Flashback of Jesse....

Well I was going through my pictures and videos....and I found a surplus of funny juice from Jesse Spencer....He has been here for the last 4 months and just took off back to Northern California....here are some of the random and ridiculously funny moments of Jesse "Magic" Spencer....

This video is from Tonaki-Jima...Jesse was just messing around with the kids, after the kids outreach there on the little island we visited.....

part 2....

This is on the "Stir It Up" Retreat....This one goes way back....to my second semester....we went to Okuma and we were messing around with the fire.....well Jesse got caught playing again....take a peak....



Love you Jesse....you are a great brother....and a funny one at that! Grow bro....grow!

Christmas Outreach in Nambu...

Well we were blessed last minute to go to a outreach that one of the ladies at our church invited us to. Nana helps out at this single mom's group in a community center, and they were having a special Christmas Party, and they needed some help with music...

So Tokito, Naoko, Me, Sosi, Rob, Christina, and the Barrios kids went down to center and blessed them with Christmas carols in Japanese and English....the sign in the back says "Kurisumasu" or Christmas! I'm glad they tried to keep Christ in their party...

We got to keep Christ in the party too....we brought a felt board and Christina told the "true" story of Christmas to all these little kids and each of the mothers there. Wow what a great opportunity to share Christ, in simple, child understandable words.

Well you cant have a good party without food and a great cake....they had both....these kids are precious....

They brought out a Santa and took pictures with all the kids....and then they gave them each a bag full of goodies....chocolates, chips, fun games, etc. It was such a blessing to be there! Pray that they would see their need for the Saviour that was born for them....reveal Yourself to them Lord.

Auction

Well we were out and about with Josh (Sosimo and I), a friend from on base, and we saw that they were about to start an auction....and I have never been to one. You always see them on TV or in a movie, but I think that this was my first one...well I went in just watching, then I decided to get my own number.....Items that usually cost $300 in the store were going for $25....man....what a deal...

Sosi even got a number...he's trying not to raise the number so high....they were bidding pretty high and that item! lol

Well I got a sweet item....and I only spent $12...praise the Lord. I will take a photo of it when I use it....I might need some soon enough....as you can see it is served on a lovely black bamboo tray....can you guess what it is???

Blessings from Foster...

Well as I finished up my last week at Foster, I transferred over to Calvary Ginowan to help out with worship and running service...this past week Chaplain Owens came and blessed me with an plaque from the church. I am so blessed. Thanks Owens family for making an opportunity for me to serve.

The Owens Family....Zach, Me, Mara, and Charlie

Great Morning...

I love early mornings in Okinawa....not that I am up early every day.....hehe.....but one morning I woke up around 5:30am/6am and this was the view from the top of our building....ahhhh...


And this is to prove I didnt alter the photo....
even on camera it cant catch the real beauty of this place!

Sweeeet Flowers...

I didnt sharpen these at all, just took them around various places around the island....Expo park, Tonaki Jima, etc...hope you like these flowers as much as I do...

Choir Lunch

Well the other day was my last day at Foster Chapel, helping out in worship and in Kid's ministry. It has been such a blessing serving at this church, I love all you so much. Continue to grow in Jesus.

But the Choir team, who I have grown close to took me out one for a great lunch. We went to Awase area's Wharf, and they had a big fish market. You know when the place is filled with all Japanese people that it is first authentic, and then it must be good.

mmm....

This was the menu.....guess what they ordered for me?

ew boy.....a full lobster....so blessed....butter....garlic...sashimi...heavenly.....

Mr. Ray (The donut man) and his wife Cathy

Mrs. Cathy, Mrs. Tricia, and Mrs. Linda

Stir It Up Retreat Video

Hey guys....well its been about 3 weeks since the retreat, but here is a video with pictures and clips from this year's retreat at Okuma....hope you enjoy it....it is too big to put it here on Blogger....but you can go to my Youtube site.....


www.youtube.com/user/godssouljah9

Continue to pray for those people that went and were ministered to!

Gift-Hop Outreach

Man....we had a great outreach this past week. For the Christmas season, we wanted to invite people from the neighborhood to an event focused on Jesus, and we gave them Gift-Hop. The Lord put it on Pastor Tim's heart to head up a hip-hop concert/outreach for the hip-hop/b-boy/mc/tagger crowd, in hopes to point them to Jesus. It was awesome. Here are some pictures.

Well Hakugaijin (Tim, Daniel, Rob, Andrew, and Hannah [MIA in california]) started off the night. We played about 6 songs, and then came.....

Ricky Gentile.....now this guys comes all the way from Alabama, but not just for us! His wife is in the Air Force here on Kadena, and we heard that he raps for Jesus. He was awesome! If you like the Lecrae feel in your rap, gansta and stuff, you would love Ricky Gentile.

Last but not least we had Convention Crew come out....this b-boy/b-girl (1 girl in their crew) group tore it up, as some people may know, an old skool beat of Tim's, "Shock"....it was awesome check out the video!

