Amysan

The team had a meeting this weekend.  I had to leave early to meet and greet my sister who arrived into town Saturday morning but I found out that I will be helping out with the Tamuras in Yokosuka near Yokohama.   This is the same city that the Japan team went to last year. I also found out that I will be staying with 5 of the other team members at the Tamura’s second condo which they keep for their in-laws when they are visiting. The condo is very small – I believe either a one or two room condo with one small bathroom.   I’ve been told that we will be sleeping on tatami mats – no futons so we’ll have to bring our own air pad if we wish. 

Now that we know where we’re going, and also which roles we’ll be filling, it feels like this trip is finally coming together and the group is taking some real shape. For arts and crafts, I will need to meet with my group to come up with the different craft activities for each day, organize which materials we will need and get them ordered before we go.  We’ll need to organize two sets of crafts – one set for the older kids and one set for the younger kids – for each of the 5 days of VBS.  My group has already brainstormed a little bit about which crafts we might like to do but we’ll need to meet again outside our large team meetings to finalize everything.

Prayer requests:

1) When we arrive, we will be heading to Tokorozawa for orientation – there is a SEND ministries center there that we were supposed to be able to use.  The original plan for accomodations however, has fallen through and now the team leaders are trying to coordinate and figure out a plan B.  The other half of the team also has some accomodation problems - they will be staying in Kashiwa working with another family similar to the Tamuras.  They are hoping to be able to find several families at the church who are able to take in one or two members of the team.

2) There is a lot of work that needs to be done!  Pray that our team will be diligent in getting this work done, doing the best we can to organize and plan everything ahead of time.

during last team meeting, we spent some time assigning roles for everyone.  in order for VBS to run, there are different roles that need to be filled – park guide,  story-teller, arts and crafts, recreation, snacks, audio and visual and skits and drama.   

Park Guide : Stays with a group of kids and takes them to each activity
Story Teller : Tells the Bible stories to the kids
Arts and Crafts : Teaches the kids the arts and crafts activities
Recreaction : Teaches the kids the game acitivities
Snack : Prepares and serves the kids the snack
Audio Visual : Takes photos of the kids and then prepares a closing ceremony slide show to show the kids and parents at the end of the program
Skits and Drama : Puts together skits and performs in front of the kids

There’s a lot that goes on! I’ve signed up for a couple of roles – Arts and Crafts and Audio Visual.

For those who know me, I love arts and crafts! I do all sorts of crazy crafty things (or at least I’d like to think they are artsy and crafty) and I would have lots of fun coming up with crafts that kids would enjoy that relate to the daily Bible story.

I was somewhat volunteered for the audio visual role because, of the 18 people who are going, I am the only 20-something-year-old in the group. Therefore, I have been labelled the “technie” in the group. They have also assigned me to tape record our songs and actions and to post the recordings on YouTube (keep posted for the links – expected the first week of July) so that the kids can learn the songs before we come – yes! They are THAT excited about learning our songs!!

This coming weekend we will be having another team meeting – during this one I believe we may be learning who is going to which city. I will keep you posted.

Today, my housemate organized a missions fundraiser for me and lil’O – another girl in our women’s cell group.  Lil’O is heading to Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday as an architect to help design a seminary building.   We were both excited about this fundraiser. We invited our circle of friends in Seattle and had a time of sharing about the missions trips.   I wasn’t sure how much I could raise but every time I doubted or questioned my ability to fund this trip, I had to stop and remind myself that God was the Provider and that I must rely on His ability to fund the trip. 

I feel truly blessed by the amount of support I have gotten so far in so many different places in North America!  After tonight’s fundraiser, I have very nearly reached my financial goals!  Thank you thank you for everyone who has supported me.  I would never have thought that I would be getting so much support from so many different places.  

For those of you who were not at the fundraiser, I have posted some photos of last year’s short term missions trip to Japan.  They can be viewed here.   The photos  have captions added so that you can follow along.

I will continue to post updates as they come in – please keep the support coming in! Words of encouragement, prayer support, funds, anything!! Let me know if you have questions and i would surely be happy to answer.

Welcome!!  I’m preparing to go on a short term missions trip to Japan later this summer and I’ve created this blog so I can post updates on how the planning is going and hopefully I will also be able to post updates while I’m in Japan. This blog has been created primarily for my supporters so that you can see how your contribution has made this trip possible.  THANK YOU! 

I hope that this blog can offer inspiration and encouragement to those who are reading – I believe every missions trip encounters bumps along the way but I trust that God takes us through these bumps so that we can rely even more on Him. 

Mata!! (I will see you again soon!)