2025 Fall Update

The weather is finally starting to turn cooler in Tokyo, and by cooler I mean it’s not 95 degrees every single day. We’re finally dipping down into the mid-80s, and we’ve even had a few days drop into the mid-70s!

After sweating every day for the last three months, this is a welcome change. 🙂

Coming Home

I suppose the most exciting news that I can share with everyone is that for the first time in nearly 4 years I’ll be returning home to Chicago in December. I plan to stay in the Chicagoland area for three months in order to reconnect with family, friends, and my home church. Because I’m often asked about my experiences as a missionary overseas, I hope to share what I learned so far with others who are considering missions themselves. 

On a personal note, I’ve heard that a lot has changed in the States since I left. I’m curious whether I’ll experience the kind of “reverse culture shock” many other expats describe when they return home after years abroad...

Summer Interns

We had several short-term missionaries teams join us at Friday Terrace this summer. Some of them came through SEND, while others came through the connections Levi and Mayu have.

One group in particular, a church group from Kansas that Mayu is connected with, stands out in my mind as making a significant impact. The young adults in the group spent a lot of time playing with the kids despite the language barrier, and the kids really soaked it up. One of their favorite games to play is tag, and the kids always love challenging themselves by going for the 'athletic' foreigners. I know how awkward it can be to try and interact with kids/parents when you don't speak the same language, but I am a firm believer that if you have a willing heart and a little courage, you can make a significant impact here with us.

One highlight for me was when the team performed a few worship songs, complete with hand motions for the kids to follow. We sang together both at Friday Terrace and at our local church, where many of our friends came to watch. It was such a joy to see everyone interacting with each other through worship songs.

Birthday

Each year for my birthday I like to host a pizza party after Friday Terrace for all the families in the neighborhood. This year I gave a short message in Japanese about God’s love for us through Jesus' death on the cross for our sins. We invited a pastor friend to lead us in a few worship songs. The night was full of all sorts of blessings, and one in particular really stood out to me. 

Towards the end of the evening, my teammates Levi and Mayu presented me with a special gift that the kids helped to prepare. I was so moved by their thoughtfulness that I stood up to give them a hug. To my surprise, that simple gesture seemed to spark something within the parents and kids hearts, and one by one they came up wanting to be hugged as well. It turned into a beautiful moment that everyone really enjoyed. We even caught a few photos of it (below).

As many of you know, hugging isn’t common in Japanese culture, which made this moment even more special for me.

Everything Else

As for the other ministries I’m involved in, they’re moving along steadily. I continue to teach kids English at both Tsukushino Church and at Friday Terrace. In an effort to develop relationships within our neighborhood, Levi and I still volunteer at our local “Green Club” along with serving at our local Church. As a team, we continue to host Friday Terrace, Pancake Sundays, and a Tuesday Bible study. Life stays busy, and in the midst of it all I do my best to keep up with my Japanese studies.

If you’d like to read more about these common/regular updates, and you’re both a supporter and Facebook friend, you can join my Facebook group Here.I.am Japan. For those of you who can't, I have included a few more pictures of what my life has looked like these past ~4 months.

心からのメッセージ

日本の友だちのみなさんへ

日本で私が何をしているのか、そして何を書いているのか、不思議に思っている人もいるかもしれません。

今日はみなさんに、特別なメッセージをお伝えしたいと思います。🙂

まず、私は本当にみなさんのことを大切に思っています。この気持ちは、みなさんと一緒に過ごし、仕える時間の中で感じてもらえたら嬉しいです。

なぜ外国人の私がこんなことをしたいのか、そしてそれを楽しんでいるのか、今日はその理由を書きますので、よかったら聞いてください。

まず、私はクリスチャンです。だから、神さまは一人だけです。そして、世界のすべてを造られたと信じています。

また、神さまは、人と関係を持つために私たちを創られました。でも、罪によってその関係が壊れ、全ての人が神さまから離れてしまったと信じています。

その関係を回復するために、イエスさまが神の子としてこの地上に来られ、私たちの状態を教え、罪の身代わりとして十字架で死んだ後、復活し、私たちを救ってくださいました。

イエスさまを信じるだけで、私たちは神さまと正しい関係が回復して、本来の豊かな人生を学ぶことができるのです。

このことについて、みなさんに伝えたいことはたくさんあります。 しかし、今はまだその話を聞く準備ができていない人もいるかもしれません。いつか心が聞く準備ができたときに、ぜひ聞いてほしいと思っています。

だから今は、神さまの愛や、神さまがしてくださったことを、みなさんに「仕えること」で伝えたいと思っています。

イエスさまがこの地上におられたとき、人々に仕えてくださったように、私も人々に仕えたいのです。

ほとんどの人は聖書を読まないかもしれませんし、教会に行かないかもしれません。 でも、もし私がクリスチャンとしての愛を示すことで、みなさんが少しでも神さまの愛を感じてもらえるなら、それはみなさんが神さまのしてくださったことを理解する一歩になると思います。

Prayer Requests

1. Please pray for God’s protection over our team. Even though we generally experience peace and unity, we know that the stress of ministry can create opportunities for the enemy to sow seeds of division. In the absence of clear communication, the flesh often assumes the worst. We have been intentional about discussing the various challenges we face, and I would love for these kinds of healthy habits of communication to continue.

2. Please continue to pray for my Japanese ability to grow. I often feel inadequate speaking Japanese and I do not want my fear of failure to hinder me from trying. I may never speak 'good' Japanese, and in the midst of those times I want to remember that God's grace is sufficient for me.

3. Please pray for continued contentment in my singleness. I do not know what God has for me, but up until now I have always felt that singleness has been His will for me. The freedom I have in my time, responsibilities, and finances has been very advantageous to me as a missionary. If this is where He continues to lead me, than I want to continue to be at peace with it, and protect my heart from wanting something that is not in His will.