Yuko San - Part II :)

Hello All!

I wanted to update you on how my lunch date went with Yuko San and Manami San. IT WAS AMAZING!!! God was in the center of the conversation. God is working so hard in Yuko San's heart and she is like a sponge, trying to soak as much up as possible. I told her that she was an encouragement to me - who has been a Christian for 16 years! I told her that I wish Christians in American would act like she does and she has not even accepted Jesus yet. She is taking the steps to fully understand and then she will be ready to take that next, very important step.

She had many questions about what she had read in the Bible so far and other questions like - "How long am I supposed to pray?" Some questions do not have exact answers so it was hard, but God provided the right things to say. She also was wondering how she would feel when it was time to ask Jesus to come into her heart. She can barely talk about Jesus or the Bible without crying. She is so moved by what she is learning. She is already telling many people at her work and her family about Jesus. I answered all the questions as best as I could and Manami San was able to translate everything. It was so awesome! It is awesome to see God working right in front of you!

This is what ministry is all about!!!!! Even if this was the only good thing that came out of my time in Japan - which is by not the only good thing - everything would have been SO worth it. To see God working, to touch some one's heart, to be so encouraged! It is so worth it to give a few months of my life up and live in Japan for a while.

Thank you so much for your support! Please pray for Yuko San. When I told her that many people in American would be praying for her she started crying again! :) She is an amazing lady. I told her I want to take her to America and use her as an example to other Christians!

Have a great Sunday (it has ended for me)!
Amanda

Yuko San

Hey,

I would like to ask prayer for Yuko San. Yuko is a new comer to church. She has been coming to Shonan Church for about a month now and she is there every Sunday and Wednesday. She has not missed yet. She is seeking God's will like no one I have ever seen. She wants to believe and it working so hard at figuring out what God is all about. She has been reading her Bible every day (more than most Christians I would assume) and she finds pure joy in the songs in the hymn book. It is nothing flashy for Yuko San; she only wants to find Jesus and be happy! She has been living in a lost world for too long and she wants out.

I am getting ready to have lunch with Yuko San and another lady from church, Manami San. We are going to spend a couple of hours just fellowshiping together and talking about our Maker. I am really looking forward to it! Please pray for Yuko San and pray for the people in her life that are able to show her Jesus. God is going to do amazing work like He always does!

This afternoon I am going to meet with my supervisor about what the plan is for the rest of my time here. I am not feeling too optimistic about it, but I GIVE IT ALL TO JESUS!!! He is the only one who can lead me in the right direction. Whatever happens I trust that He is in control. I will let you know as soon as I can about what is going on!

Thank you for your prayers and support!

Another great week in Japan!

Hey Bloggers! I hope this post finds everyone well! I have had a great week in Japan.

The English Bible Study on Tuesday went really good. The students seemed to enjoy it. I introduced to them a new way to do a Bible study and then used the passage I had chosen for the day to explain how it works. They were excited to use it and they were happy they could use it for any scripture they were reading. One of the ladies is seeking God and she said after the class that she now understands who Jesus is more so that is what it is all about, right?! God has really blessed my time here!

The cooking class was a blast! We did end up making zucchini bread. The ladies were so excited about it and it turned out good. The meal we had after the cooking class was very Japanese so the ladies all loved it, too! This is my favorite time with the ladies of the church. The atmosphere and so great and they love getting together and chatting about anything and everything. I am so glad I am able to attend this class!

Today is a day off. I spent the morning playing with Una - my homestay's granddaughter. She is almost one so it was not quite playing with Spencer, but close enough. :) I am so blessed! Well, my visa expires in about 10 days and I am still not for sure what is going on. I should know in about 24 hours so I will update when I find out. Let's just say that there was a change in plans and I may not be going to where I thought I was going so stay tuned for that! haha

Hope you all have a fantastic day!

Ministry the Past Week

Hey everyone! I am sorry I have not been updating lately! I need to make that more of a priority. The past week or so has been really good! I had English class week and it went great. I have led two classes now and everyone really seems to enjoy it. My first class was very challenging to the students, but they really enjoyed it because they are not used to it. They were able to learn a lot about the US and learn a lot of new words. I promised them that the next class would be easier so I decided to play Scattergories with them. I intended it to only last half of the class and then move on to something else, but it ended up lasting the entire class! They had a blast with it and they were still talking about on Sunday! It was a great game to have fun, for them to learn a new game, and for them to learn new words and how to spell them correctly. On Sunday, someone came up to me and said - I have a tv show that starts with an "s" - Spongebob Squarepants! And it would have been two points!! haha They had a lot of fun. After each English class there is a short chapel message. It is usually a good time of sharing and learning more about eachother and from eachother. I always enjoy this time!

This week I am leading the English Bible study! I am excited about it. The pastor will not be able to attend so he asked me to do it. I am really looking forward to see how it goes. I hope I get to do it more later on! The cooking class is also this week! I am so excited about it too. I have only been able to attend one class since I have been here, but it was a blast last time and I am sure this time will be even better. Belva Kotlarczyk (my connection with Japan and SEND before I came) leads this class and I think she is making zuccini bread!! It is going to be great!

I am awaiting my approval to stay for the second three months. My Visa expires in about two weeks so I should be finding out this week if I am staying or going. No matter what I have to leave Japan at some point to renew my visa. If I stay in Japan for the second three months then I will leave for about a week to another country - probably Taiwan. If I do not get approved then I will be home in two weeks. I am pretty sure I will be staying, but nothing is final yet. Please pray that I will get to stay and I will be able to reenter Japan without any issues! Thank you so much for all your prayers!

Love,
Amanda

As close as I will get to the Ozarks for a while!

This is a station that I pass thru a lot and evey time I see it, I think of the Ozarks. So one day I took a picture of it! I love it!

Off to camp!

Hey,
I just thought I would leave you with a quick update. I got back from my "vacation" on Monday and I have been getting ready to leave for camp again. Today, was my English Bible study. There were fewer people there this time. It was probably because of the holiday. However, it provided a great time for some one-on-one attention with the unbelievers. I really enjoyed it. I also received some great packages in the mail! They came from Nokie, Erica, and my family. Thank you all for the awesome packages. They made my day even better! Also, thank you to Aunt Betty who so faithfully writes to me! The letters mean so much! I have finished packing for camp and I will leave around 7:30 in the morning. It will take about 2 and 1/2 hours to get there so it will be a long train ride once again. It will be at camp for four days. I am going to be an English teacher and an assistant counselor. I am teaching first-level senior high students. I am really excited about the camp. Camp is always a great time for me and I meet so many great people. I will head back on Saturday afternoon. I am not going to take my computer to camp this time because it is too hard to carry everything with me so I wanted to give a quick update on what is going on. Pray for camp and the 24 Junior/Senior High kids that will be coming. It is going to be a blessed week!

