Happy Merry Christmas

After 3 weeks in Singapore, we got back to Japan on 23rd December.

With slow tired steps and heavy bags under our eyes, we approached our apartment...
#Apartment block still standing: good.
#Car still there: good.
#No break-in : good...

But just in front of our door, in a puddle of collected rain water, is a drenched piece of notice left by the Yamato Delivery.

Somebody has tried to send us something for Christmas in our absence! Scrutinizing the dirty piece of notice, we realised it was Hiromi, our dance teacher friend from Aomori.

In the letter box too, is another notice left by the Post Office.
Somebody else also tried to send us something.

Have the parcels been returned to their senders?

The next morning, on Christmas eve, the doorbell rang.
It must be the Asahi Newspaper man whom Stanley has just rung.
No, it's the postman.
"I came yesterday too..."He said, holding out a paperbag.
"I am so sorry! We have been away till yesterday!" Stanley apologized and signed for the parcel. The postman must have been coming everyday for the past week trying to deliver the paperbag.

Inside the bag is a box of the most delicious looking Japanese chocolate in European style. The youngest daughter of the Yamashita family, who have showered us with love over the years, sent it.

I sent the family an email thanking them for the gift while Stanley emailed to Hiromi to apologize for not being able to recieve her parcel.

"Pingpong" went the doorbell again after half an hour.
Our normally quiet flat seemed full of visitors.
This time it was our neighbour Mrs Abe with her children.
"Merry Christmas! Please accept some peanut butter for Christmas! And thank you for the potatoes you shared with us, they were delicious."
She beamed and held out a little paper bag. Her little boy laughing and peeping from her back.
This is the first time she has called at our door and we are delighted.

We chatted and gave her boy some Santa chocolate.

"Pingpong!" went our door bell the 3rd time.
"Ah, Asahi papers!" Stanley got up.
But no, it is the Yamato Delivery.
Hiromi must have called them after receiving our email and they have come at once.

As Stanley accepted the box from the delivery man, the rich fragrance from the box told him there were apples inside.

Huge, red, juicy famous Aomori apples.

"Pingpong" went the doorbell for the 4th time.
This time it really was the Asahi Newspaper man coming to deliver a copy of complimentary newspaper.
"Thank you!" Stanley thanked the newspaper man.

Even our newspaper can be counted as a Christmas gift!
What a blessed Christmas filled with love!
All but one of those who have sent us gifts or called at our door today still don't know our God of love, may they too come to know the love, peace and happiness of God 100% !

miracles

The Olympics is over for another 4 years.

As we followed the Olympics on Japanese TV, sharing the joys, disappointments, triumph and heartbreaks of different Japanese representatives, we also received much encouragements through their fighting spirit and dedication to their sports.

There were many times when we were deeply moved.

There is the softball event, for instance. No matter how many times I saw the reruns on TV, I still got goose bumps.

But the best moment for me was the 4x100m men track event. It might not have been a gold or silver, but it was the best medal of all.

In an event dominated by black people, what chance had an asian team? Even given that US and UK dropped out of the finals, it was hope against hope for Japan.

But watching the anchor runner Asahara overtaking the others to come in 3rd was a miraculous moment. It drew tears to my eyes.

And I thought, yes, we too can make history. All the more so we, with God as our captain.

We can move mountains, run like the wind, mount up on wings like an eagle. Because our God is a God of the impossible.

Our friends and loved ones who seem so far away can know the joy of being God's family. They can be embraced by the same love and grace.

In the final long speech recorded in John, Jesus urges us repeatedly not to forget to ask:
"If you ask for anything in my name, I will do it for you so that the Father's glory will be shown through the Son. If you ask me for anything in my name, I will do it."

(see John chapter14, verses 13, 14; chapter 15, verses 7, 16; chapter 16, verses 23, 24)

Let's be encouraged and keep asking!

Check out these youtube sites to see the special moments!

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http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxg8qGA33HU&NR=1
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxg8qGA33HU&NR=1

CHANGE - from politics to gospel

CHANGE is the title of a current Fuji Television drama.

By next Monday (14 July), the story reaches its climax and the series ends.

