Returning

Here's the skinny: I'm going back. My tentative date of departure is July 8.

It's been quite a process, this preparation stage. I told JEMS I wanted to return almost as soon as I got back to the States. The church in Japan decided that they wanted me for 20 months. This is because the Japanese school year starts in April and ends in March, and if I went in July, that would have to be either 8 months or 20 months. 20 months a long time to be in another country, and it's been kind of a hard road being ok with that. My first instinct was to say no and opt to stay for only 8 months, but the more I thought and prayed about it, the more I realized that my entire life is God's, so how can I say, "You can only have x amount of my time?"

So for the past 10 months I've been working hard to make the time as worthwhile as possible. I've been studying Japanese at smart.fm (an excellent website which I highly recommend. Thank you, Josh!). When I went for my training in LA last week, the head of JEMS, Pastor Rick, said that he was really impressed with my Japanese, and to keep it up. I was quite pleased to hear that. I'm really hoping for fluency by the time I've been there a year. I know it's ambitious, considering how difficult Japanese is, but I've been learning so quickly that I think it's possible. Immersion is the best way to learn, and when I was there last summer, I was picking it up fast.

Please pray for me. Pray that God sends me some good friends while I'm in Japan this time. The ladies at the church were lovely, and I would definitely consider them and Yuji-san to be friends, but please pray that I can get into contact with some other foreigners while I'm there. I have a feeling there will be some unique support we can offer each other, being "strangers in a strange land" and all.

Also please pray for my friend Laura. She's hoping to come help out for the summer, and I'm really excited for her to come. Pray that God will provide the funds that both of us need to come.

If you're interested in helping to support us, contact me: annekwinters@gmail.com.

Arigatou!