ONGs on the way

Being a TEAM

2010-07-10T12:19:00.006+08:00

The most beautiful thing about Japan in this year's world cup in South Africa is not that they won against Cameroon and Denmark and conceded only 1 goal to Holland. Nor is it because they almost made it to the quarter -finals or that they gave us reasons to believe that, one day, Japan will make it to the semi-finals.

It was because the team, Samurai Blue, showed what a written-off team can do when they become ONE.

After losing to Paraguay on penalty kicks, the most common remark made to reporters by team members and coach alike was, "I had wanted to play one more match with this team..."
Samurai Blue had become a real team together - from the coaches and the players on the pitch to every single player on the bench. Everyone had given every ounce he had to help the team succeed.

But the best was yet to be...

I felt humbled by the team members attitude towards Yuichi Komano, the 3rd of the Samurai Blue to take the penalty kick and missed.

When Paraguay won - and Japan lost - and the players slowly got up from the kneeling position on the ground, Komano was left kneeling there, completely dejected, broken and ashamed. But his team mates came up one by one to comfort him. Matsui Daisuke kept his arm around Komano's shoulder, hugging him and weeping with him.

"I never cry, but when I saw Komano looking so sad, I couldn't stop crying," he said.

And he said to Komano, "I would have missed it too."

Marcus Tulio Tanaka, another Japanese player, said the same, "I'd have missed that one if I had taken it." He was scheduled to take last one of the 5 penalty kicks but never needed to.

If I were there, would I have said, " I'd have missed too"? Or would I more likely have said, "We could've won if not for Komano..."

I am learning to be like Samurai Blue.

http://videos.wittysparks.com/id/3329024202

Japanese husbands, love your wives...

2010-01-17T15:09:00.007+08:00

I grew up with the stereotype that Japanese husbands are male chauvinists (less politely but more commonly known as MCPs) who beat up their wives, are waited on by those same poor wives who have to even politely put out slippers for the mistresses whom their husbands have the audacity to bring home.

Even today, Japanese joke about the old-fashioned silent male who only have 3 words for their wives when they get home late at night: rice (御飯) , bath (風呂), newspaper (新聞).

In reality, however, many modern Japanese males are fairly capable cooks, loving fathers and gentle and shy before the opposite sex. Certainly we are seeing many of such in young families, but maybe the old stereotype is still true for the previous generations?

Several weeks ago, however, Mrs Hatoyama, wife of the present Japanese Prime Minister, revealed on a variety programme that her husband always does the dishes, declaring that the person who cooks must not be allowed to wash up.

Which is fine for newly weds when he first started doing dishes - and still fine for the average family, even if the man is a leading politician.

But when he has become the PM of Japan and is getting no rest and hardly any sleep, he continues washing.

"No, no, leave it to me, you will splatter water on your suit and have to be back in the office right after lunch!" Mrs Hatoyama would say. In the end, she would give in and proceed to get ready another jacket for Mr PM to change into after the dishes.

Wow! I thought.

Two days later, at a cell church seminar for pastors, one participant asked,
"How do you handle the demands of ministry and spouse?"

Two Japanese pastors in their 60s replied.

Pastor A:
During my quiet time wtih the Lord every morning, I will ask myself these questions: is there anything to apologise to God for? Is there anything to thank God for? Is there anything to ask God for? Sometime ago, I added one more question. Now I also ask every morning, "what can I do to honour my wife better today?" Now, even when we quarrel, we are able to make peace again more quickly. I highly recommend the exercise.

Pastor B
It seems that men and women understand love differently. For men, sex often demonstrates love but it seems that it is not so for women. My wife, for instance, is the kind who feels loved when acts of service are done for her. If you cook for her, cleans the house and so on, wow, she feels so loved. So since she has a full time job (Pastor B has a part-time job as well as pastors the church) I try to cook dinner everyday, and buy her favourite grapefruit juice to pamper her (and recently wrecked the car in the process!). And, oh yes, I have to remember to sun the comforters and take them in before she gets back from work, otherwise she complains that they comforters get wet in the dusk. The other day I was massaging her while she ate the dinner I cooked in front of the TV, so I told her she is the luckiest wife in the world.

So it looks like not all Japanese men are wife beaters and womanizers after all!

kinders run full marathon

2009-12-12T14:02:00.008+08:00

It was near the end of the regular evening news on Asahi TV channel. Tonight's feature was on a kindergarten (星子幼稚園) in Osaka.

