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 I suppose social media and ever increasing busyness has changed things, making emails and newsletters almost outdated.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!!