PDF version is here. Japanese version is here.
Even monkeys fall from trees
There’s a Japanese proverb - saru mo ki kara ochiru - even monkeys fall from trees. It means that even people who are experienced can make mistakes and slip up. I’ve felt this over the past month - I think I underestimated how much of a change it would be to uproot myself, come to Japan and start work in a very different field. “I’ve been to Japan many times,” I thought, “and I’m fairly comfortable with the language. This will be no problem!”
But moving half way across the world, adjusting to the heat and humidity, walking into a new role with a busy schedule, making new friends - and doing all this in a second language - is a pretty tiring endeavour. This month I have been mainly battling with stress and overwork. But I have come through it, in two ways: I have made some adjustments to my workload to better balance myself, and I have learnt to find refreshment in the midst of my schedule. Praise God for teaching me to rely on Him, and also for His provision of relaxing baths, friendly games at the igo club, and Test Match Special broadcasts over the Internet!
Lamps and Bushels
As many of you know, before I came to Japan I was a computer programmer. Now I’m a church-planting missionary. I’ve been trying to strike a balance between doing my new job, and not wasting the skills I acquired in my old which could help others here.
So once a month, I provide a computer clinic to the other missionaries in the team; I’ve also rejuvenated the WEC Japan web site, and have been involved in setting up a photo resources sharing site for WEC International’s media team.
Preaching
I’ve now established a monthly preaching schedule - I preach once in English where we’re going through the book of Mark, twice in Japanese where we’re reading through Luke, and one in Japanese for the South American congregation, looking at the fruit of the Spirit. Recently, we had a short-term worker here from America who spoke fluent Spanish and could translate for me, so I had the rare joy of being able to preach that sermon in English too!
Happy Campers
There’s a lot coming up in the next month for which I would value your prayers!
First, next week we have the Shiga Jesus Festival. Shiga is the name of our county, and it’s fairly rare in Japan in that many of the church leaders in the county meet together and try to build co-operation between the churches. The result of this co-operation is the Shiga Jesus Festival, which is an interchurch celebration. WEC is going to be involved in promoting missions and encouraging Japanese Christians to think about overseas mission work - we’ll be running a “mission simulator” where people can get a taste of a short-term mission experience, and a prayer labyrinth. Pray that it'll be a good day and that there'll be good co-operation between the churches, that the believers will enjoy fellowship with those of other denominations, and that non-Christians will be drawn to the person of Jesus.
Please pray also for the evangelistic camps that will be going on over July and August - for fun and safety, and new contacts. I’ll be at the junior school camp, the friendship camp, the secondary school camp and the international friendship camp.
Cleaning the River
I have two pieces of Japanese culture for you this month. The first is again related to my local neighbourhood organisation. As well as providing nightwatchman services and distributing the community noticeboard, the neighbourhood organisation takes responsibility for cleaning out the local rivers and making sure that the banks are nicely weeded and litter-free.
So, three weeks ago, we all got up early on a Sunday morning and assembled in the local park for a quick pep talk, and then it was down to the river banks for weeding and dredging. There was a good turn out - there had to be, as there was a substantial fine for non-attendance!
We often talk about Japan as a group society, and in a lot of ways, it is. Yet we still evangelise people as individuals, and then wonder why we don’t see large-scale conversions. Curious, isn’t it?
And not so good news
Coming back from my language school last night, my train was delayed. After the usual grumbling and cursing about having to wait twenty minutes at Yamashina station, I started to wonder why the train was late. Trains aren't late here unless there's a really good reason. I had a browse around on my mobile phone, and I found out why.
At quarter to three that afternoon, at Koshienguchi station in Nishinomiya, a lady stepped off the platform in front of the train. This isn't all that uncommon here, but it still made me very sad. But that's not the worst bit.
The worst bit is that she carried her two baby daughters with her. This made me furiously angry. I don't know what the other people in my train thought of this strange foreigner that was freaking out in front of them while they read their books, listened to their MP3 players and played games on their mobile phones. I wanted to shout at them: "Do you know why this train is late? Do you care? Your own life is a gift, and the lives of others are not yours to take. Suicide is not the only release from your problems and your shame; there is forgiveness and acceptance if you want it. Don't do this to yourself, don't do it to those you love, and as a society don't accept it as an honourable thing. It isn't, it's nothing more than a waste."
But I didn't. Maybe next time I will. Japan’s suicide rate stands at 30,000 a year. I should be doing all I can to bring that figure down.
Schedule
It’s a busy one...
- July 15th: Preaching at Nagahama English service
- July 16th: Shiga Jesus Festival
- July 22nd: Preaching in Japanese
- July 24-26: Primary school camp
- July 28th: Friendship camp
- August 5th: Preaching at Nagahama English service
- August 6-8: Secondary school camp
- August 10th: International fellowship camp
- August 12th: Preaching at Spanish service
Thanks for your prayers, and have a great summer!