The principal of the kindergarten is a 76 year-old man. But that is not the most special thing about the kindergarten.

The first thing that would strike a visitor entering the kindergarten for the first time is that the children, boys and girls, are running around shirtless.

With only a pair of little white pants on, they run around the compound doing everything from more physical activities like wiping the floor, cleaning, climbing frames to more sedentary ones like reading and drawing.

Every morning, the 76-year-old principal will lead the children in a 5 km run - this also done shirtless.

Despite it being already deep into autumn, the active children don't feel cold at all. And, none of them is forced to participate in any of the activities - yet all take part with zest.

That Mr Principal loves the children is plain to all, but he is also strict with them. Punishment is meted out to (1) trouble makers, (2) bullies and (3) those who don't greet properly.

And it is not just the children who get educated, Mr Principal educates the parents too, running seminars on parenting for parents of the children under his care. "An adult who can't greet properly cannot bring up his children well," he commented.

And once a year in autumn, Mr Principal leads his upper year children in a marathon - the full 42.195 km!!

Young Tetsuya (not his real name) was one of the 13 children in the upper year. He was determined to finish his run.

Being able to run at all is no mean feat for Tetsuya who was born with disabilities in his legs. He was 3 years old when he finally took his first very wobbly step.

Tetsuya knew that kids in this kindergarten all take part in a marathon, yet he wanted to join the school. The daily 5 km run in the morning was very difficult for him, yet slowly he built up his strength, and before the year was out, his parents were amazed to see him running 5 km everyday effortlessly.

"I will finish all 42.195 km!" Young Testuya declared.

The big day came. All the parents were down at the river to help and support. A water station is set up after every kilometre.

As the children stop for the water, Mr Principal will decide if any of the children should retire from the race.

As Testuya became more and more tired, the time came when Mr Principal asked him to retire, "From here on you are a supporter. Cheer your friends on to the finishing line."

Tetsuya was disppointed, but obeyed. Meanwhile, the rest of the children ran on with Mr Principal.

Near the finishing line, at the last kilometre mark, the focus shifts to another boy, Kohei, who is falling behind.

Kohei has always been the fastest at sprinting but now he was learning about the reality of a marathon.

Angry and disappointed with himself for falling behind everyone, he nonetheless pushed on, crying.

Finally, as the sun set, Kohei made it to the finishing line. There cheering louder than anyone else for him was Tetsuya, and waiting for young Kohei with open arms was his 76-year-old Principal.

"It is not about finishing," Mr Principal said. "Even those who don't finish learn valuable lessons in life."

Saved! Out of darkness

2009-11-03T14:10:00.007+08:00

On the night of the 24th October, typhoon no. 20 that started off from the Philippines headed towards Japan and arrived earlier than was expected. At the time,the fishing vessel Daiichi Koufukumaru (第１幸福丸) had finished the day's catch and was on its way back to port. Apart from the captain Makiyama Shingo (牧山新吾), the other 7 crew members onboard were sleeping in the little cabin at the bottom of the ship.

At 8.14pm, crew member Nyuubara(33 years old) woke up from the commotion. The captain was heard shouting something from the deck and Nyuubara saw 2 other crew members escaping from the cabin.

However, Nyuubara and 2 other crew members, Hayakawa (age 38) and Utsunomiya (age 57) were trapped by a fallen refrigerator. Two other crew members were missing from the room and must have escaped. The ship had overturned in the strong typhoon and water was coming into the cabin.

"We were too slow! If only we had realised just a bit earlier!" The 3 fishermen felt the death sentence declared on them.

As the water rose to waist level, they knew that they would loose body heat staying in the water and climbed overhead onto what was the floor planks of the cabin.

In that narrow space, they could only lie faceup side by side, occasionally asking one another if each is still alive.

There was no food and the only bottle of water that floated by turned out to have a foul smell and was abandoned.

Fortunately for them, the ship, though overturned, did not sink. However, in the strong wind and waves, the rocking ship caused severe bruises to the men trying to stay on the plank.

In the pitch dark, the fishermen wondered, "How will I take my last breath? Is it really possible to be rescued? When will the oxygen run out?"

Nyuubara, the youngest of the 3 thought, " If only we can get out of this darkness we will be saved!"

However, his 2 more experienced partners told him not to attempt anything foolish in the bad weather.

