English Class in Naha

While Johanna has been gone in California, Joel and I have taken over her class in Naha, where we help a Japanese guy named Sunny run his class, teaching everyday conversational English to other Japanese people. It has been pretty cool getting to know some of these people over the last couple of weeks, but last week and last night God did an amazing thing!

Last week we were on the subject of karaoke, and they were interested in what songs I knew from the States. I could not think of anything but Dean Martin for some reason. So they made me stand up and sing "That Amore". Funny. But then Sunny, since he knows that we are Christians, he asked if I could sing a hymn. A hymn! Well I stood up, a little nervous, but I sang "崇めます" Agame masu, or "I Worship You, Almighty God" It was so cool. So that was like us cracking open the door.

But yesterday night, we waited around a little afterwards to talk to some of the people, and I found out that three of the people go to Kinser Chapel on base each Sunday for the Christian service, and that conversation turned to why we were here. I told them that "私は宣教師です." "I am a missionary." They were all shocked. They asked Joel and I if we would like to go out for a drink, and they said they would pay, so we were there! haha....They took us to Kokusai Street, just like a block away, and we sat down at a Coffee Shop and just talked some more. They were really interested in coming to our church and seeing what we are all about. They were questioning us why we were coming to Bible College here instead all the ones in the States, and we told them because the schooling is the same, but the ministry in Japan is far much more needed. We told them how only 95% of Japan has heard of the name of Jesus, and how only 1% has a relationship with Him, and we told them we were here to help the Lord change those numbers. It was just a blessing of a night to share with them. Please pray for them that they would get saved, and live their lives for the Lord. I cant wait to see them again or here on Sunday night like some said they would! Pray!

Tearing up the bowling alley....

The youth group I teach at went out to the bowling alley yesterday....so much fun. It was Clarissa's bday, she turned 14...Happy Birthday yo. We just kicked back and played 2 games, had some all you can drink A&W (mmmm.....) and chatted....lots of pictures!

Fire Typhoon Morning Prayer

This was pretty sweet....I woke up early to go to a Japanese prayer meeting with a college age group in Chatan/Mihama area called Fire Typhoon (FT), where do a message, some worship, and an extended time in prayer, for their Pastors, for Japan, Okinawa, for their relationship with the Lord, and for God's will through their service to Him. It was such a blessing to be here, and it was cool because Pastor Tim got to teach a message. All these people love Jesus with all their hearts, it is so evident, and they are just super on fire for Him. So cool.

I got my Visa!

Well I am good to stay here for a whole year! This was such a blessing, because, other than Joel, this has been the only Visa process that has gone clear through with no problems or return visits...the Lord is allowing the door for us to stay out here and minister to the Okinawan people! Praise the Lord....the day we went to Naha to go get my stamp, we were driving around, and I was just watching all the people walk by, and thinking how most of them have never heard of Jesus. Please pray that God would reveal Himself to Japan through His Spirit, but also through His servants...we need to learn more Japanese, to be affective as witnesses! Pray for patience and understanding of this difficult language.

Joe....

Huge praise report....the Lord did a great fix up on our brother Joe. Joe had two really bad shoulders, and had to have surgery. He just got done healing up on the opposite shoulder in this picture, and then he had the other shoulder done. The doctors went in and cleaned up cartilage and he is doing great. Continue to pray for Joe and his wife Tammy, they have more trials ahead with therapy and whatnot. Blessings!

Birthdays!

Lots of birthdays these past 2 weeks....here are some sweeto pics.....

Here we got the candle blower of the year, Nico Barrios, who turned 3! Hilarious picture....blessings to you little buddy!









Here is Joe "Tippycanoe" Tipton and his mom Beth....that cake was made by Beth....it was so good. It was brownies with coffee frosting and M&Ms on top....mmmm...great cake!



Then we got Toru San...was he surprised! I hope you had a great day tomodachi...continue to grow in Jesus!

スマイル！Smile!

