English Cafe’s at Iwate University (Video)
English Cafes at the University
Wednesday I entered a Japanese speech contest for Japanese language students, where I was significantly behind all the other contestants, who all had studied for anywhere from 14 months to 3 years, compared to my 6 months. I didn’t do as badly as I feared, but I didn’t really do that great either.
When I was 14 my parents made me join a Jr. Toastmaster’s club, which I hated. The first few speeches I gave in English I was a nervous wreck and sputtered through on memory alone. But in the long run it was probably one of the most beneficial things I ever did, and after a year or so I pretty much got over all fear of public speaking. Over the years I went on to give speeches in college, lead Bible Studies and preach sermons. I thought I was getting pretty good at public speaking. But this first speech in Japanese reminded me of the first speeches I gave in English, and I realize that in many ways, I’m starting all over again. It’s a humbling thought, but by God’s grace I’ll one day be able to preach again in a language that those around me can understand.
Tomorrow I’ll get a little break from Japanese, as I’ll be helping out at an English language outreach at Iwate University. English is required in Japanese schools, so frequently Japanese students look for ways to sharpen their English skills. There is a very small Christian club on campus, the founding member of which is a student that started attending out church this past April. There’s a school festival on campus tomorrow, and the Christian club will be hosting two English Cafes, where our family, and our neighbors, (who are also missionaries at our church, from the UK) will help out at.
This Christian club was in operation a few years ago, however all the members graduated and there were no other Christians left at the school to take it over, so it disbanded. Our prayer is that through this club more students will be drawn to Christ, and that our church, which is a five minute walk from the University, will be able to effectively support and disciple them. The Cafes will be at 2:30pm Saturday and Sunday which is 10:30pm Fri. and Sat PST. If you think of it, please be praying during that time for these two events. Also, be sure to check out the video update that I shot today on campus (and watch out for the student dancing in the background before she realized I was recording.)
Last weeks missionary meeting was really nice. I think there were 11 of us who were able to make it, representing 3 countries and 7 different missions organizations. This really hammered home the sort of missions frontier that we’re serving on. No missions agency has a base of operations here, or even a large presence. As a result, missionaries from all these different denominations and agencies are coming together to support at partner with each other. There are some theological differences between many of these groups, and yet I gladly count them all as my brother’s and sisters in the Lord. Together we share a common faith in Christ, and a common hope to see Japanese come to salvation. Please pray for increased unity, and for all of us to keep in mind that we serve Christ above and before our missions agencies or denominations, and that we might continually put the needs of the body before our own agendas.
Playing Catch Up at Language School
Fall break just ended at my language school, so I’ve been back to studying Japanese all day every day. Over the break my parents came out to visit us (or more appropriately, Titus), as well as my brother and his family who are also missionaries, serving at a nearby church. It was great to see them and we had some wonderful family times.
For the first five months here in Japan I’ve been taking one on one lessons at my language school, but the time has finally come for me to graduate from that and enter into one of the group classes that are part of the main program at the school. However as it turned out I was way ahead of one class, and pretty far behind the other. My teachers decided to put me in the more advanced class, and after having me complete my second text book on my own over fall break, have set out a plan to help me catch up by working with me after class. They told me October was going to be rough, and after a week in the class, I can safely report they were right.
I think God’s helping me to learn humility through this experience; I can think of few more ego crushing tasks than learning a new language from the ground up in a foreign country. And now on top of that, I’m at the bottom of my class, which is filled with teenagers. I find myself often asking for help from 19 year old Vietnamese kids who have been very gracious to help out the giant, old, white guy in the class. All that said, my grasp of Japanese is rapidly improving, so I trust that God is still working through all this, even as I constantly feel inadequate.
This Monday we’ll be gathering together with many other missionaries serving in Iwate. It’s been 2 and half years since the Tsunami, and so many of the missionaries who have come are at a sort of cross roads. Some are making plans to return to their homes, others are trying to figure out how to stay, and still others, like us, have only recently arrived and are making plans to be here for the long haul. It will be a great time of fellowship, and, I pray, a time of further relationship building and a time for God to clarify our long term role here in Iwate.
Summer Newsletter
It’s been over five months since we moved to Japan to begin a new life as long term missionaries. We are living in Iwate, one of the three prefectures devastated by the 2011 Tsunami. Our long term goal is to help plant new churches among the cities that were affected. But to start we’re living in Morioka, the capital inland city where David is studying Japanese, and together we’re building relationships with the churches and ministers serving in the area as we prepare for the next step in this journey. Click here to download the newsletter.