"If we ever get out of this, let's go drinking together!" They said to one another, trying to keep their spirits up.

4 days after Daiichi Koufukumaru overturned, the sea finally became still and the ship stable. "The typhoon must have passed! Today, surely, rescue will come!"

True enough, they heard knocking sound overhead, "Is anybody still in there?!"

Finally, after a record 90 hours from the overturn of the vessel, the 3 men were rescued. The first light of hope they saw was the torch light of the divers who came to their rescue, but the greatest moment was when they surfaced from the water and looked at the sun and the blue sky above them.

The captain, unfortunately was found dead while the other 4 crew members are still missing.

The miracle of the fishermen's survival was due to a number of factors in their favour.

According to specialist Professor Takeda, the ship overturning very quickly meant that more oxygen remained in the cabin. The overturned ship remained stable and did not sink, despite a crack in the body. Instead the crack let in air from the sea. The rough waves crashing again the walls also released oxygen from the water into the air. On top of this, the men remained still and so did not exhaust the oxygen.

Finally, as the rescued fishermen also testified, "If there were not 3 of us together, it wouldn't have been possible to survive!" Their mutual encouragement kept them from despair.

If you are interested, here is also the YouTube link to the news report
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kqwksnIkfM

Homeless Boxer

2009-08-26T14:06:00.004+08:00

Recently we saw a very moving true story of a 16-year-old boxer on TV.

Young Takashima Tatsuhiro (surname first) started shoot boxing (similar to kick boxing) when he was in 4th grade elementary school.

His father had died 2 years before, and as the 3rd of 5 children, he helped out at home with housework and the care of his 2 younger siblings. Attracted by the sound and activity of the boxing gym across his home, he started boxing.

However, in his 1st year in junior high school, exhausted with housework, childcare and training, he started to miss school. Eventually he left home one day in his school uniform.

Penniless and starving, he wandered to a river side where he saw a 50-something homeless man picking up empty tin cans. Takashima asked to stay with the older man.

Though surprised, the man, whom Takashima came to call "O-chan" (an affectionate way of saying "uncle"), took the boy back to his tent, set up from a simple blue sheet.

O-chan fed young Takashima his own share of leftover food collected from rubbish bins and covered the boy with his own blanket.

Takashima's homeless lifestyle continued for half a year until one cold day in February.

"Go home! I've no more money." O-chan said.

Young Takashima realised that O-chan was concerned for his future and, moved by the older man's love, he decided to go home. Before leaving, he promised O-chan to work hard at shoot boxing and to become a champion.

True to his promise, Takashima trained hard and fought his way to the top. Today, he is a professional shoot boxer with a promising future.

Having fulfilled his promise, Takashima tried looking for "O-chan" but the latter has re-located. Takashima does not know O-chan's real name nor has he a photograph of the older man. With only a drawn picture in hand, he spends his time between training and school looking for O-chan.

But like an angel who came mysteriously and disappeared to one-knows-not-where, O-chan cannot be found.

"I fight every match hoping that O-chan is in the crowd or watching the match on TV somewhere."

We don't need wealth, title or talents to give to others. All we need is the sincere love of God.

earthquakes

2009-08-14T13:05:00.005+08:00

Our friend, Hamaji, was having dinner with us when our apartment started to sway.
It was the strongest earthquake we had experienced so far.

Fortunately nothing fell or suffered any damage and we continued with our dinner, TV and conversation.

Since that evening, we experienced 2 more quakes with other parts of Japan suffering greater damage.

I was reminded once again of the movie "The Sinking of Japan", screened in Singapore as well as in Japan in 2006. http://www.tbs.co.jp/movie/english/soj/

The reviews in Singapore, both in the Straits Times and of friends, were negative.
"Boring", "poor attempt at disaster movie", "draggy"...

However, every Japanese I knew who saw the film was profoundly touched.

I was intrigued by the difference in response.

This year, we had the opportunity to see the film on TV and understood why.

To a foreigner, the disasters in the movie were unreal, the buildings that collapsed held no significance and the different towns and cities looked the same.

To a Japanese, the reality of earthquakes is ever present, the buildings (Shibuya 109, Tokyo Tower etc) are familiar landmarks that evoke memories and maybe signify dreams, the towns and cities are their homes. That each place looked exactly the same in the movie - dilapidated with volcanic soot raining constantly on them - marked the scale of the nightmare. Japan was sinking, and as we followed the family trying to escape to diffenrent parts of Japan, we know the awful truth that they dared only half suspect: there was no escape.

