How to Receive...

"Is it a love based on giving and receiving as well as having and sharing. And the love that they give and have is shared and received. And through this having and giving and sharing and receiving, we too can share and love and have....and receive." - Joey

So maybe Joey wasn't the best with words but I think he's on to something. At my orientation before I left for Japan, we were in one of our sessions and they were talking about our ability to receive as well as our jobs to give to those we serve. Missionaries often go into the field and think they are there to help everyone and are often hesitant to let others help them. Someone shared a story about a couple of missionaries that were in Africa. They would go to the store stock up on food, drinks and everything they needed to live and return home; thus eliminating the need to borrow a cup of sugar from their neighbor, or to share a cup of coffee with a stranger. They worked amongst the people but lived in solitude. If someone died, they needed comfort, or something went wrong they handled it themselves often relying on technology and the comfort of friends from afar. One night a neighbor from the village came over and asked to borrow a cup of sugar and they began talking. The villager commented on how the missionaries acted as if they didn't need anyone else. They never let the people there were there to serve help them; they never needed extra food, a shoulder to cry on or someone to help them. The people in the village felt they weren't needed and as if there was nothing they could do for these people who had come to live in their town. The missionaries weren't able to receive the gifts of the people they were working with. Human beings need to feel as though they are needed, we love to contribute and make others happy almost as much as we ourselves enjoy being comforted and being happy. With all this being said let me tell you about my Friday.

This past Friday in Tokyo was a particularly gross day. We woke up to about 40F and a wet and rainy morning. Yuck. I didn’t feel like going to school, but like a good student I went. I did not bring any rain boots or boots in general for that matter, with me to Japan so I was wearing my brown flats. (Not the best shoes for walking in rain). Usually the walk to school doesn’t have that many puddles so I thought I’d be okay….I was wrong. By the time we got to school my shoes were quite wet, but class went on like normal. After school I was going to the Hongo Student Center for their Christmas party. I took the train to 御茶ノ水 (Ochanomizu) and began my walk to Hongo. This walk was filled with puddles. On my walk there my shoes became drenched to the point I could hear the water sloshing around, and my pants were soaked mid way up my calf. I was getting really aggravated and was wondering what I had done to aggravate God so much that he would make me this miserable. Every time a taxi drove by I contemplated getting into it and going back home. I was a mess. I was cold, wet, angry, and just all around in a bad mood. I tried to shake it and reflect on a conversation I had with my friend Molly the day before. We were talking about how we believe everything happens for a reason, although its not evident at first…I believe it happens for a reason. I was laughing to myself thinking okay…so this happened because I didn’t buy that pair of rain boots…or this is a sign from God I need to go home…and then I started thinking there was no reason for this tortured walk. By the time I got to Hongo I was about ready to cry I was so frustrated.

Upon entering the building I took off my shoes (normally not done in this building) so I didn’t drag water all over the carpet. The Hongo staff took one look at me, barefoot with soaking pants and their faces looked shocked. Immediately the woman sitting in front of the heater offered up her seat to me in order to help dry my pants, and then offered me a pair of her slippers to keep my feet warm, another missionary poured me a cup of hot tea, I was given a doughnut, and countless numbers of mikon. The Pastor and another woman office worker helped me wipe off my shoes and then they sat there stuffing news paper in my shoes in order to soak up all the water. As I was sitting there with my pants drying, my shoes beginning to shed the water, and with my hot cup of tea in hand, I thought; Wow, I wanted to turn around and go home and continue to sit in my bad mood about the horrible walk I had had, but these people welcomed me with open arms and took care of me. I felt as if I was able to receive the hospitality and generosity I might have usually ignored, or been hesitant to receive. By the time the Christmas party was over and it was time to go home, my shoes and my pants had dried and I was warm again. I was able to receive the love and care that these people had to offer, and I think that is so important. (I took a taxi back to御茶ノ水 so I didn’t have the trouble again though)

This Christmas season people tend to worry about what to buy other people, time is always running out and so is money. We are often so stressed out to sit back and enjoy what we’ve already received; the true gift of Christmas, Jesus Christ. He shows us hospitality and gives us comfort whenever we need it, and I just pray that throughout all the hustle and bustle that is the Christmas Season we can take the time to sit back, in front of the heater (or the fireplace if you’re so lucky) and enjoy what we already have.

In the words of my dear friend Joey Tribbiani “Is it a love based on giving and receiving”

Amen

Why Japan?

