The Best Easter Ever!

I could hardly contain my joy when this family was baptized Easter Sunday. Over the past five years we've shared the Word with them, lived life together, and become dear friends. Now they are truly family. Praise God!

Faith, Hope, & Love Coming to Japan

In the entryway of our home we have this placard that says, "Faith, Hope, & Love." We are here in Japan because we so long for these words to characterize our Japanese friends.

April 14 I wrote about a missionary friend of ours who befriended a priest up north who is housing 100 evacuees. Over the weekend he went up again with meat (something they said they longed for), duffel bags (because they have no way to keep their few belongings together), and cookies (because life is always better with cookies.)

The CRASH team was welcomed warmly. The priest's wife said she wants to start reading the Bible and the priest himself said he think he'd like to become a pastor. Maybe he doesn't quite get what being a pastor is all about, but praise God for these steps towards the Savior!

This morning I was doing baptismal preparation with a friend who told me, "Japanese know there is a God. They just don't know who He is so they make offerings to idols out of a need to do something just in case that's what's required of us." She is so grateful she heard the good news and is full of faith, hope, and love.

Later today I was talking to one of Russ' therapists telling him about Easter (not a familiar term to the average Japanese.) He said, "Japanese don't have hope." I told him about my friend who had no hope until she met Jesus and how now her whole family is living in hope.

Sunday in church a Japanese man talked about his experience with a CRASH team last week. He said that Japan is experiencing a spiritual vacuum. He confessed that he didn't used to think revival could really come to Japan, but now he's living in hope that a door has been opened. He says the next 1, 2, or 3 years are a critical period.

We agree with him! Please keep praying for Japan that faith, hope, and love will become common.

Sakura on My Pillow

Jesus says He is always with us. I believe Him. This afternoon we had a fairly strong aftershock at a time Russ and I "just happened" to be passing each other under a door frame. That was the perfect place to be–where things are least apt to fall on us if things start toppling. We were already in our preferred location so we just stopped and prayed until the house stabilized. Recently we had a shaker and I realized later that I went through the whole earthquake without praying. I definitely don't want to get that used to earthquakes. But even when I'm not consciously communing with Him, Jesus never forgets me.

The tulips in our garden are just beautiful this year! The cherry blossoms were slow in coming, but now that they're here, they are lovely and lasting just a tad longer than usual. We've all needed this reminder of God's care and love for us.


When Russ rinsed out my lunchbox last night he asked, "Did you eat your lunch out under the sakura?" He found delicate pink petals that had fallen in my lunch when a breeze created my favorite kind of snow-pink snow! Russ' reminder of God's handiwork caused me to once again hear God whisper in my ear, "I'm with you. I care about you."

And just in case I missed the message, this morning when I made my bed, I found sakura on my pillow. Surely God wanted me to start another day thinking about His presence.

Maybe it's not flowers and sunshine that are shouting God's mercy to you right now, but I'm sure God is giving you glimpses of His character in ways that speak to your heart. Are you listening?

Giving and Receiving

Giving and receiving can be tricky in any culture, but it is especially so here in Japan. To receive a gift obligates one to give something in return. Depending on the situation, being too eager to receive a gift is considered impolite. What happens when polite people who are used to a certain standard of living suddenly lose everything? To survive they have to receive, but it just isn't easy.

In the last several days I've heard of three situations where the recipients of relief supplies were reluctant to receive them, but after establishing a connection with the giver, the donations were happily received. I love how God understands cultures and years ago was working out details so that needy Japanese today are getting what they need.

Fifty years ago a missionary kid (MK) went to a Japanese kindergarten. 3-, 4-, and 5-year olds across the nation attend kindergartens. There are so many of them I can't begin to imagine how many there are in Japan. This MK grew up in Japan, returned to the US for college, and ended up returning to Japan as a missionary. (He and his wife are in the same mission we are in –TEAM.) Fluent in Japanese culture and language he has made several trips up north delivering relief supplies. He found a temple where 100 refugees were staying with a Buddhist priest. The missionary wanted to share what he'd brought with the refugees, but the priest said they had what they needed. Undaunted, the missionary kept talking to the priest. The longer they talked, the more they realized they had in common. Then it came out. They attended the same kindergarten! Suddenly the relief supplies were very welcomed. It's hard to accept aid from a stranger, but from someone who knows your roots? That's a different story.

Go God!

