Doozo
Merry Christmas!
Everyones lying around, recovering from a delicious traditional American Christmas lunch. We were gutted there was no snow today. This was the Ghents first ever Christmas without snow.
Yesterdays new thing was seeing and then singing with a Japanese gospel choir. They were pretty good, esp. when they sung `O happy day` but it was wierd coz they were going hard out singing these gospel songs but as far we know they`re not Christians and probably don`t know what they`re singing. It was fun singing Silent Night with them.
The concert went well, not sure exactly how many people came, probably over 200. Martin gave a gospel message in the middle so it was great that so many people could hear the Word, quite possibly for the first time for lots of them.
We did the slap dance. It was very cool. Made lots of noise and got pretty mixed up but overall I think it looked good. We should dance more often.
It`s a very strange feeling to think that there are no more concerts to do, or places to visit. We get up at 5 or so tomorrow to catch the train to Tokyo, don`t get to NZ till 4:30a.m. Japan time Saturday morning.
Sigh - i don`t want to leave Japan - though it will be good to see everyone again.
Then Monday after we come back we hope to watch a video of the trip together at the Taskers. Anyone in Auckland who`s interested is most welcome to join us.
Well I guess this will quite possibly be my last post. I don`t really intend to keep going when I get back to NZ. Its been great while I`ve had so much interesting stuff happen to be able to share it with you all. Thanks for joining me!
As I look back over the trip I`m trying to think of some of the main benefits. It definetly has been a success. Before I came I thought success might be defined by how many people came to our concerts or started coming to church as a result of coming to see us. Now I realise we`re not really going to see a lot of the fruit that will be borne as a result of this trip. People don:t usually get saved over night as a result of hearing the gospel once, but over many interactions with the God`s Word and His people. And that`s even more so in Japan - they say on average people who become Christians here get converted 10 yrs after they first went to church or heard the Bible.　Its a huge change in lifestyle and way of thinking for people here, more so then in a Christian country i think. But I still say its been a great success because, by our presence we have encouraged the church here, they have definitely encouraged and taught us heaps about what it means to be a Chrisian community, and our presence here has provided lots of opportunities for relationships to be built with the church and the community, and for the true meaning of Christmas to be heard.
Praise God!
Tadiama! (i`m home!)
Went to Aomori again yesterday to do some shopping since it was our day off. Had to wait for an hour at the train station so Rosa taught us a Samoan sasa (slap dance) while we waited. Now we`ve decided to do it for the big concert we have tomorrow so that`ll be lots of fun. Have to practise lots before then.
We expect about 200 people at the concert. Some semi-professional Japanese gospel singers will be singing too. Pray that we`ll do our best and meet people:s expectations!
Discovered a very interesting invention in some public toilets in Aomori. On the wall of each cubicle there was a speaker and a button. When you press the button it makes the sound of a toilet flushing - for modest Japanese wanting to disguise other noises!
A lady from church who i think teaches traditional dance to girls came over yesterday with a dozen or so kimonos. She got us girls all dressed up in them, complete with dangly head pieces. Felt rather beautiful but couldn`t move very far very fast.
One of the best things about this trip is all the new things that happen every day.
Ja mata! (see you later)
Yesterday`s new thing was seeing three Japanese young people be baptised. It was a cool sight. They even had those fancy white over dress thingees to wear. Basically they all came to church because one of their friends invited them, or they went to the cafe/bookshop next door and got a feel for how friendly and nice every one is here.
Oh yeah and the other very new experience was listening to the 3rd time Japanese champion shamison (three stringed traditional guitar) player play us a few songs last night after church. He knows one of the ladies from church so she asked him to play. The sound was really loud and trancey. Then he told us what it was made of! (Katherine cover your eyes) The main part was made of wood, which had dog leather stretched over it. The tuning bits at the top were made of elephant tusk ivory and the pic was made from tortoise shell!
