Thank You!

And as much as I thanked God before this summer, I thank Him now. I will miss the friends in Japan who He has allowed me to love, but I look forward to seeing them again one day if He wills it. Thanks for your support!

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." Ephesians 1:3

Last Day on Campus

Tomorrow's our last day on campus at Waseda!

At the beginning of this week, I was stressed about leaving because I felt so short on time! I've been realizing more throughout this week that I don't need to be worried though. God's work isn't determined by ours! I feel privileged to have been able to be an ambassador for Him on Waseda campus for the last 6 weeks.

Here are some pictures of good times on campus...

(meeting new students in the cafeteria)

(our daily ride on the train)

(eating curry with some of my team and our friend, Maki!)

(having cheesecake with Nanako!)

(celebrating Tanabata, a summer festival)

(enjoying Japanese style Loco Moco with Jeanine & Chiaki)

(eating Momopan [peach bread], our favorite snack, with Shin)

(debriefing the day in front of the school auditorium)

(saying goodbye to friends at our pirate-themed party)

As this trip has neared its end, I've been thinking more about God's purpose for this trip. I know that I don't understand the extent of this trip's influence yet, but I do know that none of the sorrow was felt in vain. God has allowed me to better understand His heart for the Japanese people as I've cried and rejoiced with Japan. It's been a blessing to learn how to glorify Him better by experiencing a little bit of how He loves people and desires for them to know Him. God's influence definitely doesn't stop when we leave the university tomorrow. I know that He will continue to work mightily in not only my life, but all of the students' lives!

I am looking forward to the day when I see some of these students I have grown to love again in heaven :) Until then, I'll keep in touch with them on Facebook and some are already planning to visit me in CA!

Echoes from Tohoku

From our trip last weekend at the sight of the disaster...

"It was a miracle that you came."

--From Shiomi (video at bottom), the lady who prayed for volunteers to help feed survivors with a BBQ,

...to us.

An excited gasp. A smiley exclamation.

--From a hungry, 11-year old girl at the sight of our BBQ

...to her friends and family who have also missed the taste of meat for the past 4 months.

Yelling. Stomping. Crying.

--From the small child now living out of a tent

...to no one who understands.

"His ways are far greater than ours."

--From the pastor who lost everything except for his car, cell phone, and Bible

...to his church.

"You're so good, so so good to me. So good, so so good to me. You're so good, so so good to me, Jesus."

--From the bottom of my heart I sang

...to our listeners who I hope will one day proclaim these words.

"I will never forget your kindness."

--From an elderly man who appreciated a worship song we played for him...to our team's downtrodden hearts when I felt like my small efforts to serve were insignificant.

"And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed."

-Deuteronomy 31:8

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Back

We made it back safely! I was so blessed by this trip. Many of us were sad to leave after seeing and experiencing Tohoku, but we recognize that He is in control. I will post details later this week, but I wanted to thank you right away for your prayers. God continues to listen, so please keep praying for your brothers and sisters in Christ and all the others affected by the earthquake, tsunami, radiation, and fires. Thank you!

Prayers Requests & Praises

Praises

Relief-This past week, we found out that it was possible for some of our team members to help out with some of the relief efforts through our church. Because we only had one driver though, it looked like only a portion of the team could go. We prayed for more drivers and God gave us a BUS! Tomorrow morning, we'll set off on our 7-hr journey in a 29-seater to Tohoku, an area greatly affected by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. We do not know exactly what we will be doing, but we're ready to serve! Gloves, face masks, and a worship set ready to go. Praise the Lord for his provision.

Yuki- All the girls got to meet and hang out with my host sister, Yuki, last weekend. We had a great time at Tsujiri, an expensive cafe from Kyoto famous for their green tea parfaits. She also came to church with our team and later told me she became 70% that God is real, but she wants to be 100% sure before she makes a decision. PTL!

Connections- One day at lunch, I tried with no success to find someone to talk to at lunch on campus. Then, as I was leaving, someone said “KATHLEEN!” from the other side of the cafeteria. I turned around to see a very familiar face! The girl said something like “oh wow! It is YOU! I kept on checking your Facebook pics on my phone to make sure it was you and it IS!” and as she finished talking excitedly, I looked a little less stunned and realized we were in the same orchestra during high school! When I mentioned we were here to talk with students about God, she said she didn't know anything about God but she wanted to hear it!

There have actually been multiple times in which God has given me opportunities to talk to people at Waseda just because of our common likings or friends. One guy that went to my middle school commented on my Facebook the other day saying that he saw me on campus. Another girl I talked to is the niece of someone I played lacrosse with in California! And not at all by chance, I’d say! Praise Him.

Prayer Requests

• Continue to pray for J. I wasn't able to follow-up in person with J this week because she got a fever and has been very busy with school. Pray for her health and for her growth as a new Christian.
• Pray for me. There are about 10 girls who I have shared the Gospel with whom I still want to follow-up, but I know that there's not much time left (only 8 days left on campus). Pray that I would not feel frustrated if some students are unable to meet because of finals. It is God who works, not me; He can do this without me, but he chooses to use me.
• Pray against the grumbling. Our team has had a packed week and we don't know all of the details for this relief trip. Please pray that we would serve and love God wholeheartedly no matter what we are feeling physically or emotionally.
• Pray for someone to give their life to Christ. I know that God is working in hearts even now. Let's pray that God would bless us with another divine appointment in which we can share the Gospel and see someone come to know Him.