Well the day we went to McDonalds for "Fellowship Day" (which is a name we need to change! Comments! Please!) I saw the coolest thing! I was reading the menu in Japanese, without trying to look at the English, and I came to this one! I started to laugh. My little buddy (more like a little brother!) Jordan took a picture by it....sooo funny....


But make sure you see the close up! We laughed so hard. When I went up to order, I ordered in Japanese, but I made sure I ordered a free side of Smile, for free of course...she was puzzled at first, but then started to giggle, which most Japanese girls do.....ni haha...this put a smile on face that day!

Fellowship Day....

Hey guys....help me out here.....I'm trying to think of what I should call our Fellowship Day that is going to replace our Study Hall on tuesdays...any suggestions? We will do different things, like going to the movies or playing movies in our youth room, going to the beach, playing some sports, going to do some ministry somewhere, etc. I mostly would like to do it to fellowship with the kids we got, but also use it as an outreach for those kids or new kids that they invite or that somehow come. We will have a time in the Word, but mostly just one on one encouragement. Please pray for these, in that they would be fruitful, to raise up youth for real relationship with Jesus.
This past Tuesday we had our first one.....it was also the last time we would see the Dunston girls, so it was a good time. We got some McDonalds and popped some corn....lol and watched a movie....good times good times....we also laid hands on the girls and sent them out with our prayers! Blessings to you girls, love you guys mucho....grow in Jesus!

Drop a comment with a name for this "Fellowship/Outreach Day"! Please!

Our Neighbors

The other night we were playing some Balderdash when our neighbors, Kodai and Mana came over....they wanted to give us some apples and an orange. We dont get much fresh fruit, so it was a huge blessing. They brought their mom over too and we cut it up and hung out. We tried to explain to them Balderdash, but it was too difficult to play with them. The night became like a giving party! We gave them some cake we had made that night, and then they went and got some sweet potatoe chips and other crackers. We some how got on the subject of Tom Cotton's nasty Vegemite (horrible tasting sandwich stuff....supposedly really good for Vitamin B, but nearly puts you in a coma with the taste....well its not that bad) and he gave them some, and they said that it tasted a little like nato. So they went and got some nato and iced coffee. It was fun hanging out with our neighbors, what a blessing we had. Please continue to pray for their salvation as we continue to reach out to our neighbors with friendship evangelism.

PCS Season :(

This is very new for me, and very sad. I have never had so many people that are apart of ministry take off to go somewhere else. I love these people very much and will miss them. Lord willing I will see these people again to hang out and encourage and be encouraged! Blessings, I am praying for each of you!

This is...in order....Sosimo, Christina, Shelby, and myself....we drove Shelby to her temporary home at the Westpac (A hotel for leaving marines) where we got to lay hands and pray for her. Shelby is moving to Germany with her family, who are teachers for DoDDs. We are gonna miss her, we were able to get really close to her for about a year now, and we love the work that God is doing in her life...continue to pray for the Hall family!


This 2nd person is Kasumi, and she has been hanging out with since last November when we had out Okuma Retreat...it has been a blessing to see her grow in learning about Jesus and have a genuine faith in the Lord, trying to put her trust in Him even at a young age. She is one of the most mature young ladies that was attending our youth group, and also the only Japanese girl....I'm gonna miss talking to her about otaku's and anime and stuff...she is moving to Mainland to live with her grandparents...I will miss you girly!

Everyone....meet Jake "The Snake", our drummer for our Sunday morning worship team...he has been a blessing, supporting the team with his mad skills...he is leaving some big shoes to fill, I am going to miss this brother....he is moving to North Carolina and meet up with his family who he has been away from for close to a year....that would be way to hard for me....being away from your wife and child....be blessed Jake....I'll make sure I send that CD you want!

These are the infamous Dunston daughters....just kidding...I got to chill with these guys every week....Margret, Callie, and Kathryn...they are awesome....I have probably known them the longest, including their family, since I came here the first time in January last year. These girls are great, they love Jesus, and God has blessed us with many opportunities to share with them and encourage them, but also they friends that they would always bring to evangelize to them. Please pray for them as they move to Chicago!

