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.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
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.
Monday, June 29, 2009
I'm here!
It's taken me a while to update because I can't access the internet here with my own laptop. So I write from the church's laptop.
Anyhow, I arrived in Japan at about 3 PM on Thursday, which was 11 PM Wednesday by California time. I took a bus to Tochigi, and Yoko-san and Ruriko-san picked me up. I collapsed into bed at 9 PM, having spent 23 hours straight awake, since I wasn't able to sleep on the plane.
Things are going well. The English summer school has yet to kick in. We had our first lesson today for toddlers, or rather, I sat in on the lesson that was already going on. I finished all but one of the books I brought with me. I'm actually kind of bored. Soon enough I'll be busier than I can deal with, but I have almost nothing to do and only a couple of people who know English enough to hold a conversation. So I'm trying my hardest to learn Japanese. I've already made significant progress, but I still understand only about one of every seventy-five words that are spoken.
Yesterday was church. I delivered my testimony, and I'm glad that's over with. Everyone was very kind to me, but again, the language barrier makes things really hard. I like it here, but I'm a bit lonely.
My partner, Janice, arrives on Thursday, and I have to say, I can hardly wait.
Anyhow, I arrived in Japan at about 3 PM on Thursday, which was 11 PM Wednesday by California time. I took a bus to Tochigi, and Yoko-san and Ruriko-san picked me up. I collapsed into bed at 9 PM, having spent 23 hours straight awake, since I wasn't able to sleep on the plane.
Things are going well. The English summer school has yet to kick in. We had our first lesson today for toddlers, or rather, I sat in on the lesson that was already going on. I finished all but one of the books I brought with me. I'm actually kind of bored. Soon enough I'll be busier than I can deal with, but I have almost nothing to do and only a couple of people who know English enough to hold a conversation. So I'm trying my hardest to learn Japanese. I've already made significant progress, but I still understand only about one of every seventy-five words that are spoken.
Yesterday was church. I delivered my testimony, and I'm glad that's over with. Everyone was very kind to me, but again, the language barrier makes things really hard. I like it here, but I'm a bit lonely.
My partner, Janice, arrives on Thursday, and I have to say, I can hardly wait.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
Tickets
Well, I have my tickets to Japan, now. I depart from San Francisco on June 24th and arrive in Japan on June 25th. I'll be returning to the US on August 10th.
I'll have two partners (though I don't think I'll be with them both at the same time), Janice and Melissa.
So far, everything is working out great! I'm at home right now resting and enjoying everything I missed about Albuquerque: family, friends, hiking, rock climbing, Wii, and so on. Also, apparently I might be helping my parents move; my dad, who had been without a job since January, finally got one in Las Cruces, NM. Praise God for answered prayers! My brother Daniel is staying here, so I guess I'll have a place to stay when I get back. :)
Thanks for your support! I couldn't have gotten this far without all of you. Japan is going to be awesome and challenging, and I'm so blessed to have this opportunity.
I hope your summers are going well. God bless!
I'll have two partners (though I don't think I'll be with them both at the same time), Janice and Melissa.
So far, everything is working out great! I'm at home right now resting and enjoying everything I missed about Albuquerque: family, friends, hiking, rock climbing, Wii, and so on. Also, apparently I might be helping my parents move; my dad, who had been without a job since January, finally got one in Las Cruces, NM. Praise God for answered prayers! My brother Daniel is staying here, so I guess I'll have a place to stay when I get back. :)
Thanks for your support! I couldn't have gotten this far without all of you. Japan is going to be awesome and challenging, and I'm so blessed to have this opportunity.
I hope your summers are going well. God bless!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Well, today is my birthday, and I just want to say thank you to everyone who has contributed so far! Just today, I've received $1,121 in contributions! God is so good to have provided me with such amazing friends and family! This should put me at or around $3,000 in contributions, so I might be over halfway there!
I may have a partner to go with me. As far as I know, she is still waiting for approval from JEMS's sending committee.
Again, a huge thank you to everyone who is helping out! Keep praying, please.
I may have a partner to go with me. As far as I know, she is still waiting for approval from JEMS's sending committee.
Again, a huge thank you to everyone who is helping out! Keep praying, please.
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