December 1, 2011
November 7, 2011
Adventures in Sunday School.......in 日本語!!!
I had my first opportunity to teach Jr. High Sunday School this past Sunday!!!
...slight tangent... Since coming to Japan in May, this is my first experience attending a "traditional" church in Japan. Through Living Hope Baptist Church, I'm getting opportunities to be a part of ministry that I'm more familiar with (like Jr. High Sunday School, Bible Study/Prayer Meetings, and Fellowship Time with church members) and it's been really exciting! ...end tangent...
Ok...so...I had my first opportunity to teach Jr. High Sunday School this past Sunday!!! During the week, I was really excited, but was also kinda nervous about it, as one question seemed to loom over me....should I play it safe and do it in English, or go big and try for Japanese??? I went back and forth during the week, excited for the opportunity to really go for it, but fearful of what seemed like an imminent "fail."
The week seemed busier than normal, and it flew by. Next thing I knew, it was Friday. I had a solid outline and some questions down on paper, but I still needed to write out everything I wanted to say in simpler English to help the teacher who would be translating for me. Not in enough time for me to get it into Japanese...so I thought. The other teacher and I found time Saturday afternoon to meet and she worked (struggled/agonized/labored) with me to get all the things I wanted to say translated!!! I was gonna go for it!!! I spent Saturday night practicing, but there were still a lot of kinks. I knew it wasn't going to be pretty (and definitely not traditional Sunday School style), but I was hoping to gut out a win out of sheer will and determination.......
Game day rolled around and we got off to a pretty good start. I was able to rely on the other teachers a lot when I wanted to ask or say something that wasn't in my "playbook," but for the most part, I was able to keep to what was scripted in the game plan. There were definitely some fumbling of words, and it wasn't always pretty, but we gutted it out. In the end, the youth said that my slow Japanese helped them to understand what we were teaching, so I'd say we can chalk one up in the win column ;)
Ray may have been Tebowing after, but having someone take a pic of it might have been a little difficult to explain...
Ray may be missing football just a little bit.....
...slight tangent... Since coming to Japan in May, this is my first experience attending a "traditional" church in Japan. Through Living Hope Baptist Church, I'm getting opportunities to be a part of ministry that I'm more familiar with (like Jr. High Sunday School, Bible Study/Prayer Meetings, and Fellowship Time with church members) and it's been really exciting! ...end tangent...
Ok...so...I had my first opportunity to teach Jr. High Sunday School this past Sunday!!! During the week, I was really excited, but was also kinda nervous about it, as one question seemed to loom over me....should I play it safe and do it in English, or go big and try for Japanese??? I went back and forth during the week, excited for the opportunity to really go for it, but fearful of what seemed like an imminent "fail."
The week seemed busier than normal, and it flew by. Next thing I knew, it was Friday. I had a solid outline and some questions down on paper, but I still needed to write out everything I wanted to say in simpler English to help the teacher who would be translating for me. Not in enough time for me to get it into Japanese...so I thought. The other teacher and I found time Saturday afternoon to meet and she worked (struggled/agonized/labored) with me to get all the things I wanted to say translated!!! I was gonna go for it!!! I spent Saturday night practicing, but there were still a lot of kinks. I knew it wasn't going to be pretty (and definitely not traditional Sunday School style), but I was hoping to gut out a win out of sheer will and determination.......
Game day rolled around and we got off to a pretty good start. I was able to rely on the other teachers a lot when I wanted to ask or say something that wasn't in my "playbook," but for the most part, I was able to keep to what was scripted in the game plan. There were definitely some fumbling of words, and it wasn't always pretty, but we gutted it out. In the end, the youth said that my slow Japanese helped them to understand what we were teaching, so I'd say we can chalk one up in the win column ;)
Ray may have been Tebowing after, but having someone take a pic of it might have been a little difficult to explain...
Ray may be missing football just a little bit.....
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| The Teachers |
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| The Students (minus 1) |
October 26, 2011
札幌市国際日本語学院 (Japanese Language Institute)
The student body, maybe 100 students, is mostly Asian (Chinese, Korean, Thai, Malay), some European, and not even a handful of North Americans (I think there may be another American and a Canadian…maybe…). The school holds classes all day, with more advanced classes meeting in the morning and my beginner classes in the afternoons. There are about 7 teachers at the school, of which, 5 cycle through my class. It’s nice having a variety of teachers to help mix things up a it. Classes are split up into four 45 minute blocks, separated by two 5 minute and a 15 minute break. Each day, we do things to work on listening, speaking, writing, and reading. It's been good so far, and hopefully keeps getting better.