We cried watching the movie.

Although we are not Japanese, we have come to love this people and their home. The make-belief suffering on screen reflects too powerfully the actual pain and fear of the people.

Whether or not one is moved by the movie, in the end, boils down to whether we watch it as an unconcerned outsider or as "one of them".

I reflected too, the spiritual reality that was reflected in the film. How much pain it must inflict on God to daily watch the people he created running in circles, trying in vain to escape from lostness and death.

How we ache to shout at them, "Here is the exit! Come!"

How much more their God, who daily stretches out his hands.

For some clips from the film, see
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNQNFsE_iJc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeJ6Cftc-E8

The blossoms in the night sky

2009-07-26T09:18:00.006+08:00

In the summer months of July and August, Japanese towns across the country have their local fireworks parties (花火大会).

The Sumida River Fireworks is one of the most impressive and renown. Dating back to the Edo period, when samurai walked the street, the Sumida River Fireworks first started in 1733 and was revived in 1978. This year it let off as many as 21,500 fireworks, lighting up the night sky with huge firery blossoms, attracting 948,000 people.

One moment, a purple flower, another an incandescent of many clours bloomed against the breezy summer night. Then there was a sudden attack, as though the war of the stars had begun, energetically shooting their colours in every direction. And just as the thousands of lights fell off the sky, there was a surprsing blssoming of spring-like sakura. At other times, tadpoles of many colours swam in the dark pool of the night, playful and carefree.

It is amazing how richly expressive fireworks can be, and how the same explosives for making destructive and cruel bombs can move us with so much delight and joy, how we can be lifted to a glimpse of the endless praise of the Most High.

After the party, we strolled home, our clogs making old fashion hollow sound against the street. How good to have been a part of the city's community events, to have enjoyed ourselves without fear of being mugged or shouted at, without drunkards threatening us and, despite the crowd of nearly a million, to be able to move unhassled down the road and all the way home.

Welcome Home!

2009-07-21T17:00:00.006+08:00

After 2 months of "Home Assignment" in Singapore, we got back to home in Tokyo.

The thing about living in a foreign country is that, after a few years, you don't quite know which is HOME.

It is when our Japanese family and friends say to us, "Welcome Home!", that we know they have truly accepted us and considered us part of this place they all call home.

Last night (3rd night we since coming home), in the middle of our favourite TV show, our friend, Hamaji, phoned.

Before we contacted him to announce that we are back, he has remembered and was so excited that he risked interrupting our TV show rather than wait to phone us at a later time.

Home is where the heart is, and where somebody thinks you should belong.

Lessons from Baseball

2009-03-27T15:52:00.020+08:00

Once again, Japan has won the World Basebal l Classics championship!

After playing terribly at the Beijing Olympics, trying to retain the WBC trophy from 2006 seemed an impossibility.

Despite a very shaky start, however, the team (aptly named "Samurai Japan") beat one strong team after another to win the title a second time.

Watching the exuberant welcome back given to the Samurai Japan team, I glimpsed anew what words like "honour, glory, praise" mean.

Bathing in genuine delight, evident pride and overflowing love is honour and glory; the giving of these is praise and worship. And whichever side one is on - giving or receiving the glory - it's exhilarating; it's euphoric.

And so I grow in anticipation for the day when we will, more than a million times, multiple this euphoria in the praise and worship of our Lord Jesus.

There are other lessons I learned from the WBC.

"We want to show the world what Japanese baseball is", "We want to show our children the joy of baseball", "Many children will be inspired to play baseball," are some often heard comments on Japanese TV.

And it struck me: this is exactly what we are trying to do in evangelism and mission!

Not because we pity people, not to swell our churches and add to our success, but simply because the joy of loving God is so great, and because we are so proud of our heavenly father and so fond of him, that we want the world to see and be inspired to taste the goodness of it.

Finally,
One of the reasons for Samurai Japan's success was its superior team spirit and unity.

"They really became one," was on the lips of many a commentator.

Japanese really understand and relish the joy of being one.
For instance, the theme of Tokyo marathon is "The Day Tokyo Unites".

May we, who are called to be one in Christ, truly live out what it means to be one, not striving for personal success or glory but loving one another and working together towards a common love. Then will not our Japanese friends, when they see the Oneness in Christ, be hooked on that beauty?

