Today we got back from the intern retreat. It was awesome!!! We were in Yamanaka Lake which is one of the five lakes that was created by Mt. Fuji 200 years ago. We were basically at the base of Mt. Fuji. It was so beautiful. The lake was spring fed so it was so clear and awesome! We went swimming in it for a few hours yesterday; it was quite chilly but still refreshing!
We left early Thursday morning and had a competition to see which teams could get there first. It was sort of like "The Amazing Race". My team tied for 2nd place with two other teams....there were only four teams total. :) When we got there Mt Fuji was behind us so at first we didn't know it was there. We stood there in awe of the little mountains around us and then we turned around and BAM. There was Mt Fuji. It was so crazy. We go back at the end of July to climb it and none of us can wait.
It was so good to just get out of the city for the first time in a month. A month doesn't seem that long, but to us, it has seemed like an eternity. The city is so big and bright we hadn't seen the stars in a month! And there are trees and flowers at the parks but it isn't anything like the nature we saw these past few days. We got to ride bikes and swing on swings from trees, and play basketball and volleyball, and just have fun. We fellowshiped and worshiped the whole two and a half days and it was wonderful. We all got closer to each other and now it feels like we are truly brothers and sisters. We are all energized and ready to go out in these last few weeks and give it all we got!
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Shinjuku Towers
Yesterday I took my volunteer group to the government towers in Shinjuku (a few stops away from where I live). The observation area is 45 floors high and it gives you an amazing view of Tokyo. You can see everything from up that high and it really put into perspective just how massive the city is. 33 million people live there and less than .5% call themselves Christians. It was almost overwhelming to see all the buildings and houses and just the mileage of ground. This city is absolutely gigantic and it seems like there is no way we can reach everyone. I had my team pray over the city for a while and that seems like all we can do really. We don't have the man power to physically speak to everyone in the city. It's hard to keep in the mindset that God is in control and that we, as humans, cannot change people's hearts; only God can do that. We are here to plant seeds and God will do the rest. That's what God has called us to do.
On a different note, yesterday was the first day I was lost in the city. I had never been to the government towers and I had no idea what they looked like, but I figured it would be easy to find them once I was there. One of my teammates was sick and the other had another assignment to do, so it was just me and five high school volunteers. I got them from our train station to Shinjuku just fine, but Shinjuku's station is insanely big! There are no really clear exits and it's so big that you have to choose the right exit or else you'll end up on the completely wrong side of the city. It's not like if you go out the south exit instead of the north you can walk around the building to get to the right area; if you mess up it's like a half hour correction time. Which is what my team found out. :) We walked around the city for a good 45 minutes trying to find the towers; everyone I asked for directions gave me a different answer. I called several other interns to help but without them being there it was hard to navigate. Oh, and another thing, you would think I would just have to look for two tall buildings...yea...Shinjuku is like the city for tall buildings. So we walked into about 4 or 5 buildings before finally a security guard practically walked us to the write buildings. Luckily my team was a good sport about it and didn't mind the extra exercise too much. Hopefully next time I'll be able to navigate the city better.
The volunteer group left today and I don't think I'll get another one for a week or so. We have an intern retreat to the base of Mt. Fuji next Thursday-Saturday so I'm really excited for that! Other than getting lost nothing much new has happened for me here.
On a different note, yesterday was the first day I was lost in the city. I had never been to the government towers and I had no idea what they looked like, but I figured it would be easy to find them once I was there. One of my teammates was sick and the other had another assignment to do, so it was just me and five high school volunteers. I got them from our train station to Shinjuku just fine, but Shinjuku's station is insanely big! There are no really clear exits and it's so big that you have to choose the right exit or else you'll end up on the completely wrong side of the city. It's not like if you go out the south exit instead of the north you can walk around the building to get to the right area; if you mess up it's like a half hour correction time. Which is what my team found out. :) We walked around the city for a good 45 minutes trying to find the towers; everyone I asked for directions gave me a different answer. I called several other interns to help but without them being there it was hard to navigate. Oh, and another thing, you would think I would just have to look for two tall buildings...yea...Shinjuku is like the city for tall buildings. So we walked into about 4 or 5 buildings before finally a security guard practically walked us to the write buildings. Luckily my team was a good sport about it and didn't mind the extra exercise too much. Hopefully next time I'll be able to navigate the city better.
The volunteer group left today and I don't think I'll get another one for a week or so. We have an intern retreat to the base of Mt. Fuji next Thursday-Saturday so I'm really excited for that! Other than getting lost nothing much new has happened for me here.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Day 21
Hey all!
The past week or so has flown by which is sort of a relief! The first week and a half dragged by and I was afraid the whole summer would be like that! We began having the first group of volunteers come last week and I got to have my first group on Wednesday. They're a group of I-Witness kids from Nebraska and Kansas which is sort of cool to have people that live near me. Most of the other interns here are either from Texas, Mississippi or Louisiana. It's also cool to have a group because the more people we have on the streets, the more likely people are to stop and talk to us. Also, the groups have so much energy and it passes on to us! :)
I took my group to Asakusa temple last Saturday and this time it was easier for me to be there. Some of the girls had a tough time with it so I spent most of the time praying with them and reading scripture. It just re-enforced the power of prayer and the power of Christ's name to me.
