Social media outlets are featuring so many reflective posts about the fifth anniversary of 3.11 that I hesitate to join the fray. And yet how can I be silent? What happened on March 11th, 2011 will never fade from my …
missions
The Days Feel Full & Rich
By definition this is a slow time of the year. The snow on Mt. Akagi is melting pretty rapidly, which means winter activities are about to wind down. The new school year doesn’t begin for a few more weeks. But …
Blessedly Awkward, Awkwardly Blessed
I went to yesterday’s preaching assignment with a good deal of fear and trepidation. Often we choose to be emotionally invested or not… but then sometimes one just doesn’t have any say in the matter. I was invited to speak …
Unbridled Joy
It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything here. Now that we’re living at Akagi Bible Camp and since we’re in the middle of the summer camping season, I’ve been spending more time posting updates on the camp’s site. …
It’s That Time Again
Japanese income taxes are due in a few days so everyone is fearfully crunching their numbers, grudgingly filling out the paper work, or procrastinating until the last day and dreading the lines at city hall. Although I find Japanese tax …
Lingering Images
Ofunato is a coastal city in Iwate Prefecture; right in the heart of the 3.11 disaster zone. I’ve been here for the last several days with a team from Newsong Church (Irvine, CA) and a few other volunteers from various …
The Popular Gospel…
CGNTV is a Christian broadcasting organization that works in several countries around the world, and is based out of the Korean Onnuri Church. The director of operations in Japan is a former student of mine at the Covenant Seminary and …
Scattering and Gathering
As our time in Ofunato came to a close it may have been that my mind was already changing gears and focusing on the Pentecost sermon I’m working on for this coming Sunday. We got an early start, leaving Ofunato …
Hope for the Future
Today we split the team in two again and visited a total of four temporary housing clusters in Ofunato. We once again spent time with residents of these temporary housing clusters talking, singing, doing crafts, enjoying tea and snacks and …
Surreal Mourning
My day began with a short walk thru the neighborhood around Grace House. In particular I wanted to see the local Sakari train station. I had heard on the news that it was reopened recently. At present there are busses …
