One Month in Transition

Hey everyone!

We have all been adjusting slowly but surely. It is has been a challenge in some areas and an enjoyment in others. Traveling to Japan was good. 3 hours to Toronto, 13 hours to Tokyo, 1.5 hours to Sapparo, 2 hour drive to Asahikawa. Caellum did great! He made a lot of people smile, took good naps and ate well. Adjusting to time change is another story (14 hours ahead of US).
Unfortunately upon arrival, Caellum had stomach problems and Dan had to go to the clinic for an oncoming cold. We are grateful we received insurance easily and quickly.    
              

                                      

The family we have been staying with and will do ministry with have been more than amazing! They have fed us, taken us to all the places we need to go and have helped us adjust easier.

We have learned a lot in a short period of time and will continue to do so. We have attended the church of the international school we plan to help out at. Church is done differently here. Once worship is done, most moms will bring their children to the nursery upstairs where they have the sermon playing on the TV. After service we all have lunch together. Usually the kids and moms will eat together in the nursery (easier set up/clean up).

Things have been crazy and hectic I feel. It has been hard to adapt easily. I have had so many doubts and concerns (a result of not spending time in the Bible and in prayer I believe). Because things are very different, it has been hard not to have “familiarity.” All buildings are close together and there’s not much land. There are wires everywhere (telephone pole kind). Most cars are small. Everything (with the exception of some things) is written in symbols (Japanese of course). It has been hard to be completely dependent on someone else to basically survive. It is hard not to feel like a burden being reliant on others. It has been lonely at times too because we cannot speak the language. Others are very friendly at the church but we cannot hold long conversations. Thankfully there are some English speaking individuals that help us feel more at “home.”

 

I have had reservations about moving into our home. Finding a car has been quite the hassle because our home is ‘low’ and the garage is ‘low.’ We have had to make sure we have heaters for the winter, get a fridge and washing machine (as we would have had to moving anywhere). We also have to DIY a baby gate for our dangerous stairs (ha-ha). It has been a lot more work moving somewhere than I thought it would be. Buying necessities has been overwhelming. Even going to the grocery store was quite the experience. In the states I could make our grocery list based on isle number… now I cannot find anything without taking forever or asking!

 

I am grateful for Dan being our family’s rock during this transition. It seems we are always in a whirlwind. Married, 5 days later moving to CFNI, moving to a bigger CFNI apartment, graduating and moving to Plano, moving to Magnolia and then now moving across the world to Japan in less than 4 years. Having a 1.5 year old and having a baby girl in a brand new country (the experience to the Dr’s itself was overwhelming not having anyone speak English except my friend interpreting). It is ONLY by the grace of God that I am still following His will. In all my ups and downs, Dan has been positive and loving.

We are still in transition, getting things for our house and learning the language… learning the culture. My friend will be having her third baby in December and our daughter is due in February. After we are all in the ‘swing’ of things, we will start the international church out of our friend’s home. The winter and snow will come soon and we will remain positive and stay warm.

Please pray for us when you think of us. We appreciate everyone’s support!
 

Here are some things I have learned in Japan:

Shopping:

*Most stores have carts or cool ‘baby holders’ that you can attach baskets to. It’s rare to see a mom pushing around her own stroller.

*You have to go to different stores for your needs (there’s not a Walmart Supercenter that sells everything you want in one place).

*The main mall here has a HUGE grocery store inside and a gardening area.

Culture:

*Food is only for the kitchen/dining room table. You do not eat anywhere else (no breakfast in bed!).

*Shoes are always taken off in the entry way.

*PDA is not a big thing here (especially around the older generation).

*Couples going on dates are not common.

*Many people find their identity in their job. Some work from 6am to 11pm trying to prove themselves diligent because they do not want to lose their job to someone working harder than them.

*You typically don’t wave, instead you bow (to show respect).

*People do not typically hug…even close friends.

*A lot of individuals wear face masks (covers from the nose, down) for protection of sickness.

*Children usually sleep with their parents until the age of 5-6.

*Everything takes a long time to get here! Wifi takes about two weeks to get someone to come hook it up. A used car takes about a week to get because paper work has to be filed with the government first. SIM cards for phones take about 10 days to get.

