Final details came together last week while I was doing relief work in Ishinomaki for language school in Hokkaido. I will leave for Hokkaido on Monday right after the retreat we have this weekend (starting later this afternoon). Things have been pretty hectic and unsettling this past week, as details have come together and plans finalized, but at least we've got progress!!! Orientation is next Thursday and classes start the following Monday.
I'm definitely excited to start language school and to start establishing a greater level of competence i this country. It's definitely funny at times, but I'd definitely prefer to not go about living in this country as a Kindergartener (if even that) ;).
It's another real short blurb, but I'll be off to the retreat soon, then to Hokkaido soon after to hit the books hard...and the ski hills harder!!!
September 21, 2011
September 10, 2011
Shedding Light on a (more) Solid Direction
So..it's been a bit more of a struggle, as of late, dealing with the uncertainty of my future here in Japan and what the rest (the bulk) of the ministry is going to look like. When I first arrived in Japan, I came with none of my own expectations, just that God was going to lead and that I'd simply follow. Having only a very basic understanding of Japan, it was much easier to step back and just allow things to happen. But as I experienced fruits of the relief work in Ishinomaki, I thought about different opportunities and possibilities for ministry, making it harder to wait and be open to going wherever He wants me.
During this past week, God shed some light on the future, and there is a pretty solid direction for us to grab onto. Things are definitely not set in stone, and there are still a lot of details that need to be ironed out, but the direction would be to enroll in a language school through the end of the year, starting in October, while my placement gets ironed out. The direction for placement would be a church in Tohoku. The new network kicked off this past week and some churches are "ready" to take on a missionary, but other A2 missionaries aren't ready to move there quite yet, and it really wouldn't be best for me to be there without the support of a regional team. With this, we are hopeful to form a team by the beginning of next year, which opens up the opportunity for me to attend language school in the meantime.
Before starting language school in October, I have one more opportunity to return to Ishinomaki for 10 days. I'm excited for this time and am excited to see the continued improvements and the people we've built relationships with. Please pray that the time in Ishinomaki would be fruitful, that we'd have opportunities to share God's love with those hurting and in desperate need of it.
Please pray that with this direction, God would iron out the details and specifics for when and where it takes place. Pray for knowledge and guidance for everyone involved in the decision making. That we'd seek and see His guidance, and that we'd be faithful in following whatever He has in store for us (me, A2's mission in Japan, and Japan in general).
During this past week, God shed some light on the future, and there is a pretty solid direction for us to grab onto. Things are definitely not set in stone, and there are still a lot of details that need to be ironed out, but the direction would be to enroll in a language school through the end of the year, starting in October, while my placement gets ironed out. The direction for placement would be a church in Tohoku. The new network kicked off this past week and some churches are "ready" to take on a missionary, but other A2 missionaries aren't ready to move there quite yet, and it really wouldn't be best for me to be there without the support of a regional team. With this, we are hopeful to form a team by the beginning of next year, which opens up the opportunity for me to attend language school in the meantime.
Before starting language school in October, I have one more opportunity to return to Ishinomaki for 10 days. I'm excited for this time and am excited to see the continued improvements and the people we've built relationships with. Please pray that the time in Ishinomaki would be fruitful, that we'd have opportunities to share God's love with those hurting and in desperate need of it.
Please pray that with this direction, God would iron out the details and specifics for when and where it takes place. Pray for knowledge and guidance for everyone involved in the decision making. That we'd seek and see His guidance, and that we'd be faithful in following whatever He has in store for us (me, A2's mission in Japan, and Japan in general).
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