Thank you for all your love and support. I will update about camp when I get back!
Love,
Amanda

Mt. Fuji

I know many of you have heard about my adventure climbing Mt. Fuji. It was quite the adventure and I am so glad that I got to do it! I am not sure if I would ever do it again, but it was a wonderful time. I went on Tuesday(8/11) with 4 friends. We started climbing the mountain about 8 at night and arrived to the top at about 3 in the morning. We started early so we could make our way up to the mountain at a slow pace and not be rushed. It worked pretty well for all of us. All 5 of us arrived at the top so it was a successful trip. Once we got to the top we rested for a while and ate so food. Then it was time to enjoy the sunrise! It was beautiful!!!! The pictures will not begin to show the beauty of God's creation. We stayed at the top for a few hours just resting and enjoying the scenery. We then began to head down the mountain about 7:30 or 8. It took us about 3 hours to get down the mountain. The worst part of the whole trip was the WIND and the COLD!!! It was freezing and then the wind just made it so much worse. During the trip up the mountain it was all I could do not to get blown off the mountain. It was kind of scary, but I tried not to think about it too much! The wind actually blew me over once and my knees are proof of it! haha All in all, it was a great time and I did better than I even thought I would. I am so glad I got to experience it. Enjoy the pics!

Caleb, me, Tariho, Brandon, and Alisha before we started climbing.



Brandon, Caleb, me, Tariho, and Alisha after we arrived to the TOP!

Me, Caleb, and Alisha passed out at the top! haha

The beautiful sunrise.

Tariho and I in the clouds!

Pray for Me!

Hello Dear Friends,

I just want to send out a prayer request. I am exhausted!!!!!!! I am sure it is a combination of many things. It is very hot here and most of the day there is no relief. I am sure the stress of just EVERYTHING is weighing on my body. I am not able to rest at night. I sleep about 7 to 8 hours a night, but I am tired much of the time. So please pray that I can get some rest. I am headed to my supervisor's home for the week. A friend and I are going to housesit for his family while they are on vacation. I always am able to relax and get great rest there. So pray that is true for this week. I am frustrated because I am not doing so much that I should be tired, but I am exhausted. So just pray for my body that it can rest so that I can do the Lord's the best I can.

Thank you so much!
Amanda

It is a HOT Friday in Japan!!

I do not think I will ever appreciate A/C like I do in Japan. When I am in a house with A/C, it is a miracle! haha I never really thought that homes in Japan would not have A/C. I just assumed they would. I mean Japan is a well developed country with many people, right? Yes, but they do not have A/C like we do in America. Most homes will have a unit or two, but it does not quite do the job that central air does. haha However, I am very thankful for a roof over my head and my own room where I can have some privacy.

Yesterday, I had English class again. I always love the days when I have class so that I can continue my relationships with the members. Mr. Ichimura went with me to English class so he heard the gospel again. He also brought a friend who had not really heard the gospel before. So it was a good day. The members of the class always love to hear about America and how Americans do things. They sometimes are shocked at the differences, but it is fun to learn about the different cultures. I really enjoyed it. After English class, I started home. This journey consisted of a 10 minute walk to the station, a 10 minute train ride to the next station, and then a 30 minute walk home. I could ride a bus instead of walking from the station to home, but I enjoy the fresh air and exercise. Plus, it is less stressful for me because I always just pray I am getting on the right bus! haha A couple of time I have not, but I have always figured it out. Mrs. Ichimura came home yesterday afternoon from her vacation so that was nice. We cooked dinner together which is one of my favorite times of the day because I learn so much in the kitchen and it is good bonding time!

Today, I am going to attempt to write my newsletter for all my supporters. We will see if it gets done! ;) Then tonight, Mrs. Ichimura and I are going to dinner in Yokohama with some friends. Hopefully, it goes well! I hope you all have a great day!

Happy Birthday Kaylee and Claire!

Today is a very special day that I am very sad that I am missing. Kaylee is my amazing niece. She is turning 5 today! Claire is one of my best friends and my long lost sister! She is turning the big 21!!

This is Kaylee and me. This picture was taken Spring 2009 and she has already grown and changed so much! Kaylee, you are so very, very special to me! I am so glad that I got to live with you and your Mommy and Daddy for over a year because we now have a bond that cannot be broken. Even though you are not my daughter, you taught me how to love! I never knew I could love someone so much until you came along, Kaylee Girl! I can only imagine how much I will love my own children. I miss you more than you will even know. I cannot believe you are already 5. That is a whole hand! You are an amazing girl and will one day be an amazing lady. Thank you for loving me no matter what! Love, Aunt Mandy

This is Claire and me. Claire and I met at church. We bonded over a pillow on a 16 hour trip to Corpus Christi in March of 2006. That was one of the best weeks of my life! We made so many amazing memories that week and it was the start of a great friendship. Claire, you may not know this, but you were one of the first people to really inspire me about missions. I remember you telling me that you had given your life to missions and I thought well that is great for her, but not for me. haha Little did I know that I would be in Japan 3 years later! I am so grateful for our relationship. You know like not many people do and you love me anyways! Your family has meant the world to me the past 3 years. I love all of you. I am excited to see where God leads you in the years to come. You are going to make an amazing nurse/doctor (where ever you decide to stop at. lol)! God is going to use you in a mighty way. Thank you for all the laughs! Thank you for all the support! Most of all, thank you for your inspiration and love. Miss you so much and see you soon!

This is Claire and Kaylee. They love each other!

Japanese Cemeteries

So because my family was in charge of taking care of the Bado Cemetery, we all pay more attention to cemeteries than normal people. :) So, I love looking at them in Japan. They are interesting to me. Because of the lack of space in Japan, virtually everyone is cremated. People do not have a choice usually. So the lots are smaller than the cemeteries in America. Also, there is no grass! No mowing, Dad! Wahoo! haha Here is a picture of a cemetery I pass on the way from my house to the station in Chigasaki:

I know that not many people will find this interesting and some may find it really weird, but I thought it was interesting so I shared it.

