Konichiwa from Japan

The drive to Shin-Osaka Station on a Sunday evening...

Well, I've been in Japan since 21st of January, after a long flight to Seoul and a nice layover there (warm shower) before heading into Narita. By the way - ASIANA is a great airline.

I arrived into Narita and after a very short trip thru immigration and customs (like 20 minute total) I was off to pick up my cell phone and catch the bus to meet SHELLEY!!! Shelley Okamura and I went to UofR together back in the day... Holt Hall sisters, cheerleaders and Theta sisters together. But the best thing of all is that we are sisters in Christ! Our reunion was a long time in the making, considering our last time together was sometime in the late 80's in Hawaii. Since then much has happened thanks to the Lord, and now Shel' and Frank are living in Tokyo for a couple of years. It was a blessing to stay with her and fellowship, and introduce her to my Cardiff Chateau girl, Mai.

Another highlight with Shelley was attending her fellowship at Hope Chapel Tokorozawa. WOW. This is the kind of fellowship that is great for students who have studied overseas and returned to Japan. Please pray for all returnees to Japan, that the churches and various organisations (like Campus Crusade, Navigators, JCFN, OMF, etc.) would continue to grow together in reaching out and providing a place of ministry and fellowship for returnees.

My next stop has been Osaka! It feels good to be "home again" in Sakai Eiko church and staying with both the Morimoto family, and now the Imai family. Sunday was a bit of a J2 reunion, with Mai travelling from Tokyo for some 'retreat' time of fellowship, Asami (one of the girls Mai discipled in New Zealand), Yousuke (shown in photo below with Mai-chan) one of the students who became a follower of Jesus in New Zealand (his good friend is staying at my home in NZ while I am away, Mayumi - who also recently became a Christian in NZ), China (CHEE-nah) a former J2 member and of course, Nozomi-chan.

Had a blessed time at the church prayer meeting Thursday night, and then went with Yoko (Nozomi's mom) to the ladies fellowship lunch. Most of the ladies there (see photo below) were on the 'okasan-mommy cheer squad I coached during my last visit to Japan). It was a warm time of sharing, and making new friends. The ladies have a great outreach and one-by-one are discipling other women as they seek to know Jesus.

There is much more to report, but I need to take a break now so we can get set up for dinner. Tomorrow I head to Nagoya to spend a night with Hiroko-chan (one of our returnees from the South Island), and then on to Sendai the following day for a busy five days with my old flatmates and their families, with the Navigator fellowship there, and with another awesome couple I have come to know in my travels. Pray that I will continue to have health and travelling mercies (not lost yet and avoided the influenza A disease that is hitting many here in Japan).

Thank you again for your support and prayers. It is a humbling honour to be here and in some small way bring encouragement to brothers and sisters in Christ in Japan. God bless you!

Catching Up

See - I am still working hard even at Disneyland. I love the old technology.

I've been away from New Zealand for one month, missing the Cardiff Chateau and my ISM family and Grace City Church. Still, the time with family, the fellowship with brothers and sisters here in the states and even a 30 year high school mini-reunion has been a really blessing and refreshment.
I've had the opportunity to reconnect with so many people - my head is spinning. God has provided encouragement to me through so many voices and it has been wonderful worshipping with the family of God in my hometown. It feels strange not 'working' hard at the church and in the office. Yet what God has me doing here is still His work, and He is with me.

I've included a few photos to give you a glimpse of my time here. One thing that has been special was having Nozomi and Shoko spend six days in California. Being able to share a little of my history and hometown and state with them, yet allowing them to experience God's presence here, was a highlight. Nozomi came mainly to visit her future campus and meet with the financial aid folks there, but so much more happened for them in our short time together (including a Ducks hockey game, meeting some Navigator students and staff, attending church and being celebrities at my gramma's church, taking a Sunday afternoon drive in my dad's 1931 Model A, visiting a mansion (my dad did the finish work on), enjoying fellowship with my cousin's Tim & Jerri, Disney adventure! Whew... good times.

