Amysan

Today was another success. We were less one student today for a total of 19 kids. I think in fact that things went even better today than it did yesterday. Our listening strategy worked. We held up our hand when things got noisy and told the kids that it was a “contest” to see how quickly they could quiet down. They were almost instantly quiet once a teacher’s hand went up. My prayer for the “too cool for school” kids were partially answered today. The older girls started to join in on the song actions and they also were able to read John 3:16 – it was on the arts and crafts activity today and since they finished early, I asked them to read the verse in English. They were actually able to do it. I was impressed.

When I first learned that VBS was only a week long and only for 3 hrs every morning, I thought that the time would be much too short to be useful. After day two, I have realized that the kids are already starting to loosen up – they are starting to talk more, contribute more, and pay attention to everything that is being said and done. All the kids were so attentive during arts and crafts activity. I have never taught an arts and crafts lesson to a group of kids where it is completely silent in a room. Never. I’ve also found that as teachers, we are also learning. We’re learning what communication “style” works ( emphasizing our actions and body langauge, speaking in very simple English words, etc) and what does not ( speaking slowly and loudly does not) and we’re learning how to get their attention and how to get our message to stick. So much has happened already in the past two days that it seems like it has been at least a week. Again, today, I am very tired. It is perhaps a combination of the humidity, the heat, standing on my feet all day and wakling constantly. please pray for restful sleep and rejuvenation.

This afternoon was spent at an old age home. Mr. Anoi took our group to an old age home near the community center. We sang “Jesus loves me” and “Seek Ye First” in Japanese and English. Then Matt S. played a song on the piano. And Ev shared the story of the blind man ( ten men were healed of their blindness, but only one of them back to search for Jesus to thank Him) and then the bridge illustration of the Christian faith ( man on one side of a cliff, God on the other side of the cliff and the cross – the sacrifice of Jesus allowing man to have a relatoinship with Christ). Afterwards, we shook each of their hands and gave them a card which contained a verse both in english and japanese. We were encouraged to smile while singing to the eldery. Most of them were confined to wheelchairs and really, for me, it was a bit of a sad sight to see. it was hard at one point in time to keep a smile on my face when really, all i wanted to do was cry for these forgotten people. There is a song we learned today (check out YouTube for the videos) at VBS called Ten Men and one of the verses goes :

“Outcasts and vagabonds, the lowest on the chain. The unloved, they pushed and shoved, that’s the way they came”

It made me think of these people. The lowest on the chair, the unloved, the forgotten, but that’s how they came. And Jesus loves them. They seemed so so happy to see us singing to them. To be able to touch young healthy humans and to be smiled at. It really did break my heart.

Lastly, before it’s my turn to shower, please pray for Lyanne – she has been bitten alive by mosquitoes here and they are starting to swell and puss. They are extremely itchy for her and they are all over her legs. It looks truly painful. Please pray for healing and for the itch to go away. She’s outside most of the day teaching recreation so we may need to bring her indoors the rest of the week.

PS. Thanks to Jason for the Japanese\English Bible verses. They were appreciated by the eldery today and were very happy to receive the cards from us.

More on Mr. Anoi later – his faith story is one that is very inspiring and moving. Shower time!

Our first day of VBS was fairly successful. We had over 20 children show up and even with the language barrier, we found ways to communicate (even without a translator). Sometimes there were blank stares but we did our best. i was helping with the arts and crafts today which were colourful totes decorated with crosses, hearts, and other foam shapes. The kids were very creative with their bags. I noticed that the oldest group (age 11-12) were “too cool for school”. They would talk amongst themselves and stand at the back of the room while the rest of us were singing the songs. Sure, it’s that age in their life but I pray that even though they are putting up that facade of “i’m too cool for this”, that the message of Christ is still being received in their heart.

After our first day of VBS, we went to debrief over lunch. we shared with one another what went well, what could be improved. we found that perhaps the hardest thing to do was get the kids to quiet down and listen so we devised a way to do this. We will test it out on day two to see if it will work.

Yesterday was Emma’s birthday and Shirley had us over for a BBQ. She said that she would be preparing yakitori for us (BBQ’d skewered chicken strips). We headed up to her condo and watched as she prepared the coals on the BBQ. When it was ready, we brought out two boxes of frozen skewers – 50 skewers in each box. YUM! Even frozen, they looked good! As she put the skewers down, it looked just like a BBQ in the US except that very shortly after putting down the skewers, the flames from the BBQ suddenly started to flare up. We nearly had to call the fire department! Suddenly, I heard Shirley cry out “I bought chicken skin!!” Apparently, she had bought 100 skewers of chicken skin on skewers for dinner! Perhaps it is a delicacy here in Japan. Our team was able to share a good laugh – not at Shirley for her mistake but with her because I’m sure all of us, since arriving in Japan, have made similar mistakes in not being able to read Japanese.

Please pray for health and energy.  I’m finding myself completely exhausted after VBS.  The day before I was feeling just fine – full of energy and ready to go – and in the afternoon, i felt like i really needed a nap and a foot massage.