Tadaima

We are back in the states, recovering from the exciting yet exhausting time in Japan. Please continue to pray for health for us as we return and face entering back into U.S culture. Please continue to pray for the connections we made with students: 1. that they would continue to stay in contact with us and with the local missionaries, and 2. that the Holy Spirit would soften their hearts so that they would enter into a relationships with the true and living God.

We are so thankful for all your support; whether prayerfully, financially, or through personal encouragement. Thank you so much. We will post sharing dates at a later time.

Arigatou Gozaimasu.

~ AndyMo

Update from Rachel (day 18)

So we have been in Japan for 18 days now and
there have been plenty of new experiences that I have had the opportunity to
experience. Some things we have been able to do have been: going to a Hokudai
(university) festival, speak English at Hokudai English club, fold and pass out
flyers to the public, meet some of our new friends at Yosakoi (dance festival),
attend some of the churches here, learn about the Isle of Man in Europe, go to
karaoke.

There is a whole different culture here and
therefore a whole different way of relating and the difference in the culture between what I am use too and the way the
people live here, social life, and the influence of shame on someone's
decisions and life. There is kindness and community in the culture but it
also seems like it is very superficial at times just like in America when we
ask each other how the other is doing and we simply say "fine" and
then continue on with our lives. Someone can easily be over looked and it
is our decision to accept that mundane answer or to be intentional and be the
person that can make a difference in someone's life by loving people as Jesus
loved.

Here are a few of my observations while being
here.

Observations: Japan

-the driver
sits on the right side of the car

-the car
drives on the left side of the road

-the toilet
seats are heated

-face masks
are worn in public places

-many
people walk or ride bikes from here to there

-the water
is so cold when it comes from the faucet the faucet has condensation on it

-bowing is
appropriate when meeting and saying good bye to an individual

-most homes
have a glass porch where the exchange is made from shoes to slippers

-from 7th
grade through High School uniforms are required

-smoking is
allowed almost anywhere; restaurants, school, children are exposed to it as if
it is normal

-the curbs
are small so cars and pull in and out of practically anywhere

-what
little land people do own is transformed into beautiful gardens as small as
they might be

-subway is
a main way of transportation and there were many men in suits with brief cases

–while on
the subway people would have a little book that they would either stand and
read or if there was a seat available sit and read

-while walking
through the subway a mother was sitting on a bench with her arms wrapped around
her child and she leaned over and was rocking him. When seeing this to me
it showed the great love and affection that a mother can have for their child.
I thought it was a beautiful thing.

-Rachel

Photos: days 1-3

Day 1

Bibles, bikes, and bathhouses…

Today was our first full day in Japan, and boy was it exciting! We had the wonderful opportunity to join the OMF Hokkaido center in their bi-annual day of prayer and fasting. We did not stay for the entire time, it was decided that it would be best for us to participate for half of the day because we are still getting over jet-lag after having just arrived last night! It is still so unbelievable that we are already here! Well, we began by reading through 1 Thessalonians 1, focusing on the grace of God: the unwavering, unceasing, and very astounding grace of God. We also sung Amazing Grace. As the words of that hymn filled the room, and the voices of the worldwide church rose up to worship our Lord (while there were only about 30 or 40 people in attendance there were Christians from Germany, New Zealand, Singapore, Brazil, Britain, the US, and more) I was overwhelmed by the reality of the truly amazing grace of God.

Through many dangers, toils and snares...
we have already come.
T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far...
and Grace will lead us home.

The words above were the words that stuck out to me. I remembered the difficult semester that each one of us had gone through, the difficult past few months that many of our friends have gone through, the difficult year that the worldwide body of believers have endured, but besides remembering the tears and the struggles God showed me the triumph that he has had in my life, in our lives, and when faced with that reality I could do nothing but rejoice (and shed a few tears). We then lifted up the OMF missionaries all over East Asia, Europe, and the West as we read through the booklet of prayer requests and praises on each country, and rejoiced with them in the triumphs that they have witnessed and the powerful displays of the Holy Spirit moving and working in their lives and the lives of the community that they work with.