Going the 5th mile

2009-01-26T13:09:00.013+08:00

How we ended up looking for a parking space to rent is a slightly long story...
But anyway, we ended up looking for a parking space to rent.

The area was Kita-senju. A bustling centre in an older part of Metropolitan Tokyo.
Cost of parking would double what we pay for in our sleepy Chiba suburban town...That was what we were prepared for.

But the actual search turned out that it wasn't double. It was quadruple or more.

On Wednesday, we received a letter from Mr Kimura, the staff of "PH Estate Agency", which we were using.

He had copied a map of the area and marked out 8 to 9 car park lots. Each lot had a post-it note stuck next to it, giving the rental cost. Finally, on the right hand side of the map, Mr Kimura wrote, "And the nearest lot with the most reasonable price is......Lot #1 !"

We were deeply impressed by the high standard of Japanese service which goes the extra mile to help us make a good decision.

We had already felt an affinity towards Mr Kimura before this.

He had helped us well in our search for a new flat and shown us around the area.
As we looked around empty apartments and walked around the vicinity, he had, in between pointing out the pros and cons of the area, told us much about himself and his past.

"You would want to take into consideration the elementary school nearby," he would say.

"Oh, what's wrong with that?" we asked.

"Well, the school bell chimes every hour, so it might annoy you if you need to rest in the day. I find it very annoying myself."

"Ah, I see."

"This room faces the road and in this area, bikers may disturb you at night. I should know since I am a biker..."

"Aha!"

After about 3 of such excursions, we had heard about his surfing hobby, his student days, previous job and lifestyle, his cars and bikes, his wife and her sleeping habits, his going-to-be-born-anytime baby, his current flat, his blood type, etc.

The seemingly shy and diffident looking young man we first set eye on in the PH Estate Agency office had turned out to be friendly, personable and extremely helpful.

As we considered the different parking options he sourced out for us, we wanted to take a walk to see how long it would take to walk to the various parking lots before fixing on one.

"We will decide after looking at the place," we told Mr Kimura over the phone.
And as Mr Kimura insisted on accompanying us there and showing us the place, we met at the office and he showed us more maps of where the parking lots were. He had marked out all possible parking lots in the area.

When he was taking us around the marked out lots, we found out that he had spent the day before, his only day off in the week, going around in his private car to personally test out the convenience of each lot.

"This car park's disadvantage is that there is only one entrance/exit. So when the traffic is held up by the traffic light, you can get stuck for quite a while.... And for this other one,your car should have no problem going in. If my huge car can get in, yours should be fine too," he had even taken into consideration the size of our car.

That was a cold, dark rainy Thursday evening. The next day, on Friday, at about 9 pm, just as we had finished house church, the phone rang.

It was Mr Kimura.
"I have bargained down the price of the lots in location B," he said, "Can I send you the plan of the car park by email?"

The final price Mr Kimura had bargained down to was just double (not quadruple, not even triple) our current car park lot -- what we had originally naively thought we could pay and much lower than what we had subsequently resigned ourselves to paying.

"Thank you so very much, Mr Kimura. But, please, don't overwork for our sake. Please get some rest!"

We feel touched and, indeed, loved by this service personnel who has gone far beyond his duty to serve us and who has, in some measure, begun to share a little of himself with us.

We feel deep in our hearts that in this Japanese young man, who has yet to know the deep love of God, we have met someone who has demonstrated what Jesus means by going the extra mile beyond what is asked. In fact, we feel that Mr Kimura has gone about 5 miles on our behalf.

We pray that our encounter will not stop here, and that one day he and his family will come to know the friendship of the One who loves him and who has gone all the way for him.

Happy Merry Christmas

2008-12-24T17:24:00.011+08:00

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

2008-09-08T13:56:00.011+08:00

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!

----------------

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

CHANGE - from politics to gospel

2008-07-09T15:56:00.004+08:00

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

2008-04-30T18:16:00.003+08:00

----------------
Now playing: 平原綾香 - 翼をください
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

2008-02-29T15:26:00.007+08:00

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.

How fast can you run your 10 km?

2007-12-18T10:28:00.000+08:00

How much time will you clock for your 10 km run when you are 80??

After a 19 km run, Stanley came home to read a report on the "121st Kanto 10 mile・10 km Road Race" held in Narita city on 16th December 2007.

In the bitter winter cold wind, the photograph showed most of the runners running in tank top and shorts, and the result of the race??