For most of you it was no surprise when I said I was becoming a missionary and moving to Japan. In addition to my involvement with the church throughout my life, I've always had a passion for Asia. Several examples of what I mean; in Jr. High School my best friend was Laotian. I spent every weekend at her house for probably a year. Learning the proper way to make noodles, eating sticky rice, and understanding that a good bowl of noodles required a box of kleenex when eaten. Then I went to college and became best friends with a Cambodian. He and I celebrated Cambodian New Year with his family. In addition to that wonderful celebration we also often ate many home made Cambodian meals, his mom even taught me how to make egg rolls from scratch once. Then my sophomore year of college, I decided to study abroad. No surprise to anyone, I choose Asia...more specifically China. I fell in love with Asian culture up close and personal. So when I announced I'd be moving to Japan after graduation there were few people who were actually surprised. However not many people know what sparked my interest in the Asian cultures. It began long before China or college or even Jr. high, and has nothing to do with boys. Lately this story has been on my mind a lot and I thought I'd share it

When I was about 6 yrs. old or so, my mom took my brothers and I to the park that was attached to our elementary school in Milwaukee. (Our school also happened to be an Asian Immersion school) We were all playing on the playground equipment and then I found a pink ribbon hair clip. Looking around there were two other young girls in the park about my age and I wanted to see if this ribbon belonged to either one of them. The fact that I asked those two girls about this bow changed my life in ways I never would have imagined. One of those girls was named Wen and she was Chinese and the other girl was named Mariko who was from Japan. The bow didn't belong to either one of them, but from that moment on Mariko and I became very close best friends for years to come.

Mariko and her family were from Tokyo and temporarily living in Milwaukee while her dad, Tsueno Mizumura, who is a heart surgeon, was in the U.S. for research purposes. Mariko introduced me to Japanese culture and to another part of the world I had only briefly heard about in school. Her mom, Kyoko, gave me my first pair of chopsticks: they were pink Snoppy chopsticks, and spent an entire afternoon teaching me how to use them as I moved kidney beans from one bowl to another. I learned to take my shoes off at the entrance of the house and that hosts were always gracious and gave presents when friends came to visit. Mariko's family also had Japanese TV stations so we watched the Power Rangers in Japanese, she also taught me how to count and write our names in Japanese. Japan was my first Asian love affair.

Mariko and I stayed close friends, actually our whole families stayed close friends. Along with our siblings, we played together whether it was at her place or mine. Her parents even attended my moms funeral. Slightly after my mom died we moved to Arkansas and Mariko and I became pen pals. A few years later she moved back to Tokyo and we continued to write each other for years. Sending gifts for birthdays, pictures, Christmas cards and other things. We always talked about being able to visit each other whether it be in Tokyo or back in America.

Now I sit here 16 years later living in her home town of Tokyo.... But we somehow lost touch within the past year or two. I finally returned to my first Asian love affair, Japan, after all these years I finally made it but cannot find Mariko. I often find it crazy that my life has come some what of a closed circle for me. I have always dreamt of coming to Japan when I was little, which to a 10 yr. old is a HUGE dream to have. People kind of laughed and said, oh yeah? and where else are you going to go? But something inside of me always side I'd make it here one day.

God finally decided to let me in on his plan and called me here for mission work. Sometimes God's plan truly amazes me. I still have a hard time believing I actually live in Japan.

Hongo Bible Camp

I feel like I’ve been doing so much this month already I barely have time to write about all of it! This past weekend we went on yet another retreat. I’m beginning to enjoy our weekends away from Tokyo, not because I don’t like Tokyo, but more so because I enjoy seeing different parts of Japan as well as meeting new people. This retreat/Bible Camp was Saturday and Sunday and was located in the Western part of the Tokyo prefecture in an area called Okutama. We headed there by train and it took about two hours to get across the entire Tokyo prefecture (turns out its rather large). Travel time was spent talking with old friends, and introducing ourselves to new friends. Some of my friends from Hongo were there, as well as a lot of the people I’ve met at English Coffee hour and Bible Study at Hongo. It was kinda nice going on a retreat and knowing friends that were there and being able to get to know them on a more personal basis. There were also a lot of new people there, Japanese Students as well as other Americans and some other people that attend Eric’s church, Tokyo Lutheran.


This Bible Camp was more structured than our last retreat, although the phrase of the weekend was “Loosey Goosey”. We bible study and small group time, which was both enjoyable and frustrating to me at the same time. I often struggle with our purpose here in Japan; some days I am patient and feel as though I’m being a good teacher, and other days I feel as though everything we do is on the surface level. Our small groups were a mix of people in language skill, Christianity, and age. Our conversation time was mostly spent on translating and making sure everyone understood what was going on. The first small group time really frustrated me because the conversation, bible passages, and questions were really interesting to me and I wanted to dive right into the conversation, but due to lack of language skills we weren’t able to dig as deep into the message as I wanted to. The next small group time (the next day) God had given me more patience in making sure the message was conveyed and understood by everyone. I often wonder if it would be better to divide the groups up based upon language ability so that everyone can dig into the material and get something out of it, or if the purpose is to walk side by side through the struggle together. The conversation may stay on the surface but maybe our presence on the surface is just as important as digging deep into the message.


