Web-Image 水曜日。

火曜日。

Hello, world.

Today - the typhoon rain began in Tokyo.  I wish I could express to you my displeasure, but, alas, it is far too intensive to convey through mere words.  If I could lay in my futon all day long and just alternate periods of reading and periods of napping...perhaps it would be okay. Alas, English must be checked at the School of Engineering, so I donned the blue boots I wore to work in in Tohoku and headed out into the tropical downpour.  The rain stopped approximately minutes after I was on the train and well past the walking portion of my morning commute. Eh.

That said, everything else in my life this week has been pretty spectacular.  We have some new friends from YWAM partnering with us at Waseda Uni., and they also attended at Meiji this past week as well.  I turned in my Japanese exam, Liz and I met with a really awesome guy from Seikei Uni., and the beautiful wooden room divider from Sasaki-san's home in Tohoku finally made its way to the XA Student Center before XHOP on Saturday.  It was nice to have this reminder to pray for Tohoku, and specifically for the Sasaki family.  God is good!

Summer vacation is fast approaching.  All of our friends are starting to get super busy with preparation for end-term exams.  The matsuris are beginning; almost every night we see the girls dressed in their summer yukatas for the various events.  We had a little holiday of our own this week! Yesterday was "海の日" - or Day of the Sea.  Susan, Liz, and I took this day off to roam around the shops of Nakano Broadway near the Student Center. I didn't think it would keep us occupied for long, but we were there for several hours! It was pretty interesting, and it was really fun to hang out with these two lovely ladies for awhile. 

After that, Liz and I headed to Shinjuku for dinner with some friends.  Our friend Sarah was in town this last week and joined us for dinner - so it was extra special! Sarah, Liz, and I were all in orientation together in 2009 - our first summer in Japan.  It was nice to have a mini reunion! Following dinner, Amanda Keller, Liz, Hyunhee, and I headed to Starbucks to hammer out some plans concerning common dreams that God has given us for this city and for our various ideas of ministry in Tokyo.   All I have to say on that for now is that God is really good and He is doing a new thing, no doubt about it.

The coming week is packed with activity - a hip-hop workshop, a potential "going-away" trip to Disney, and Debbie's much anticipated return to Tokyo - and I am excited to meet new people and experience all that God has coming up.  At the same time, I recognize the slowing down of my schedule and the preparation that will have to start soon for my return to the States.  So, please continue to pray for me as I try to keep things in perspective!

Of course, please keep praying for Chi Alpha and our various campus ministries and for those living and working in the devastated areas of NE Japan.  Thank you for your support!

Until soon.
Amanda

Web-Image 水曜日。

It's summer....

火曜日。

It has come to pass / Each night dawns eternally into / White plum blossoms 

// by Yosa Buson (tweeted from DailyKu)

すみません。。。。

I missed a week! To be honest with you, I was just super tired.  I went home from work at the Uni. of Tokyo after lunch last week, so I didn't complete my afternoon post.  After some good times and some not so good times last week, I found myself in desperate need of a bit of rest and restoration in the Lord's presence.  And, He's always so sweet and so kind, He met me where I was and this week started afresh.
 
I love Him!

Since I last penned a post, I have done some fun things with friends and we've had a few XA events.  The weekend after we went to the Ghibli Museum, Kohei, Liz, Kane-san, and I headed to Ueno Zoo to lay our eyes upon the pandas.....it was amazing!!!!  But, I think I confirmed that I love the red panda even more. I wish there was some way I could bottle it's cuteness for not so fun days.

After that, we headed over to ICA for the start of a weekend Pentecost Celebration with IHOP-Tokyo and The Tokyo House of Prayer for All Nations.  It was so good.  God changed hearts and lives and set people free in joy in that house! By the end of the second night, everyone was up dancing and clapping and singing - and it was beautiful to see and be a part of.  Jesus is so much fun! I feel bad for those who think He's boring because they are missing the party!

The next day was our July XA Power Praise Night with a July 4 theme! Yes, we are in Japan - but it was pretty fun celebrating America's independence at the XA Student Center.  Our IHOP friends came to do worship and share testimonies and we also had a special guest from a hip-hop team in California there to give us a sample of the hip-hop workshop/performance XA will be participating in later this month.  He is amazing!!! I spent most of the night in the kitchen making hot dogs - and they ate them all! I was surprised....once again, God extends our means to feed all the people in our house!

Our Bible studies at Todai, Waseda, and Meiji are going well.  I shared at WEBS and at Meiji's study last week - the discussion times at WEBS have been so good these past few weeks! I am really looking forward to this week's meetings. Meiji has blown us all away with it's growth and I absolutely love everyone there! Thank You, Kamisama!

Friday after Meiji, my housemates and I slipped away to Shin-Okubo to enjoy Tokyo's Little Korea.  It was like being in a totally different place! We ate some amazing Korean food and stumbled upon a pet shop with the cutest dogs running around.  We now know where we will spend our free time if we start having pet withdrawals again.... and big thanks to Yuri for treating us!

To top the week off, we enjoyed a beautiful - but very hot - day at Musashi-Koganei park for our July XA Outing.  Seven of us had a picnic in the park and then we visited the Edo-Tokyo Open-Air Architectural Museum...which I absolutely love and I was really glad I had the chance to go back there before I left Japan.  Tanoshikatta!  Japan is a beautiful place, with a long, rich history.  I am so thankful that I have had so many opportunities to experience Japanese culture!

 The rest of the weekend consisted of goodbyes (Kohei went back to Australia, again) and too much food with friends! Strange point - I think I might actually enjoy sushi, now?  Who knows...

Anyway, keep praying for this nation.  The suicide rates up north are climbing now and there are still so many needs to be met for so many people.  Beyond the physical needs - there is deep spiritual need in this nation.  I can't wait for the day that I see the hope and the joy of the Lord rising in this nation.  It is closer every day!  Thank you for lifting up our university Bible studies at Waseda University, The University of Tokyo, and Meiji University, as well.  Your prayers pave the way for the relationships we make and the actions we take in sharing the love of Jesus wherever we are in Japan.  Thank you!

For those of you who don't know, I will be returning to the States on August 26.  My English classes are ending (so sad!) and we only have a few more weeks left in the summer term at the universities.  Please remember me in your prayers as well as I wrap this amazing experience (one I am sure is not over entirely, even after I leave).  Thank you for helping me get here!!

Until soon,

Amanda