(10 mile is about 16 km)
10 mile (men): 51 min
10 mile (women): 1 hr 8 min 4 sec

10km run (women):

category: student: 37 min 37 sec

others: 38min 15 sec

10km run (men):
category:

highschool student: 33 min 30 sec
age 30~39: 33 min 19 sec
age 40~49: 33 min 28 sec
age 50~59: 36 min 7 sec
age 60~69: 38 min 11 sec
age 70~79: 39 min 55 sec
age 80~89: 54 min 12 sec

Feel inspired? Keep running!!

finding a smile in unexpected places

2007-11-20T09:52:00.000+08:00

We are still in November.

But it is not very clear now whether we are still in autumn or have stepped into winter.

The number of Christmas trees and illumination one can see has gone up.
Snow has been falling on a daily basis in several parts of Japan.
Some places have gone below zero degree C.

The cold Siberia wind has brought on the winter front.

But even now, as one of my mixi friend wrote, you can see some plants preparing for Spring.

Summer, with its too hot temperature, ice-shaving desserts & sound of tingling wind chime, seems in the distant past....But!

In our freezer still sit several little pots of ice-cream that sudden realization of the spare around the waistline put a stop to eating.

Just before the winter front came visiting from the North, we tried to finish a little more of those pots.

Vanilla ice-cream with spots of strawberry (sauce?)...
Sounds delicious, but nothing spectacular, no.

But as one digs in and digs on....

A smiley appears.
In the ordinary pot of vanilla ice.
An ice-cream smile...brought a smile to our faces too.
Cold ice, warmed hearts.
Happy.

God blessed us through our smiley ice-cream.

mixi - maxi facebook???

2007-11-02T09:44:00.001+08:00

"mixi"
is a huge Japanese internet society.

When I try to explain what mixi is about, I was told several times that the English equivalent is the "facebook".

However, having tried out facebook for a few weeks, the difference is enormous.

Mixi is a lot more work and a much more serious affair.
It doesn't have most of facebook's gadgets and is shockingly simple.

But,
it is an amazing place.
There, firm friendships are formed and mixi friends support one another warmly.

My mixi friends sent me constant encouragement and comfort while I was spending time with my parents in Singapore.

When Stanley was ill, many expressed deep concern and love, saying they are praying for us.

Another friend offered to lend me her precious video tapes and offered to send them to me by post.

We may never have met most of these mixi members, but the love that are exchanged over this internet community is astoundingly real.

And here too, we hope to pass on the love and sense of wonder for our Lord Jesus.

Nowadays almost everyone I speak to would either be part of mixi or at least have heard about it.
In the 21st century, the internet offers a place to meet people that we would never have met in our otherwise limited context.

Praise God for mixi.

And I believe that the success and popularity of mixi is because in a shy and reserve society, mixi becomes a platform to meet people, exchange ideas, air frustrations and express opinions. It offers depth of thoughts and communication, yet the security of being able to withdraw anytime from nuisance relationships. It is ideally suited to the Japanese personality.

It is therefore also an ideal place to offer the love, salvation, freedom and joy of Christ.

See
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mixi
for more details.

Enjoy Japan!

2007-08-09T12:01:00.000+08:00

----------------
Now playing: 久石譲 - -エンディング- 世界の約束～人生のメリーゴーランド
via FoxyTunes

Have fun with this website! Typically Japanese - fun and full of surprises!

It reveals the great mystery of how the arrow on your computer screen works when you move your mouse.
If you don't understand how it works....think again!

http://www.1-click.jp/

Please leave your comments after viewing!

----------------
Now playing: smap - DAWN
via FoxyTunes

karaoke

2007-08-07T16:07:00.000+08:00

Quiz:

What does "Karaoke" means?

Faces lit up when I mentioned that I was at karaoke a few days before.
"How nice~! I want to go too!" a young man sighed, " in fact, I have also just been recently."
So, what does it matter, he wants to go again!

This afternoon, I was having a series of email exchanges with a high school girl whom I have met only once.
"Let's go out somewhere together!" I wrote, "we can do bowling, go to a game centre, karaoke, go to the movies, rent a DVD, whatever!"

"I want to go to karaoke!" came the reply....

So it's back to this again, singing into a mike...
Not that I don't want to do it, but that I (Lucy, that is) sing so very badly....
Out of tune, out of time, can't hit the high notes, can't catch the key or the melody....

