Japan in Japan and New Zealand

J2 Combined (Auckland/Palmy) Camp Crowd! Good times!

All Nations Returnees Conference - Kids presentation
(I am sitting 1/3 of the way back... so this crowd is x3)

Mai-chan (J2 grad) meets Ayako-chan (future J2 member for Auckland)
together at All Nations Returnees Conference. Pray for Ayako as she
awaits word on being accepted for Bible College in NZ.

OHHHHH SAAAAA KAAAAA
These are also generations, who weren't all in J2 at the same time

but back in Japan are gathering often for Bible study and fellowship

and to spur one another on in love and good deeds.
The gal on the right is a NEW friend of J2 that we met briefly
in Auckland but who has become a wonderful part of the Osaka family.

TIME TO CATCH UP AGAIN... BEFORE I TRAVEL THOUSANDS MORE MILES AGAIN!

What day is it? What city am I in? What country am I in?

That’s pretty much what it’s been like since my return to New Zealand in early February. Beginning my time back in the country with a J2 retreat was DIVINE providence. It was like my Sabbath rest in Christ to prepare me for the “week” of weeks ahead.

Do you realise that while God rested on the seventh day after He created everything, the FIRST day He gave to man was a day of Sabbath rest. We are so used to thinking of Sunday as a recuperation day, that we fail to realise that God in His wisdom knew we needed to first abide in Him before we faced our next six days of labour. Pretty cool, eh?

If you have Facebook and see any of my posts, you’ll know that I’ve been travelling quite a bit. In New Zealand as well is to Japan and back. There are so many stories I could tell, but I’m not sure where to begin. It seems this year my focus has a lot to do with our Japanese ministry, including the five J2 ministry interns, my household, J2 in Palmerston North, returnees in Japan… I love how God is in control of the harvest field He asks us to labour in.

God has also been doing amazing things amongst the other international students in New Zealand, and as I’ve travelled the country and met with various interns and staff and been able to hang out with some of their ministries, one thing stands out – God is still changing hearts and lives and adding to our numbers daily those who are being saved.

Recently at a student Easter camp which included the Palmerston North OCF (Overseas Christian Fellowship) students and the “Odd Fellows” (Chinese university student ministry), eight students gave their lives to Christ! It was truly an Acts event… the main speaker was Dr. Palatasa Havea (Tonga). He’s on the ISMNZ board with me, and has been such a blessing to the Pasifik Islanders throughout NZ and many students in Palmy. Two of the students are from Malaysia, and six of students saved are from mainland China… and even though the messages were pretty deep and in English – they UNDERSTOOD the heart of God’s message to them and received His salvation! It was AWESOME!

I am so filled with praise for what God is doing here in NZ and in Japan, it’s ridiculous. Truly wild. Thanks to the Navigator students at Cal State Long Beach, I was able to travel to Japan to attend the “All Nations Returnees Conference” in March (http://www.allnations.jp/an10/index.php?lang=en)

There were many highlights for me. The best part of course was having me dear Mai-chan there for most of it. It was exciting to see God give her the desire of her heart by connecting her with young women in her area who are meeting weekly for a women’s Bible study. Two of the gals live one train station away from her station! Another highlight was worship with hundreds of Japanese Christians, most of whom are still in their 20’s. Vibrant growing believers who believe with all their heart that their homeland is their mission field! WOW! And yet another highlight was being able to lead the New Zealand returnees reunion (about 30) in a short devotion, then have small group discussion. My group was awesome, and full of vision about the future of the gospel reaching their generation in Japan. I could go on and on, but if you click on the link I gave above you can get some idea.

My time outside of the conference with returnees was just as wonderful. Staying with Mai was like old times here at Cardiff. She has been blessed with an awesome job and she and Daniel are growing as husband & wife, ministry partners and friends. They head to Thailand and Bangladesh in May to experience mission amongst the poor and hurting in those areas.
Osaka was great as well, spending time with my Sakai Eiko church family, staying with Nozomi’s mum and dad, as well as reconnecting with Shoko and Kayako Morimoto for a few nights. Then, meeting up with the Osaka returnees… generations of them.

