back in busy breezy brisbane

this is what the children looked like after they were told we were leaving... NOT REALLY...

Aren't they cute though? Heeehee...

IT was really hard leaving Japan. All the relationships we built, all the fun and memories we created and shared. All the seeds we planted. How I wish I could be there to see the flowers blossom and fruit bud. But reality strikes. back to busy breezy brisbane.

Something really funny happened at the airport. So it was a really touching moment-- Heapsa people including Y (a nonchristian cool-chick) and her MOM came to bid us farewell. We all drank our last latte together at the starbucks in the airport and then parted ways at the gate. So picture this. 4 Aussie team members right, 3 of us had already cleared the bag-check thing (where they make u dispose of liquids etc?) and we're there behind the glass waving frantically to the horde of Japanese kindsouls who came to say byebye and we wave for like 5 minutes!!! All the time wondering where the last member-- E was. And guess what she was doing? E was BRUSHING HER TEETH at the bag-check!!! honestly!!!

So anyway, thank you so much for reading and praying and giving to missions in Japan. Remember that it is God's mission always. And that paraphrasing John P, the ultimate goal of God is not missions. it is worship. mission exists cos worship doesn't.

I hope that the blog has helped in your understanding of the land of Japan and how better we can pray for them. Also, please also prayerfully consider what you could do for them as well on top of praying. :) I do appreciate all your prayers as it was such a great run from the planning of the trip till the return. God was and is just so evident in many different ways.

Don't hesitate to email me or call/text/snailmail me if you would like more information or more details about the trip or what else we learnt etc. SamMcG (the leader) intends to organise another trip end of next year with CMS so if you're interested, I could forward him your contact or vice-versa too!

Okay, I should get back to packing the house now. Not to complain or anything, but my house looks like a warehouse! and the fridge was frozen over and couldn't open on the day I arrived and there was this disgusting smell from the rubbish bin! haha! ok, maybe you didn't need to know that. Whatever it is, it's now sorted so have a great day!

きをつけて！

p/s i'm considering going again next year (for a STM) and might consider going for a longer time (maybe 2-3 years) or whatever in the future future so please pray for wisdom and direction. thank you!!! :)

キラキラ光る

literally, the title means to sparkle or twinkle. it's the beginning of the Japanese version of twinkle twinkle
little star :)

it's early thurs mornin as I write.. around 0000hrs? ;) and I'm writing with a smile as I recall the day and week gone.

was really encouraged even this last week. just to hear that just with one hr of interaction with us, 3 moms decided to find out more about this Jesus we came for and have been talking about.

Community outreach event aka Aussie Christmas Party was THE BOMB! :) (which means it went smashingly!) the hall was packed to the rafters and like some people had to like stand with their backs right up
against the wall or peek from
the staircase! but everyone I asked had fun despite space constraints and had a chance to hear the gospel! tWas awesome ;)

and like a few of the nonchristian girls we've met have been like really open and coming to bible study and other similar events so please do keep praying! it's really exciting cos apparently the japanese people usually take really long to open up to people and stuff? but yea, God is definitely doing something :)

homestayed with a really sweet Japanese family Monday and Tues...


that's the mom there making shabushabu for our dinner! yummy!

and then wed and thurs I'm staying with a long term missionary from Ireland! :) she's been here 10.5 years now and she's absolutely hilarious! plus her dogs! super cute! Had a good chat with her and she was sharing with me her achievements and struggles and role and all? super informative and encouraging! really respect how some missionaries just live by faith without the support of a missions organisation or whatever behind them! すごい

in that missionary's house now lives another chick from melb who first came on a STM like mine 3 years ago! she's pretty amazing, leaving her job and all to come teach English in japan and share the good news ;) hEre's her:



so perhaps I should go to
sleep soon. but yea, don't forget to keep at least twinkling for Christ! :) mayb the world'll see your twinkle and be attracted to your creator :)

p/s had a yakitori-treat for dinner today and wow, the things they ordered and so I tried...


and that my dear friend was the chicken heart I ate. I also digested some knee, neck, butt... TONGUE?!!! yumm?! :) but grateful nontheless! ごちそうさまでした!!!

Friday already?!

omg. it's already Friday night! just had the highschool event which changed to be more like a junior high school thing but still good nontheless! :) always glad to have people hear the gospel!

today we also went up/down/left/right to Kobe! to help out with English class there and encourage some other missionaries from CMS (Kelly,Brad&Michelle). Please pray for them as they endeavour to build more bridges and glorify God through their work there.

