Just Put Me on a Plane!
That was pretty much what I was thinking at the end of last week.With language school complete I am now on campus more and taking on more responsibility. My first assignment was to plan our Friday BEST time for the week.
English game: Easy, that job goes to the summer workers; and they did great! They planned a word guessing game and we all learned the names and meanings of the Seven Dwarfs. Which was the hardest to explain in Japanese: Doe a deer a female deer... and green garden peas; put em together and what da ya got? DOPEY!
Now the tough parts.
First our usual location was taken so we had to choose a new place for our big group meeting. Not an easy task! This location ended up shifting three times through the week. With each change my planing team (me, Tomi, and Himeiji) had to re-plan After BEST. This after the original planning took at least 6 hours. After 2 hours I thought we were done and then it took another two hours before I could understand the problem that Tomi and Himeiji saw with the plan. So after four hours we were finally able to really start working. WOW!!!
And the toughest part, the part that made me feel like just flying back home. Trying to write a Bible discussion that explains the idea of God's forgiveness to students who have no background in reading the Bible. Add to that the different style of asking questions in a new culture and I was sweating over the study all week then searching at the last minute for someone to translate my English into Japanese and type in Japanese.
Luke 7: 36-50 was the passage we studied.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%207:36-50;&version=31;
As I sat in my group discussion my heart sank as the student I felt could most connect to the issue was unable to join in the discussion and then those that were involved seemed totally lost in the questions I had created.
Bryan spoke some very wise words to me when I arrived in Japan back in March and I cling to them many days. "What every you expect to see happen during your time here you can expect something totally different to happen." There are surprise around every corner and even a day off is not a day off because the challenges of a different culture don't take a break on your day off.
Yet I cling to those words because every time my expectations get shattered something even better comes about.
-Planing After BEST takes HOURS to complete = equals a great time with Tomi and Himeiji and an invitation to there apartment.
-The discussion that bombed? Despite everything a freshman girl in my group said: "Jesus says such amazing things to people, I wish Jesus would say something special to me." (Those are the kinds of words Jesus loves to hear and I believe He answers those kinds of requests!)
And that's just two small examples of the many things the Lord did this past week amid all my struggles and changing/failing plans.
So what am I saying?
That it is absolutely amazing to be at a place where I don't even have 1% of talent to really be able to offer here in Japan and yet God still moves in students hearts! It's not what I have in me but what God chooses to pour out through my agreeing to trust Him and come to Japan.
And with that fact in mind you couldn't drag me on to a plane now!
Thank you so much for helping get me, a humble, seemingly useless vessel, get to Japan; so God can show His Love, Power, and Faithfulness to these students in Japan and to all of us as well.
posted by Keith @ 11:54 PM
3 Comments:
Hey Keith,
God always knows when we need the most prayer. I had no idea what was going on with you this past week, but you've been on my heart and I have been praying for you each day that you would have strength and wisdom and plenty of encouragement. It sounds as though a difficult time was tempered with words of encouragement and the courage and strength to press on despite all the road blocks. Just because something is difficult doesn't mean it isn't exactly where we are supposed to be. I'm glad you didn't hop that plane:) God loves you Keith and he delights in you. Don't forget that!
Your Sister in Christ,
Jessica
I'm glad you didn't hop on that plane because if you did I would have put you right back on it little bro, because Utsu is where God is working thru you and with you right now and giving you more strength and wisdom than you realize that you will take with you the rest of your life. You are not 1%, but 100% capable and ready for this task! God is speaking thru you, even if it's currently more in English than Japanese, they are feeling your love and His love for them even if they don't know how to answer the questions. Maybe the bible study was as much for you as it was for the group. The woman didn't know what to say to her beloved Jesus, so she washed his feet with tears and showed him love and that meant more than any words could have said. I love ya and miss ya, and it's easy to feel homesick when plans don't seem to work out, but God has a greater plan yet to be revealed and I can't wait to see what happens. Hugs and kisses, SIS
Thanks so much for the encouraging words and prayers. Things have been busy here so it has taken me a while to get this response in here but believe me they meant a lot to me as soon as I read them. It is amazing to see how God prompts people to pray. I kept thinking. "I wish I had time to send a prayer note to my friends back home." Looks like prayer mail is stronger tham e mail. No surprise there though hun.
I couldn't do this without you!! Thanks so much!!!
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