We then took a moment to read through 1 Thessalonians 2, and we prayed over each country that the Christians there may be able to live strong lives in the spirit of Power that the Lord grants us even in the face of such intense opposition. The room lifted up our brothers and sisters in Singapore, Germany, Canada, North Korea, and Malaysia (to name a few). It was an awesome experience to say the least.

It was then about 1 in the afternoon, and we did what anybody would do after spending a few hours in the morning in prayer, we went to the Onsen (aka the public hot springs bathhouse). Well, we went to lunch first. The constant anxiety associated with the upcoming visit to the bathhouse worked up an appetite I suppose. It was a great time to chat with the missionaries Karen and Dale that we will be working with, along with a newlywed couple that has come up to work with us. THEN we went to the Onsen. Can you say “awkward”?!?! Well, it was, at first. Basically you walk into a locker room, strip down, and walk into a room full of baths of varying temperatures with different minerals in them. You have a small towel that you can take with you. There were a ton of people in there (don’t worry, separate rooms for men and women) but the walls soon came down. Let’s face it, in situations such as that, one MUST embrace it because you really have no other choice. It was a great cultural experience not soon forgotten, and actually it was kind of fun… kind of. There really is nothing like sitting in a hot yellow colored bath with people you just met, or even perfect strangers. Nothing like it.

Prayer Requests:

That we would be Christ centered and saturated in prayer

For divine appointments as we spend our free days in Sapporo

That we would be bold in our proclamation of the gospel while also remaining wise and culturally sensitive

That we as a team would encourage and love each other and the missionaries we would be working with

Thank you so much for your prayers and encouragement, both throughout the semester and up until this point!

---

A.W

Made it to Japan!

We made it to Japan! Thank you for your prayers.

Tomorrow = prayer with OMF missionaries, lunch, then a "cultural activity". It says ONSEN on the schedule...oh boy.

--

AM

Departure!

Hello dear friends,

The team will be departing for Japan tomorrow and we are soOo excited! It feels like this past semester has already been such an adventure and time of growth, it is so exciting yet it is a strange feeling to finally be taking off for our ministry destination. Please continue to be lifting us up in prayer as we begin this new stretch of this ministry process.

Prayer Requests:

• Safety as we travel to Japan
• Good comprehension and guidance in the airports as we transfer flights in Japan.
• Health and rest during our travels and the start of our ministry trainings in Japan.
• Bonding, patience, and fun as the team enjoys fellowship on the airplane, and maybe we will even get to talk to people on the plane!
• To quickly get through customs and pick up our luggage.
• For no lost luggage
• That God would prepare our hearts to serve in whatever capacity the Lord calls us to.

Thank you for your faithful support of our team, and for your love. May our eyes always be turned to Christ.

--

A.M.

$ Update

We are at 100%! Thank you all for supporting us!

12 day countdown...

Only 12 more days until we depart for Japan. Please continue to keep us in your prayers.

• Next week is finals and graduation: please pray for our studies to be balanced with our emotional, spiritual, and all other prep needed for our departure to Japan.
• Please continue to pray for our health and rest.
• Please pray for team unity; both interpersonal relationships and spiritual unity.
• Please pray for peace for our families as we depart for this 6 week mission trip. Support from our families is a huge source of encouragement.

Romans 12:

¹ I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. ² Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Gifts of Grace

³For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. ⁴For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, ⁵so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. ⁶Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; ⁷if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; ⁸the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Marks of the True Christian

⁹Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. ¹⁰ Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. ¹¹Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. ¹² Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation,be constant in prayer. ¹³Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

¹⁴Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. ¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. ¹⁷ Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. ¹⁸If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.¹⁹Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it^[i] to the wrath of God, for it is written,"Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." ²⁰To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head." ²¹Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Haiku by Michelle Apple

Sipping barley tea
Cranes in the expanse, praying...
Nihongo comes out

Prayer Request: Current Health

Please keep Team Japan's health in your prayers!

Finals is coming up and stress is heightened, which means our immune system is lowered. Our health is a crucial player in our preparation for the mission trip and rounding the end of the school year out.