Had a great day today. Yesterday was the first day we got snow. Beautiful views of Mt.Iwasaka (I think that`s its name) from our dining room window. Had some great/challenging devotions on our motivations for evangelism. We had a practise after breakfast then packed up the vans for a trip north up to a little fishing village on the tip of Honshu. The road winded up through rice paddies and snow covered hills. After about an hour and a half we arrived at Imabetsu, with a freezing wind blowing in from the very rugged coastline to greet us. Apparently it comes from Siberia which is a cool thought. The reason for our trip was a Christmas concert we held in the waiting room of the little hospital that serves the region. The one Christian lady (that we know of) that lives in the area asked if we could come. We used the hospital because her husband is the only doctor of the area so he arranged it. They were all very happy to see us, and quite a few people came as well as lots of the patients. It`s very unusual for foreigners to be seen all the way up there in the middle of nowhere. It was exciting/sobering to think that we held the first ever Christian meeting there as far as they know. I think there are plans to hold more. The lady is very keen for them to start a church.
Just before we left a lady gave Callum (Boyd`s four year old son) 5000 yen (roughly $75) to buy us all icecreams (even though it was snowing). They love to give presents, esp. to children. So we went down the road to get icecreams, but first we pulled over on the side of the road and had a huge snow fight. The snow is much nicer here – really soft and powdery. After dinner, when we got back, 2 guys came up and had a cup of tea with a few of us. It was the first time they`d ever been inside a church building and they were very nervous, esp. because of all the foreigners. We had fun practicing Japanese and they practiced their English. We seem to see at least one totally new thing or invention every day. Today we noticed sprinklers in the middle of the road, spraying hot water on the roads to stop the snow freezing. Cleber.
The new thing I saw yesterday was Scott in a Santa Claus outfit complete with pointy eyebrows.
Hoorah for sleep-ins! Was up late last night after a 2nd Kiwi night we had. People from church invite their friends to come and try some NZ food and practise their English. We sung some songs and us girls did a Samoan dance, then at the end about 30 people got up and tried it with us. Then we had a bit of a boogie with some of the Japanese youth. Sing along followed boogie, beginning with 10 Guitars and then ending much later with a nifty bilingual rendition of As a Deer.
Tried fish eggs yesterday. Actually to be honest i only tried one fish egg. it looked far too similar to cod liver capsules but tasted nicer. Kind of salty and smooth.
Have a bit of a cruisy day today - which we need. We just have a singing practise, a bit of food prep. and the last Kiwi night.
And finally, one more quirky tale from Nippon. The high school girls have bizarre uniforms here. The other day I saw a group with the shortest imaginable miniskirts (in middle of winter) and ug boots.
Sayonara!
Minasan, kon ban wa! (good evening everyone) Ive managed to sneak another opportunity to update. Thanks for all your comments - it`s sooo nice to hear from home! Things are going swell. Today we visited a preschool - sung some kids songs, did a Maori stick dance and some of the Japanese people from church did a story about the real meaning of Christmas (of which the majority of Japanese would have no idea). It was fun practising our Japanese on the kids and exciting when they understood! The coolest bits were when some of the boys got up, put on their bandanas and swords and did some sort of samurai dance for us complete with cartwheels. Amazingly coordinated for 4 and 5 year olds. And the other cool bit was morning tea - the tinest icecream I`ve ever seen - like a Trumpet but quarter the size.
Been baking pavlovas, mince pies, afghans etc. for a Kiwi dinner evening we have tonight. Now I have to get off coz the church uses this room for a ballet class in 10 minutes.
Pray for health and energy as everyones getting a bit tired and coughy.
hello everyone!
its been a pretty busy few days - but really good too. travelled up by train to a place called Sendai, had a concert there in the evening. Lots of fun and interaction with boisterous kids. then caught the bullet train and bus to Itayarangi in Aomori at the top of Honshu, where we`ll be staying for the rest of the time here. It was a really nice trip up - more and more snow as we went along. Pretty views of mountains, apple orchards and snow covered rice paddies. (jealous yet?) And it was a great relief to get here - away from the noisy bustling Tokyo. People are a lot more relaxed here.
it:s a great church we`re helping out. They:re very proactive at getting out in the community and as a result they:re growing well. They teach English classes, hold youth clubs and camps, have parties and concerts, a bookstore and cafe, biblestudies and prayer groups, and that way people get to come and see what they:re are like in a more relaxed setting.
Today I spent several hours in the kitchen making gingerbread housed for a junior youth event this evening. it was really fun and they tasted oishi - delicious.
They have heated toilet seats, heated coffee tables, heated floors at teh preschool here. And cool taps that you just put your hands under and the water comes out.
they also hire people to park and guard peoples bikes in the bike park
well there:s a long line for the computer so i better sign off.
doitashimashite (your welcome)
