Posted on

Getting back into the swing of things.

Life continues to fly by as we adjust to becoming a family of four. Felicity is now more than a month old, and is already a rather large 11 pound baby who just loves to be held. Many have commented about how content and peaceful she always seems, which she is as long as she’s not hungry and being cradled in someone’s arms. We’ve managed to catch a few smiles here and there, more often than not directed at her big brother. The kids seem to be getting along pretty well so far.

After taking a month off of English Cafe I was a little concerned that we wouldn’t have many people show up at our last one, however it ended up being one of our biggest turnouts in months. One girl from our church invited 5 non Christian friends, including her boss at work, who all attended. In addition a number of college students who are involved in the a Christian Club at Iwate University also attended. I was talking to the leader of the club who was excited to see that we were continuing the English Cafe as there were other students who also were interested in practicing English that he was planning to invite. Many of the members of the club are not Christians (yet) but are interested in Christianity. Please continue to pray for open hearts and the building of good relationships through this monthly outreach. Our next English Cafe will be November 21st.

Christmas is also fast approaching and even now preparations for Christmas events and outreaches are beginning. Our family got cast in starring roles in the Church Christmas pagent, with Tomo playing Mary, me Joseph and Felicity Baby Jesus. Titus is content to be a sheep (although he’s a little disappointed he couldn’t be a solider), and has been practicing his lines: “Meh Meh, Mow, Mow” which is Japanese for “Baa Baa”.

I’m still studying hard for the N2 Japanese Proficiency test in a little over a month. This is looking to be the most difficult one for me to pass, particularity as the number of Kanji I need to know has jumped dramatically compared to the N3 test. I’m studying lots of flash cards and running through a couple of Japanese learning apps on my smart phone.  It’s hard to believe that in 4 and a half months I’ll be graduating from language school and starting out into full time church ministry. I’m excited and nervous to finally be reaching this stage of ministry after so many years of preperation. Please pray for my remaining time of full time language learning to be productive and for preparation for serving the church here in Morioka and throughout Iwate.

Posted on

Typhoon, colds and a cute new baby.

Two kids are a lot of work! Tomorrow Felicity will be four weeks old, and it feels like we’ve been living in the midst of a typhoon ever since she showed up. Incidentally, there’s an actual Typhoon headed our way that’s supposed to hit tomorrow, Titus’s pre-school is canceled, and I’m not sure if I’ll be able to figure out a way to get to language school tomorrow. Normally I go by bike, but that will be (probably) out of the question. Prayers for a safe commute are appreciated!

Since Felicity came home I’ve been spending a lot of time here helping Tomo get back on her feet, doing chores, cooking meals and keeping Titus occupied. Thankfully Tomo is doing really well and is basically fully recovered from the delivery. We could use more sleep, and we’ve lost nearly all semblance of a schedule which has caused a pretty big dent in productivity, but we’re adjusting, but yet somehow in spite of it all we’re just so happy to have this new little girl in our lives and constantly thanking God for her.

One of the most challenging things for me has been trying to keep up with Language learning, as I’ve taken a number of days off from class, and not had a lot of time to study outside of school hours. Unfortunately I had some term finals shortly after Felicity was born, which did not go very well. But I’m starting to get back into the swing of things, and trying my best to prepare for the N2 Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) next month. This will be the final JLPT test I’ll take before graduating Language School (by God’s grace I’ve passed N5, N4 and N3 already). My goal at the start of Language School was to be able to pass the N2 test before graduating, so please pray that I will be able to really focus and study in this next month, as at this point I haven’t been doing very well on the sample questions I’ve tried.

Despite this I really feel like I’m getting the hang of Japanese, I have little problem navigating daily chores and shopping, and can carry basic conversations. At this point it’s primarily a matter of practicing what I’ve learned and increasing my vocabulary. Pray that I am able to continue to do that.

We took a month off from the English Cafe at church, however we’re starting up again this Friday night. I’ll be getting a lot of help from a team from Singapore, which is extremely appreciated, but I’ve still got some preparation to do. Also with two kids our bedtime routine is still in flux, so it can get a bit tricky for Tomo to put Titus and Felicity to sleep on her own. 

All in all it’s been an exhausting month, especially the last week, as Titus came down with a pretty bad cold, and passed it on to me and Tomo as well. So far it hasn’t been nearly as bad for the two of us as it was for him, and Felicity has up till now managed to avoid it. Please pray for quick recovery for the three of us, and protection for Felicity.

And despite all this, every time I look at my little girl I can’t help but smile and think how blessed we are and how thankful I am to God for this gift. And right after that about how nice it will be to send our kids off to college in America while we stay here in Japan. God Bless, and thank you for your prayers!

