Our God, Eager to Save

Posted January 10, 2010

Tomohisa had reached a coveted status in Japan’s vertically-ordered society: medical doctor. Along with the status came wealth, which he used to buy the affection of women…and lots of booze. His selfishness blinded... [Read More]

The Humbled Tsunami

Posted December 2, 2011

When the warning sirens went off, residents in a south Sendai neighborhood fled to the local school. Together with panicked children still in class they climbed to the rooftop. Some 600 altogether... [Read More]

Japanese Get "Bach" Hope

Posted September 21, 2011

Who would have thought Bach would be involved in 21st century mission work in Japan? I have frequently read with interest of the strong connection between classical music (particularly J.S. Bach) and Japanese interest... [Read More]

Tsunami Ground Zero

Posted April 7, 2011

I still haven't returned from tsunami ground zero. That is to say, although I've been back several days already, the reality of the scene is still with me. The incredible amounts of mud in once beautiful homes... [Read More]

"Nice Try, Kevin" File

Posted February 9, 2011

This one goes into the "Nice try, Kevin" file. I just thought it was a nice-looking bunch of flowers in the storefront and, on the spur of the moment, decided Kaori deserved to enjoy them. Chrysanthemums, however, are... [Read More]

The Gulliver Complex

Posted November 9, 2007

I'm a giant again. Well, not really. But it sure feels like it again since returning from the States. The first sign was bumping my head in the shuttle bus from the airport. By habit, I normally duck my head through any... [Read More]

Foreigners Don't Get the Point

Posted January 31, 2010

I'm standing in line at a drugstore with other shoppers. The woman in front of me has just pulled out a business card file. Hurriedly she flips through at least a hundred or more cards searching for the right one. It's a... [Read More]

More Powerful than Bombs

Posted July 5, 2008

Fuchida grew up loving his native Japan and hating the United States, which treated Asian immigrants harshly in the first half of the twentieth century. Fuchida attended a military academy, joined Japan's... [Read More]

Ready?

Posted September 14, 2010

I'd been putting it off. Although I knew it was important, taking inventory of our earthquake and disaster gear just wasn't getting done. Japan rests along the "ring of fire" in the Pacific ocean, a stretch of area that is... [Read More]

150 Years Later

Posted March 17, 2009

This spring marks the 150th anniversary of Protestant Christianity in Japan. The first protestant missionaries set foot in the port of Yokohama back in 1859. Now they were real church planters -- overcoming all... [Read More]

Stacks Image 9812
More Blog Topics
I for Japan. Japan for the World. The World for Christ. And All for the Glory of God.

— Kanzo Uchimura, Japanese Evangelist

Stacks Image 114

Rambling Notes from Japan

Here are some blog posts that we hope will make you feel a part of things, and help you understand how to pray better for us and Japan. Please see our external blog in Blogger, if this page does not display correctly.

Why I Needed to be Back in Japan in August

I needed to be back in time to remember how God works. And why our being missionaries is worth the sacrifice. This past week was a reminder. Let me rewind the clock to set this up.Last Sunday as Mr. Ubukata entered church, I asked how his father's (Kenzo) surgery went. Cancer had forced the doctors to remove a portion of Kenzo's colon. Mr. U replied that things went very well, thanked me for my prayer,
[Read More of this Post]



Readjustment

We've grown to expect and understand the adjustments and readjustments needed when traveling between countries and cultures, but that only makes the process slightly easier. We are a week into our readjustment to life and ministry in Kawasaki, Japan. What a week it has been!1) The jetlag (14 hrs. difference from Chicago time) is one of the first and largest obstacles. For the first several days no
[Read More of this Post]



Laverman Atlantic Adventure

Sounds like a movie title or a waterpark ride, but it is just the three Lavermans in the Atlantic ocean near Ocean City, NJ. We've swam in the Pacific (hard not to if you live on an island in the middle of that ocean like ourselves), but the Atlantic was a first experience for all of us. Impressions: saltier than expected, big and powerful wave action, clean beach but foot-scalding hot sand, many too
[Read More of this Post]



How's it Growing?

I had heard about these. The famous square melons of Japan. But I laughed off the idea as nothing more than a funny rumor. Until I saw them myself, that is. Yes, Virginia, there is a square melon! And they are very expensive (around $100 each). Japanese farmers form these by placing them in glass cases while the melon is still young on the vine. Click the picture for a bigger view.But other than being
[Read More of this Post]



More Powerful than Bombs: the Power of God's Word

A friend recently related this story to me. I was only vaguely familiar with it. It illustrates the power of God's Word, and His work to change the hardest of hearts: Mitsuo Fuchida & Jacob DeShazer. The two are reading the Bible together at right. I've copied the article intact from a 1997 issue of "Christianity Today."Fuchida grew up loving his native Japan and hating the United States, which treated
[Read More of this Post]



Niagara Falls, or does it?

The "road trip" is perhaps the way of life for a missionary on furlough. To keep the driving from driving one crazy, it helps to have a few things to look forward to along the way. Know of a great place to stop enroute from Chicago to New York? How about Niagara Falls!On our way to a month of visiting with supporting churches on the east coast, we took a little time out to see one of Canada's natural
[Read More of this Post]



Thinking Green

The cost of gas these days seems to be on everyone's minds. It puts a pinch in our home assignment budget as well as the miles we travel cost more. People are talking about the need to invent new environmentally-conscious sources of energy to power our vehicles. It seems the Japanese have already discovered that ultimate "green" machine!I came across this car in our Kawasaki neighborhood some time
[Read More of this Post]



Last Day of School

Remember that last day of school feeling? The day finally came that you knew your debt to school was fully paid...at least for the summer. The last report was turned in. The final test was written. Books were returned. Your locker cleaned out for the last time. It took my dad an extra 40 years, but he's finally reached that point in his life as well. His retirement party after a long ministry of teaching
[Read More of this Post]



[See Older Posts]

Stay in Touch

We'd like to stay in touch with you! Sign up here to receive our paper newsletter and/or monthly email prayer update.

Give to the Vision

Monthly support still needed:
$98 as of
Give securely online through WorldVenture. Gifts receipted.

Our Japan Address

7-30 Imaikami-cho, Nakahara; Kawasaki,
Kanagawa JAPAN 211-0067
Tel 044-819-8791
  Email us

Our Connections

We serve with WorldVenture, an evangelical faith mission. Our sending/home church is Cornerstone Church of Lansing, Illinois.
Donate
Donate
Demo Version