Happy 2010!

Happy New Years! So I know I have not updated this in over a month but I promise I will write a new entry soon! Until then here are some pictures from the past month!
This is a picture of a Richshaw ride in Asakusa with Katharine and friends!

A picture of Kim and I at a Christmas Party at LLI

A group of us went to Ania's restaurant for some good ole fashion German food!

The culmination of our first semester of Japanese Study ended with each of us in this picture giving a speech from memory in Japanese! (I may have used notes a little bit ;) )

This is at the Katarina Dormitory Christmas Party I attended with Charity. One of my possible assignment locations.

A night out with friends in Shinjuku




These last few pictures are from the Sumo tournament my Japanese Class attended. It was AMAZING! I would definitely go again!

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.