Most things are going good here. Today was prayer meeting at church. I always enjoy this time because it is an intimate setting with a few people in the church and we are able to get to know each other better. Meg (the pastor's wife) and I went into Yokohama and ate at Friday's and did some shopping. It was fun to get to know her better. I have started on my gifts for everyone and their brother back home! haha I really enjoyed buying the them today though! Tomorrow is English class. Mr. Ichimura (the person I stay with) is going to come to English class and he is going to even bring a friend. This is another opportunity for him to hear the gospel. When I asked him if he enjoyed church last Sunday, he said, "Yes, church is always nice, but I have a hard time understanding God." Please pray for him as he has many opportunities to learn about God. Thanks again for all of your love, support, and most of all PRAYERS. I think I may not have lasted 6 weeks if was not for them. Love you all!

A Blessed Weekend!

This past weekend was amazing. I had two very fun filled days that were very different from each other. On Saturday, I met up with a missionary family and spent the day with them. We spent time in Tokyo for a while and then traveled to their home for some good conversation. Then, we headed over to one of their friend's homes to enjoy the attraction for the evening - FIREWORKS. The fireworks were a little different from America, but it was pretty close. They were really pretty and it was great fellowship. After the fireworks, I got on a train for a two hour ride home and arrived home about 12:30 am. Long day! haha However, it was a great day!

On Sunday, I went to my church in the morning and Mr. Ichimura came with me so that was a blessing. After church, we had lunch at church with other members. I am finding that bringing a lunch and eating it at church after the service is very common here. In the afternoon, I went with a friend to an English church service. It was an amazing blessing! The pastor and his family were from California. It was an international church so there was people from the States, China, Africa, and Japan of course. There may have more by I am not sure. There was a worship band and they did a great job with the worship songs. The message was great and then they had a dinner afterwards, too. I met a lot of great people. One girl, Eriko, is actually moving to Missouri in a year because her fiance (an American) is working in Kansas City. She was so excited to meet someone from Missouri! haha

Today has been cleaning day and catch up day. I am getting ready to work on my newsletter so that will be coming out before the end of the month. So I just wanted to update you on my great weekend! Hope yours was as good as mine!

No cattle to be seen, but a bag of feed?

To the average Southern Missourian this -




would be none other than a bag of feed. Not in Japan. This is how some buy their rice! As I helping prepare dinner tonight, the person I am staying with took a bowl and scooped rice out of this bag and then put it in the handy dandy rice maker and a few minutes later, you have the best rice ever! haha I wish I could bring back the rice, rice maker, and rice scoop with me!

Today was a fairly good day. It was very cool with a nice breeze so that was good since I did some walking. I went to the station today to do some shopping and then took the train to church. I spent a few hours at church talking and spending time with the pastor and his family. Yamanaka sen se is the pastor and his wife is Meg (for short). They have three kids: Yuki (5), Kohki (3 on Sunday!), and Koto (1). It is two boys and one girl. They are a great family so I enjoyed spending time with them. I then walked down the BIG hill to the station to catch the train, but also took a detour to the post office. By the way, this was first time to the post office and I went by myself and I do not speak Japanese! AND the postcards and packages got mailed. Am I good or what? haha I also received letters in the mail. THANK YOU AUNT BETTY!!!!!!!!!!!! The letters were great and I hope to write you a letter in the very near future.
I then came back home and had a wonderful time of prayer and Bible study. Dinner wonderful. At least it was better than last night when I had to eat raw tuna. Yum! haha It was not that awful just wrong. :)

Tomorrow I am going to met up with some friends and spend the day with them. I am so excited and if the weather permits, fireworks is on the agenda for the evening. On Sunday, I will attend my church for worship service (and Mr. Ichimura will be coming with me so that is good news!) and then I will go to an English church service in the afternoon. Yamanaka sen se's wife, Meg, introduced me to a girl named Mari. Mari teaches little kids English. She is married to an American and they attend an English church service so I am looking forward to that. I will also help Mari in the next month or so with her English classes. English is popular to learn in Japan, but there is a need for native English speakers.

Well, it is almost time for bed on my side of the world! Hope you all have a wonderful day!

Gomen Nasai

Gomen Nasai is "I'm sorry" in Japanese. Sorry that I have negelected this blog in the last week or so. However, I have good reason! haha I was at English camp at Okutama Bible Chalet. First, was the kid's camp and then the adult camp. These two camps of been the highlight of Japan so far! It was an absolute blast to minister to the kids. I was an assistant English teacher for the kid's and I filled in wherever necessary. It was nice to not be really in charge of anything, but able to observe and learn more about the Japanese people. There were 60 kids there and several of them recieved Christ by the end of the week which is a huge blessing. Many of these kids come from very spiritual dark homes where they do not see or hear anything about their Maker. It was sad to see the realities of Japan, but it is good to understand why ministry in Japan is so hard.

A few hours after the kid's camp ended the adult camp began. Yes, I was tired, but it was so worth it. I enjoyed the Adult camp even more than the kid's camp. I was an English teacher and an assistant team leader. The adults were so excited to speak and learn English, but more than that their hearts were so open to hearing the gospel! A few of the adults that came to the camp were Christians and it was a humbling experience to watch them talk with the non-Christians who were seeking. The Christians spoke with such bravery and gentleness. They wanted everyone to know what God had done for them. During the team time (where the campers split into groups and discussed the messages) many of the Christian campers took over the discussion and were probably more effective than what the missionaries would have been! It was great to see God work. He was working in each camper's heart! Again, I enjoyed learning more about Japan and the spiritual warfare that exists in the this country. On the surface, it may seem like Japan has it all together. Many people know that Japan is not a Christian country, but I think that many people do not realize the spiritual darkness this country is in! Once you break the surface and really look into the lives of the Japanese people, there is so much hurt!!!! There is no one to explain this hurt to someone who has not experienced it firsthand. I still have a hard time putting my mind around it! Japan is a HURTING nation that needs to know our Lord, but thier hearts are so hardened that they are not letting Him in. Please pray for Japan! Pray that God will move in this nation and people will begin to seek Him! Enjoy the pics!