Thank you all for your prayers and good wishes. I have a major praise report - THANK YOU for your financial support. God has surpassed my expectations through your year end gifts. This is the FIRST time in five years that I began a year in the black. My Navigator funds fine, and though fundraising is a neverending task of mission work, I have been able to focus on "being here" with my family and those who I need to spend time with. THANK YOU! I PRAISE GOD FOR YOUR GENEROUS LOVE!

American style portions... HUGE burgers for Nozomi and Shoko

Good times with Alicia D Garcia (right) and our new Navigator friends!

Riding in style! My dad's Model A with two beautiful Japanese models!

A backyard view of the MANSION!

A little bit of John Calvin goes a long way - Nozomi at Westminster Seminary bookstore!


A couple of wild pirates!


Wow - look who we ran into at the airport! Go Jonas brothers!
(btw - JUST KIDDING)

All history is HIStory

Today I am preparing to fly to Japan for a 3 week whirlwind visit to our Japanese graduates and other returnees, their families, churches and to reunite with my own dear friend from my University of Redlands days. I say it often, but I'll repeat it again, "I love my God, I love HIStory and HIS will for my life".

As I sit here updating this blog in Long Beach, CA, I am watching the news coverage anticipating the inauguration of Barak Obama as our 44th President. Everyone is using words like "change" and "new hope" and "unity" and "dreams". They are apportioning to Obama a heavy burden. They see him as a type of Saviour for our nation. I pray for him, because these same people have lost sight that there has only ever been ONE Man who IS the eternal Saviour... the ONE who brings true peace, true hope, and the BEST plans for the world. I pray for Obama because he is just one person, who cannot save anyone, who is not all powerful, all wise, all knowing... he is just a man. He may be a good man, but he is not a perfect man. And he most certainly is not God, nor a god. Pray for his protection, pray for God to annoint him with divine wisdom, and pray that he will walk each and every day in humility and submitted to the God he has professed as his Lord and Saviour. Pray for the 44th president of the United States and the power God has granted him for God's HIStory in this time.

Yesterday in church, I heard the question more than once, "Do you miss New Zealand?" or "Are you happy to be here?" I've realised that I am happy anywhere I am. Weird eh? Seriously - the hardest thing about leaving the USA each time is hugging my dad goodbye. I sense his 80 year old heart is anticipating that he doesn't have a lot of years left this side of eternity. And since he lives alone and is finally officially retired, his sense of purpose is a question for his heart. He would never say it - but I feel it and hear it in his sighs. Please pray for him - he has a lump on his cheek he must have removed, his athritis has really slowed him down, and he's a little shakey (whether it's Parkinson's we don't know because he won't ask the doctor). Leaving him each time is my hardest trial.

Yet, God has wired me to mission work, because everywhere He has me I am home. Whether it is serving International Students in New Zealand, or visiting our graduates and my new brothers and sisters in Japan, or being back in the states on my short furloughs doing fundraising and spending time with family, friends and the fellowship of believers God has blessed me with - I am where HE is and where HE wants me.

10 This is what the LORD says: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile." Jeremiah 29:10-14

I chose this passage to highlight today because we are in exile. Yet God's plans are to be with us through it all, and His plans for us are SET. Nothing can thwart them. Not war, not death, not terrorism, not the economy - nothing can stop HIStory from happening in our lives. If we place our trust in His love and live by FAITH in the Son of God... he DO have hope and can be excited about HIS future for us. If we see Him in our future, we will call on Him, we will come to Him, we will pray to Him and HE WILL LISTEN. By faith we seek Him and we FIND God, every single day walking beside us, having already gone before us to prayer the path.

No matter what is happening in the world, remember HE created this world. HE sustains this world and all things by the Word of His power. And this world is on a short timeline. Anticipate the new heavens and the new earth - anticipate Jesus' return and the redemption of your soul! He is alive and just one look at the middle east and all that we see in the world should make us hopeful - not despairing. HIStory which He has already revealed to us, is unfolding at a rapid pace right before our eyes. Praise God!