All in all, it was a blessing to serve the neighborhood and have a great way to reach the younger generation here in Okinawa! Praise the Lord for all the people willing to serve Him!

Graduation Service

Well this is the actual ceremony.....had to start with the cake photo....

We each got to share a verse that the Lord put on our heart as we were finishing Bible College and then share about where we were headed next.

Eder sharing about how he is coming back to Okinawa! YATA!

Receieving my diploma.....

The three Graduates!

Chaplain Glenn Wood praying for all of us.....thanks for the prayers!

Well then we had some of that cake....mmmm.....had kind of a cake/dessert fellowship afterwards.....and a little bit of salsa dancing....what a blessing it has been to be here in Okinawa for 2 years! Wow....time has flown!

Posing with Asa

Well as we were dressing up.....lil Asa comes in and sees our swords.....that is like candy for the kid....he gets all excited and wants to start playing with us.....so we let him take a few pictures of us (which aren't bad....Tom and Joanna get that kid a camera...lol) and then we had a mad battle....

Asa is a fierce warrior.....

He took on the infamous Ederu....

Asa slayed the tyrant ruler.....Kerii San

He even went against the mighty Bushido Master.....

Do not worry.....no persons were hurt in the event you have just witnessed...just plain good fun....thanks Asa!

Gettin Dressed for Graduation

Well for the three of us getting graduated......wait.....that is bad english.....we got to dress up in yukatas or kimonos....forget which one....just the ones for dudes....man they were awesome....and we looked awesome! It was a blessing to graduate here in Okinawa....after spending so much time here....i think it would have been better for me personally....Congrats Keli'i and Eder!

Eder and Kayo helping out....

Mine was a little tougher.....Kayo and Achiko (Thanks!)

Sooooo sweet.....feel like Algren San....(Last Samurai).....literally these things were like huge pants.....like size 60 waist pants......and they gurded up like a skirt.....was sweet man....want a pair so bad....heard they are super expensive and almost never worn anymore, real unique and formal though....yata!Here is Keli'i....out of all of us....he actually looks normal in these.....probably because he is part Okinawan....but he looks like a magistrate, governor or something.....lol

Walkin around Tonaki-jima

Lots of pictures of beautiful Tonaki, dont need to explain much....we did a lot of walking.....a lot of the houses are so nice, scenery was great. Take a look!

Puma crew.....there were many more of us, but they missed the picture....we used these alot in Tonaki.

The island is very small...we walked down these little streets....just enough room for a car.....to the other side of the island.....it only took about 7 minutes.

This is one of the homes.....very beautiful, very old, very Okinawan...you can see that they build a concrete wall right in front of their house and door....it is to keep out the spirits, because they cannot go around the wall, but hit it and then leave....if you dont have a wall, be careful. Some people would even just have a tree there in the way. Interesting, maybe just fables, but maybe some spiritual bondage they are held down in.
Keli'i found a little buddy along the way...
Ahh.....cute....wierd eyes though....Cool pictures of Tonaki.....ahhh......

Tonaki Trip.....on the boat.....

Well we headed out to Tonaki Jima for a couple days....to minister to the island through a kids outreach, a movie night, and Sunday morning and night service.

This is us getting on our majestic ship....kind of Titantic with the colors huh?

My buddy, Eder and I

Sosimo and Keli'i

Pulling into Tonaki Port

Well we didnt have a very good boat ride....about half of us got sick...not too good....was I didnt get shaken, Praise the Lord!

Bible Collge is ovEr!

Man.....ok this past week or really almost 3 weeks have been super busy....huge events happened.....pastor Tommy covered most of them....but now its time to get my camera's side of the story....sorry so late.....but he it comes....

Tonaki Jima Trip
Graduation
Stir It Up Retreat
End of Semester Banquet
CCGinowan Christmas Banquet
Last Lunch with Foster Choir

Ok look for these and more soon!

Prayer Request!

Please help pray for me...I am coming to the end of my Bible College experience, and I'm praying about going to Italy. I have been wanting to go to Italy for a couple years now, and have never been able to go. I don't know why God has put that place on my heart, despite the fact I'm part Italian, but I think maybe God has a work there for me to do. Help me pray that He would guide me as I transition out of Okinawa.

Now this might mean that I will go from Okinawa to California for a time, but then again it doesn't mean that either. Other doors are seeming to open that I can go to another country for a time to serve and also save money, with the hopes of still going to Italy in the summer of this next year.

Well, I am open. I want what the Lord wants...help pray God would reveal His will. Thanks....I covet your prayers.

Daniel

Toudou Ramen

This is simply my favorite restaurant in Okinawa....we went this past Sunday for lunch....they are a great restaurant because they are like a "Mom and Pop" place, very chill atmosphere, but lots of people come for the great food. They make all their noodles fresh every day, and only make enough for that day, if they run out, they close up shop!

Here are the Deans (Josh, Regina, Claire), Jessica, and Neely

Becca, Jesse, and Eder....chowin down on some grub

Claire....one of my new besto friendo's