Other activities we did on this retreat included fun mixers at the beginning of the retreat,


As well as having an hour of quiet time to just reflect and talk with God. For those of you who really know me, quiet time is not my strong suit. I enjoy talking and do not care so much for the silence, however I really enjoyed my quite time and may need to force myself into doing this more often, for it is in the silent moments that God speaks to us. I walked to an area by myself the over looked a river and had beautiful scenery. Just sat still for awhile and took it all in, and then reflected on Hebrews 13, this is becoming my favorite chapter. Prayed for awhile and them summed up my quiet time listening to some Gospel songs…not silent but at least I was with God in the moment.

November is Filled with Adventures!

So although November has just begun I’m already behind on my blog posts, and for that I apologize! The first weekend this month we had our annual J3 retreat in Karuizawa, Nagano which is north of Tokyo. The new J3’s (myself, Doug, Sue and John) met up with Charity Hall, Matt Linden (current Tokyo J3s) and Mary Johnson (a missionary in Guam and our regional representative) in Ikebukuro to have lunch. We went to this western restaurant called Shakey’s and had PIZZA! It was a really good time, we then ran into the other J3’s from Kumamoto who had also decided to eat there. The 12 of us then proceeded to find our bus and make the trip up to Nagano. The bus ride was around 2 hours which was filled with laughter, conversations, reading short paragraphs about the “Life of a J3” and their assignments wherever that may be. It gave great insight into the job description as well as the humor to which the other J3’s have managed to keep, along with their sanity….slightly. It was a really good trip up there, and the scenery was BEAUTIFUL. The leaves had started to turn which was gorgeous, the foliage in Tokyo….or lack there of, hasn’t allowed us to experience fall in Japan, but our trip up to Nagano did the trick. The leaves had turned beautiful bright reds and oranges and made the drive through the mountains absolutely breath-taking. It was a nice break from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo. (Although I absolutely love that about the city!)





The retreat itself was rather laid back in nature and mainly consisted of free time and time to talk with one another and really get to know the other J3’s, which was nice. It was held at a Christian retreat center, and yes they exist in Japan, which had great accommodations. It felt like I was at a sisterhood retreat with the beds and shared rooms. There was also a great little coffee house attached to it which had a Christmas tree set up, and I even got an Apple Cider! Totally made my day.



This was our first time to meet those who have been working down in Kumamoto, on the southern most island of Japan, Kyushu. Being able to talk with the other missionaries that have already been working this job for several years gave me a great perspective as to what teaching Japanese students will be like, what you can expect from the schools, and the difficulties that follow. We also worshipped together, sang together and had “family talk” time with Mary, which allowed us to talk about some of our excitements in the program, the daily stresses and what we do to overcome those obstacles. It was nice to know that these other missionaries know exactly what I’m going through, and went through these same challenges upon their arrival in Japan. So I guess it’s nice to know you’re not alone in the struggle, so that was really reassuring to me. We also had one on one time to talk with Mary so she could catch up on how we were feeling about everything. This time allowed us to talk candidly about how we were feeling with the program on a spiritual, emotional, physical, and academic basis. It was really nice to share those feelings that I may have not been sharing with anyone else, it felt good to lay it all out on the table and realize there are resources to get you plugged into other networks within the city to make it feel like not such of an isolating experience.

While in Karuizawa we had free time to walk around the area and experience that town. There were amazing shops everywhere with tons of jams, jellies, honeys and other fun local treats. One thing I’m learning while in Japan is that Kit-Kats are kinda a big deal here. Each region or season has different flavors of Kit-Kats, and Karuizawa had some interesting ones. I admit I wasn’t brave even to try all of them, but I now think I might start to keep a log of how many I try! Their local specialties were blueberry cheesecake, chili powder, and apple; interesting fun fact I guess. We ate lunch at an Italian restaurant, that had a menu printed in French…not sure why, but I’ve learned to stop asking questions. I picked up two pairs of nice chopsticks and had my Japanese name デイナ engraved on them so now I can be “eco” (echo) friendly as they call it here.



Overall the retreat weekend was a great time to be with other missionaries. It was a nice time for me to be around a group of Christian Missionaries who were in my peer group. Doug, Sue and John have been a great group to be with, work with, and socialize with, but there is something to be said about being with your peers. So that was really refreshing for me, and exactly what I needed. We stayed up rather late one night, talking and joking around and I honestly have not laughed that hard in a LOONG time. I really cannot explain how much those other missionaries really lifted me up that weekend, and those conversations were hysterical and definitely kept me going. The retreat was a very fulfilling experience for me and definitely reminded me of why I’m here and that I can make it through this experience despite my age and the pervasive loneliness at times. The other missionaries are absolutely fantastic and I’m glad that we can all share in this experience together! Overall I would say the J3 retreat was a success!