3 girls at the kids camp

The infamous Riku! He was in too everything, but he was so funny!

Mogu - she was in my English class and she was so sweet!

Chie and Me - Chie attended the Adult camp. She is a seeker, but feels a lot of pressure from her mom to become a Christian. She feels like if she becomes a Christian it would be giving into what her mom wants. Please pray for Chie.

Me and Rika - Rika was in my English class. She is a sweetie. She attended church, but we believe she is not a Christian. Pray for Rika,too.

Shinto Festival

This weekend marks a holiday in Japan and it is very visible all across the city. Monday (July 20th) is the Day of the Sea where the Japanese celebrate the god of the Sea. All around the city there are stings of lightening bolts. These bolts are the symbol for Shinto much like a cross is for Christianity. They usually are seen in groups of four and households or businesses put them out for the festival. They look much like this:

The couple, the Ichimuras, I am staying with are both very excited about the festival and will be joining in on the festivities. I will be at a church retreat and then heading to camp so I will not be able to observe. Please pray for Japan on Monday as the celebrate a god they believe gives them things from the sea. Today we visited the beach where much of the festivities are going to take place and prayed upon that place. I am continue to pray for Ichimura San as she puts of bowl of rice on the alter each night. Please join me! Here is a picture of us at the sea to give you a face to put with the name.

Thank you for all your love and support and remember the Japanese this weekend as they are serving a god that protects them from the truth not protects them from evil.

Here's My Life

I felt like sharing a song that has really spoken to my heart while I have been in Japan. It is by one of my favorite artists - Barlow Girl. Eventhough, I am dealing with being in Japan better and better each day does not mean that every day is easy. This song has really spoken to me and reminds me what is important. It is called "Here's My Life"

"Once again I said my goodbyes
to those I love most
my heart feels that familiar pain
as I long for hope
cause this road is hard
when I feel to far

And God I'm crying out tonight
cause I've given you my life
but I'm tired and I'm missing what's behind
so once more here's my life

On the day that you called my name
all that I knew changed
I found when I said yes
that I would never be the same
Though the call is hard, you are worth it all

And God I'm crying out tonight
cause I've given you my life
but I'm tired and I'm missing what's behind
so once more here's my life

Even when the tears are falling
when I find I fear the fear calling
you remind me
words you've spoken over my life
promises I've yet to see
you comfort me

And God I'm crying out tonight
cause I've given you my life
but I'm tired and I'm missing what's behind
so once more here's my life"

God speaks to me through song pretty much everyday so I thank Him for the gift of song. I also thank you for your love and support. I know that I have many people rooting for me! I have heard so many positive things, though hard to believe, they still help me! So thank you!

Love,
Amanda

Great times in Yokohama!

Hello Blog friends! I hope this all finds you well. Yesterday Miho (my friend that is staying with me right now) and I went to the Bible study. It was a good time of fellowship with church members and then we met up with two of Miho's friends that were in Yokohama - Nat and Zum. They showed us around Yokohama and we ate at tgiFridays and Starbucks! Yeah for some American food! It was great to get to know more people. We came back for supper at the Ichimura's which was also good.

Today we had another English class. There were 10 women there and 5 or 6 were non believers so it was wonderful time of fellowship. I am looking forward to meeting with all of them again. They had a potluck lunch for Miho and me. It was all amazing. It was funny how Japanese food tests better after having American food yesterday! haha This afternoon Miho and I took a 2 hour nap! Now we are getting ready to eat Korean BBQ with the Ichimuras.

Last night as Miho and I were helping Mrs. Ichimura prepare dinner, she got a small dish of rice and took it into another room. I asked Miho what it was for and she told me the alter. Mrs. Ichimura took it into the alter and gave it to the gods. Apparently, the god was not hungry because the rice was still in the bowl after dinner and she threw it out. Miho and I can both sense evil in this house and it is scary. I am scheduled to be staying in this house for the majority of my time in Japan. While I am more comfortable about it now, I am still a little concerned. So please pray for the Ichimura's. They are obviously non-Christians, but the pastor claims they are open to the Gospel. Pray that I a will be able to influence them in a positive way and they will begin to come to church. There is quite a bit of a language barrier between me and them which is frustrating, but pray I can show them Jesus! The only light in this house is Miho and I. However, God is bigger than the enemy and He has already won the battle!

Love,
Amanda

English Bible Study and Tomato Ice Cream

Just wanted to give a quick update tonight - Today was my first English class. It went very well. I shared my testimony and then the students asked questions about me, my testimony, and Christianity. It was a great time of fellowship and people seemed interested in the Bible not just English! Afterwards, I was invited to go to a concert and to dinner with other members of the class. They took me to a nice resturant in the tallest building in Japan! For dessert, we had ice cream and one of the flavors was tomato. Now if you know me really well, you know that my least favorite food is tomato and my favorite food is ice cream so I could not decide if I liked it or not. I ate it, but I will not pick to eat it again! However, it was an experience.

Things are going much better! I am feeling all of the prayers and I am so grateful for all the love and support that is coming from the States and people in Japan. God has protected me and provided for me and He will continue to do so. Thank you all and keep praying!

Love,
Amanda

Update

Well, it has been an interesting couple of days. On Friday, the pastor's wife and I went to a kids English class for the their children. It was a good time and I may have an opportunity to help in that class in the coming weeks. Also, the teacher and her husband go to an English church service so I am hoping to attend it soon.

On Friday evening, I switched to a new home. It was a very, very hard adjustment because the couple speak VERY little English. They try, but most of the time I have no idea what they are trying to tell me. I decided that I needed to take a break from everything new and different and come back to the short-term coordinator's home. I was able to talk to him and his wife about everything that was going on and it was good to talk to people who know and understand everything I am feeling. I am hoping a few things will change to make things a little easier, but we will see what God has in store. I have been at their home since Saturday afternoon and I have been a completely different person. Life is so much easier here!! Last night the coordinator's wife and I went out to the mall and walked around for a bit. I also had the best night of sleep I have had all week so that was a blessing. Today, Sunday, we went to their house church. It was a great time of fellowship with other believers. One of the members brought a friend that was on his way back to the States. He is living in Kentucky now and he was back in Japan visiting. After the service he was headed to the airport to get on the plane. I kind of wanted to go back with him! haha

The plan for know is to head back to my church tomorrow. I am hoping that things will be different because to be honest I am sick just thinking of going back. It is has been a hard road, but I will try my best to get through it! Next week is English camp!! I am really looking forward to that.

