January Update

It’s a beautiful, cold January day here in Japan.  I’ve got a blanket, coffee and I’m ready to write! You know, I used to write a newsletter about once a month, and then once a semester… and I do believe it has been almost a year since my last update, making this a once-a-year letter! I suppose social media and ever increasing busyness has changed things, making emails and newsletters almost outdated. Although I do have a blog (on which I will be posting this as well if I can even open it anymore!), I’m not inspired frequently enough to keep up with it! So here you have my annual update.

I was just home in the states for a couple of weeks over the winter holiday. Getting back to Japan proved to be quite the adventure as it started snowing the night before I was to fly out. And of course the only flight that is canceled is the one I was supposed to fly on! First they issued me a ticket for the next day, but seeing as it would take over two hours for someone to come to the airport in the snow to get me, I was told to try one more time to get a flight out that day. This time they found one, via Newark and Beijing! But the flight to Newark was delayed, leaving me only 15 minutes to change planes there! I arrived at the gate to board the plane for Beijing, after running nearly all the way across the airport, only to find the door was closed! The workers at the gate, or maybe God Himself, had mercy on me and reopened the door! Standing on the moving gangway watching them literally open the airplane door, a verse came to mind. “I have set before you an open door which no man can shut!” Let me tell you, when GOD opens a door…!!

So finally seated on airplane, we proceeded to wait over an hour to be de-iced… and I only had one hour to change planes in Beijing! After a LONG 14-hour flight over Greenland and the Arctic, I arrived in Beijing with 5 minutes till my next flight! Upon exiting the plane, I found some agents holding a sign with my name… and a new ticket for the following day, a hotel voucher and two meal vouchers. Well, I always wanted to go to China! So I had one awesome night of rest, enjoyed a salad and fruit plate for $30 (is it just the hotel that was so expensive?!), and saw just enough of China to wet my desire to go back again!! The next day I traveled on to Japan and arrived safely just 12 hours later than the original plan!  Unfortunately my suitcase was not able to track along with all those crazy connections and was missing in action upon arrival. But Japanese customer service is pretty much the best in the world, and they found me that bag in no time! They seriously called me about every day just to apologize and to tell me they were still looking for the bag!

Well, I hit the ground running with the start of the third semester (yes, Japan has three semesters in a school year). So my days consist of juggling all my classes in the school, plus my private classes. That’s 30 classes a week, almost all different levels and different curriculums. (Although I have gotten pretty good and just choosing one good theme and adjusting it to fit every single one of those classes!) The work in the church is also going well. We’ve got quite a few outreaches and events coming up these next few months. A lot of the youth who had been drifting away are starting to come around again and we can see God working in lives!

Looking into the next year - number 11 here in Japan and the last year of my 20s! :o It’s been a time of prayer and soul-searching.  On the one hand, I know there has to be a level of trust that even when you aren’t seeing fruit like you think you should, God is still working in spite of what it looks like. On the other hand, I’m constantly plagued with thoughts that I’m not really even making a difference or planting seeds here like I should be, but rather just living each day to somehow just survive!  But I know that God is still in control and still has a plan! And I’ve just got to keep looking to Him and not give up! I don’t know what this next year will hold… but I’m praying about trips to Africa, Russia and also for more specific open doors of ministry here in Japan. Please continue to pray for me and for Japan! We serve and awesome God!

God bless you!!

Spring update!

Hey! I hardly ever get around to writing updates anymore... I guess newsletters are maybe a little out of date, but I can't seem to keep up with my blog. But I still have a few random people who tell me they pray for me and appreciate hearing what's going on in my life. So here you go! :)

Well, we had our graduation last week...  one day after the 10 year "anniversary" of my own graduation! Speaking of which, next week is the ten year anniversary of my arrival in Japan. I was thinking of writing a look-back email/blog "Ten thing I've learned in ten years". But I couldn't come up with ten important enough points! I shall suffice to say one thing I've learned: God is faithful! I don't deserve His unfailing love, but yet He has never failed me. There have been so many good times, hard times, exciting times, miserable times, but He has been there every single minute! Ten years on the "mission field" has taught me that there really is no "on" or "off" the mission field for a Christian... missions is serving God in the place He has you, listening to His voice and walking with Him. It's that simple. So what will the next ten years hold? I have NO IDEA! But I know that here and where ever God opens the door to go, He is FAITHFUL!