The story is about how Keita Asakura, an elementary school teacher with no interest in and knowledge of politics, ended up as the youngest ever Japanese prime minister.

Because Asakura has no interest in projecting himself as an important politician, he relates to people in a genuine manner, without any front or pretense, giving equal respect to important ministers, little children and fishermen alike. His lack of experience in the political arena also means that he sees issues differently and relates to these issues as an ordinary citizen would.

Asakura is the Everyman-Prime Minister.

"I am just like all of you! " He said in his campaign speech, "As a politician, I promise to stand shoulder to shoulder, to see things from the viewpoint of the man in the street and to act accordingly."

In many ways, this is the message that God wants us to hear when he came as a human (Jesus) to live among us. He sees life from our viewpoint, he stands shoulder to shoulder with us, and therefore he knows our tears and laughter, hopes and fears.

He relates to us as one of us, human to human, loving both the poor and downtrodden as well as the rich and mighty in society.

CHANGE reflects what the Japanese people want in a leader. At a deeper level, it might also reflect what they would really like to have for a god, the ultimate leader - one who is a friend, who understands and gives everything he has to help them, and who does in fact effect change.

Our God is able to answer all the hopes and desires expressed in CHANGE. Pray that we will be able to communicate just such a piece of wonderful news to those who and longing and waiting.

Give me wings

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Now playing: 平原綾香 - 翼をください
via FoxyTunes Our friend, Yoshimasa, comes over to our house regularly.

We eat, laugh, play games, read the Bible and make music.

Recently he started to teach us an old Japanese favourite from the 70's entitled 翼をください(tsubasa wo kudasai), which, translated, would be "Give me wings".

Below is the lyrics of the song in English (my translation)

If my wishes could come true
Please give me wings
Wings like those of birds
White and pure.

* I want to spread those wings and rise
High into the endless sky
To the world of freedom above
Where sorrows are no more
I'd spread those wings and rise

We still dream the very same
As our childhood dreams

repeat *

And these are the original Japanese lyrics:

今　私の願いごとが叶うならば
翼がほしい
この背中に鳥のように
白い翼つけて下さい

* この大空に翼を広げ
飛んで行きたいよ
悲しみのない自由な空へ
翼はためかせ
行きたい

子供の時夢見たこと
今も同じ夢に見ている


To these heart felt desires to know freedom, happiness and love, the God of the Bible offers just what will make these dreams come true.

Our rhythm, our tune

We slipped into our seats, the concert had just begun.

A rapper and pop female vocalist appeared on stage with the latest music style. 3 funky young men in typical American street fashion hip hopped onto the stage and began to dance to their song.

The music was loud, fast and saturated, with flashing lights, quick steps and intense emotions.

Nothing too exceptional about the scene...if you didn't know that it was a Japanese Christian music concert.

And one with an exceptionally high level of professionalism in the sounds, lights, music and dance.

This is music and dance that non-Christians can happily listen to, that communicate God in the most natural language of their environment.

We were moved beyond expression.

Japanese people celebrating God in their own culture, using their own melody and rhythm, pouring out their hearts in a way that only Japanese can do -- is the coolest, most beautiful thing in the whole world.

Courage, excitement welled up. We couldn't sit still from the joy we felt. We wanted to laugh, to tell each other how glad we were. For this is a land in which the Christian population is officially 1%, and many Christians believe is in fact much smaller -- yet there are so many giving their talents, time and effort to God!!

They have so much potential, so much power for God -- if they can find the means to go on.

Please join us in praying for and supporting these Christian musicians.

Remember that Christian books and music in Japanese don't have a worldwide market as English ones, and that the market in Japan itself is small. This pushes up cost and makes Christian products less affordable, creating a vicious cycle in an already difficult situation.

Yet, until Japanese Christians find expression for God in their own voice rather than borrow from churches in other countries, God will always be a foreign guest in Japan.

See http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=b2lm9JmRRmo for a sample of one of the singer's music. Her name is Kaori Yamamoto. Unfortunately the sound on this clip is not good, so it is but a far cry from her actual powerful singing voice.