After another incredibly busy week, today I started my first day at language school. This past week we made some great progress in getting our apartment set up, and it’s finally beginning to feel like home. We are so incredibly grateful to all of our financial partners who have provided all the funds for us to get this apartment and to furnish it so that we can have a place to live, entertain guests and study during our time here in Morioka. At this point I’d say that we’re about 85% moved in, and almost totally unpacked. Our biggest problem now is that we are practically swimming in cardboard boxes and packing material. One of our chores this week is to figure out where we can dispose of it all, as we have too much for the delivery trucks to pick up. Trash can get really complicated here, we have to separate everything into recyclable paper, recyclable cans and bottles, burnable trash and non-burnable trash. Different trash is picked up on different days. So cardboard is recyclable paper which we can take to one facility, but all the Styrofoam and plastic bags have to be taken to a different one. Our little apartment is quite small by American standards (a 600 sq ft, 3 bedroom) but we’re really starting to love living in it. Once we get it cleaned up I’ll be sure to give you all a little video tour!
Another big praise is that we found a car! We found a used 2002 Subaru Forester with only 41,000 miles on it for about $6,000. We bought it through a mechanic’s shop, and it should be delivered in about two weeks, in the mean time the shop has loaned us a car which has been a huge blessing; we’ve been able to visit many thrift stores to buy furniture and other necessities. Again, we are so grateful to all our supporters who have provided the funds to be able to purchase this vehicle, which we will be using to get around town and also to make the two hour drive over mountain roads to the coastal towns in order to help out with outreaches to Tsunami survivors living in temporary housing. In the winter this area gets heavy snow, so we’re grateful for a car that has 4WD and is safe to drive.
Finally, today was my first day of language school! (the picture at the top was taken at my entrance ceremony, which was more formal than most graduation ceremonies I’ve attended) After spending a week and a half struggling to get by with my very limited Japanese ability, and having to constantly rely on Tomo to translate everything (she was getting a little tired of hearing me ask “what’s that say?” at every single passing sign we drove by) I was very motivated to begin full time language study. It’s hard to describe how difficult it is living in a place that you can’t communicate well in. I often feel like a little kid who doesn’t know anything, or someone who is deaf and mute. It’s incredibly difficult to get to know people when you don’t speak their language. Ultimately we are here to help the Japanese understand the message of the gospel, and to find salvation in Christ; but I am unable to effectively do that until I can communicate in Japanese. So this is a necessary first step, and I am eager to progress and to see what relationships the Lord will bless me with as my ability to speak Japanese increases.
One really unexpected blessing is that both of my Japanese teachers are Christians. The school that I entered mostly caters to students who have already been studying Japanese full time for at least six months. I was unable to do that while in America because I was working and raising support, so I entered the school significantly behind all the other students, which is why I am in one on one lessons instead of with the group. There are four classes, A, B, C, D and E. A being the most advanced class, and E being the easiest. They made class E just for me, and I’m the only one in it. I was a little nervous that my teachers wouldn’t be too enthusiastic about taking on someone at such a beginning level. However my first teacher, after introducing herself, smiled broadly and told me that she was a Christian, and was looking forward to helping me learn Japanese because she knew that I was a missionary. My second teacher turned out to be a lady who attends our Church. We share a common aim; as I strive to learn Japanese in order to help proclaim the gospel in Japan, these two precious sisters in Christ are serving God by teaching me. Also, I need to add that the odds of this happening by chance are astronomical. There are so few Christians in this area that it is incredibly rare to have two Christians working in the same place.