Posted on

Introducing Felicity 明(Mei) Robison!

At 1PM on September 16, 2014 God blessed us with the safe delivery of our daughter, Felicity 明(Mei) Robison! Felicity weighed 7 lbs. 13oz, and as is the norm here, was delivered naturally without epidural. Tomo went into labor at about 3AM that morning, and though the delivery was painful she’s recovering very well. Felicity seems to be a natural at nursing and loves to sleep… so far.

Tomo and the baby are staying at the hospital until Saturday (standard procedure here in Japan) which means me and Titus are fending for ourselves (ie. eating at McDonalds). Titus really loves his little sister and can’t stop talking about how cute she is.

Felicity’s middle name, Mei (pronounced “May”) is written with this kanji, 明, which means bright. Even at just a day and a half old she certainly has brought felicity and brightness into our lives, and we are constantly praising God for her.

Please be praying for a speedy recovery for Tomo, and that things won’t get too hectic for her after she comes home from the hospital. Titus is doing really well at preschool, so that will make things a little easier, as in the mornings while I’m at school Titus will also be in preschool, and Tomo won’t have to contend with a newborn and an extremely energetic two year old. My normal schedule is to stay at school in the afternoons to study, but for a while I’ll be coming home right after class gets out to help out. Please also be praying for me that I can keep up with learning Japanese, I have some big term finals next week.

Thank you for your faithful prayers for our family as we serve here in Japan. Since we arrived a year and a half ago we’ve seen God answer many prayers, direct us each step of the way. In July I passed the N3 level Japanese Language Proficiency Test, and I’ll take the N2 Test in November. One of my main language goals was to be able to pass the N2 test by the time I graduate language school in March of next year. After language school is over we’re scheduled to take a brief home service in the US in the Summer of 2015, and upon returning to Japan I’ll be starting an internship at our church here in Morioka under Pastor Kondo, where I’ll be able to get some first hand experience in church ministry in Japan, while also putting into practice the Japanese that I’ve been learning. 

Please keep us in your prayers as we work alongside the believers here to reach out to the millions of Japanese who have never heard the gospel. 

Check out more Baby photos!

Posted on

So what is Shinto?

Japan’s two dominant religions, Buddhism and Shinto, have coexisted, and intermingled in Japan for nearly 2,000 years, but Shinto is Japan’s indigenous religion tracing it’s roots back to before the time of Christ. It is a polytheistic belief system that honors millions of gods, which are worshiped in shrines, some of which are elaborate buildings on sprawling grounds, others as small as a shack tucked in the middle of a neighborhood.

Small shrine located near our church.
Small shrine located near our church.

It’s extremely difficult to understand coming from a Christian worldview.  Virtually everything that we as Christians hold as foundational — forgiveness of sins, relationship with God, eternal life, holy living, studying the scriptures,  all of this is almost wholly absent in Shinto. There is no moral code to study and its holy books are largely a collection of folktales about the various gods that are revered. Very few people here would be able to actually give a working definition of what Shinto followers believe, because belief itself is not important. What is far more important is that you participate in the rituals, holidays and rites which connect you with nature, the community, the nation, and the gods.

The largest shrine in our city, Morioka Hachimangu Shrine.
The largest shrine in our city, Morioka Hachimangu Shrine.

The outward result is that virtually the entire population of Japan participates in Shinto rituals, but to them it’s as natural as celebrating Christmas or Thanksgiving. Most of the time don’t think of it as a religious experience, it’s just tradition. Shrines are everywhere, and each shrine revers it’s own god. Some gods are good at helping you find a girl friend. Others can help you pass a school exam. If you need your back healed, then you have to find the right god who can help and pay a visit to his shrine. But each local community also has it’s own shrine, and it’s own local festivals. The shrines and the events surrounding them become a center of community life, and the residents feel a responsibility to their own shrine, and the god worshiped there.

There is also a national component, as a key teaching in Shinto is that the emperors of Japan are descended from the gods. Shinto thus fosters a national loyalty to Japan’s emperor, and a connection to the nation as a whole. Local gods are revered, but there is a hierarchy, and larger national shrines have greater prominence. This nationalism, which was exploited in the lead up to World War II, and nearly shattered in the aftermath of Japan’s defeat and the emperor’s admission that he was not divine, remains influential to this day.

Shrines themselves always seek to have a strong connection with nature. They are often found in difficult to reach, rugged and beautiful places. When they are in a town, they can usually be spotted first by the clump of trees that often surround them. It can be a little jarring walking from a busy city street into a quiet seemingly untamed plot of land, which is exactly the intended effect.

