Spring Semester - Act 2

Greetings from Tokyo! I've been adjusting to life here in Naichi (mainland Japan), so postings have been delayed, I apologize. We arrived here on March 22 and settled in pretty quickly. Ministry work has become top priority since arriving. Even though it's been a busy two weeks, God has kept us flexible and trusting in Him. A photo below of us students and interns upon arriving at Narita Airport (photo courtesy of Anna.)

Not all interns made the seven week move to Tokyo, but some decided to come. Interns Brevick and Yoshua (below) and I all rode the two hour bus ride from the airport to the Bible College campus. We were in charge of everyone's luggage and after special arrangements with the bus company, we were able to get ALL our luggage on the shuttle bus. From day one in Tokyo, God really showed Himself to us.

We've had some pretty amazing speakers during the last few Friday Lectures. Akashi Kiyomasa spoke a few Fridays ago. He attended Calvary Chapel School of Ministry, has been a missionary in Korea, and now pastors a church in Japan.

At CCBC Japan, students know his teaching well because they listen to his expositional teaching through the Bible in lieu of our "Chuck tracks."
Classes have been continuing on as normal but since the switch, we've been having internet classes with teachers in Okinawa. A photo of me taking notes while in Prison Epistles class, live streaming from Okinawa.

Adjusting to life in Tokyo has been a challenge because of the new environment, routine, and people. To be frank, it has been a true test of faith and I've neglected God's trust on more than one occasion. But the beauty of being in Tokyo has been that of opportunity. In the Bible, God gave Abraham many opportunities of faith because He loved him and Abraham believed in that. I may not have this time to do ministry in Tokyo after this semester because who knows where God will send me next. So since the Lord has me here now, I grasp the privilege of experiencing it during this opportune time, His opportune time, now.

May the Lord continue to keep you in faith. And if you're in Tokyo, come visit the Bible College! The view from the roof is amazing (see below). Mt. Fuji is a sight to see :)

Calvary Chapel Okinawa

This spring, my class schedule gave me a lot of free mornings, so I was able to tag along with some of the interns as they did ministry work during the week. On Thursday mornings, the Bible College helps in ministering to 0-5 yr.s olds while Calvary Chapel Okinawa has their midweek woman's Bible Study. Usually we play with the kids, give a short Bible storytime, have snacks and play games.


Ellen and Molly! Here they are, matching perfectly with each other :) So cute! I was so blessed to serve with Tamiko as well. She's been leading this ministry for several years now, so it's been great to see her teaching these kids.



At times like these, I wish that I grew up in the church and got to come and listen to God's Word like these kids. But then I remind myself that the Father is gracious and favorable to all. He opened up doors such as free mornings, so I still could have a chance to listen to God's Word with these kids.


"Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it." - Proverbs 22:6

Sunday Services in March

 

 I was blessed to serve at Calvary Chapel Ginowan again this semester during the month of March. The kids ministry was in need of help with its growing number of little ones, so I was able to serve with intern, Taliya, for Sunday school - mostly helping and translating.

 

Youth group leaders Tom and Yoshua also needed some students to help fill in with ice breaker games and just spending time with the kids. It was a blessed time doing Bible drills and studying through the Word together.

 

This is my last month serving this semester on Sundays because next week, we will all be in Tokyo. God-willing, I will be back to see these kids again soon.

Night Cafe

Last Friday was New Life Academy's annual Night Cafe. Students and parents got to spend a night eating desserts and listening to student acts and performances. A few of us Bible College students went to help serve and play a few worship songs.


New Life Academy is an international Christian school in Okinawa. Their building facility is paired with Calvary Chapel Okinawa, so we see some of the New Life students on Sundays as well.


Naoko and I (the sister I've always wanted!). Naoko-san is one of my favorite sisters at the Bible College campus. She is super sweet, a woman of prayer, and makes us amazing breakfast during the week :)


Her, my classmate Hae-Young, and I got the opportunity to sing some worship songs at the Night Cafe. Many of the students' parents don't know the Lord, so it turned into a great time of outreach and sharing Jesus' love.


Our intern, Brevick, went solo and played some songs as well. It was super cute because all the elementary school girls were sitting in the front row and listening to him perform :)


Ali, my bunkmate, hanging out with the kids and helping them get yummy food and drinks.


(above) Our Serving Crew
It was a super blessed time seeing the New Life students. I helped out during their Friday morning chapel a few months ago and the students still remembered me! So it was pretty cool. Talking with some of the parents was a blessing as well.

Kadena

I was so blessed to serve at Kadena this past winter and spring semester. Kadena is one of the American military air bases on the island - it's also the largest base in the Pacific. The base itself is huge - once you past the gates to go in, it's like being in the US. Wide streets and sidewalks, suburban homes, and American flags hanging on houses. Every Tuesday morning, our intern Anna takes a few of us to help out with childcare and Bible lessons with the kids while the Chapel on base has Women's Bible Study.


The reason I loved going was to spend time with the kids, love on them, and read them bible stories. The babies I watched were a 0-3 age group and they loved to play and play with us. All were, of course, American military kids.



It was a great time for me in getting familiar with babies and kid's ministry in general. Even though it can be seen as just babysitting for a handful of kids, the greater purpose means so much more. Things such as in it gives moms the chance to come and be fed the Word of God (something that every mother has difficulty doing) and also in kids being taught the Word of God, not just on Sundays.

Sunday Services in February

Happy Belated Groundhog Day
From Phil the Groundhog!
Sundays is island "serving". CCBC students serve around Okinawa every month at different churches and gain experience with ministry in Japan. I finished last semester at Calvary Chapel Okinawa and started off this semester back with the kids there. This month, I was given the opportunity to teach the Planet 45 group on Sunday mornings (4th/5th graders) and help my intern Tamiko in her pre-K Sunday school class. There was also games with the kids on Wednesdays and lots of fellowship with the CC Okinawa family.


We did a lot of awesome events with the kids this month such as an around-the-world cultural eating night. Calvary Kids Club meets every Wednesday night, so my team helped out with game time again. On Valentine's Day, we gave the kids pink toilet paper and told them to go wild.


Most of them ended up wrapping their friends as zombies or princesses. So cute and so much fun to spend time with the CCO kids.


I snapped a photo of some of my favorite kids during a drawing activity (From left to Right: L.J., Ethan, and Ben). Their hair is colored because this was during "Crazy Hair Night". I love game time on Wednesdays because the kids let us play alongside them.



A photo that one of the kids took of me and Tamiko (above). Later that night, she drew us. So cute!


One of the things I will miss when I leave Okinawa will be the kids at Calvary Chapel Okinawa. It's such a blessing when you start to learn their names and personalities and see them growing in God. In March, I'll be at home base (Calvary Chapel Ginowan) helping with the youth. Can't wait to see what God's going to do :)