Aside from language, it's been interesting to meet the other students. Back home, most of us don't really have the desire to learn language(s) for "fun" or to live outside the States. Not really the case here (obviously, as they're in Japan learning Japanese), but it's been interesting hearing that they like and want to learn to speak different languages.
October 22, 2011
Pics from Sapporo
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| Sapporo TV Tower in Odori Park, Sapporo |
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| Odori Park, Sapporo |
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| My Bedroom (as you can see, I'm getting nice and "settled") |
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| My Kitchen/Living Room/Dining Room (more proof of "settling") |
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| View from Apartment |
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| Park in Chitose, Hokkaido (outside of Sapporo) |
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| Park in Chitose, Hokkaido |
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| Lake Shikotsu, Chitose |
Settling in Sapporo
It's been 4 weeks now since I moved to Sapporo, and things have been great. Language school is going well, I've been able to unpack and am no longer living out of suitcases, and God's been opening up some really cool ministry opportunities.
I've been in language school (札幌市国際日本語学院 Japanese Language Institute) for 3 weeks now. It feels a little different being in "school" again, but I'm liking it alright and it's providing me much needed structure and consistency. The stuff we're doing isn't really new to me, but we're moving at a quick pace, which is good...for now. Even with classes M-F afternoons, I'll have to change my mentality towards learning Japanese and constantly push myself to use it...even if it means suffering through feeling pretty useless and really stupid ;).
My living situation here has been amazing!!! Being unpacked is nice, but having my own personal space is even better!!! I basically have a studio apartment on the 3rd floor of the church （Living Hope Baptist Church リビングホープ バプテスト教会), with pretty much everything I need. The pastors' family lives in another apartment here on the 3rd floor, and it's been great getting to know them.
Ministry-wise, God's been opening up some cool opportunities here. My focus here in Sapporo is learning Japanese, but I've been seeking ways to do that in ministry as well. At church, I've been asked to help out with Youth Sunday School (right now Jr. High), and will teach my first class on November 6th!!! I've also started a weekly fellowship on Friday nights here at the church. It's for the two Youth Sunday School teachers to talk about Sunday School material and fellowship with each other. Beyond that, we're hoping it serves as a chance for them to invite their friends/coworkers to church in more of a social setting.
Things in Sapporo have been great so far, and I'm settling in well. Please pray that I'll stay focused and driven in learning Japanese and that I'll jump on the ministry opportunities that arise.
I've been in language school (札幌市国際日本語学院 Japanese Language Institute) for 3 weeks now. It feels a little different being in "school" again, but I'm liking it alright and it's providing me much needed structure and consistency. The stuff we're doing isn't really new to me, but we're moving at a quick pace, which is good...for now. Even with classes M-F afternoons, I'll have to change my mentality towards learning Japanese and constantly push myself to use it...even if it means suffering through feeling pretty useless and really stupid ;).
My living situation here has been amazing!!! Being unpacked is nice, but having my own personal space is even better!!! I basically have a studio apartment on the 3rd floor of the church （Living Hope Baptist Church リビングホープ バプテスト教会), with pretty much everything I need. The pastors' family lives in another apartment here on the 3rd floor, and it's been great getting to know them.
Ministry-wise, God's been opening up some cool opportunities here. My focus here in Sapporo is learning Japanese, but I've been seeking ways to do that in ministry as well. At church, I've been asked to help out with Youth Sunday School (right now Jr. High), and will teach my first class on November 6th!!! I've also started a weekly fellowship on Friday nights here at the church. It's for the two Youth Sunday School teachers to talk about Sunday School material and fellowship with each other. Beyond that, we're hoping it serves as a chance for them to invite their friends/coworkers to church in more of a social setting.
Things in Sapporo have been great so far, and I'm settling in well. Please pray that I'll stay focused and driven in learning Japanese and that I'll jump on the ministry opportunities that arise.
September 21, 2011
Language School in Hokkaido!!!
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!!!
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 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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