Today Made This Worth It

"If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9

Surface-Markings

My last three posts have been pretty heavy stuff. As much as I have been honest with you about my deep emotions so far, I also want you to know that I am honestly having fun :)

So here's some "surface-markings" for lighter reading. The following is a compilation of random thoughts of mine to give you a better picture of a day in the life of Kathleen in Japan...

• Americans are always the loudest at train stations.

• I don't like cats either. I do, however, like our project leaders a lot.
• Vanilla? Edamame? Ume? Corn Porridge? Matcha (green tea) flavored soft-serve ice cream is still my favorite by far.
• Ah-hah! Yellow bumpy lines on all the sidewalks are for blind people.
• People dress funny. haha.
  
• Woops! I forgot my umbrella again!
• Hmm..best ramen EVER?!!
  
• This humidity is intense.
• I love how college students know the best eats :)
• I thank God for my supporters who are as much a part of this team as I am. I pray that they would pray boldly!
  
• Happy 4th of July!

Waseda

This past week we spent our first full week at Waseda University. I know that it is not just by chance that our team has been assigned this campus...because guess who goes to Waseda? My host sister from my exchange program 5 years ago!! I got to spend some quality time with her today(pictured). I enjoyed hearing "the highs and the lows" of what she has been experiencing lately and also sharing about how knowing God has changed my life.

For the next month, our team will be scattered on the Waseda campus in the cafeteria, lounges, and campus buildings 1) to learn the culture, 2) to love on people, and 3) to give students an opportunity to know Jesus by sharing the Gospel. Basically, we sit down and talk to anyone!

I have so many praises for our Lord from just this first week on campus! There have been many moments of sorrow for our team scattered throughout the week, but He continues to give us courage.

On Monday, we found out that it was not uncommon for the trains to stop because of a "jumper" or a person committing suicide on the tracks. As a friend described their own account of the delayed train, the sirens, and the police, I realized again the brevity of life and I was sad. I know that God does not allow my team and I to experience sorrow in vain. In fact, later that day, those feelings of urgency carried on throughout the day and God put an awesome opportunity to share the Gospel with two girls in the international building. Their wide eyes and curious faces brightened up as God gave me the words to speak! I knew it was Him because it was effortless for me. Also because of the sadness I feel, I was able to empathize with one student as she described how she has seen the "cultural disease" in Japan called depression.

Please pray that I (as well as my team) will continue to be able to channel even our sorrow towards His glory!

Tears and Hope

It's been a hard couple days for me. I've felt sick with a cough/cold/allergies. Also, yesterday, we prayed for God to reveal His heart for the city to us as we toured around. For me, it was saddening.

I saw thousands of people but few smiles. People seemed very kept to themselves as they texted on the train and expressed very little emotion in public. Women crowded makeup counters of countless multi-story shopping malls; their faces were already picture-perfect--fair, clear, expensive skin.

In fact, most things here seem to be "complete" on the outside. Not much poverty. Low crime rates. But things are not complete. Huffington Post attributes last year's 31,690 suicides in Japan to low job prospects (HP article), but I know it goes deeper than that. It's not high job prospects that this nation needs...it's God.

Last night, I skipped out on dinner and thought through what I had seen. I felt very sick. I held back tears as I thought about the solemn tone of the day.

But today, the Lord gave me just what I needed. Today, our team attended a church called New Hope Tokyo (church plant of New Hope Oahu) and I was reminded that there is hope for Japan (that's why I'm here!!). As we entered the church, we were caught off guard by hands lifted high, pulsing to the rhythm of loud praise songs.

I felt an overwhelming sense of hopefulness as I listened to the Japanese congregation proclaim the Lord's faithfulness in their own language! I looked at my teammate, Whitney, and we cried tears of joy together for pretty much the rest of the service :)

Here's a clip from the beginning of worship that started in English...

I fell head over heels in love with Jesus again and again today. Please join me in praising Him from across the ocean! btw, I'm also feeling much healthier...thank you for your prayers :)

“Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep...” Psalm 36: 5-6a

Koenji Apartment

Just arrived in Koenji, Tokyo last night! We were welcomed warmly by Campus Crusade staff, STINTers, other students, a quaint apartment, beef bowls, and taiyaki (fish-shaped pancakes with azuki bean inside). Here's a clip from today.

We have a team of 13 students and 2 staff. Our team went to a briefing at Vanguard University the weekend before we left. It was a great time of sharing, singing 4-part harmonies together (we all love music!), praying, laughing, crying, and praising the Lord for graciously providing for our whole team financially!

Please pray that even as we start off this trip, we would be focused on our vision of seeing lives transformed so that every person in Japan has an opportunity to really understand the Gospel and to know God intimately.

I'm incredibly jet-lagged, so I am going to sleep now :) Thanks for reading!

I haven't always loved Japan.

During a high school exchange program in Hiroshima, I got very close to some people in Japan, but for the most part, I felt very distant from the culture. I felt alienated and I felt excluded and even looked down upon by some of my classmates and teachers for being different. I had my ears pierced and they saw that as rebellious. I liked to be unique but they commonly believed that different was wrong. I had a great experience there, but went away from Japan thinking that I didn't want to go back and especially not for missions.

About two months ago, I was set on going to East Asia. Then, the earthquake hit Japan and God rocked my world too. He convicted me of my selfishness and transformed my heart into one that longed to see the Japanese people come to know Him during this hard time. I am now very excited to join the great things I know that God is doing over there. I am still a little cautious because I know that I may not be accepted or respected in Japan, but I know that that isn't my goal. My life is but a vapor and my goal in going is to partner with God, the one who is strong and whose influence is the substance of all eternity. Now, I am excited and happy to say that, "Kathleen Loves Japan".