Tomorrow I'll be heading up north to Tohoku (area affected by the tsunami in March 2011) for a week. We'll be serving again in a fishing village, helping to harvest seaweed! We had a group of about 32 but the flu has been going around here and several have had to cancel already. I'd appreciate your prayers for the trip. This may be our last trip. The area that we are working in has had a lot of influence by Christians since the tsunami and is very open to the gospel. On Sunday we're hoping to invite the people to a church service. Please pray for God to work in the hearts of all that we meet!

My plans for the summer have also started to come together. I'll be going along to Malawi, Africa again with my Dad and sister. We leave on the 26th of May and will be there for about 3 weeks. So I head to the states on May 22nd. It's right in the middle of the school semester, but somehow God has given me favor with the school and church here. They are sending me off as a Japanese missionary to Africa! :) After Africa I'll actually be home for most of the summer, almost two months, from June 18th to August 11th.

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support! God bless!

Martha

 

Let the journey begin!

 

Well, it's finally about that time! The last couple of weeks have been a flurry of packing, shopping, classes, praying, preparing classes, a little more shopping, a lot more classes... yeah, it's been somewhat of a whirl wind! But after reaching my own limit and crying out to God, I've found that He gives strength, wisdom and direction for every day, and even in the midst of all that craziness, I was still packed (well, at least mostly packed) for three trips five days in advance!!

 

I think I mentioned before how I had prayed for some more private students. Well, God answered that prayer and I went from 4 private students last year, to 19 this year!! :o So it seems that every spare minute is spent either teaching or preparing to teach! It's been a good kind of challenging though. I still often feel extremely frustrated at not being able to do more than just "teach English"... I want so desperately to share the gospel with each of these students but still hit some kind of wall. Not sure whether it's just me, timing, spiritual opposition or what. Although sometimes I do have a small opportunity to share a testimony or something, usually I just get into teaching English and end up focusing on that. But if you all would agree with me in prayer for a breakthrough in that area, I'd appreciate it!

 

Tomorrow morning, June 13th, I leave for a week in Tokyo! It's the annual "summer trip" for our junior and senior high school students. We'll be driving up on Thursday (I will helping drive the "luggage van"... so please pray for safety on the road!!)... it should be about an eight hour drive. Friday, we're planning to go  hiking on Mt. Fuji!! We won't be climbing to the top (bummer!) but I'm still pretty excited about it!! Saturday and Monday we'll be sightseeing in Tokyo. On Sunday we're going to Calvary Chapel, supposedly the biggest church in Japan... the kids will be singing a special there and we'll also get to take part in a youth fellowship in the afternoon!  I think we're visiting another church school on Tuesday, and driving back home on Wednesday. Please pray for the trip... for safety, wisdom, and for God to work in each of our lives through this trip!

 

I'll get back from Tokyo just in time to leave for Africa!!! Thankfully, I do have one day in between that to unpack, wash clothes and repack! On Friday, I fly to Chicago where I'll spend two days at my sister's house. Then on Monday, June 24th, I'll meet up with my Dad, sister, and two others and we'll fly to Malawi!! We change planes in Amsterdam... so in one weeks time I'll be in four different continents! I honestly can't even imagine what kind of jet lag that will bring!! You can pray for me!