The Little Things That Make it Home

It’s the little things here in Japan that are slowly starting to make this place feel like home. Small things that one often takes for granted can help to make a place feel like home instead of “that place I’m currently sleeping in” (I refrain from using the word house when referring to Japan). My apartment finally has some groceries on the shelves, towels around the kitchen, things hanging in my bedroom, pictures of friends, and a coffee-ish table filled with my collection of notes and mail since I’ve been here…starting to look like someone actually lives here. I’m also becoming acclimated into my neighborhood more. I know exactly how much a Red Bull costs, found the local ATM, picked up my alien registration card, I have my nightly running route, have a membership to the local grocery store and my favorite local vegetable stand; trivial items but you’d be surprised at how much they can make a difference in a foreign land. This neighborhood is finally starting to feel like home. After a long day of school or a day at church I often think to myself how nice is will be to be ‘home’, and now my home is Adachi-ku. It strikes me as odd to think that I’ve only been here for a month, but at the same time how much I’ve already started to adjust to my new life in Japan, and how much of the language I really have learned.

The weather is finally starting to turn to autumn which makes me excited and anxious at the same time. Fall is often reminiscent of pumpkin carvings, football, Halloween, hot apple cider, and watching the beautiful trees turn colors, (whether it is in the Ozarks or outside Huegli Hall). I’m excited to see what Tokyo looks like with autumn leaves turning bright colors. This weekend I have a retreat in Nagano, and the next weekend I also have a retreat in a more remote area of Tokyo so hopefully I’ll be able to take pictures of the beautiful trees which I’m hoping will have turned by then!



Before arriving in Japan I was expecting to miss out on Halloween completely since that is an American Holiday…or so I thought. Halloween decorations are everywhere in Tokyo! My church this past Sunday even had a Halloween themed Sunday School for the kids. The teachers and Pastor dressed up in costumes and hid around the church while the kids tried to find them. Once they found them they had to solve a puzzle or recite the Lord’s Prayer or something else they had learned from Children’s Service in order to get their candy. It was really entertaining to watch, and made me think that maybe our traditions aren’t so unique after all. Sunday really made me stop and think that I have more in common with the people of Japan than I thought and am constantly being reminding of that on a daily basis.





That is all for now. I’ll be sure to write after the J3 retreat this weekend and share that experience with you!

The Formation of New Relationships

To continue with the last entry I’m going to continue to talk about relationships. I may have given off the impression that I haven’t made any new relationships while I’ve been in Japan. On the contrary, I’ve actually made quite a few friends here, most of them being other missionaries, but relationships none the less. The missionary community within Tokyo that I’ve been introduced to consists of ELCA missionaries as well as Missouri Synod missionaries. Our language classes consist of Doug, Sue, myself and one VYM (The Missouri Synod equivalent of J3’s) named Peter. He is new to Japan as well and has the same time line we do. So it has been fun having class with him, he is fresh out of college like myself as well, which makes it nice to begin to have a new peer group. Within the VYM program there are many other missionaries that we see around the school, teaching there, taking classes, or working in their office. They are very sweet people within this program who have been very generous, and gracious in helping to get us acclimated. I met a lot of other VYMs when I participated in the Discover Tokyo Day, and met a lot of great new friends who I will be spending more and more time with in Tokyo since I will continue to be placed here once I begin teaching in April.

At the Hongo Student Center (where eventually I believe I will be placed) I have met the two J3’s in Tokyo, Matt Linden and Charity Hall, and another missionary Eric and his wife Christy. The people who work at Hongo have also been very friendly and made me feel included already in their ministry. I try to go to Hongo on Friday nights for Bible Study and English Coffee hour. It’s a great way to meet people as well as begin to understand the responsibilities that I will be carrying out in April when I take over a position there. In addition to their Friday night activities they also have English worship on Sunday nights, which I will be going to tomorrow, and it is going to be the Holden Evening Prayer service, MY FAVORITE, so I’m excited about that. So Hongo has served to be a very instrumental place in meeting other missionaries as well as meeting people from the community who are learning English.

We have also all been assigned to specific Lutheran Churches around Tokyo. My church has a young female pastor, Pastor Maho, who is great and has been very inviting and welcoming in my limited interaction with her thus far. There is also a young Japanese/Chinese woman there named March who has been serving as my interpreter during the service as well as in conversations. She also has two daughters, Umi who is 1 month, and Ami who is 2. I get to play with her kids during the service which is great because I absolutely love children, and I find it a blessing that I’m going to be able to watch Umi grow up while I’m living in Tokyo…kinda cool. March and I have exchanged e-mails several times since we last met Sunday, and she has been very gracious and friendly and I am excited about that new friendship as well. Everyone at that church has been more than welcoming and I can already tell it is going to be a great place to worship and I am excited about attending church there again tomorrow.