Thank you for ALL of your prayers. I know many of you know my situation and many of you are praying. I am sorry if I feel like I am complaining or something, but this is really hard and it helps some to get it off my chest and to know people are praying for me and rooting me on!

Love, Amanda

God is AMAZING

It is has been a good couple of days in Japan. On Tuesday, I was able to get a lot of things done on the computer like updating things and putting my pictures on-line. Many people commented on how much they liked them so thank you for that. Wednesday morning was prayer meeting at church. It was a good time. The pastor told me that I did not have to attend because it was all in Japanese, but I wanted to go anyway. I am so glad that I did plus one woman was able to translate enough of what was said into English so I could follow along. Something interesting I have found that is even though I do not know much of the language I can still pick up a few words and have a good idea of what the conversation is about. That is nice because other wise I would be totally in the dark! Anyways, at the prayer meeting, there was a small group of women at the prayer meeting and we took our time reading through the first two chapters of James and discussed what we thought was most important out of each chapter. It was a wonderful time to share our heart and get to one another on a more personal level. We then shared prayer requests that we had. All of these women do not have Christian families and many of their husbands are not Christians so it is very hard to practice their faith without ridicule. It was a wonderful two hours and I am looking forward to it next week!

Yesterday (Thursday) was a blast!!! My friend Belva came to the church to do her cooking class. She comes once a month and holds a cooking class for women. They come and learn a new recipe that is usually from the States and then they have a meal and try out what they made! The women love it and it is an amazing outreach to women who do not know about Jesus. There is also a short message that tells about the Gospel. Yesterday about 17 women came and over half of them did not go to church. In Japan that is a great turnout for an activity at church! Afterwards, Kagawa San, a woman who attends the cooking class but not church invited Belva and I over to her house. It was a wonderful time of fellowship! Kagawa San, and her friend Kohgo San, wanted to know all about Missouri and where I was from. Kagawa San had an atlas and we marked where I grew up, where Bado was at, and where I went to school. The four of us talked for a couple of hours about church, the States, Japan, Michael Jackson, and Bush vs. Obama. Haha As you can tell it was an interesting conversation!! Please pray for Kohgo San!!! As soon as she walked into the church for the cooking class I could tell that she was hurting. She is searching for Jesus and she is almost about to find Him! Belva and I were able to minister to her and she was so receptive. I think she will be saved before the six months is up!

After we left Kagawa San’s home, Ito San and I met her sister and brother-in-law for some Korean food. Well the Korean restaurant was closed so we ate Chinese. However, this was Chinese like I had never had!!! It was a very nice restaurant where we had a 7-course meal!! I had so many things that I had never had that I cannot even remember it all! I had some type of jellyfish, cuttlefish (an octopus-like creature with 10 legs), pork, shrimp (the only thing fried), crab, shellfish, and Chinese tofu. Everything was actually good! It was very expensive and it was an experience that I probably will never have again. It was amazing. We then went over to Ito San’s sister’s house for fellowship and to watch their pictures from their recent vacation. They just got back from Hong Kong to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.

I am sorry this is so long, but there was so much I wanted to tell you! Thank you for all your e-mails of encouragement and prayers! God is going to do great things in Japan!

More Pics

Me and Big Buddha



My Church. This is where they have service, Sunday schoool, and dinner!



Ito San's house where I have been staying my first week here.




Me on the beach in Kamakura City





Me and Tweety. Those who know me well will like this photo!!

Be sure to check all the blog. I posted 3 times today to catch up.

Picture Time

Alisha, Miho, Me, and Tadi at the Imperial Palace after our 3 hours prayer walk!


Me at the Imperial Palace



Tokyo




My futon bed that I will be sleeping on much of the time in Japan





My first meal in Japan - Japanese curry, much better than Indian curry!

Why is the food cold and the drinks hot!

That is one of the many questions I ask myself as I sit down to a meal in Japan. During the summer many of the Japanese dishes are served cold. Well, I tend to like my food HOT. The hotter the better. But in Japan, I may not get that!

I have been in Ofuna, which is where my church is located, since Friday. It is a beautiful city that is built in the mountains. I am staying with a woman who attends the church, Ito San (Mrs. Ito). She is very gracious! She has opened her lovely home to me for a week. She has prepared a lot for me and she even let me call home! I was thrilled and so was my family.

Sunday was my first church service at Shonan Nozomi (my church). The people were very excited to meet me! They greeted me with open arms and tried their best to speak English to me (which is more than I can say about my Japanese!). Yamanaka sen se, the pastor, prepared for me, too. He had all of the songs for me in English so I could sing along and he recorded the message for me in English on his iPod so I could listen to it while he spoke in Japanese. During Sunday school a translator joined my class to help me follow along with everything. I have been asked to join the youth class. Regularly, there are 2 boys and 2 girls. They seem to be great kids. They all come from Christian homes. After church, there was a welcome party for me. The food was all very good. Everyone introduced themselves, but I do not remember many of their names. At least, I may remember what kids go with what parents. All in all, it was a good day.

Yesterday (Monday) I went to Kamakura City with Ito san and her sister. It was about 30 minutes away by train. We walked much of the time once we got there. Kamakura is a popular destination for tourists and it is famous for its shires, temples, and the Big Buddha. It was very nice town and looked like a good place to go shopping. We also visited the ocean. It was very windy and cool, but it was pretty. It was good to get out, but a very tiring day. There is not much planned for the next couple of days so I hope to relax and prepare for camps. I am going to be a helper at the Junior English camp and a teacher at the Adult English camps. They begin in 2 weeks and they are both at Okutama Bible Chalet.

Please continue to pray for me as I continue to adjust to Japan and everything that is new. It is has not been an easy transition, but God has a plan so I just need to keep the faith.

Love,
Amanda

In JAPAN!

Hello! I am sorry it took me a while to blog from Japan, but I have been pretty busy getting settled in and recovering from the flight. However, I made it perfectly fine and everything is going fantastic. Tuesday (the day I arrived) I rested most of the day. Wednesday I was able to stay in the house and me and the other two girls who are going through orientation with me went through some information to prepare us for our time in Japan. Today we went to the Imperial Palace in the center of Tokyo and did a prayer walk for all of areas in Japan and then we went to the oncen (public baths with hot tubs) and ate sushi. Today was very tiring, but it was all good experiences.

