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.