Anyone worse than me out there??

Nonetheless, it is a great way to meet people and build relationship.
And well, if I sing badly, anyone singing with me can only feel encouraged and become more confident! Always a plus.

So if you are good at singing, come join us as a karaoke missionary!!

Answer: "kara"means empty, "oke"is the shortened form for orchestra.

----------------
Now playing: SMAP - Dear WOMAN
via FoxyTunes

----------------
Now playing: smap - DAWN
via FoxyTunes

street live

2007-07-22T09:12:00.000+08:00

There are talents like ants - that is, everywhere- in Tokyo.

It all started when JP, a Brazilian hip hop dancer who came to us for 4 days.
He was all ready to perform on the street, for Jesus.

We took him to places where we hope there will be people who would watch, then we talked to those who stopped and watched till the end.

From there, we realised it was so much easier to talk to the other street performers than trying to attract passerby.

These street musicians have excellent voices, great guitar playing, and a lot of passion and courage.

The 2 groups that we spoke to write their own songs. Beautiful, original melodies and moving lyrics.

It makes us want to cry listening to them.

God in heaven too is listening, and he wants them to sing for him too.

Thousand Leaves

2007-06-14T20:26:00.000+08:00

"Are there more trees in Chiba than other parts of Japan?"
My sister asked.

"Hmmm...donno."
I answered.
"Maybe last time?" (last time: "in the past" in Singapore English)

Chiba Prefecture, where we have made our new home, is just outside Tokyo city and forms part of the Greater Tokyo area. The Chinese characters for Chiba, 千葉, literary means thousand leaves. A rather poetic name, don't you think?

What's more, the city we now live in is Nagareyama City -流山市; the name suggests flowing mountain streams.

Just writing about it conjures up images of black and white Chinese brush paintings.

In reality of course, it is nothing like that. South Nagareyama, where our apartment is situated, is a quite little suburb, nothing striking, nothing outstanding and slightly sleepy.

But you only need to drive a little distance to come into huge departmental stores and bright neon lights.

At the same time, we are never far from rice and vegetable fields.

It fascinates me that in metropolitan Tokyo, by the side of busy interchanges and expressways, one can suddenly spot somebody's vegetable farm or suddenly drive into what feels like rural Japan.

Wow, how you can talk!!

2007-05-07T16:10:00.000+08:00

Coming back to Sapporo, the city where we first started learning our Japanese, and meeting again some of the people we knew after a 3-4 year break can be an interesting experience for both sides.

"Wah~! You can say so much now!"

"Wooo~! You used to be so quiet!"

"How your Japanese has improved!"

Are some common comments.

Suddenly people with whom we had hardly exchanged more than 10 words for a whole year in the past are talking to us like long lost friends.

The laughter, the sudden sense of friendship...starting now with people we knew years ago...

It's as though there's been some sort of a time slip, almost.
It's as though all the friendliness and love that's bottled up for years can finally find release.

What a wonder language is.
When we can speak the same language, love can spread its wings!

DVD technology in Japan

2007-04-05T13:51:00.000+08:00

Recently we started researching on DVD recorders in Japan.

The technology is AMAZING.

It's the first time, for instance, that I saw anything with a 1TB hard disk...

Plus a whole lot of interesting features:

The machine displays the TV programme schedule and makes recording super simple.

Some of them have a card reader that can read your memory stick directly allowing you to down load photos, music etc. from and to your mobile phone, camera etc.

You can also edit your photos, make slide shows etc. on the DVD players.

The DVD recorder can be linked to your personal computers.

You can preset the machine to record your programmes by sending an email to it from your mobile phone.

You can set the machine to record a whole series and not have to miss any episode.

You can set the machine to record the first episode of every new season's drama and it will then ask if you want to record the rest of the series after you have watched the first episode.

The machine can automatically detect a delayed telecast or extra-time of a football/baseball match and record accordingly.

You can even key in keyword and the machine will record all programmes with this keyword -e.g. keyword: "Tom Cruise" and all programmes in which Tom Cruise appear will be recorded.

AND...some machines will even analyse the programmes you have been recording and automatically record the programmes that you might like!

What else will appear next? It's exciting to see how human innovation and imagination can come up with all sorts of possibilities we never dreamt of in the past.

Japanese service

2007-03-17T10:04:00.000+08:00

I am clearing the snow on the steps of our apartment.