Unlike Christianity and most other religions, Shinto places very little on emphasis on doctrines or dogmas. There is almost no component of teaching, preaching. It does not really seek to explain what happens after death, but instead is concerned chiefly with the present life of it’s practitioners. Shinto is not characterized so much by what you believe, but by performing and participating in rituals and festivities that have been handed down for thousands of years to honor various gods. By continuing these rituals one is in continuity with Japan’s past.

However it is almost taken for granted that all who practice Shinto are also practitioners of another religion, which in Japan overwhelmingly means Buddhism, but from a Shinto perspective there’s no problem being Shinto and Muslim, or Hindu, or Christian. This obviously poses a serious challenge for Christians seeking to witness to Japanese, as in calling Japanese to repent and turn only to worshiping the One True God, to many this means a break with their communities, families, and even their identity as Japanese.

However as painful as such a loss may be many Japanese have indeed found that the joy of knowing God, and the community found with Him and His church makes it well worthwhile. Pray that the Holy Spirit will reveal this to the other 99% of Japanese who remain in darkness.

If you’d like to learn more about Buddhism in Japan, you can read this post: So what is Buddhism all about?

Posted on

New baby arriving any day!

Tomo’s due date is just 11 days away, so we’re into that time period where the baby could come at any time. Any time she’s out of my sight I’m keeping a close eye on my phone in case I need to rush home and get her to the hospital. We’ve heard that labor often goes quicker with the second child, which just makes me more nervous. It’s a very exciting time. We’ve got the house all ready, new car seat installed, and a bunch of frozen meals to keep me and Titus alive during the week Tomo will be in the hospital (standard procedure here in Japan). Tomo just had a check up today, and as has been the case throughout the pregnancy, everything is going smoothly, both Tomo and the baby are great. Please pray for a smooth delivery in God’s timing!

Tomorrow will a showing of Japanese film that our church is helping to promote. It tells the story of a former Yakuza member (Japanese mafia) who comes to Christ. It is not a Christian film per-se, but the director is a Christian. The cast is filled with very famous Japanese actors, but due to some strange circumstances has been unable to secure a wide release. One of the major backers of the film died while it was in production, which led to a large loss of funding. They were able to finish the film, but had no money left for distribution and marketing. To try to get things rolling they are scheduling private screenings throughout Japan, relying on the help of churches to get the word out. I’ll be helping drive people to the showingtomorrow. Many Christians are inviting non-Christian family members and friends, and so far seeing a lot of interest due to the notoriety of the cast. Pray that this film touches hearts and sparks conversations about the life changing power of the gospel. The film is called Fukemon. You can check out the trailer here if you’re interested.

Thank you for your prayers for Titus entering Yochien, and for my test this past July. Titus has been doing really well at his preschool, and really seems to be enjoying it there playing with all the other kids. After two weeks he’s already starting to pick up Japanese phrases. My goal is to stay ahead of him. Speaking of which, I also found out that I passed the N3 Japanese language Proficiency test. This means that I’m still roughly on track for meeting the language goals I set when starting language school. I hope to take the N2 test at the end of the year, and graduate from language school next March. Thank you for your prayers!

Posted on

8 Great Japanese Sodas

One thing I really appreciate about Japan is the incredible selection of beverages they have. With a convenience store (or two) on every corner, and a vending machine (or five) every hundred feet,  just walking around town you’ll face an overwhelming number of choices on a hot summer day. Or a cold winter one for that matter, vending machines and convenience stores both dispense hot canned drinks in the winter. I’m limiting this list to sodas, but tea, coffee and energy drinks have an equally staggering variety available.

1. Kirin Mets Grapefruit

metsOne of my favorites here for hot summer days. It taste’s a lot like a Squirt, but less sweet and a stronger, but very refreshing, grapefruit flavor.

2. Mitsuya Cider

mitsuyaciderI guess this would be the Japanese answer to Sprite. It’s clear, but not a citrus flavor. I don’t really know what to compare it to, tastes a little like a ginger ale, but less sweet, with a sharper bite and a distinctly different, slightly herbal flavor. I was a little taken off guard the first time I tried it, and it took some getting used to.

3. Melon Soda

melonOK, so there’s gotta be at least a dozen brands that sell some form of melon soda here. There are both standard melon and melon cream. I imagine the cream versions get their inspiration from the popular melon floats sold as dessert at many restaurants. Generally these are very sweet, very green, with a subtle honey dew melon flavor (though I did find a cantaloupe version once that was quite good) and I have a hard time passing one up anytime its available.