OH! i must tell you!!! So yesterday we hung out with a 99yr old grannanny Mrs F which was such an encouragement really. even just her testimony of coming to faith and then getting baptised at 92!!! it's just mind blowing!

Honestly, I never wanted to grow that old? but if I could be as lucid and as sharp and as much of a blessing as her at 99, why not yea? speaking to her made me even somewhat ashamed of the moments where i felt tired of life. seriously, an old lady who's almost a century old with a fervour and passion for God can really put young pple such as myself to shame sometimes.



That's her there! And though you can't see it cos her right hand's not in the picture, she's actually doing the peace sign! Super funky granmama she is. She even asked for our numbers and said she call us in Aus! She only speaks Japanese tho so she told me I'd recognize her if I heard an old lady going "moshimoooshi" :) haha she's hilarious!

Now for some serious stuff! Speaking to more Japanese here, I realize the reality of a personal God. Unlike in other countries, where it's common to have like "2nd generation Christians", every jap Christian I've spoken to here has an incredible testimony of grace reaching out to them.

A pastor commented today about how jap pple are essentially rather religious people? but compelled by fear such that they desire that outward display of "worship" and god, accepting the ritual an traditions of their forefathers without questioning.

upon reflection, I think perhaps they might be a little commitment phobic. Cos they're all rather careful people, thus they tend toward stuff that perhaps are efficient and require little intimacy/commitment. that could explain why new fad religions are ever so popular? I mean, if it were real and people could spend like $2000AUD and buy their salvation for a lifetime, then why not right? but fact is, no one can buy their way in. the price has been paid!

so please continue praying! good night for now.. I'm so super tired! hope my last few sentences made sense!

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a God that answers

so heaps of things have been happening! too many to mention perhaps, too tedious for you to read! suffice to say God answers prayers! :)

I'm not sure if I wrote this earlier but there was a day I prayed one girls sister would not get a divorce? and even though the situation seemed absolutely impossible, God turned it around and she changed her mind at the veryvery last minute! (that was like <12 hours post prayer!) Praise God!!!

and then like the skit we did on Sunday! have I written about that yet? i think I probably have but yea, even up till today, which is tues, we have been receiving feedback re: the message and how that has impacted their way of thinking! wow!

plus my first worship sess on the piano last sun went well too! 2 ladies actually came up to me after to tell me how like my piano playing touched them! and for those who've heard me play, you'd know its definitely God!

and i know these arent like wow the blind can see or the lame can walk kinda miracles? it's small I know but I do believe that in small and big ways God is moving here. and He is preparing for himself a people.

remember the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few! so ask the God of the harvest to send more labourers!

plus I do believe that God could still make the lame walk and blind see at this day and age if he wanted! ;) maybe tomorrow I'll meet someone who needs healing in that way!

for today, God healed our team member and he's now in the pink of health, ready to serve God with all he has!

tomorrow we're heading out to a homeless district in the middle of night! will let u know how all goes! meantime, please continue praying for the land of the rising sun ;)

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taste and see

today was my first taste of homelessness. being always blest with a great family, good company, food on the table-- sometimes even too much and always shelter over my head unless I voluntarily camp
under the stars; I never could
imagine how it would be like homeless.

this is what it looks like..
sleeping on street corners or wherever possible


rolling the blanket around as tight as possible to prevent any winter draft (it's an actual person under tat blanket)



makeshift cardboard houses that can neither withstand the cold nor rain.

going to bed with an empty stomach most nights. and over 2 weeks over Christmas and New Year, when no volunteers work, going hungry all nights.

met about 100 homeless pple today. gave away heapsa tracts and rice balls. realised that the majority are men >60 yrs old jobless&wandering the streets. many drunk, using alcohol as a means of escapism.

main vice? gambling! in fact, the pachinko parlors are the best decorated with the most colourful and prettiest flashing lights! all this while just one street away lay the destitute and poor, huddling in the dark alleys.

do u think Jesus loved the homeless and died for them too? I do. and guess wat? surprisingly, many of them knew about Christ already and some even asked which church we are from even before opening the tract or having a look at is! :)


you can pray for the local church (in the shinsekai area) who's name is in the top of the photo! :)

can also pray for these homeless pple that we met

for high school outreach and community outreach we're heading up this weekend

(and pls excuse this rushed post, 15 mins to type.. :))

see you soon!

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