Specifics:

-Stress level

-Healthy bodies: (Specifically Stomachs, Eyes, Heads, and Ankles)

-Rest/good sleep

-Healthy minds

-Love and patience in this time heightened stress

Thank you for your prayers!

Update by Rachel

Hello all!! We are just four weeks away from heading off to Japan. This is Rachel, one of the team members, and I wanted to share with you what we have been up to lately. The Thousand Crane Project that was talked about before is now on display on campus and it is a great reminder for everyone who is walking from class or going to study in the Library to keep Japan in their prayers as they nation is still going through a lot right now. I am really excited about going and I know God is going to do great things, cause when you think about He always does great things. The littlest things can have a huge effect on one persons life and though it may not always be seen by those who are doing missions work, there is comfort that reality of God working in a ll things. Already through preparing for the trip I have been blessed through all the people in my life that have been supporting me through kind words of affirmation, prayer, and financial support. I am having to put everything in Gods hands, the fact that I am going to Japan in the condition it is in, the relationships that are being built through the team, and raising the amount of money that I need to, to be able to go. I serve a great God and He does great thing all the time. Please keep Japan in your prayers as well as our team.

thank you Rachel Sornoso

The cranes are UP!

BIOLA COMMUNITY is PRAYING FOR JAPAN!

BIOLA community & friends folded 1,000 cranes, Senbazuru.

With each crane, we suggested that each student donate $2: one for Team Japan and one for CRASH relief efforts. This way we show that the BIOLA community is not only praying for Japan but also doing what we can for physical and spiritual needs.

We are in the process of creating a video to send to the Churches in Japan. If you have suggested churches, please send us their email address in the comment section (or email Andy).

Thank you to Ian Mayta who is working hard at making the video. Also, thank you to the Sugiyama Family of SLzJCC, DaWu, Ben, and Eva Dunbar for helping us fold, string, and/or hang the cranes. <3　　 ありがとう　ございます！

Team Retreat

The team just returned from our team retreat in Northern California. We did ministry with the international students at CSUEB ISF, Served the San Lorenzo Japanese Christian Church through cleaning the English chapel-side after a wedding, and we shared about our Japan Mission at the Fremont Asian Christian Church. It was a great time of fellowship with the Japanese-Asian Community in Norcal, Team bonding, and time away from BIOLA.

When visiting the Fremont Church, we felt so encouraged by everyone who talked with us and by the service. The children led worship and acted out an Easter Skit and IT WAS SO CUTE! After service, many people talked to us and encouraged us through kind words of support.

Thank you to all who came out to fellowship with us! <3 Personally, I felt so encouraged to see my family (yes, slzjcc/facc/CYA) come and engage with the team through fellowship and show your support in that way. You guys warm my heart.

More to come. Stay posted lovely people. :)

We're Official! :)

The Japan Team Mission trip was presented before the BIOLA mission board today (not the first time) and has been OFFICIALLY PASSED! PTL!

On another note, 50% fundraising is due April 20th. Currently, the team as a whole stands at 14% fund-raised. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we try to raise our funds.

Thank you for supporting us! Your love and prayers are deeply appreciated. Feel free to comment below with words of encouragement or how we can be praying for YOU! Our heart is for God to be glorified everywhere! So your prayer needs are important to us too. <3

May God be blessing you in your joys and trials.

-

A.M.

Senbazuru 千羽鶴

Check out the Thousand Crane Project, hosted by the BIOLA Japan Team!

https://sites.google.com/site/biolasenbazuru/

If you have further questions or would like to participate as a volunteer in this project, please contact Andy. <3

A Must Watch:

Blossom in Japan(english ver.) from Dear.Japan on Vimeo.

The perspective of a Japanese Citizen experiencing the Earthquake. A must-watch and a must-share.

1 John 4:10-12

¹⁰ This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹ Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹²No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

This is our Team Verse. May God be glorified in our love for one another, and in how we love on the students at Hokkudai.

--

Andy

1st blog

Welcome to the Japan Mission Team 2011 Blog Site! Please Stay posted for updates, thoughts, and experiences. Thank you for your support!