The sound of engine tells me that someone is here, and glancing up I see that it's the postman delivering letters to the downstairs apartment.

He then comes up the stairs I am in the process of clearing.

Is he going to us or the neighbour next door...I think idly to myself as I continue to throw snow from the stairs over the railing to the snow pile below.

He is right outside our door. Ah he will be down in a second. It doesn't take more time than that to slip a couple of letters through the slot in the door. So I am surprised when after a minute or so, he is still not coming down the stairs.

This time I look up and watch more closely. His finger is on our bell. I start to call out to him but Stanley has come to the door.

10 seconds later, the postman is down the stairs and gone.

Registered mail? Parcel delivery? What was that? I ask.

O no, just ordinary mail. Stanley replies. He just wanted to confirm that we are the right recipients since he has never delivered a mail with this name to this address before.

No wonder Japanese service ranks no. 1 in the world.

Of Snow

2007-03-17T09:45:00.000+08:00

Even from Singapore, we heard news that Japan is having very little snow over the past winter.

"It hasn't snowed at all!" Everyone told us. Most are grateful for the relatively snow-free winter but some are concerned about what the environment is trying to tell us.

But 2 days after we arrive in Sapporo, it started to snow.

At first only slightly, then heavily and then even all day long for a couple of days.

People started clearing snow again.

Even Tokyo had its first snow this winter - in March, when everyone there is already celebrating the coming of Spring!

We were told it's all our fault, we brought the snow with us from.....Tropical Singapore!

chopping up garlic in winter?

2007-03-08T13:18:00.000+08:00

It wasn't quite such a sudden switch from 31 degree C in tropical Singapore to sub-zero in Sapporo in Japan.

After all, we drove up from Narita Airport in the south, so had time to slowly get cold in the car...

And even in Sapporo, the temperature only dropped to below freezing on our third day there.

It was the dryness in the air that got us more. Despite almost drowning in moisturizer, our fingers are still cracking up like desert ground. Long deep lines of flesh peak from beneath the white dry skin. It's painful to wash one's hand or hold an apple, let alone chop up the garlic....

But it's great to be in Japan. Especially when Japanese friends say "Welcome back!"

Yes, we are happy, despite the dry skin and cracks in the fingers!

singapore

2007-02-27T16:34:00.000+08:00

One Year Back Home

2007-02-27T16:20:00.000+08:00

2006 Chinese New Year to 2007 Chinese New Year has been our one year back in Singapore.

O yes, we missed Japan - the food, the vibrant culture, the TV, movies and music scene and, more than anything else, our Japanese friends who have loved us so generously.

But wow! what a blessing it has been to be back too.

What great friends we have rediscovered, and what great friends have been made - in one short year.

We have enjoyed the informality and family atmosphere of Singapore.

We have enjoyed picking up new things and visiting new places.

We deeply appreciate our time with you -- thank you for receiving us into your midst so unreservedly.

You have made our one year back home flown by in the most enjoyable way!

A New Year, A New Place (& a few other old places)

2006-12-21T12:10:00.000+08:00

It's time to say HELLO 2007!

2006 has been "A Year in Singapore", but 2007 will be "Back in Japan". But first we start 1 January still in Singapore in our flat. As the packing and the cleaning begin to get into the way of living, probably sometime in February before the Chinese New Year (we hope to start packing in January), we might move out to Lucy's parents' place.

We leave for Japan at the end of February 2007.

Upon arrival in Narita Airport, we'll be making our way up to Sapporo in Hokkaido, where our organization, OMF, has a Japanese Language Centre. The plan is to do a 3-month language refresher to wake up those bits of the language that had gone to sleep and to pick up more of this vast rich language.

We plan to move to Tokyo in early June 2007 to join our new church planting team there & begin a new work.

Watch this space for "Life in Exciting Tokyo - the city of dreams!"

2006-07-10T17:39:00.000+08:00

This is us taken while we were in Japan. We were in our home in the town of Hiraka (平賀)in Aomori (青森).

Now we are in Singapore for a year, from January 2006 to February 2007.

Getting to know us

2006-07-10T17:02:00.000+08:00

We are Stanley (宗安) & Lucy (欣恬)Ong.

We work in Japan as matchmaker between Jesus and our Japanese friends because we think that Jesus is a super cool guy and Japanese and COOL too! We want them to fall in love and have a beautiful romance with Jesus!

Please visit this blog for more stories to come!