Food:

*Rice, soup and a meat are served with almost every meal. Most meals you will find lots of veggies!

*Flour and some dairy products are more expensive here because there is not a lot of land to farm these items and a lot of it is imported. Thus increasing the cost.

*There are NO ovens. You can buy an American sized oven for around $2,000. The microwaves here are bigger and act as a microwave and small oven to bake small portions.

*There is: KFC, Subway, Mc D’s, Pizza Hut.

*Some of the big types of food are: Japanese, Italian, Chinese then so on.

*You do not tip here. Workers are paid well enough and most likely will not accept tips.

Cars:

*Some gas stations have people who pump your gas for you and wash your windows (no tips).

*Some gas stations have the pumps coming from the ceiling.

*When buying a used car, it is normal to not look at it before buying it. People will not sell ‘junk.

*There are two ways to buy a car: through a dealer or an online auction.

*For cars, you have to pay yearly taxes ($60 for a small car, $400 for a big <guesstimate).

*Every two years you have to have an inspection which costs roughly $500.

*There are many good used cars because once a vehicle goes over 60,000 miles people consider it too old.

 

Entertainment:

*Some TV channels you can change to English with the touch of a button

*At the cinema most Hollywood films are in English with Japanese subtitles.

Living:

*One story homes are not common because Japan does not have a lot of land which causes most things to be close or built up.

*There are NO dryers here. You wash your clothes then you hang them. I have found it better to use softener with my clothes and will be doing a lot of ironing.

*The sun is usually down by 5-6pm and up around 5am. In the summer the sun sets at 7pm. (Curtains are a must have!)

*A lot of bedding here consists of a ‘futon’ which is a thick mat on a floor with a thinner mat on top that you sleep on. Most people will have these and fold them up in the beginning of the day so there is more room in the house.

*Houses are not very sound proof.

*You cannot park your car on the street, you must pull into your garage or driveway. You will be given a ticket if so.

In the Christian realm:

*There are not many Spirit-Led churches out of the few that are actually in Japan.

*There are no Christian stores or radio stations. The big beautiful churches here are just buildings used for wedding or events. As a business.

*Japanese culture is extremely respectful and they give God the highest honor but it is hard for them to have a casual relationship/strong friendship with God.

*From my understanding thus far, there are no radical lifestyles. People do not typically share their faith due to shyness or fear of being judge.

*In this culture I have heard it said time and time again it is important to build relationship and trust first before preaching gospel to someone (Biblically this is only part of the model that Jesus showed us).

*Most churches only have a piano and sing hymns for songs. It is considered  rare to have worship with a guitar and drums (The church we have gone to has those things).

*A megachurch here is 120+ members. The average size of a church is 20-30.

*The largest church in Japan is located in Tokyo with roughly 1,000 members.

*Gospel music is popular in Japan. Most people do not know what the songs are about.

*Non-Christians have no idea who God is or what prayer is. In America most people have a basic understanding.

Why Japan?

Hey there!

I wanted to share my heart about how Dan and I have come to make the life changing decision in moving to Japan. With the reality of leaving in a few weeks on a one way flight, nerves have begun to hit and speedy plans are being made. This has been an exciting/nerve racking adventure thus far!When we attended Christ for the Nations Inst. In Dallas, TX, we were sure we would attend the Leadership & Pastoral major. We would get our degree, work and serve in a church, become young pastors and live in a character home with a white picket fence (maybe a dog). The ‘Christian’ American Dream – win those to the Lord while making a huge success of yourself. We interned at YFN (CFNI’s Youth Camp). We were sure we would actually become youth pastors then later become pastors and capture all teenagers hearts with our testimonies about overcoming pornography and broken hearts. Once it was time to actually pick a major we decided we would pray about it. God led us to attend ‘Global Missions Major.’ My view of missions was wearing a grass skirt and living in a mud hut (I had no idea missions can be done in our own backyard!). We soon found I was pregnant with our first child and knew it would be too complicated to complete the second semester of GMM on the field with a four month old. After graduating, Dan worked at a financial company while we raised our son in his infant stage. Dan began dreading day after day staring at a computer screen. He knew he was to quit his job and we would continue in faith for the next step. That’s exactly what we did! He quit, we sold a lot and moved back in with Dan’s parents from Dallas to Houston, TX. Needless to say, it has been quite the transition with pros and cons. We found out my mother in law had breast cancer and thankfully we were here for any help she needed during her intense recovery. We had applied to go to a school called ACTS associated with IHOP (International House of Prayer) in Georgia. It would be three months state side training then three months on the field and after evaluation, we would make a two year commitment. We had everything paid for, money raised, plane tickets booked and items packed. On moving day we received a call that the school semester had been cancelled. Now what?! We were so confused on if we were hearing God right. In God’s plans, we are not the only ones that follow through… others need to as well for His will to happen. It ended up being a blessing for us! We truly did not need state side training and surprise, pregnant with second baby! (Not sure how it would have worked out in constant transition). We went back to the drawing board (prayer closet). By this time Japan was already on our hearts.

