we had the opportunity to go to a private kindergarten here in Omocha, and taught English to at least sixty kindergarteners and preschoolers (though not all at once). It was very fun, but we weren't allowed to share the gospel there.
Yesterday evening we tutored two Junior High girls in Nikko.
Today we rode the train to Tochigi and walked around that city for a while. I also figured out how to rent cds, though that was incredibly difficult, since the cashier didn't know any English, and used Japanese words I'd not heard before. It was a challenge, but good practice and experience.
Pray that God will open doors for us to share. Also, if you could pray that I would learn the language quickly, that'd be a blessing, too. I wish I were fluent enough to strike up conversations with people I meet, but all I can really do is understand a little of what they say, and hope what I'm saying is the correct response.
Yesterday evening we tutored two Junior High girls in Nikko.
Today we rode the train to Tochigi and walked around that city for a while. I also figured out how to rent cds, though that was incredibly difficult, since the cashier didn't know any English, and used Japanese words I'd not heard before. It was a challenge, but good practice and experience.
Pray that God will open doors for us to share. Also, if you could pray that I would learn the language quickly, that'd be a blessing, too. I wish I were fluent enough to strike up conversations with people I meet, but all I can really do is understand a little of what they say, and hope what I'm saying is the correct response.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Classes and Sightseeing
We had our first two days of classes on Monday and Tuesday, and they went well. Janice and I are still trying to get the hang of things, but overall I think we did a decent job. Janice has all these creative ideas for our Kindergarten class. It'll be great!
Our Tuesday classes are in Nikko, which is a world-famous tourist spot. I saw other white people! lol. It's a beautiful town up in the mountains of Japan, with a lot of historic buildings and gorgeous scenery. If you've seen The Last Samurai, it kind of looks like that.
Today, Janice and I figured out the densha (train) to Utsunomiya, the city near Omochanomachi. We did some shopping and walked around, taking some pictures. It was nice. Mostly I just liked that we were able to do it on our own. That was fun.
Keep praying for our students, that God will work through our teaching and our presence to bring them to him.
Our Tuesday classes are in Nikko, which is a world-famous tourist spot. I saw other white people! lol. It's a beautiful town up in the mountains of Japan, with a lot of historic buildings and gorgeous scenery. If you've seen The Last Samurai, it kind of looks like that.
Today, Janice and I figured out the densha (train) to Utsunomiya, the city near Omochanomachi. We did some shopping and walked around, taking some pictures. It was nice. Mostly I just liked that we were able to do it on our own. That was fun.
Keep praying for our students, that God will work through our teaching and our presence to bring them to him.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Pray for Yuji-san
Yesterday I met Yuji-san. He is a 23-year-old Japanese man with almost perfect English. He came to the church to practice English conversation with me.
We talked for a long time, and during the course of the conversation, I discovered that while we have a lot in common, he is not a Christian. It's clear that God has opened a door for me to water seeds that Joyce, a missionary who went before me, has planted. Pray that Janice and I will be able to have fruitful conversations with Yuji, and that God will open his eyes to the eternal.
Last night Janice arrived in Japan, and today I showed her around Omochanomachi. It's good to have someone to talk to!
Anyway, keep Yuji in your prayers. Thank you for reading, and for praying.
We talked for a long time, and during the course of the conversation, I discovered that while we have a lot in common, he is not a Christian. It's clear that God has opened a door for me to water seeds that Joyce, a missionary who went before me, has planted. Pray that Janice and I will be able to have fruitful conversations with Yuji, and that God will open his eyes to the eternal.
Last night Janice arrived in Japan, and today I showed her around Omochanomachi. It's good to have someone to talk to!
Anyway, keep Yuji in your prayers. Thank you for reading, and for praying.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Problems and Solutions
The other day I went to the post office to get some yen, and discovered that my PIN number is too long for Japanese ATMs. It's kind of funny in a disastrous way.
My partner, Janice, will arrive in Japan today, and next week we kick into high gear with the teaching. I'm glad; so far it's been a little boring. I'm almost out of reading material.
My partner, Janice, will arrive in Japan today, and next week we kick into high gear with the teaching. I'm glad; so far it's been a little boring. I'm almost out of reading material.
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