February/March/April Update!

こんにちわ!!　みんな！！ or Hello everyone, in English :)

So sorry everyone for this super late update on whats been going on! I had meant to actually send it after my Birthday in March, but just forgot about it :S My Apologies! But here i am now giving you an update on everything that has been happening, and I have to tell you, I have a LOT of things to update everyone on so this might be a long one, but PLEASE read to the end, a lot of BIG things happening and I'm very excited to be apart of it!

Campus Ministry

So in February and March, the school year was ended and Spring vacation was going on. But though I was not on campus for those 2 months, surprisingly I was very busy meeting with students that I already knew. Whether it was from our planned events or just me meeting up with students to have lunch with, I was always moving each and everyday or every other day, so it was still very busy and tiring. But I'm thankful to God that he has finally revealed to me people who were interested in the Gospel, so I'm always happy and joyful to share with them even at the cost of food or even my own well being. It has also been a challenge trying to answer the questions that come at me and my colleagues, but through the grace of God and the leading of his Holy Spirit, we've never had a problem answering even the most difficult questions. I think for us here in J-house, we're always given the attitude of "Plus 1" everyday. So we want to work hard to see the plus ones happening for Jesus.

So now in April, My Colleagues and I are back on Campus, but now we only are on once a week. Reason being is that we will be busy with more things to come within our weeks, and Pastor Katsuya doesn't want us to be burnt out. But that doesn't mean we're making campus ministry less of a priority. Its actually even now more urgent for us to work hard and talk to more students since our time on campus has been changed.

J-House and J-Soldier Ministry

So our team has changed yet again. 2 of our team members have went back to their respective homes to pursue other goals and other opportunities. And as we have already bid them farewell, we have gained 2 more team members, from Korea and from Texas. Actually, the Korean person served here for a year and 7 months and only went back to Korea to finish off his schooling. But he's back now and we are thankful for his willingness and heart to stay in Japan to do ministry.

Also have entered a new season of serving, within J-house and outside of it. As I have talked about in the last email, we had plans on planting 2 new churches in the cities of Kobe and Kyoto, and everything has already been under way! We started in Kobe and we had a few Pre-worship session first to get our hearts focused and ready and now just yesterday we had a our first real worship service! and it was great! We actually go out in the streets of Kobe to do street evangelism for about an hour, then we take whoever we find (if they are willing of course) and bring them to the place we hold the worship service. Sounds simple, but in reality, still very difficult. But we trust God will bless our efforts and use his Holy Spirit to lead people to him as we proclaim his word! We also have these churches so that students that we talk to on campus that live in the areas of Kobe and Kyoto can come with no difficulties to worship. We have also just done Kyoto on Saturday too, doing the same thing and we got at least 5 new people there also! It's exciting and I'm happy to be apart of the great plan that God has in store for Japan! Please pray for these churches as we work towards leading people to Christ, that Jesus will use our efforts to build his church!

Also within J-house Osaka, my Duties have changed also, I am now the leader of a GT group (or Cell group). This particular group is the foreigners group in J-house, so Christians that have come from different countries who reside in Osaka and come to J-house. The Vision of the group is to be able to shine as Christians from different countries in Japan and evangelize and make disciples of the nation using the fact that we are foreign as a tool for that. I have just started leading this group so please pray that the Holy Spirit will lead me with a sound mind and heart.
I also am starting to work more closely with the kids groups, doing English songs, stories and games with them every Sunday, now THAT is a challenge, well maybe for me if you know me well lol. But I think i'm getting the hand if it...ALL FOR JESUS!
 I also still lead worship once a month for wednesdays worship nights, and with Kobe and Kyoto, I'm leading at least 2-3 times a week. But now and get this, and I never knew that it was possible, but I now play drums lol...on  a regular basis (maybe 2 to 3 worship sets a month). It seems that they were looking for drummers, so they asked one of the Jesus soldiers who, before she left in march, played drums to teach some of the J-Soldiers to play drums....and I was one of them. It's actually not as difficult as I perceived it to be, and I actually enjoy playing drums. Hope hearing that makes you happy Sid lol.

I am also still discipling a few members of the church, its been going well. I currently have 3 that I am discipling; 2 Japanese and one american who just recently joined the church. Pray that we will all be able to grow and move forward in our faith.

Other Activities:

As with other activities, I still have been working out. I caught a cough and cold a few weeks earlier so it kind of stifled my progress, but I have since gotten over it with a few days of rest and have gotten back in the swing of things.

The English classes that I have been leading with my colleague is still going on. the day has been changed from Tuesday to Wednesday though and my colleague and I have kind of taken a break and given the responsibility to the new  J-soldier. Not to say that I didn't like teaching the class, but we felt that it was better for him to take it because he's experienced and has english teaching credentials, so naturally it would be better.

As for learning Japanese, I just started to get back into my tutoring. I took a break for a month because all that was happening with the 2 new church plants and some other responsibilities which get priority. But since getting back into it, I hope to learn and have it stick in my brain (I hope).

Upcoming Events

We will be having a few more mission teams coming to J-house to help us out this coming summer. I think about 3? Starting this coming May, CFC from Chicago will be sending a team for about 15 days. The rest of the teams, I dont know the dates yet. Pray that God will use them in ways they never thought and that they grow a heart and compassion for the country and its lost peoples.

Also, starting next week will be my vacation. My colleagues and I will have a good weeks rest :D

Prayer Requests

- for the students that I have met and befriended this semester and the last, 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 My colleagues and I to continue to be faithful to our jobs as missionaries. and to grow with each other through the Spirit and grace and love of Christ
- 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 church plants that we are going to do. Pray that God will lead us and help extend his church to other cities so that the Gospel will exponentially grow within Japan! We REALLY NEED YOUR SUPPORT! We need all the spiritual support we can get on this one, because we know we cannot do this on our own for sure! and if you are moved to want to support financially also, you make donations at the J-house website: J-House website. We want to be able to partner with all of you Spiritually and prayerfully through this!
- For a revolution in Japan! for spiritual eyes to be opened in Japan and that the 0.5% of christians will increase!
- For God's plan in my life, that things will be revealed for me in the upcoming future

Again I just want to thank you all for the support you have been giving me! I have to say that without all of you I wouldn't be able to live here both spiritually and financially, seeing that Japan is very Spiritually dead and very expensive to live in. It would be very hard to live here without your prayers and financial support! I am able to be content in all that I do and simply because God has provided me with you all. Also wanted to say thank you for all the Birthday wishes, I'm 32 years old now, but its funny. Everyone here still thinks i'm about 23 or 24 :D, I may be 32, but I'm still feeling like a 20 year old and still ready to move forward! Again please continue to pray for all that is happening here, you are a part of this also! Also I will be back in July/August for the special "it was a long time comnig" wedding! lol so I look forward to seeing everyone and updating you on my exploits in person!