I am staying with the SEND short-term coordinator and his family. He and his wife have 5 amazing kids and their house is wonderful. They have provided for us very well. The two other people going through orientation at the same time are Miho and Tariho. Miho is very Japan and she is going to Bible college in Canada. She is here for a six week internship for her school. Tariho is from Michigan and is also attending Bible college in Canada (a different one than Miho) and is here for 6 months like me! We are all at different churches, but we should be able to keep in contact while we are all in Japan.

Tomorrow we are going to hand out tracks at different shrines and temples and then head to the
SEND Center here in Japan. We will spend the night at the Center than head to Okutama Bible Chalet for the SEND family conference. We will be there until the end of the week.

Thank you so much for your love and support! Keep praying!

Love, Amanda

On my way to California!

Hello! Well I finally left Missouri last night about 9:00 PM, only 2 hours late. Unfortaneatly, I missed my connecting flight in Denver and had to spend the night in the airport! What a night! I will be lucky if this is the only time I will be in an airport overnight with all of the traveling I will be doing in the next 6 months. I should be boarding my plane to Sacramento in about 30 mintues and then on my way to see Jacinda! I am excited to spend time with her.

My flight are final for next week! I am leaving Sacramento at about 8:oo AM on Monday, June 22nd and should arrive in Tokyo about 12 hours later (but really it will be about 26 hours later because of the time change!). That will be a fast day. I am looking forward to the next week and what it holds.

Again, thank you for all of your support (prayer and financial). I will update once I am in California about how it is going and more about the last few days.

Long time, No blog!

Hello Blog Followers! I hope this finds you all well. The past few weeks have flown by and I cannot even begin to describe them! God has blessed me time and time again. I will leave for Japan on June 22nd from Sacramento, CA. I will fly to LA and then a 12 hour flight to Tokyo. I will be leaving for CA on June 16th to visit my friend, Jacinda. I am excited to see her and spend time in California. Then, off to Japan to serve my Jesus. When I arrive in Japan, I will stay a few days with a missionary family and then head to Okutama Bible Chalet (the Bible camp) to attend the SEND Family Conference. This conference is a yearly event where all of the missionary families in Japan can get together. That will be a great experience to get a good idea of what is done in Japan. Then, I will travel to Yokohama to start my work at Shonan Nozomi Christ Church. I will spend a few weeks at the camp during the summer, but I will mainly be at the church.

God has provided ALL of the funds for the trip. I knew that HE was the only one who could do it and HE pulled through BIG time. My benefit sale on Saturday could not have went better. I was able to raise (with the help from family) $2200!! I wish I could share with each and every one of you how God has confirmed this call again and again in my life. I thank each and every one of you for your generous giving, but most of all your PRAYERS! I know that I am lifted up by a lot of people and without the prayers nothing would have been possible. Thank you for believing in me, but most of all believing in God's Mission!

I will blog before I leave for CA, and then from CA! Pics to come. LOVE, MANDY

6 Weeks and Counting!

So I have a pretty good feeling that this is going to be a great week! The past weekend was eventful, but good. I went home for Mother's Day, however, a storm hit southern Missouri and caused widespread damage so my parents were without power (like most others!). so that always adds a bit of adventure. But the power came on not TOO long after and the weekend turned into a good one. I hope and pray that my mom had a good day! It is always excited when all the kids and grandkids are in the house.

This week is finals, but for me it is really just A FINAL. I am very lucky this semester and I only have one real final! So by 10:00 on Wednesday, I will be done with school. I picked up my cap and gown this afternoon so everything is ready to go!

On the missions front things are quickly approaching! I have a love offering on Sunday at my home church. I also have two more churches lined up to speak at. On June 6th there is a benefit yard sale/bake sale at Simmons Baptist Church in between Houston and Cabool. All the proceedings will go to my trip so that will be a busy day and week leading up to it! Also my family is planning a going away party (and birthday and graduation) on June 7th at Bado Community Church. It will be a day to celebrate with friends and family.

I will be leaving for Japan on June 22nd. My roommates and I are moving out of our apartment on May 24th so I will be living at several different places for several weeks! Before I leave for Japan, I am going to fly to California to visit one of my best friends that will be living there. So I will be leaving Missouri on June 16th, but not the country until June 22nd. So the next 6 weeks are going to BUSY, BUSY! Hope I get everything done! :)

Daily Bible Study

Hello Everyone - I just wanted to share with you where I spent my daily Bible study a couple of days ago. I went for a run/walk on Saturday morning and as I was walking I popped in my Ipod and turned on some Hillsong. The song that struck a chord with me that morning was called "To the Ends of the Earth." I felt God's Presence so much at that moment and I felt the urge to get my Bible out of my car and sit on a bench and do my Bible reading. This is where I sat:

And this was my view:

The pictures do not really do it justice, but if anyone would like to visit this park, it is Nathaniel Green Park on Scenic in Springfield. It is one my favorite places to workout. I am usually not a nature person, but I am able to appreciate God's wonders so easily here.

The words of "To the Ends of the Earth" are:

"Love unfailing

Overtaking my heart

You take me in

Finding peace again

Fear is lost in all You are

And I would give the world to tell Your story

'Cause I know that You've called me

I know that You've called me

I've lost myself for good within Your promise

I won't hide it, I won't hide it

Jesus, I believe in you

And I would go the ends of the earth

To the ends of the earth

For You alone are the Son of God

And all the world will see

That You are God, You are God"

Where will you go for Him?

Trinity Freewill Baptist Church

This past Sunday I had the opportunity to share my need with Trinity. The current pastor is Donnie Wells and he was the past at Bado for several years. It was such a blessing! I never thought I would walk out of the church feeling so encouraged. Just the service itself was a blessing. Donnie allowed for people to sing any special songs that they felt led to sing and then there was a wonderful time of testimony. I spoke for about 20 minutes what was on my heart and it was well received by the congregation. I also had the opportunity to speak with a young girl who surrendered to missions last year. She is a junior and college and so far ahead of where I was at when I was her age! I am proud of her and I do not really know her! It was a blessed night!

This coming up Sunday I am sharing with my church in Springfield, Hamlin Baptist. This church is near and dear to my heart so I am excited about telling them what is going on. I have already shared with them several times, but they are going to take a love offering this week so pray about that.