My team at the station has yet to have any real, lasting contacts so that's sort of frustrating but I know we are still helping in some way. Just by being there and prayer walking and handing out Hope tracks makes a difference. We're hoping to met up with some people this week for Bible study; I'll let you know how it goes.
So far 20 people have come to Christ in the past three weeks and many more are on the verge. The interns that have been here before are amazed at how many we've had so far. God is doing great things in Japan. I posted more pictures on Facebook today and will write more when more things happen!
The past week or so has flown by which is sort of a relief! The first week and a half dragged by and I was afraid the whole summer would be like that! We began having the first group of volunteers come last week and I got to have my first group on Wednesday. They're a group of I-Witness kids from Nebraska and Kansas which is sort of cool to have people that live near me. Most of the other interns here are either from Texas, Mississippi or Louisiana. It's also cool to have a group because the more people we have on the streets, the more likely people are to stop and talk to us. Also, the groups have so much energy and it passes on to us! :)
I took my group to Asakusa temple last Saturday and this time it was easier for me to be there. Some of the girls had a tough time with it so I spent most of the time praying with them and reading scripture. It just re-enforced the power of prayer and the power of Christ's name to me.
My team at the station has yet to have any real, lasting contacts so that's sort of frustrating but I know we are still helping in some way. Just by being there and prayer walking and handing out Hope tracks makes a difference. We're hoping to met up with some people this week for Bible study; I'll let you know how it goes.
So far 20 people have come to Christ in the past three weeks and many more are on the verge. The interns that have been here before are amazed at how many we've had so far. God is doing great things in Japan. I posted more pictures on Facebook today and will write more when more things happen!
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Temple Day
Today we went to the temple at Asakusa. It was the first time since being here in Japan that I really understood why I am here. As soon as we got there and saw the front gate I knew that this wasn't just an ordinary sight seeing adventure; I could feel it. The front gate had four "guardians" that really truly scared me. They were simply metal statues, but the feeling I got while there was creepy. It's like for the first time I could actually feel the darkness that surrounds Japan. There was a long passageway that was crammed packed with tiny little souvenir shops and food shops. All the proceeds went to benefiting the temple so we bought nothing. Once past the passageway was the inside of the temple. In front of the inside of temple to the side was a tiny statue of Buddha where people would come to drop money in the box and rub the part of Buddha that hurt them. For example, if their shoulder hurt, they would put a coin in the box and then rub Buddha's shoulder and they believe they will be healed. I stood there for a while watching people come and rub this little statue that they truly believed would heal them. I'ved learned about other beliefs but it has never hit me quit as hard or been quit as 'real' to me until today.
Right outside the temple people burn incense to 'cleanse' themselves before entering the temple. They then went in and dropped more money in and prayed. There were three men inside (I assume monks?) who were humming and praying in front of the elaborate alter. Along the sides were more places where people could drop money in and shake incense. It also is acostume for people to clap their hands two times before praying in order to 'wake up' their gods. The feeling inside the temple was something I've never felt before. It was so dark and strong. I always thought people were over reacting when they spoke of temples effecting them like that and even though the other interns warned me of it, I still didn't think I would be effected.
It is just so sad how the people here honestly believe that those gods can help them! People were coming to PRAY to these statues and gods that they had to clap to WAKE UP. I was almost in tears watching the people enter and leave, believing their gods could help them.
THAT is what we are fighting against here. Those other beliefs. And right now we are losing horribly because less than .5% of the people here believe in Christianity. I have met countless of people who haven't even heard of Jesus Christ!!! And the worst thing is, they don't even care. They are completely indifferent to religion or any thought of a higher being.
Today was a really rough day in many different ways, but one good thing that came of it is that I now have a much stronger passion to tell others about Christ. Because now I know what we're fighting against and now I can be better prepared.
Right outside the temple people burn incense to 'cleanse' themselves before entering the temple. They then went in and dropped more money in and prayed. There were three men inside (I assume monks?) who were humming and praying in front of the elaborate alter. Along the sides were more places where people could drop money in and shake incense. It also is acostume for people to clap their hands two times before praying in order to 'wake up' their gods. The feeling inside the temple was something I've never felt before. It was so dark and strong. I always thought people were over reacting when they spoke of temples effecting them like that and even though the other interns warned me of it, I still didn't think I would be effected.
It is just so sad how the people here honestly believe that those gods can help them! People were coming to PRAY to these statues and gods that they had to clap to WAKE UP. I was almost in tears watching the people enter and leave, believing their gods could help them.
THAT is what we are fighting against here. Those other beliefs. And right now we are losing horribly because less than .5% of the people here believe in Christianity. I have met countless of people who haven't even heard of Jesus Christ!!! And the worst thing is, they don't even care. They are completely indifferent to religion or any thought of a higher being.
Today was a really rough day in many different ways, but one good thing that came of it is that I now have a much stronger passion to tell others about Christ. Because now I know what we're fighting against and now I can be better prepared.
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