People often ask me why I’m still doing this and what keeps me going despite the decrease in funding, and all I can say is THE FRUIT. Seeing these awesome fresh international followers of Jesus continue to grow and continuing in their faith. Knowing that God ordained that I get to have a tiny role in that for the short time they are in New Zealand… it is a privilege and these beautiful kids from around the world are my heartbeat. I can’t THANK GOD and THANK YOU enough for your prayers and encouragement and support in allowing me to be here.

This post is getting WAY too long… so I’ll sign off with this final praise report… In addition to our wonderful pastor, Richard Tien (from Singapore), God has affirmed in KELLIS BYRNE’s heart that he’s the man to shepherd our English speaking congregation. Since late 2006 we’ve all believed Kellis was ‘the one’. But, God had to take our people through the desert to teach us and discipline us and make us strong in Him, and now Kellis had heard from God’s own Spirit that he is to be our pastor. WOWIE! A Singaporean and a Fijian! GREAT STUFF!

This is how we know what love is... (1 John 3:16)

I like to read action stories before I sleep at night. My recent indulgences have been Randy Alcorn and Joel Rosenberg series... both which have intrigue, action, mystery and a lot about how now impacts eternity and what awaits between now and then. I've read their books three times in two years.

But, most recently I put the books down and for 40 minutes each night have watched 'Jericho' - a TV series that aired in 2007 and after cancellation, came back for six more episodes to make a bunch of 'nutty' fans happy.

I realised there is a pattern to my viewing and reading... that on the surface seems rediculously violent and focussed on doom and tragedy. But that's not the case.

In all these stories I am moved and amazed at the unity of those who love their neighbours. Even in the midst of absolute disaster, of pain and suffering, of fear and doubt - those who rise above the circumstance to lay down their lives and put aside 'self' for the sake of not just those they love, but strangers, neighbours, and in some cases even enemies... the hope that arises is stunning.

From 10-14 of February, I was blessed to be the logistics and transportation coordinator for the J2 Palmerston North crew summer's end retreat. For those five days, we focussed on the entire book of 1st John. Not an easy read, even for the most seasoned of Christians.

1John 3:16 says this: "This is how we know what love is - Jesus laid down His life for us. So, we also ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters". This same Jesus taught us to love our enemies, to bless those who curse us, to do good to those who hate us. He reminded us that of most importance is that we love God and love our neighbour as we love ourself. And how do I love myself? Well, I'm fed, clothed, sheltered and do what I can to stay healthy and fit.

I don't know if I'm ready to face the trial of calamity yet. I don't know if I've taken to heart our Lord's commands as deeply and in action as I possibly can. But, as I read the headlines, and read between the lines and compare things to the word of God - I know I need to prepare to love others in a miraculous and major way. Because as we face enemies, as we face disaster, as we face unemployment and economic collapse... we are going to be tested.

Will we be found wanting, or will we be found loving?

There is a Louder Shout to come!

It has been an action packed couple of weeks. I'm quite wired at the moment, experiencing a bit of an adrenaline hangover. Last week I worked as late as 11.30pm on Tuesday, 10.30pm on Wednesday and past midnight Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Whew!

But it was for a GREAT reason. One of my big projects this year has been as part of the planning team that coordinated our ISMNZ national conference. It was an important celebration, marking our 10th Anniversary since God called a group of people to establish the organisation.

But before I get into that, the week of 18th October started with a VERY special Lord's Day service. Two of the Overseas Christian Fellowship (OCF) students originally from Malaysia who fellowship at our church were baptised. What a wonderful day. In this picture are MANY of the OCF students who came for the celebration. As a gift to YY and Eugene, they sang Amazing Grace (my chains are gone...) - and one of the students from China become a follower of Christ that morning. It was hard to keep a dry eye that day. Please pray for YY and Eugene as they grow in their walk with Christ and serve Him on campus and at the church, and of course for their STUDIES, because the next three weeks are the final assignments and exams for the semester.

LABOUR WEEKEND (23-26 OCTOBER) in Rotorua! Peeeyuuu! Sulfuric Thermal capital of NZ!

Thank you to all who prayed for me to have the strength and endurance to give God my best in serving everyone at the ISM conference. I'm still a bit numb from it all - but words can't really describe my joy. God provided me with so many great team members to make it possible. The beauty of a conference where everyone belongs to Christ is that everyone serves one another, so the 'burden' of the work was never too much for me.