We have also been invited and have gone to several other worship services around Tokyo, dinners, and lectures where we have met many people. Everyone who knows a little English tried to practice with us as we try to practice the little Japanese we know. Although the language barrier may be difficult at times, it is slowly becoming easier to over come. It is amazing how once you start learning a new language doors just start opening for you. I hope this entry puts some people’s minds at ease, that although it is difficult to sustain and maintain new relationships in a new land, these relationships have also been a blessing. I look forward to making more friends every week I’m here, and working on the relationships I have already made.

A Perfect Night by Candlelight

Since I have taken residence in Japan I have been struggling with being disconnected from people. With the exception of a few friends, I feel as though I’ve been cut off from everyone and thrown into a land where relationships are prohibited by an ever pervasive language barrier. I understand that with time this barrier will slowly dissipate, but for the moment it is a bit daunting. These severed relationships not only stem from moving away from Rogers, Arkansas but also from leaving my last home, Valparaiso University. I never realized how nourished my spiritual life was there or how strong my relationships were until they were not physically present everyday.

With all that being stated; last night we visited the Lutheran Seminary here in Tokyo for an evening prayer service. I asked various questions about what the service would entail. Would it be in English? Who would be there? How long would it last? Then someone told me in was the Holden Evening Prayer service, “do you know it?” they asked. I almost had tears in my eyes when I replied yes. Something I once took for granted has come to mean more to me than I can verbalize. This prayer service has been my weekly routine for the past four years. At Valparaiso every Sunday night at 10 pm we have our Candlelight service, which is the Holden Evening Prayer. This service is something myself and my sorority sisters, close friends, classmates, teachers, and a large portion of campus would attend. This service became tradition throughout college, something that has been fulfilling for me spiritually, something that connected us as a campus and something to begin our week. As I participated and sang loudly last night (for the first time in Japan the hymns were in English!) I closed my eyes and felt those connections. The hundreds of friends I left behind in Valpo going through the same service, the same songs, the same… We might not have had candles, and granted the music was done on a harp instead of a piano…but it was the same. I could feel the tears swelling up as I realized that although I may be 7,000 miles away from home I am still connected. The similarities in some experiences I’ve had here and my experiences at home sometimes even surprise me.

To all my Valparaiso kin, know that next time you are at Candlelight service, I very well may be participating in the same service thousands of miles away. Whenever we feel as though we are separated from everything and everyone we know and love, take a breath and realize it’s all the same…just a different location. This really has put some situations in perspective for me; it was just what I needed. No matter how disconnected I may feel from someone or my “homeland” God gives me those reminders…you are still home.

My New Home in Tokyo

This blog entry is way over due, my apologies for taking so long to update! It feels as though these past two weeks have just flown by. To begin with my trip here: My dad, two brothers, and grandparents dropped me off at O’Hare airport on Sunday morning. The day started off to a good start when I wasn’t charged for my over weight luggage, which is a good thing because it was WAY over weight. This meant I was off to a good start. I then wandered around the airport, since it is my favorite place, and met up with Doug and Sue. We boarded the plane and I had a seat open next to me which was really nice. I was able to stretch out on the flight and get slightly more comfortable, I think the man next to me enjoyed the extra space as well. The flight was just around 13 hours…so not much longer than my drive from Rogers to Valparaiso. The flight was really smooth and the movies kept me occupied. We landed at Narita and waited in many long lines to get through immigration, customs, for our luggage, and then another line I’m not quite sure what we did. I was FINALLY greeted at an airport with a sign, something I’ve also wanted to happen! We met our hosts and were picked up and taken to Tokyo. Some of our luggage had to be shipped to us because between the four of us we had probably 13 suitcases. We then traveled by van to our new homes in Adachi-ku. We unloaded in our apartments and tried to get settled in. We then went down the street for dinner and received some more information, and schedules for the following weeks.
The apartment is what you would generally expect for an apartment in Tokyo. It is small but manageable; after all it is just me. This apartment will be my home until March at which point I will move to another part of Tokyo before I start teaching. We spent the next few days trying to get settled, setting up bank accounts, applying for alien registration, buying cell phones, getting commuter passes for the train, meeting people at the Japanese Evangelical Lutheran Church headquarters as well as the Japanese Evangelical Lutheran Association. Cindy, the J3 coordinator, has been MORE than helpful with making sure we knew what we were doing, where we were going and making sure we were well taken care of. I cannot imagine trying to do any of this without her. We also started language school last week, we have begun by learning Hiragana and Katakana, I’m glad I started studying those this summer it put me a leg up and I feel I was better able to catch on. We have also begun learning different beginning phrases and greetings; everything in Japan is so formal! But overall class is going well, we meet 4 times a week for 3 hours. I hope that I will begin to pick it up quicker because not being able to communicate has probably been my biggest problem. I’m so used to being able to communicate with those around me, I forgot how much of a language barrier there really is. Not as many people speak English as I would have imagined…I think I ran into more people who spoke English while I was in China.
My adjustments and first impressions…. I’m not quite sure what I was expecting when I moved to Tokyo…I guess I was kind of expecting it to be like China, and it is not, at all. That is not a bad thing; I think I was just basing my expectations on the only other Asia country I’ve visited…which I think is normal. I really am enjoying Japan thus far. Tokyo is a VERY large city and I have much to see, weekends are spent traveling around whether it’s the next train station over or exploring aquariums in far off areas of Tokyo. I’m still trying to adjust to the cost of living over here; it is very expensive, once again nothing like China. Other than that I would like to think I’m adjusting well. Jet lag has been a bit of a problem and I often wake up at 4 am, but thanks to Skype I can always find someone to talk with for hours until I actually start my day. As the days go by it is becoming easier to sleep in, but I still find myself waking up in the middle of the night and trying to force myself back to bed. I could keep typing about my experiences but I will try to save something for next time, and hopefully I will start posting on a more regular basis.

