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.
Wheel Work
February 27, 2012 02:53
| Wheelchairs
| Permalink
Last Sunday afternoon a group of 30 of us at Denen Grace worked together to clean and refurbish four used wheelchairs. Wheelchairs of Hope will deliver these to physically handicapped people in third world countries that could not otherwise afford the luxury of a wheelchair.We have these wheelchair cleaning days once or twice a year at our church location. It always impresses me to see how ambitious
Trains, Planes and (Smaller) Automobiles
February 17, 2012 03:35
| Culture Shock, Taxi
| Permalink
Some of you are aware of our short trip to the States over the last few weeks. We are back in Japan now, and readjusting once again to the smaller dimensions of things here. Let me explain.Once again our journey from door-to-door involved trains, planes and automobiles. One Tokyo train, one AA 777 jet, one minivan and one Tokyo cab to be exact. This involves four rounds of shuffling around six large
Where to run?
January 14, 2012 09:38
| Earthquake
| Permalink
Once again, the hi-tech earthquake warning system that rings every cell phone in Japan was just a bit trigger happy. While riding aboard a Yokohama-bound train this past Wednesday, Kaori and I both jumped a bit when hundreds of cell phones around us began wailing simultaneously. This is the "RUN! You-have-a-matter-of-seconds-to-take-cover!" warning sound that is supposedly meant to be of help. To be
No Room?
December 28, 2011 10:51
| Earthquake, Tohoku Earthquake, Tsunami
| Permalink
Here is one more story from the tsunami. This was passed along to me by missionary colleague, John Houlette, who helped clean the Matsukawa home of mold to prepare it for interior rebuilding. When the 311 earthquake struck, residents in a bay area city of Ishinomaki had precious few minutes to prepare for the tsunami that rushed ashore soon after. Mrs. Matsukawa managed to
The Humbled Tsunami
December 2, 2011 04:08
| Devotional, Tohoku Earthquake, Tsunami
| Permalink
When the tsunami 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 watched as the great tsunami of 311 surged ashore and crushed everything in its path, including a church several hundred feet away between themselves and the shoreline. The raging wave came to the
Thanksgiving Chicken
November 21, 2011 09:15
| Permalink
It's not quite Thanksgiving, but our church ladies gathered today to learn a new way of preparing chicken. One of our church members has a large home that can accommodate 20 people in the kitchen at once (and a couple little dogs and American missionary)! Quite remarkable for Japan where most kitchens are smaller than a walk-in closet. And the kitchen always seems spacious compared to
Merry Halloween?
It doesn't take long in Japan to discover that many holidays have crossed the ocean. One also soon discovers that the way these holidays are celebrated is very different than one's own experience. Japanese tend to be very eclectic, adopting a variety of styles, tastes and customs from many cultures, but always adapting them to suit their unique tastes. Borrowed holidays are a pretty "mixed up"
Returnees in Kanagawa (RIK)
October 6, 2011 04:01
| Evangelism, Returnees, RIK
| Permalink
Strange, but true, most Japanese become believers while outside their own country. Thousands of Japanese live abroad. Away from their home culture and its obligations and expectations, they are free to consider the faith of their host culture. They reflect on what is missing in their lives. They find meaning and purpose in attending a church. And Christ draws them to himself.The difficulty comes after
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We serve with WorldVenture, an evangelical faith mission. Our sending/home church is Cornerstone Church of Lansing, Illinois.