4. Pepsi Refresh Shot

pepsishotI prefer Coke over Pepsi. But I kept seeing this and had to give it a try. It’s about the size of a Red Bull, and supposedly has something like twice the caffeine of a normal Pepsi. It tasted like a Pepsi. Probably won’t be getting many of them though as Japan has better energy drinks available if I really need a boost (not to mention a couple hundred variety’s of excellent canned coffee).

5. Plum Soda

plum

Plum’s here are big in popularity,  small in size. They make a sour plum wine out of them, as well as a refreshing summer drink, sort of a rough Japanese equivalent of lemonade. This is the soda version of those drinks, and it’s delicious. Has a really nice sour bite to it, along with an easily recognizable plum sweetness.

6. Oranamin C

oranaminVitamin infused soft drinks are popular here. I’m not sure exactly why– no one seems to be fooled into thinking that they are actually healthy, but maybe the combination of sugar and vitamins just puts an energetic bounce to your step when you need it. Whatever the reasons, this little guy here is nonetheless one of my favorite sodas in Japan. It tastes a little like a cream soda, but with a slightly bitter, vitaminy after taste, which somehow pulls together the whole experience nicely. It’s very refreshing, and gives you a good dose of Vitamin C, a few of the Bs, some Royal Jelly, and all the sugar you would expect from a normal soda.

7. Yogurt Soda

1900114_630076371340_489613It’s a soda, but with yogurt mixed in for flavoring. It’s carbonated, not any thicker in texture than a normal soda, and has a very creamy flavor. At first it taste like a cream soda (only more so) but then finishes with a slightly sour, yogurty after taste. It’s actually really good.

8. A billion different Fanta Flavors

yuzufantaJapan has more Fanta flavors available than anywhere else in the word. Naturally you’ve got your standard Orange and Grape Fanta pretty much everywhere. And of course there has to be a melon Fanta, because everyone who makes soft drinks here has to put out a melon one. But then it seems like throughout the year there’s always something new. I tried this Yuzu one last Summer. I’ve also had Lychee, White Peach and Nashi (Japanese Pear). I’m always on the look for one I haven’t tried yet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted on

Ministry, Mormons, and a new Baby.

Thank you for your faithful prayers and support! For the last month I’ve been on Summer break from Language School. We’ve tried to find time to relax and catch our breath, while at the same time getting involved in a number of different ministry events that God’s allowed us to take part in. At the same time I’ve also been slowly making progress through the mountain of Japanese homework I took home with me to do over the Summer (Just about done!). To see some photos of our Summer so far, click here.

Other than that our big project has been getting ready for the arrival of our new baby! Tomo’s due date is just a month away, so we’re almost into the “it could happen any time” zone. Thanks in aprt to the help of my brothers and one of their friends who were visiting from America this Summer, we were able to rearrange our little apartment to get a dedicated kids room. Already we’re reaping the benefits of that with Titus sleeping in his own room instead of with us (though he’s still getting used to that arrangement…). Titus is also getting ready to start Yochien, or Japanese pre-school later this month. This will make it a little easier on Tomo when she first takes our new baby home, as I’ll be back in school by then. Please pray that Titus adjusts well and that the baby is born without any complications. We’re really excited to welcome our new daughter home in the coming weeks!

I had a random encounter with a couple of Mormon missionaries, one girl from Oregon, and a Japanese girl from Chiba. I was taking Titus to the store to get some groceries by bike for the first time, but couldn’t figure out how to use the kickstand on it. After struggling with it for a good 5 minutes with many people streaming past, I someone behind me asking if I was ok in Japanese. This is fairly unusual as most Japanese are a little hesitant to strike up conversations with foreigners. I suppose that here too, Mormon’s are among the nicest people you’ll meet. On the one hand it’s devastating to see that the Mormon church is here in Japan leading people away from the truth of the Gospel. Ironically in the years leading up to the Tsunami while all the Evangelical missionaries had moved on from Iwate, the Mormon’s continued to send a steady stream through to their church near our house.

But even more devastating is just how close these Japanese Mormon’s are compared to the vast majority of their countrymen. They’ve overcome all the same hurdles that keep Japanese away Christ, only to land themselves in a false church. I had a nice chat with them, and even got a chance to share a little bit of the Gospel while standing outside the grocery store. Please pray that they would find the truth, and that their efforts to lead other Japanese to Mormonism would fail (or somehow in God’s providence would instead lead them to Himself!).

Thank you for being a part of all that God is doing over here. We appreciate and rely upon your prayers each day.

Posted on

2014 Summer Minsitry