4 Days and Counting!!!!

I leave in four days…wow where did the time go?! This past month I continued to put off everything I was suppose to do, like packing, saying goodbyes, canceling phone plans, etc., until this week hit and all of a sudden I realized that I’m actually leaving…crazy thought. I’m moving to a foreign country for a few years: that statement is packed with anxiety, fear, joy, and the knowledge that I’m leaving behind some of my best friends physically, but they will sure be in contact thanks to the power of technology. But I also have friends who are anxiously waiting for me to arrive in Japan which is really neat. There is a whole community of people praying for me, preparing for my arrival, a friend who is anxiously waiting to go sight seeing with me once I get there, and a new church family to welcome me with open arms, and for that I am excited and thankful.

This past Sunday I had my commissioning service at my church, I spoke at all of our services and inform the congregation of the new adventure I’m about to embark upon. It is exciting to share my calling with those I am close to, but even more exciting to open up the eyes of others who may not have known much about global missions. I am really excited to share everything I’ve been going through with my church family and all my mission supporters. I was commissioned by my interim Pastor who seemed very excited to hear all about my journey, as we worked together on the service. We sang Hymn #808 (Thank you Mark Nygard!) which is a very inspiring hymn for me to think about and all the implications that I will soon understand. I was sent off with the blessing of the church and the knowledge that I will be representing the ELCA to my new community, to which I plan on sharing my experiences with. The commissioning really marked for me a transitioned; I am being sent by the church to go somewhere.

This is no longer just a trip for me, but it is truly a calling and a need to fulfill. I am going to Japan with a full heart and a willing attitude to do whatever it is they are calling me to do. I am prepared that the move with be different and challenging at times, and would ask that you all keep me in your prayers as I embark on this journey this weekend. I am sure the next few days will fly by, and hopefully I will get everything done I need to and still have time to spend with my friends and family before I hop on that plane at O’Hare. Please pray for my strength and energy, as the trip there is going to be a long one, pray for patience and understanding in a new surrounding and pray for those I am leaving behind and those I have yet to meet. Next time I post something on here I will be in Japan, CRAZY!


Also for those of you who have been asking my new address is:

Dana Dutcher
#303 LeoPalace Koemon-1
1-21-3 Chuo-honcho, Adachi-ku
Tokyo 120-0011 Japan

This is good from September 28th until sometime in March, I'll keep you updated on my move!

Why serve others?

Although I was not at the recent youth gathering in New Orleans, I'm always excited to hear stories of those who did attend. I unfortunately was unable to serve due to my training, which is a blessing in itself that I was learning how to serve better in my capacity as a missionary while 37,000 youth were serving many for their first time down in New Orleans. This is an article a friend who did serve down there posted for me to read and I thought I'd share it with everyone on here. This is powerful writing, and a powerful witness to why we serve others. Stories such as this one reaffirm why I am going to serve for the next three years.

AUGUST 3, 2009
Gratitude for the Lutheran teens who visited New Orleans
The Kindness of Strangers

The end of July brought the biggest convention to town since Hurricane Katrina, but it wasn't doctors, lawyers or other professionals. In fact, it wasn't even adults. It was 37,000 teenagers and their chaperones from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), who filled hotels all over town for the 2009 ELCA Youth Gathering, which they called "Jesus, Justice and Jazz."