Our great worship team coordinators (Kenneth Koo and Joel Wicks) pulled together a nationwide team of gifted musicians and prayerfully chose the songs that would enhance the them of the conference: "Reaching the nations from our doorsteps - Impacting lives for eternity".

One song we especially sang from our toes and out our mouths was Anthem of the Highest Praise.

There is a louder shout come,
there is a sweeter song to hear,
all the nations with one voice,
all the peoples with one fear.
Bowing down before Your throne,
every tongue and tribe will be,
All the nations with one voice,
all the peoples with one King.

And what a song we'll sing upon that day...
O what a song we'll sing and
O what a tune we'll bear.
You deserve an anthem of
the highest praise.
O what a joy will rise and
O what a sound we'll make,
You deserve an anthem of the highest praise!

Gotta go to You Tube and listen to this one. It'll have your heart leaping. It truly represented the reality we were experiencing. 16 nations were represented at this conference - all singing with one voice. During one of our prayer times, everyone was asked to pray aloud in their mother tongue - but there was such a spirit of unity that it sounded like one voice.

Our main sessions speaker was Craig Barrow (principal of Pathways College of Bible and Mission who we partner with for our ministry internship). Wow... that is a 'dude' on adrenaline shots. Seriously... he is a 'mountain runner' and based on the energy with which he delivered inspirational and challenging messages, I know why. He inspired us from Hebrews 11 & 12, but I'd say the pivotal passages were these:

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward. Now he is seated in the place of highest honor beside God's throne in heaven. 3 Think about all he endured when sinful people did such terrible things to him, so that you don't become weary and give up. (NLT)

The way to live a life of faith is to: strip off every weight (busyiness, service, work, etc.) that has slowed our relationship with Jesus; especially the sin that trips us up all the time (confess, repent and get back in the race - you are not disqualified); run with endurance (the Christian walk is not a sprint to the finish); and always keep our eyes on the One who ran before us and who already holds the victory! He finished, and He promises that we'll finish in His power (not by our own strength).

So, we were challenged to get it right! Face the realities that have kept us from great fellowship with Christ, weighed us down and tripped us up. He asked each of us to think about what we need to keep our eyes on Jesus.

That afternoon I took a few people to Okere Falls who wanted to have a nice time connecting to the Lord through enjoying His creation. We had miraculous weather over the weekend! So, we all scatttered for a couple of hours and had quiet time. My place to catch up with the Lord was by the trout stream, listening to a little Third Day ("Show me Your glory, send down Your presence, I want to see Your face!")..

my retreat time...

Enjoying some sunshine with Jingxiu

Claudia offering up McDonald's 'chips' to the sea rats

Japanese schools don't teach students how to drink from a bottle!

A lovely sushi lunch at Lake Rotorua

Some of the other conference highlights included mini-olympics (as created by Alan from Vanuatu and Yuki from Japan). Nothing like a little coconut cracking and ten pin bowling using a pumpkin and milk bottles. My country team, Turkey, took the overall gold medal!

We also had great workshops on Storytelling the Bible, thinking through how to minister to international students at every stage, how to reach out through international family hostels, and sharing with more of our staff and volunteers how they can be involved in the ministry internship programme.

Saturday night was AWESOME... a "Kingdom Celebration" lasting nearly three hours. One of the groups sharing the camp with us was the AoG Samoan Youth from around the region. If you have never heard a choir of passionate young Samoan's sing... you are truly missing something. Wow... I asked them to open our celebration night before they went to their own session. They sang "Moving Forward" and seriously - it was like riding a freight train to heaven. WOW. Check out my link on You Tube! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PilfgFt-S4&feature=related

Not going back! Moving ahead!

Still standing as the evening came to a conclusion...

A Tongan choir is also a heavenly sound!

Sing a long with our Malaysians! (plus a couple of Kiwi's)

We also took the opportunity to honour Terry & Jenny McGrath

Now we see a part of this
One day we shall see in full
All the nations with one voice
All the people with one love
No one else will share Your praise
And nothing else can take Your place
All the nations with one voice
All the people with one Lord

Even now upon the earth
There's a glimpse of all to come
Many people with one voice
Harmony of many tongues

We will all confess Your name
You will be our only praise
All the nations with one voice
All the people with one God

Finally, below is a little video of a worship song and dance taught by our J2 team!