Japan: I am a dreamer. I have many dreams with lots of meaning and sometimes bring direction. One morning (November 2014), I woke up with *Tokyo* on my mind/heart. I thought maybe it was to pray for Japan. Then I started seeing Tokyo/Japan everywhere! That following day during one of Caellum’s baby shows, a ‘monster band’ started singing about Tokyo, Japan. Later I watched ‘Four Weddings’ (which I had not seen in years) during his nap. The winner gets a honeymoon to a romantic destination. Guess where this couple won?! Yup, Tokyo Japan! Every episode I have seen is all to Islands in the Caribbean… not an Asian country! Those are just two occurrences. Dan encountered a few people… one returned from a business trip in Japan, one was born in Japan, and one’s aunt was in Japan. We had things like this happen consistently for a few months. Then it all stopped. We knew we had to go. More so Dan did. God gave me the ‘vision’ and Dan has laid it out for us. I have gone back and forth with the idea but knowing it is the right thing in the end. I have felt I have let family members down or constantly hearing poor Caellum and next baby will not see his grandparents. Regardless, I answer to God and one day I will stand before Him and hold account to everything He asked me to do. I also refuse to alter my children’s destiny… especially if it is there for them in Japan.

Where are we going in Japan and through what church/ministry?
We will be in the most Northern island (the coldest!) called Hokkaido, in the city of Asahikawa. We will be under Dan’s parent’s ministry (Freedom Today Ministries) as our covering. One day Dan was at CFNI revisiting some friends of ours. He mentioned to them about our plans to go to Japan. His friend said you have to get together with this couple I know! Come to find out, they had lived two doors down from us most of our time at CFNI! They are a wonderful couple with two children and one on the way from Japan. They learned English and came to Dallas, TX to attend CFNI. After graduation, they would be moving back to their hometown of Asahikawa. Dan met with them and instantly connected. They had asked God to send an American family to come to Japan and partner with them. It was a true connection and we felt peace about moving forward. They will be our host family and help us as we get accommodated in Japan. Once settled in, we will all begin seeking God on His ministry for us to implement to His Japanese people.

As of now we are unsure of how long we will be in Japan. God does not always give the HUGE picture. He has given us a step at a time ‘plan’ and we are following the best we know to do. Dan is in Japan right now preparing the ground for us. He is finding housing, transportation, gathering pricing for our budget, building relationships and studying the culture. (That way we do not go in stressed or blind-sided). It has been extremely beneficial for our family!

Once arriving, Dan and I will be continuing to learn the language, explore around us, and learn as much about the culture as we can. We plan to have our second child in February in Japan. The father of the wife of our host family is the pastor of a church in Asahikawa. We will serve and be attending his church. Dan plans to also teach English and work any side jobs he can. God has given us both a heart to evangelize the Japanese people and bring salvation to many around us. In Japan, the gospel is accessible but most do not know this. They do not know the name of Jesus and that He died for them. Most are stuck in false religious acts trying to pay their way, cleanse their sins and be accepted into the after-life for being a good person. We want to help bring Kingdom culture to those around us and shed light with the hope and love of Christ.

Be encouraged that YOU can do whatever God has for you. Do not allow excuses or time to hold you back from His voice and destiny. We only have this time on earth to reach lost souls and bring His hope to others.