  Besides their worship events at the Louisiana Superdome and the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, the teens spent much of their five days in New Orleans performing some 200 community service projects, including hosting a health fair in New Orleans City Park, building a two-mile hiking trail around the park's Goat and Scout Islands and adding new plants to the Botanical Garden. Elsewhere, they held reading fairs for children and painted and cleaned houses and schools. Some boarded buses and headed to the Falgout Canal marina to replant marsh grasses; others converged on Holt Cemetery to weed, seed, restore tombstones and, in some cases, rebury the dead. At the end of their busy days, many of them found time to donate blood to the Red Cross. In all, our Lutheran visitors from all over the United States contributed a quarter of a million volunteer hours to the people of New Orleans — and, in many cases, thanked us for the chance to have done so.

  We're humbled. Humbled at their generosity. Humbled at the sight of so many young people traveling so far to do so much hard work during their summer vacation. Humbled that the "Katrina fatigue" felt by so many Americans was replaced, for a few days, with an enthusiasm even some of us find hard to muster some days. Regardless of your faith, or lack thereof, these excited young volunteers were an inspiration, and just one of them accomplished more good than all the preachers and politicians in the world who saw Katrina as either perverse justice or crass opportunity.

  Among the many small moments of grace between our young guests and the locals came last weekend at Betsy's Pancake House in Mid-City, which had its usual mix of Sunday morning regulars — sleepy folks with Saturday night faces and regal African-American churchwomen in their Sunday finery. Into Betsy's dining room came nine teenagers, led by a pastor and two chaperones, looking friendly but shy and a bit out of place. Tables were rearranged; coffee was brought. The waitress, with little prompting, welcomed them and told them the tale of the coffee shop during Katrina. The kids were more curious about grits. They opted for white toast instead.

  "We could have gone to Burger King, but we saw this and wanted to eat at a place with neighborhood people," said the pastor, the Rev. Dr. Brian W. Armen, shaking hands with people who approached their table. He and his flock were from Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Johnston, Penn. None of them had been to New Orleans before.

  Then, the waitress laid a $20 bill on the table. "That man who just left paid for some of your breakfast," she said, and within a couple of minutes bills were being passed to the visitors from around the room — $10 here, $20 there, and the pastor's wife began to cry, saying "Thank you," to which the morning regulars replied, "No, thank you."

  How do you thank someone for helping rebuild your city? It's a question with which we've all wrestled during the past four years, and the answer is: You can't.But the simple act of buying a stranger a breakfast said "Thank you" in myriad ways: Thank you for coming. Thank you for caring. Thank you for your sweat and your optimism, for your curiosity and bravery in traveling to a place so unlike your own home. And, when many in the rest of the country seem to have "gotten over" Katrina and can't understand why we can't, perhaps the real message was: Thank you for not forgetting.

  Most of all, thank you for reminding New Orleans — a city that's so dependent on the kindness of strangers — that there still are people in this world who come to town and leave behind things more valuable than overflowing cash registers.

This is why I'm going to serve.

Article Posted from : http://bestofneworleans.com

Fill Me Up Lord!

Throughout this new journey my life is headed on, I have been asked several times, “What fills you up spiritually?” I have been told I’m going to need to be intentional about maintaining my own spiritual life while I am in Japan and I was not quite sure how I was going to do that. What truly does fill me up spiritually? Through orientation and since I have been home, I have been pondering this question and realizing that this past month I have been very blessed to have been filled many times over.

Relationships: I need relationships with other strong Christians in my life. People who I can question with, pray with, share meals with, and just be with. Throughout my orientation I have been blessed to find many new friends and to form friendships, which will undoubtedly be long standing. These people truly understand where I am going in life, and the struggles that come along with that. I felt I had made friends over the course of a month who truly understand me better than those who have been surrounding me for years. The Global Mission community is strong and there are many valuable resources and people there. These friendships are so genuine, it is refreshing. They are “my people” as one of them put it. These are my role models for whom I will strive to be like, to maintain that intentional relationship with them and with God.

Music: Despite my denial of it, I love Christian music! The music that is played at retreats that pumps you up, the music that brings tears to your eyes, the music where every musical instrument is played, I love it. There are a few songs on my play list that can always bring me closer to God when I need it. I also have been known to sing in a few Gospel Choirs and Gospel music has power over me, it is so raw and so real, it is truly inspirational. I will be listening to Christian music to maintain my sense of grounding and my sense of calmness.