Yesterday SEND contacted me and asked if I could be IN Japan by June 22nd. There are other short-term missionaries arriving at that time and that week is the SEND Family Conference and they want me to attend that. I, of course, said yes! So that is overwhelming that I am actually getting a date set! I am behind on my support raising, but I have decided that if I do not raise the full $19,000 (which I have faith I will by the time I leave) I am going to stay until my account is empty. Also, my second newsletter should be mailed out next week so be looking for that!

THANKS FOR EVERYTHING!

Less Wise, More Stressed!

On April 8th, I had my wisdom teeth removed so I am officially less wise! The following few days were very uneventful with little complications (besides a minor allergic reaction to pain medication and numerous nauseous moments thanks to other pain medication). I am on the road to healing.

School is winding down. I graduate in less than a month!!!! I am SO EXCITED! I can't believe that 4 weeks from today I will have a B.S. in Criminology and a B.S. in Sociology with a minor in Psychology! All the work has paid off. I will also be inducted into the national honor society for Criminology and Sociology due to my grades in each respective field. I am pretty proud at the moment! :) I am not sending out invitations (thanks, MOM!! lol) but my graduation is at 10:00 on May 15th and EVERYONE is invited.

Preparation for Japan is rolling on. I am starting to get prepared by gathering things I will need to take and thinking about what I am going to take. I have several support raising opportunities coming up. Please pray for these opportunities. I am working on my second newsletter so it should be coming out soon. I would like to thank everyone who have given! It has been a blessing and I am excited for each and everyone of you to be a partner with me in my mission to Japan. Everything about Japan is starting to come to a head and I am beginning to get stressed out, but I am putting full faith into to God's will and He will provide what I need. He knows the struggles and the road blocks in the way and He will open doors that needs to be opened and close others. However, as you are praying this week, pray for my preparation and that I make the decisions that God would want me to make and I continue to stay in His will!

Here and Now

This past weekend I was supposed to lead a young, teen girls group in a Disciple Now weekend, but due to the death of my grandmother I was unable to fulfill the commitment. My wonderful friends, Jenni and Claire, filled in for me and it was a wonderful weekend. I thought the material for the Bible studies was really good so I have decided to study it in depth on my own. It focuses on the HERE AND NOW. The main theme is Joshua's life.

The first lesson is challenging people to live in the here and now for Jesus. I think this is a wonderful message and I can really apply it to my life right now. Many times we are searching for God's will in our lives and when we figure it out we wait for it. For instance, God's will may be for someone to get married and have a family. Well, they wait to truly live for Jesus until that occurs. For me, I feel God's plan for my immediate future is to tell Japan about Him for 6 months. Well, I find myself putting my testament to Christ on hold. I am not looking for opportunities to work for Christ now. It is like I am storing all of my Christian energy for Japan. So I challenge you to find something you can do NOW. Someway that you can serve Jesus today and tomorrow and the next week. Don't wait for God to revel His plan for your life; don't wait for some major event to happen. God won't reveal His plan for you unless you are working towards it. He wants your help in His kingdom, so give it to Him!

Thank you for all of your love and support! I have been truly blessed in the last couple of months!

The Past Several Weeks

I am horrible at this blog thing! :) I don't take the time to do it right. Maybe that should have been my New Years resolution! haha

Well, support raising is going well. I am speaking at churches every weekend I can. The response is still awesome! Last week I spoke at Bado (my home church). It was a fantastic opportunity to tell my story to people that know me so well and let them know what part they played in my life! Hopefully I was able to encourage and challenge them. For next couple of weeks, I am not speaking at churches. This week I was supposed to be doing a Disciple Now weekend, but my grandmother passed and I will be with my family. The next weekend is Easter and I am getting my wisdom teeth out a few days before Easter so I figured it was not a good idea to talk for any length of time!

As I mentioned previously, my grandmother passed away. She passed away April 1. Her name was Edith Delaney; she was my mom's mother. It is a very sad time in my family, but how much I wanted her to be with Jesus. I am so grateful that we have the promise of eternal life with Jesus if He is in our hearts! What a comfort it is for me and my family to know she is know resting my Jesus' arms! Please keep my family in your prayers, specifically my mom, Nancy, and her two sisters, Judy and Betty. If you would like to read me about Grandma, you can visit my cousins blog. It is on my sidebar and it is titiled Heart Prints. She is much better at blogging and writing! Thank you for Melissa for your memories (the tears they have caused) and the pictures!

Ministy Updates

Hello! I hope everyone has had a good couple of weeks. Well, I was not able to speak at Bado due to the weather that weekend. I also had to reschedule my appointments with individuals, but it is all coming together. I went down this weekend and I spoke with everyone I had appointments with and I spoke at Bucyrus Baptist. It was a great weekend with a lot of positive interaction. Everyone seems like they support me and I really feel blessed with the positive feedback I have received from everyone.

This next weekend I am meeting with individuals and have a dessert party with my family. I will be able to see everyone at once and share with them my plans. I am looking forward to that. On Sunday, I am scheduled to speak at Southside Baptist. My cousin, Melissa, attends Southside so she was able to hook me up! Thanks, Melissa! My weekends between now and May are pretty busy so it should be an interesting time.

I spoke with the Assistant Director of SEND in Japan last night! It was exciting to speak with someone who was actually in Japan. He wanted to talk with me about some specific information. I have been approved to work with a church in Japan for the time I am there so that is exciting. I have a little bit more information about it so it is nice to see everything coming together.

Well, that is the nuts and bolts of what has been going on the past couple of weeks. I am half way through my last semester in school! I cannot believe it!

Praying for NO SNOW!

This weekend I am traveling to my hometown and meeting with two families in hopes they will become financial partners with me. I am also speaking at my home church, Bado Community Church. There is supposed to be some winter weather this weekend so pray for safe travels and good attendance in church so I may reach as many as possible! I am excited to see how the good Lord leads!

Also, I am sure there will be a million people to thank along the way, but one has been brought to my attention! My brother-in-law, Eric (Kerry’s hubbie), has deemed himself my IT manager! He has helped me tremendously in the tech department by assisting in the newsletter and prayer card. He is a busy guy, but he loves me! Thanks, Eric!

This next week is mid-terms and the next two weekends are full with fundraising so it will be busy! Wish me luck!