There are many wonderful organizations helping with the relief and recovery effort here in Japan. We are closely connected to these three organizations and recommend them for your gifts. I am confident that all of them will use the funds carefully.

Christian Academy in Japan is the school where I work. We are collecting money to gather supplies that staff and students will use to help with the recovery effort.

CRASH Japan is a group of missionaries and Japanese Christians who are working together using churches as bases of operation to distribute supplies and emotional care

TEAM is the mission we are a part of. They will funnel the funds in consultation with our mission leaders here in Japan.

Many Parts; One Body

Romans 12:4&5 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body,and each member belongs to all the others.

Many Parts; One Body is our school theme this year. Mr. Potato Head toys are given out at staff meetings to recognize the unique gifts people contribute to the school body.

The theme is appropriate anytime, but I'm especially thankful this is our focus this year. Why? Because the magnitude of the needs in Japan right now are so unending, that everyday I feel torn. My part in the recovery effort feels so insignificant.

A trip to our grocery store ends up being an emotional experience for me. My eyes gaze at the vast array of vegetables and tears well up. My friends on the coast who used to grow the vegetables my family ate every summer, now are only getting rice balls. They can live on that, but their health will be affected.

I cannot mother every orphan, clean out every muck-filled home, feed every hungry person, or build a house for every homeless person. But each time I buy groceries I can buy extra to donate to the relief effort. We can continue to house volunteers. We can comfort the hurting. We can give money to CRASH. I loved it that I was able to buy fresh fruit and vegetables and send it with a friend going up north.

Right now the house smells like chocolate chip cookies. A friend in the US sent us a care package with cookie ingredients so I'm making them to give to our Japanese neighbors tomorrow on the one-month anniversary of the earthquake. I want them to know that you care.

I'm only one part of the body. I think God can take my teeny contributions and make them useful in His kingdom, but sometimes I forget. My Mr. Potato Head is a good reminder. Thanks for praying for us!

Praises

I'm full of thanks to God today as I reflect on the last few days.


• Over Spring Break a free soccer day camp for elementary students was held on our school playground. Kids needed something to do. With less than a week's notice the organizers hoped for maybe 50 kids. CAJ students, homeschoolers, and church kids started inviting their friends so that around 200 kids came. They played soccer and heard the gospel. One Japanese mom expressed how happy she was for her son to have this unique opportunity to learn about morals and sportsmanship.
• T came to church for the first time saying, "I'm interested in English and what you Christians think."
• J accepted Christ
• The first day back at school since the earthquake went very well. The day was punctuated with broad grins and hugs. While sadness clings to each of us, the joy of togetherness brought another layer of healing.
• I started reading Fearless by Max Lucado aloud to Russ. I'm motivated to write out and meditate on Bible verses about not fearing, having courage, and not losing heart.
• We have been blessed to have S living with us for 2 1/2 weeks while working at CRASH. She left Sunday and we'll receive our next relief worker into our home tomorrow.

Today I heard eye-witness accounts from people who've been involved in the front lines of relief. My friend told me that even the worst pictures in the media cannot begin to show the extent of the devastation. The destruction goes on and on and on. I'm comforted by this thought: God's mercy, love, and goodness go even further. He sees Japan's pain and offers hope.

School Scheduled to Reopen on Monday

Please pray for us as we reopen school on Monday after abruptly closing on March 11. Whenever I see a Japanese friend at church or on the street for the first time since the earthquake, it's often a rather emotional time–You're okay! Where were you when the earthquake struck?

Monday some staff and students will have their initial post-traumatic-event reunion. None of our immediate staff or students lost their lives, but we all know someone whose life has been dramatically altered. We all shook and have continued to shake during the aftershocks. Please pray that we'll listen well to each other and that we'll be clothed in the power of the Holy Spirit as we go forward in hope.

Some will not be joining us because they have left the area either permanently or until the nuclear reactor power plant situation has been resolved. Please pray that God will continue to clearly guide each of us and give us grace to trust each family to follow God's leading.

Blog Entries Sent by Email

If you would like to know when I've posted a blog entry, you are welcome to scroll to the bottom of this page and enter your email address. You can read the content of the blog entry in the email sent to you or click on the link to go to the actual site if layout is important to you as it is to me.

I tend to write daily during crises like Russ' stroke (when he was fighting for his life and trying to learn to walk and talk again) or during the earthquakes. Writing gives me an opportunity to share how you can pray and helps me process what's happening. When life is more routine, I usually just write once or twice a month.