Coffee: Stay in there with me. Over this past month coffee has come to symbolize so much to me. It is people struggling together, (often to stay awake) it is time to just talk with your neighbor; it is questioning the bible passages and struggling to find their meaning in your life. Coffee is the glue that brings us together in moments where we are not sure we can make it on our own accord anymore. It is sipping the sugared down cup while over looking Lake Michigan and singing Disney songs together. Coffee symbolizes communication for me, and the sustainability of friendships. So when you just need someone to be there, brew a pot of coffee and just be with one another, accompany them if you will.

These things in combination with bible study and daily scripture will fulfill my spiritual life while in Japan, and I ask you to all accompany me and pray with me on this journey!

For God alone my soul waits in silence’ from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress, I shall never be shaken. For God along my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. Psalm 62:1-2, 5-6

The Journey is one step closer...

I’m getting really excited about the adventure that lies ahead of me! I am home now but I spent the entire month of July in Chicago going to several different orientations: ESL Training, ELCA Specific Orientation, Ecumenical Mission Personnel Orientation, and finally the Summer Missionary Conference in Kenosha, WI. The people who I have met here are absolutely amazing. It’s a comfort to know that these are the people I will be calling my support system through this new adventure in my life. We have been called to different countries, for different jobs, and for different lengths of time, but we all have been called. Orientation really gave us a chance to get to know one another and to build those relationships that will last through out our mission experience, not to mention we all gave each other awesome places to come visit!

It astonishes me all the amazing places we are going to. Varying levels of expertise required, varying languages to learn, those of us who still are not quite sure what our job is going to look like once we get there, and then there are others who have already been living in their place of call and serving God there. I am very excited about the opportunities that lie ahead of me and all the amazing places I plan on visiting as well. God has truly called me to an amazing job and I cannot wait to start it.

During our Ecumenical Orientation, one of the bible studies consisted of watching this video, and although his purpose was not religious, it still had the power to move many people to tears. I take this video as a sign of what someone can do and where they can go when God is on their side. Also those of us who have never been to the country we are serving, it was amazing to see them in this video, whether its Japan, Hong Kong, or Papua New Guinea they were all there. All the amazing places God has made for us to visit, and wants us to go. I truly believe God wants us to understand and know all cultures and a video like this has helped me to realize that it is possible and can happen. There are people all over the world who need help, and I need the help to understand. God’s work is never done.

Hebrews 13:1-3 Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured.

Join the Dance

God works in amazing ways.

Yay my first blog entry! This blog will be my primary way of informing my family, friends, and supporters of how my mission in Japan is coming along. I will list daily challenges, achievements, and faith stories as my time ensues. I encourage you to check in periodically with this blog as I explore my faith as my new role as a missionary for the ELCA while I serve out my three year commitment in Japan.

Currently I am in Chicago for training for the month of July. I have had ESL training, which was a new experience for me. I learned some very practical ideas for teaching classes as well as ways to engage students. I will also have ELCA specific orientation, an ecumenical conference, and finally my training will conclude with a Global Missions Summer Conference.

This entry is not to explain but I've been doing here so far, but rather to share my moments that scream, "How Great is our God?" moments. So far I have had two experiences with fellow ESL-ers that have just been really cool.

1.) I was grocery shopping at Dominicks with another couple who is also going to Japan with me when the first moment happened. I was carrying my ELCA bag that I had received at a church wide assembly over my shoulder when the man in line behind me asked if I worked for the ELCA. I responded, "Well I do now" and proceeded to tell him how I was recently hired, along with the two people in front of me, to do mission work in Japan and I was in the area for training. He proceeded to tell me that he was an ELCA Pastor of a church near by and invited our group to church. He gave us the name of the church and then we proceeded to say our goodbyes and finished checking out. We began walking back to our hotel and nearly got back to the hotel when we noticed him walking towards us on the sidewalk, he then apologized for not offering us a ride to the church and gave us his name, phone number and offered a ride to the church for Sunday morning worship. How awesome is our God?

2.) The next amazing experience happened this evening. A group of us (Sue, Doug, Erin, Rebecca, and myself) walked to a local restaurant for dinner tonight. On our walk home Rebecca and Sue were walking ahead of us, while the three of us slowly walked behind taking our time, with our full stomachs, when we noticed a man trimming his hedges outside. Doug tried to offer Erin and myself to help him with his yard work, we all had a chuckle. We then began a conversation of who we were and what we were doing in Chicago. The topic of our mission work came up and we began to talk about what we were doing, our mission sites and the work we would be doing for the church. The man, Nick, then told us his daughter would be returning from Peru from her mission trip the following day. The conversation then turned to churches in the area and different beliefs. Nick the offered to pray for us, right then and there, on the sidewalk, in the middle of his yard work. We gathered around and bowed our heads and this stranger we just met prayed over us and our journeys to come. How awesome is our God?

These experiences are slowly reinforcing what we all know, our God is an AWESOME God.