Final Reflections of Gratitude for 2008

Leaving behind the summer Christmas season of New Zealand was bittersweet. The blessing of my Grace City Church family, the relationships with my ‘sons and daughters’ from many nations and ministry of ISM, and the sense of having worked hard makes me treasure each day I have been privileged to serve Christ overseas.Five years have already passed since I journeyed to Middle Earth, and I can testify they have been God’s best for me. As the Lord leads and provide, I’ll return in 2009 and face new opportunities and challenges in ministry and life in New Zealand.

2008 was an amazing year, which began for me in the USA. I am so grateful for the MANY new friends God brought into my life and equally a grateful for the reunions with old friends (internet is an amazing thing). But in 2008 there was a lot of sadness as well as happy times. Many of us lost loved ones – and in some cases those losses were sudden and tragic.

The darkness of mourning is eventually replaced by the light of morning and a new day dawns. It reminds me that even in the chill of the dawn, the light brings hope for a future yet to be lived this side of heaven. That same light shone brightly in Bethlehem 2000+ years ago. The light of hope for a better future! But even that hope wasn’t easy – and before eternal hope could come, mourning once again cast its shadow at the cross of Christ and in His burial.

As a follower of Jesus, I believe the ultimate hope came with the resurrection of Jesus, the firstborn from among the dead. Never before had such an event taken place, yet the promise that came with it allows me to have joy because Jesus was the firstborn of millions who will follow in resurrection as they follow Him. My biggest prayer is that all who have heard the name of Jesus would have that light of hope shine in their hearts, the light that illumines that Jesus IS THE way, THE truth, and THE life. That is my Christmas prayer and the gift I’d like to see everyone I know receive.

Below are a few final glimpses into the last few NZ weeks of 2008 – and as always THANK YOU for your prayers and support – you are a vital part of this ministry and people around the world are thanking God for you!

Some of our Grace City Church fellowship time... how many countries are seated around this table?... (seven + me taking the photo so = 8) Thank you for praying for our church. God has established Pastor Richard Tien as our senior pastor and brought us a wonderful lay minister who is good with helping churches that have gone through trials AND raised up more godly leaders AND given our fellowship the desire to be a disciplemaking and evangelistic church...

Packing for home... Mai-chan lived with me for 3 1/2 years. She finished her degree in November and has returned home. This was her final night (we had a full house - all night farewell time with many friends) as she puts the finished slam on her luggage.

Oh what a night. Still Mai's farewell... from left to right - Mai, Meleane & Sete (Tonga) and Enid (Samoa) who look smiley but lots of tears followed.

Speaking of Enid, here she is at her book launch during Massey University's graduation week. Her family flew in from Samoa for her graduation and were equally blessed to attend the launch of her book of poetry 'Raw Edges' published by the Pasifika Dept at Massey. Left to right: her mom, dad, grampa, Enid and the head of department @ Massey.

More South Pacific Island joy - I call these ladies my power PI's:Tanya (Samoa), Letia (Fiji) and Sesimani (Tonga) - all bold witnessess for Christ and leaders amongst the PI students and communities. Praise God for them (and their awesome husbands).

Ah yes... Feliz Navidad! My flatmate and also the ministry intern I mentor, Claudia (left) and Gloria captured a vision to reach the Latin American community in Palmerston North. The result was over 150 in attendance at a Christmas Nativity celebration en espanol... We all look forward to Claudia's return next year for year 2 of her internship diploma. She is in Guadalajara now with family. Please pray that God will provide for her scholarship and return airfare to New Zealand.

Just last week I travelled to Auckland to visit Pathways Bible College campus (ISM partners with them to provide mininistry training and experience for our interns). It was great to hear the testimonies of the interns, not just our ISM students but students ministering in churches and with other missions organisations. All said they were grateful for how God changed them and their lives through the theological study as well a ministry experience. This photo is me with four of our five intern grads (Yuki was delayed on a plane back from Bangladash - his latest short term mission adventure).