 

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to the month we have in Malawi. We'll be traveling to different churches all across the country and holding pastors and church leaders training seminars. I'm not sure what I personally will be doing, but probably sharing in song and testimony at the meetings, helping out with the kids, and just in general being available for WHATEVER God gives me each day to do! I really want to be sensitive to His voice and leading, and pray that He would use us in a powerful way. I pray that He would anoint us to "preach good tidings to the poor; heal the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound!" (Isaiah 61:1) That He would confirm His word with signs following. I'd appreciate your prayers for traveling mercies, health, safety, unity, wisdom and guidance as well!

 

On July 25th, we head back to another mission field of sorts, home! Already this summer is filling up with family reunions, youth camp, VBS, and more! I'll have about four weeks in the states, before heading "home" to Japan again, where the journey continues... :)

 

I pray that God will bless your summer as well, wherever your journey may take you!  

 

Here's a copy of my latest "newsletter"...

Hello!

I know it's been a while since I've written an update! January and February flew by and now March is here! Yesterday was so warm you could smell spring in the air! Today it was snowing again, but that's beside the point!

Anyway, we've just got two weeks until graduation! We have five seniors graduating this year... all of them have been with us since their first year of junior high... six years. It's kinda sad to see them go, but exciting to see the work God is doing in them! Two of them will be going to Bible school in Tokyo while the other three are heading on to different colleges. Please pray for God to keep, lead and guide them!
 

After graduation, we have a three-week spring break. The first week, I'll be going along with a team from church up north to the Tohoku area. It's been two years since the tsunami and they've come a long way. But there is still much need there. This time we will be staying in a fishing village and helping to harvest seaweed!! Should be a very interesting experience! There's a local pastor who's been working in that area since the tsunami and there's a lot of openness to the gospel. I heard that recently people have even opened their homes to a Bible study! Please agree with us for opportunities to minister and for a harvest in that region! Also some people said there's still concern about effects of radiation, so please pray for protection from that, and for health and protection the whole week.

 

The next thing on the schedule then is Philippines!! A very good friend of mine is there for two years interning at a school of midwifery. It's a Christian organization who works with women, helping with the delivery of their babies and bringing the hope of the gospel. I'll just be there for less than a week. It will partly be a vacation with a little ministry squeezed in there where possible... I may even get to help deliver a baby! Oh my!

I'll get back from Philippines just in time for the entrance ceremony and start of the new school year! And the beginning of my tenth year here in Japan! :o I can hardly believe it!

 

 

God has also opened up the door for me to go to Africa this summer! My dad and sister have been going to Malawi, Africa for, is it 16 years?! Maybe more? Anyway, a long time! And ever since they first went, I've been waiting for a chance to go along. This year I really had it on my heart to go and was trying to make it work, but it didn't seem possible. I finally gave it over to God and said, "OK, I won't mention it again!" The very next morning I had about 5 texts from my mom and sister saying, "Call NOW! We found a good ticket and we're getting you one, too!" I asked the pastors here if it was OK, and they said, "As long as you come back!!" :) So within 24 hours of surrendering it to God, I had permission to go AND a ticket!! God is good!

Well, thank you all for your continued prayer and support! God bless!

 

Hope

I opened my Bible the other day and the pages fell open to Proverbs.

          "Hope deferred maketh the heart sick; but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life."
                                                                                                                      Proverbs 13:12

This verse has always kinda bothered me. I mean, it's not MY fault when my hopes are disappointed!
Or is it? When your hope is in something that is unstable, they are almost guaranteed to be disappointed!

              So where am I placing my hope?!

If you look up hope in the Bible, almost every single reference says "hope in God". Too many times though we look for hope in the wrong places. We look around at our options or try to see if something is possible. Only then will we dare to hope. But that hope is disappointing.

But look at Abraham. The Bible says in Romans 4:18,19:

          "He believed, even God... who calleth those things which be not as though they were.
          Who against hope believed in hope, that he might be the father of many nations."

Even when everything he knew with his natural senses screamed "IMPOSSIBLE", Abraham put his faith and hope in God and as a result witnessed a miracle!