It's been a long time since I've updated everyone, I'm sorry I couldn't get the chance to do so earlier, the last few months have been busier then usual, getting back into Campus ministry, preparing for retreats and especially this past June having another team from the US here for month and getting other events ready. It's hard to find time to relax these days so when I do get those times, I totally get lazy in writing my updates to catch up on sleep or read, or walk around Osaka to get refreshed. But I shall try and be more consist on a monthly basis with my updates, Hope no ones angry or nothing! anyway, on to business!
Campus Ministry
Campus ministry has been very very interesting to say the least since we started up again in April. We have seen God working in many of the hearts of students that we thought were unreachable at the time. And though it's a struggle everyday at times (keeping our energy and hopes up), I and the rest of the J-soldiers want to just continue to be faithful in the work that God has given to us to do. Right now, I have been keeping up with 7 or 8 different students from 2 different campuses. Sharing and ministering to them as much as I can and hoping that God will continue to speak to their hearts and open their eyes to Jesus. One in particular has shown great interest to the point of asking me questions initially and letting me know what he's learned while reading the bible (his own I might add) on his own. And though he is a student that I speak to about the gospel, I want to be able to also be a friend to him and go out of my way to let him know the love Christ has given, not just make him an evangelism project. So one day I went out of my way to walk him to the train station even though I wasn't leaving yet, and later on he thanked me for the kindness. I know we we're all given the task to preach the gospel everywhere we go, but I like to remind myself of 1 Corinthians 13:1 and Matthew 22:37-39 and continue to grow in love with the students that I have come in contact with and preach to. So really in the end, they aren't just students that I talk to, they're also my friends! So that's how I view them now. Past April and May we have seen many come to J-house, whether events or Sunday Worship, and we continue to pray to God that he will work in them. This past June, a mission team from CFC (Covenant Fellowship Church) has come from Chicago to help us out for a month. They have been a great help getting events and just expanding the campus ministry. It's been really busy since we changed up the schedules so that we could staying longer on campus to get to meet and talk more to students that we have met, and even meet new ones. But the last 3 months have been a real blessing and encouragement and I'm excited to see what will happen next!
Church and J-Soldier ministry
Things at J-house have also been very exciting. The past months we have seen many new comers (at least 30-40 a month), 4 people get baptized and 10 people get inducted as new members of the church. So it has been a major blessing! Also with the Mission team here our jobs have been a little bit lightened so we get to focus on a few other things right now. I and my J-soldier family have preached a couple of times to help Pastor Katsuya out. I can say though that I really don't have the knack of preaching infront of people, So only by the grace of God it was done well haha. In May, a few of the staff members of J-house and the J-soldiers went to a camp near Mount Fuji to relax and meet other churches and christians to fellowship with. J-house is apart of a network of churches called New Hope. They are from Hawaii and they have come here to plant churches in various parts of the country, most of the churches are in the Tokyo/Yokohama area. It was good to meet them and get to know that there are many just like us in Japan working for a revival in the country. I also met a former strongest man competitor/Dallas cowboy football player from Samoa named Pastor Joe Onosai. Biggest man I have ever met, won a super bowl AND the strongest man competition 2 years in a row, but has a great testimony and even greater passion for the lost.
Right now, The Chicago team is only here for another week, so they are working their hardest and doing their best to be stay faithful, and this Saturday coming up there will be a concert at J-house called Hope United, to raise money for those in the Tsunami/Earthquake disaster area. It's a Gospel choir music concert, and the members have been practicing very hard to get this underway. I will be playing bass and Guitar for a few of the songs. Pray that it will be a blessing to those that come through!
Also we have been continuing Street evangelism every Saturday. it has become a little bit more difficult to go out there and play music because we have been stopped a couple of times by the actual police this time. Though we praise God because everytime we have been stopped, it's always AFTER we're done for the night lol. But we're hoping that God will still continue to give us new ways if we're ever stopped before we can start.
Other Activities
As for my Extra activities, they remain the same for the most part. I have been continuing to study Japanese under the tutelage of one of the Church staff members. I hope to get my listening skills a lot more improved by the end of the year and start actual usage of the language for the next. But all in all I will get the language, or at least a good part of it, that is my promise ;). I have also started a new English conversational class every tuesday night. I don't really teach anything new, I just have the class so that those who want to practice their english have a chance to. So we really just talk about anything in our lives to start up the "lessons". I haven't been reading much lately, which I probably should get back into soon. If not, starting August when things die down a little bit. I haven't really had time to just relax at a coffee shop and read. But I hope that will change soon. oh yes in May I got my first visitor from Toronto. TJ came to visit me and it was really good to hang out with someone from Canada and just show him the ropes in Osaka. Even though it was a short time, I'm glad we were able to just chat and catch up with things (and be filled in with others lol). Sooooo if y'all have the time and money COME VISIT ME, is what I'm saying.
Upcoming events
For the Month of July, The Chicago team will be leaving on the 11th, but the very next day, a team from Orange County, California will be coming for the month, so we hope the transition will be a good one. We need to clean a lot of sheets in a short amount of time, so we're hoping things will be smooth and fast lol. Other then that, no real major events that I can really think of for the month of July. I'll let you know if there is later.
Prayer Requests
- for the students that I have met and befriended this semester, that God will continue to reveal Jesus to them. Pray that God will use his Spirit to lead them to Christ and Pray that God will Continue to use J-house and each member to do so.
- For Energy and strength each day, since rainy season has come around I have been experiencing a few headaches here and there, maybe because of change of weather and just constant business, also pray that I continue to keep my focus in check.
- For those members in J-house to grow spiritually, there are still a lot of baby Christians in J-house, pray for spiritual growth and maturity in the Gospel and for those to put the Gospel first over everything.
- For the mission team and their remaining time here. That God will continue to grow their hearts for the people that they minister to.
- For a revolution in Japan! for spiritual eyes to be opened in Japan and that the 0.5% of christians will increase!
Again I Apologize for the lateness of my update. I will try to update more frequently and consistently. Also Thank you for your donations in this endeavor. I know that this isn't only my ministry but given to all of us as a whole! So I thank you for those who have shown kindness through monetary support. It has been a great help especially during the past few months. Also I have heard about Pastor Brian, and I'm saddened by the loss. He was a real inspiration to me when it came to missions and I will miss him. But I also rejoice because he is with our Creator and Lord enjoying his presence and no longer suffering on this world. I also hope that the missions team for this summer will go well in the name of Jesus. As long as we continue to be faithful, no matter what happens, God will provide and work! A few pictures on the bottom on campus and within the church! enjoy!
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