"Do you sing songs to Jesus?"

From MyChestnutSoil

Fi here! I take random photos of japan fun - sometimes rain can be enjoyable. other times you've still forgotten to buy an umbrella despite it being the 5th day here. i think.

So 2 nights ago we were at the Ochanomizu Block Welcome Party which was super fun - we gave a presentation about AFES, they told us about KGK, we prayed for each other and sang 3 songs (all bilingual, which was awesome :) because we could sing along together as the body of Christ, knowing what we were singing even when we had no idea what we were singing.

One of the girls on my table, Megumi-san was able to chat to me in english, and she was asking me what Credo was like. She asked me what kind of songs we sing at Credo... and i was almost ashamed to say that we don't! It was such a cool thing to be able to worship with our brothers and sisters in Christ that it makes sense.

I think, though, that in Australia it would be very rare for *any* Christian student group to sing very much, let alone a bible study of 6 or so people! Yet, at 3 out of 4 meetings so far, groups of all sizes have sung - and loudly! They have KGK song books, even.

We've been splitting up into pairs and threes to visit bible study groups at lots of universities around Tokyo. So far I've been to International Christian University, which is green it would put USyd to Shame!

We also went to Tokyo Language University tonight.. I sometimes feel like we slow the ordinary bible studies down, with translation both ways. My Japanese is slowly getting better, remembering things I've learnt before or finding out new phrases, but its very tiring! Sometimes its hilarious getting mixed up in multiple languages but others it just feels like really hard work (taihen ne!)

I know this isn't really in any sort of order, but its starting to get a little jumbled in my head. Here's a rundown of today, 16/6/10:

- early-ish morning, its a hot and humid day (mushi atsukai!) (there's a reason everything is soooo green. I think maybe greener than England).

- went to help at a chapel+food type thing being run by one particular church, but with volunteers from many churches in the area

- down by the river, each wednesday about 150-300 homeless people (mostly men) sit in neat rows for a short chapel service with a couple of songs and a message, followed by food/lunch

- the pastor of a church from Chiba (i think) came to give the message, about the story of the prodigal son

- then we handed out kareraisu to each of the rows. volunteers spend most of tuesday making the food (curry and rice today) and the men start cooking the rice from 5:30am on wednesday morning

- we help clean up. 2 KGK students are with us, Marina-chan and Moto-kun

-we head back to the KGK office and hang out, and meet, then head to our evening bible studies.

so much student ministry happens at night! 3 nights in a row with prayer meetings for the block (like... area/division in Tokyo because there are so many universities) and bible studies. We sleep in (a little) and stay out late. Kevin and I didn't get home (back to the hostel) til after 11:30pm! We were out having dinner with KGK students after prayer meeting and the train home took about an hour.

I need to get to sleep now, so here are some prayer points:

- pray that we would be able to get enough rest and sleep soundly when we do.

- pray that we would be focussed on being where we are and concentrating/being involved despite language barriers sometimes being overwhelming.

- that Alen would be able to finish his assignment so he can join us for as much as possible without being stressed out

- for those who are carrying most of the language burden for us - Lisa, and the KGK staffworkers who are patient and tireless in their translating both ways for us!

Praise!

- Kat is feeling better

- personally, i've been able to understand more Japanese than I expected to. praise God for clear thinking (mostly) and remembering things i used to know

- we have an awesome hostel in a mostly convenient location for a reasonable price that is sparkly clean, on a clean and safe street and pretty much is everything we never knew we wanted. praise God for his provision!

Over and out! Fi

ps. more photos coming on facebook.