じゃまた。 (Ja mata) See you later!

In my personal devotions I am in Psalm. I have really been enjoying each Psalm and I am encouraged by David’s rejoicing even in the darkest of time. David supports the fact that no matter what situation someone is facing, God will always be there to fall back on. Throughout the entire book of Psalms this is mentioned again and again.

My favorite Psalm so far is Psalm 30. I am not for sure if it just really applied to what I was going through the night I read it, but every time I have read it after that I fall more and more in love with it. It is 12 verses, but I am going to type it all out so you can get the full effect of it now.

Psalm 30 (NIV):
1 I will exalt you, O Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. 2 O Lord my God, I called to you for help and you healed me. 3 O Lord, you brought me up from the grave; you spared me from going down into the pit. 4 Sing to the Lord, you saints of his; praise his holy name. 5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. 6 When I felt secure, I said, “I will never be shaken.” 7 O Lord, when you favored me, you made my mountain stand firm; but when you hid your face, I was dismayed. 8 To you, O Lord, I called; to the Lord I cried for mercy: 9 “What gain is there in my destruction, in my going down into the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness? 10 Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me; O Lord, be my help.” 11 You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, 12 that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever.

There are so many things in this passage that the reader can point out, but to spare you from reading all of my thoughts I will only mention a couple of things. God’s favor does last a lifetime. Even though we are so unworthy and even though we are sinful every day, through Jesus we are blameless in His sight! He has given us the victory, too! Even when we are in the darkest times, God is right beside us. He is with us through thick and thin, like a best friend (only better!). He is our foundation, even if we fall into the pit. We fall into His arms if we have Him as a firm foundation. So whatever struggles you are facing today remember that God is right beside you and He cares. He wants to provide comfort and turn your wailing into dancing! And if you are doing pretty well today, don’t forget to praise His! Praise His Holy name if you are in the pit or on the mountain!

Allison

I love it when God uses other people to minister to us! I love to see His faithfulness in action! Last Saturday I was walking out of Wal-Mart (my least favorites place!) and I saw a table set up with some merchandise on it. I noticed the sign on the table said, “Teen Challenge Women’s Ministry”. This intrigued me because women’s ministry is my heart and my passion! So I walked over and started talking to a young woman who was standing at the table. Her name was Allison. Allison had been a meth addict for 7 years until she found her way to Teen Challenge Women’s Ministry. Through this program she has been off of meth for 6 months! Praise God! She obviously still has a long road ahead of her. Anyone who has ever been addicted to anything knows the struggles that lay ahead of her. However, she has let Jesus take control of her life. Her eagerness was shown by the simple “Good Mornings!” she was yelling across the parking lot even when it was freezing and spitting snow. How many of us would be so eager to show Jesus’ love and hope in this type of setting! I think many of us would view this as an obligation, but not Allison. Her newness in Christ allowed her to be an effective witness for the Kingdom. I ask you to pray with me for Allison. She has 8 months left in the program before she is done. Pray for her strength to finish out the program and her strength for when she leaves. Pray for her relationship with Jesus Christ. Pray that the relationship only strengthens and she is able to reach many people for her Jesus. Pray that God sends accountable people her way so she has a strong support network to help her through the low times and rejoice with her through the victories!

Teen Challenge Women’s Ministry is a program for women 17 and older. This program takes in women who have life-controlling situations like addictions, eating disorders, depression, and self-mutilation. The women stay at the program for 13 months and during this time the women are taught how to work through their issues by first focusing on God. They are also taught how to deal with their situations and learn life skills that will stay with them after they leave the campus. This program is free of charge for the women who come to the program. There is not one yet in Missouri, but there is one in Arkansas and over half the women in Arkansas are from Missouri so there is real need for on in Missouri. There are also these programs directed towards men and there are five men facilities in Missouri. Pray that the funds are raised to begin the program in Missouri and it has the same success other facilities have. Praise God for people who are willing to develop these programs for women who are hurting and Praise God for giving these women the willingness to admit their weaknesses and seek help in a Christian setting.

My dream would be to work at one of these facilities! I know of several different programs around the country that offer these types of services to women who are hurting. Like I said before, my heart is for women like Allison, women who don’t know where else to turn, women who feel like all hope is lost. There is an answer and there is hope! His name is Jesus! During these hard economic times these programs are flourishing! Many people are giving their time and money to help women in need so let this be your glimpse of hope for the day!

New Look!

Thanks to my wonderful sister, Kerry, my blog has a new look! Thanks!

I have been pretty busy the last week, working on a lot of missions things. I have my first newsletter done and my prayer cards are almost done. My newsletters will be coming out this week or next. My prayer cards will be at every speaking event and then if you decide to become a prayer partner, you will also receive a prayer card. Things are definitely picking up! Also, as you can see to the right of my blog, I am starting to speak at churches. In the next couple of weeks, that schedule should be pretty full (if it is God's will!) Kerry has deemed herself (much to my pleasure!) my fundraiser manager! She has a lot of great ideas and is working hard everyday to get things done. We are ordering prayer bracelets and making some neat prayer key chains to sell. The bracelets are going to be $2 and I am not sure about the key chains yet. There are also some different fundraiser parties in the works. My mom, Kerry, and good friend Claire are working on those. Also, I am getting ready to have a get together for most of my family. Through this I can reach them in the masses! :) So, hopefully, the next couple of months are going to be busy with fundraising and hopefully God will see fit to bless these efforts.

I am so grateful to family and friends (and even some people I didn't expect) to step up and really put an effort in helping me. I could not do this without you guys and my life would be a lot harder. May God bless you for giving your time and money to His purpose!

CSI: Springfield

The pictures above are: Dumpster - The Crime Scene, Wallet - The Offender, Hand - The Accomplice, and Me - The VICTIM! When you add this up you get a mess! So there I was, an unsuspecting citizen, when I had to do something I NEVER though I would do - dumpster dive! I was going about my normal busy day and was taking out the trash. Sounds like a no brainer, right?! No, not for Amanda! When I threw the trash into the dumpster, I also threw my wallet in! I then had to proceed to jump into the dumpster (which was empty except for a little trash, a dead animal, and a lot of yuck!) to retrieve my wallet. Then, I had to use ALL of my strength to lift myself out of the pit of grossness. So, moral of the story - don' throw away the trash! :)