火曜日。

I am just so excited about everything that God has been up to lately!

It's been an extremely busy, but abundantly blessed week. In the rush of both my class and Chi Alpha schedule resuming, God has opened up two new doors for us this semester.  Throughout the 8 months I have been in Japan thus far, I have been primarily focused on Tokyo University and Waseda University - and the existing Bible studies we have at these schools.  From this semester, I now have the opportunity to spend time at two more universities each week!

On Mondays, Tony - a new friend in Tokyo who is serving under the pastors of the church I teach English at on Thursdays - and I are attending a Japanese language class at Seikei University.  For those of you who have been reading this blog since that first summer in Tokyo (*cough*Mom*cough*), you may remember that our summer teams visited a few English classrooms at this university.  The Hilo Hawaii team was also there last October.  I've been praying for some time now for a legitimate way to get involved at this university and have a place on the campus, so I jumped at the chance to be a part of this Japanese class.  So far, we have attended two classes and both times I've really enjoyed meeting new people and being able to use what precious little Japanese I know!  I'm looking forward to all the things He has in store for this summer at Seikei.

In the same week, Joyce and I met with two Christian professors at  Meiji University.  Meiji Uni. is up there with other top universities in Japan.  It is very modern and has a vastly different atmosphere than most campuses I've been to, which is kind of exciting.  These two ladies are so passionate about their campus - where they both attended school themselves - and wanted to get started right away, so our first Bible study at Meiji is this Thursday! Due to some mafia conflict in the past, the administration at this university is wary of religious groups.  Please be praying for favor and freedom over this campus that has suffered much due to violence.  Despite these things, we are thrilled to get started here.  One of the professors we met with began to cry at the end of our prayer time last week and just kept saying how happy she was that this was finally happening.  I can't wait!

In addition, we received word from one of our student leaders at yet another campus that he was really encouraged at our monthly Chi Alpha Power Praise night and that he was looking forward to being with Chi Alpha.  He just recently became the student leader of the Chi Alpha Bible study at Dokkyo University - so please be in prayer for him and his university!

So, let's recap for prayer purposes.  I'm now requesting a bit of your time to pray for the following universities in Tokyo:

The University  of Tokyo

The University of Tokyo was established in 1877 as the first national university in Japan. As a leading research university, the University of Tokyo offers courses in essentially all academic disciplines at both undergraduate and graduate levels and conducts research across the full spectrum of academic activity. The university aims to provide its students with a rich and varied academic environment that ensures opportunities for both intellectual development and the acquisition of professional knowledge and skills.

Waseda University

In the year 2007, Waseda University celebrated the 125th anniversary of its founding by Shigenobu Okuma, scholar and government leader. Waseda is one of Japan's top private, co-educational institutions of higher learning. Founded as a college with three departments under the old Japanese system of higher education, it has since grown to become a comprehensive university with two senior high schools and a School of Art and Architecture.

Meiji University

Meiji University was founded in January 1881 as the Meiji Law School by a group of young lawyers barely in their 30's: Tatsuo Kishimoto, Kozo Miyagi, and Misao Yashiro. It was an era characterized by Japan's urgent need to develop as a modern independent nation. Meiji University aims to make dramatic advances into the world as the top 21st-century urban university in Japan.

Seikei University

Seikei University is a private university that was founded in 1949.  Both the school's name-Seikei,(sei) meaning to make and (kei) a path,and it's emblem- the peach , have their origins in the 130-volume work titled Historical Memoirs, written by Si-ma Qian in China some 2,100 years ago. Seikei University's predecessor dates back to 1906 and was supported by Koyata Iwasaki. This university has many graduates from families of noble or business backgrounds.

Dokkyo University

For over 120 years since the foundation of the Doitsu-gaku Kyokai (German Association), Dokkyo University has kept an unbroken and living history of foreign language education and international exchange that can rival any on the world stage.

The Doitsu-gaku Kyokai (German Association), which was the predecessor to Dokkyo University, was founded in 1883, when Japan had just started to move toward internationalization under the phrase of &civilization and enlightenment,&with the principle of nurturing internationally-minded people through learning the language and culture of Germany. It was led by people who left great marks during the Meiji Era (1868-1912), including Chairperson Yajiro Shinagawa and the first Principal of the university, Amane Nishi. A year later, a professional-producing school of law, which the added specialized subjects of law and politics to the five-year program junior high school, was established. Ever since then, it has produced many brilliant human resources to the medical world as the only junior high school in the nation to teach German. Then, in 1964, the year of the 80th anniversary of the foundation of the educational institute, Dokkyo University was established with Amano Teiyu as the first President. Since then, while inheriting the principle of school establishment that originates from the German spirit of multiculturalism, and a tradition of learning foreign language and international exchange which started in the time of German Association, the school has been developing as a university with unique characteristics.

Anywho - please pray for these schools! Pray for my Japanese studies as well, because although I'm understanding more and more of what I hear each day...the speaking is slow in coming.  Thank you, and thank You, Kamisama!

This week is just as busy with all these new opportunities and all the meetings that come with them, but it feels really good to be back in the routine of going to class and meeting up with students.  Some friends from America got here over the weekend as well, so it has been nice to get out a bit and just hang out with people who know home in America as well as home here.

Guess I will close now...until soon!
Amanda