Arrival

 It's been pretty crazy so far, but I'll just start decompressing my info as it comes. I'm sorry if this is all a little chaotic, but there's been so much happening that It's hard to do a coherent line of thought.

So, I'll skip briefing, and just say for the moment that it was an awesome experience having my family grow. So, we got on the plane (~12 hours of riding) and all in all, not too bad of a trip really. I thought it might have been harder than it was. We had plenty to do, and the food was actually really good! :) I ate a LOT on that plane.
     

Anyways, we made it, and we went through customs, then got to get on a train to get from Narita airport to our apartments. Let me say their trains are nice. Marta doesn't even compare. They are properly maintained, they don't squeal when they stop, they're smooth... etc.
     Then we got to the apartment, and since it's just me and Tim sharing a room, we got a typical Tokyo apartment. I've heard it's about $500 in rent per month. (from a local) But it's really small. Although it has a burner, a washer (no dryer, everything is airdryed here) air conditioner, bathroom, ofuro (Japanese bath/shower) a bed, a futon. All in all, it's a pretty sweet little place, but I just wish it had a dresser to put clothes in...
     I slept on the floor on a futon. Let me say that this thing is awesome. It's comfortable, compactable, and probably not very expensive. I might have to invest in one, and use it in my dorm, just taking my bed and putting the pieces in the corner. We'll see how it goes though. Anyways, Tim being very sleep deprived and thirsty decided we should go across the street to the convenience store (conbini) So, we went outside, and wow, this city is quiet! Japan is all about being respectful, so people tend to always be quiet and courteous. (what they're thinking is probably another matter though :/ ) It literally will be almost completely silent when the stop light is red.

     It's also quite dark on the streets, and lots of lights are out. Because the fukushima power plant situation, Tokyo lost 25% of it's available power. It's amazing how well everyone works together here. It's definitely more of a society and interdependent country than America. So, when you walk out of the room, you turn off everything including air conditioning and the water heater (they have instant heaters here! So much better than a tank water heater) 2/3 of the Streetlights, signs, and store lights are off. The trains even removed 1/3 of their scheduled trains to cut back on power! Oh,  and recycling is real here. EVERYTHING is recycled and sorted. Glass, plastic, PET bottles, paper, burnable, and nonburnable. The trash trucks pick up different things on different days. It's pretty intense!
    Anyways, today we went to the student center for campus crusade and got to meet up with the staff, and get a briefing on what we're doing here. Really today was all about traveling a bit and familiarizing ourselves with the area. I had some excellent food, and we got to use the trains again. It's really an interesting city to look out over as you pass by. So much variety here, everything is like what we're used to, but with a distinct Japanese twist.
    On the spiritual side, I'm learning a lot about humility. I have to humble myself daily and be willing to ask for help, and be helpless. I really can't read most the signage here. I also am realizing that I don't have the language skills or the knowledge that I "need' to be able to evangelize properly. But, I'm also learning that God is here and his spirit will guide me, and use what I say as he works in the people I talk to.
    These people are so very lost. Today one of our trains was delayed 30 min because of a suicide, and apparently this type thing happens multiple times a day. The shame of losing a job causes men to go homeless because they're too ashamed to return to their house. There is so much here that is really neat, but there is also so much need that Christ has to fill. This country needs lots of prayer and the workers are so few. I'm really starting to see why I'm here, and right now I have a sense that I belong here. Maybe it's just the everything is new and interesting thing, but we'll see.


Thank you everyone for getting me here, and I know the Lord is working, please keep praying!

I've made my goal! California or Bust no more!

I've gotten to watch God work in amazing ways over this summer. I've (actually God) managed to raise over $6000 in support to go to Japan.

In about 2 months that entire amount has been realized mostly by the wonderful people in my church. I've gotten donations from everyone, elders to children, and I understand the widow's mite a bit better now that I see how precious those few dollars can be!

So, It's off to California Wednesday to meet my team of 16, and we're off to Japan by the end of the week.

I've also gotten to watch God sustain as I've reached the point of exhaustion. My body and mind are tired, and I just don't want to work any longer. I'm just ready to be done, but God says "No, not yet, just a little bit more until you're over this hill". And sure enough, here I am, still standing because Christ is holding me.

So, here's the quick breakdown of how God has provided so far:

~3 years ago I became aware of a calling to go to Japan
~constant leading through those three years towards Japan
~Christmas Conference with Campus Crusade I learn about a mission opportunity in Japan
~God finally opens the door and I'm accepted
~The Tsunami, earthquake, Nuclear disaster happens, affirms this is the right road
~School ends and I begin raising support
~Initial letters sent out, and raise about $1000
~I ask God for direction, and he leads me to do odd Jobs
~over the next 4 weeks I raise the rest of the funds $5000+


That's short, and there's been so much more daily things, but those are the milestones. The last one has been a blur to be honest. So many things at so many different places! I've been doing everything from hauling lumber, watching dogs, washing windows, washing cars, to fixing computers and converting tapes.

An extra BIG help has been that my family was in a small wreck in the car I'll be "inheriting" after I graduate. Our car has a small dent in the back that if you're not looking, you wouldn't notice. (The other car didn't fare nearly as well, in fact not well at all) Since it will be mine after graduation, my parents gave me the option of using the $1800 in insurance money towards Japan, or fixing the damage. It was an easy choice for me, and it's gotten me almost a 1/3 of the way there!

We spend so much time looking for these miracles, but when I add up all the small miracles (He works all things for the good of those who follow him) it actually adds up to a big miracle. In really every way, what I've learned and how I've been growing already has made this a bigger miracle than if I had found a winning lotto ticket on the ground!



So, am I excited? Yep! To all who have gotten me this far and been instruments of God, Thank you so much! You've been part of a big miracle that's I haven't even scratched the surface of!



Oh, and another thing, although I've raised $6000, I really need $7000 more to go to college next year to pay for housing. Guess what? I got accepted to be an RA. That just happens to cover all my housing expenses! All of a sudden that $7000 is covered? How cool is that? I also don't know the roommates (yet) and they may be Christians or non-Christians, and I'll have a hall full of a mix of the two. What better way to prepare for that responsibility than to practice my evangelism? Oh that's right, that's what I'm learning this summer! :)

Capping the igloo

Wow, God has been doing amazing things for me, and providing always enough for me to keep moving forward! Last sunday I sold vegetables that my mom grew, and I raised ~$200! So, the progress continues, and I'm at about $4000 or so.

But, I'm entering that fog of how to pull everything together. It's like building an igloo, you start shoveling snow, and building bricks of ice. You go at it with a gusto and about an hour later you realize that maybe the size you made your igloo will take a bit longer than you initially thought. ($1000 in funds) You want to get discouraged, but you keep going, and watch the walls be built up, and it's incredible to see everything start to shape into a recognizable form. ($3000) But then something interesting happens. Once you start getting to the top, the blocks you were using that made everything work at the base, don't quite work anymore. Before you could just place a block and keep moving, now you need a hand to hold it in place as the next block is secured, which also requires two hands. Before long you realize that you have to hold it up and build at the same time, and that takes at least two people.

So here I am, reaching the final stretch, and I find myself needing an extra hand or two, as there's just too many things to do. But, I do know there's at least one other who's helping, and that's Jesus. It's hard to see him, because I'm inside the igloo holding and placing blocks as he hands them to me, but pretty soon, it'll be done, and I'll be able to walk outside and admire what he's done.