Last but not least, a picture of the whole Dunston family...Jacob their son made sure to come down and surprise the family for Father's Day....the Dunston family has been such a blessing to us at the Bible College, inviting us over for parties at their house, giving us special treats and meals and also supporting missionaries that we send out into the field...they will be dearly missed, they will truly bless another church family with their giving and kind spirit! Continue to seek after Jesus!

B³ Youth Room Update

Gate 2 Outreach

One of our friends from Futenma Marine Base, Chase, runs a homeless ministry in two places, one in front of Gate 2 Kadena, and then one closer to a wharf by Kadena. I was blessed to go this week, and I led worship for the people and then Sosimo taught the Word, while Naoko translated (which was a first also...the people could hear the Word with no language barrier, what a blessing....thank the Lord for Naoko being ready to be used!) . It was a great time, giving them physical food, and then serving up the best type of food, spiritually God given food through His Word. Sosimo served them up a hot plate of the Gospel that day, and most of them had never heard it before. It was great to pray with them afterwards...please continue to pray for these outreaches we will try to do every Sunday afternoon...blessings!

HakuGaijin takes the stage....

Well we got an awesome opportunity to rep Jesus about 2 weeks ago at a Bill Wilson Metro Ministries Conference, where we were able to sing some songs from our hip-hop group. We had recorded the instruments from our band and then Tim and I went on stage a did the raps for them. It was pretty sweet. Bill Wilson mostly ministers to people that are involved in gangs and stuff, and is used to having rap, hip-hop, b-boy, and tag art when he does his outreaches, but Okinawa is not....we are probably the only hip-hop Christian group out here in Oki, so it was rare for the people. But they had rented out a building that sat 1,500 people (we have done a Rhythm Unity here before), and did a little worship, and then invited HakuGaijin (us), a break dancer crew, and a tag and duct tape artist (he did the HUGE tagged art in the back....duct tape sounds weird, but he puts it up and then cuts away and makes it sweet. He did this in the time we had our two songs, maybe 6 minutes....pretty good....). I was sooo nervous, especially when we walked out on stage and there wasn't a seat that wasn't filled....it was packed out....whoa....God was truly glorified, and Tim and I had a great time servin Jesus! Ayu came with us too (and her BUN IN THE OVEN...whoo hoo....she isn't showing yet....maybe soon!). So if you could remember to pray for us....maybe help us pray that we could minister more with our HakuGaijin group, and minister to those unsaved b-boys and hip-hop lovers in Okinawa. Alright peace.

Semester is over!

Well we have been out now for about 2 weeks, and there has been a lot to do, so here is a quick update of the things that have been happening in the last month...


We had one of the families from Foster ship out to move to North Carolina...The Culbertson's...I truly miss you guys already! This is a picture of Maddie, who chills with us at our B³ Youth group....it was cool to send out that family, and I pray all of you guys continue to walk in the Spirit, being led by the Lord! I'll try to visit soon!


Then there was the end of the semester banquet....it was pretty fun...we all got to dress up and look shnazy and stuff....they also gave out awards for all the crazy things that we would be remembered for from this semester...."Grandpa" Joel got a cane (for obvious reasons), Sosi got the "Charmer" award and received a rose, and I received the "Many different hair styles" award, which I got a shaving kit for (mostly because I had razored my head this semester). It was sweet...there is a picture in here about us praying for Evan because it was his final semester in Bible College. Continue to pray for him, he has some decisions to make about his future plans (maybe going to Korea to be a "servant dude", or go to Mexico and be a "servant dude". lol)











Well before the semester formally ended, we headed up to Nago Expo Park, which is home to the biggest aquarium in the Pacific. It houses 2 whale sharks....hopefully in the next couple of months we'll go back and I will get to go inside....But we did get to see a sweeto dolphin show, and stroll around and see some manatees and sea turtles. Right across the way you can see the beautiful Ie Jima (Ie Island). I would like to go there for a youth retreat this year, help me pray!


Oh and here is a video of the dolphin show.....

Well that is pretty much a catch up for about a month ago....lol sorry....ill try harder to get stuff up when its happening! Peace and God bless, continue to pray for us out here!