Well around New Years time, everything in Okinawa pretty much stops...literally. Most shops shut down, everyone is off work and school, they just chill and hang out. And that is pretty much what we have been doing too. Except that there is a big event at the temples in each town area. They have pretty much a big gathering, with food and carnival type stuff outside, and then a huge line into the temple. People pretty much go and give money offerings to the temple, like indulgences for their salvation or prayers to the god they worship. It is very sad, because there are huge lines, thousands of people that go to show respect to the temple, when it does nothing else for the people but take their money to pay for the temple to be there for the rest of the year. I am glad that our church is not just a place that people come to and pray, give their money, and leave. But we offer ourselves in ministering to each person, talking to them, encouraging them in the faith they have, giving them something to leave with other than an empty feeling of obligation to our church, but hopefully the Holy Spirit guiding and bringing fruit into their life. Please have a heart for the people around you, dont let your eyes get used to the sin that is always there, giving into the lies that the enemy desires to create. Open your eyes, God desires to do a work with you, see a need, fill it by the power of God's Spirit.
New Years is no New Years without Martinelli's....mmm...
Well we went to the Futenma Shrine....with some tracts to evangelize to the people there....here is Robby giving a money tract....
Here is a man after he threw in some money, praying....you can see people in the back in the main sanctuary, there is a man in a robe chanting too...
The symbol of New Year, the year of the Cow
People ceremonially wash their hands....if only they were washed by the blood of Jesus and His Word....
A map of the whole Futenma shrine...
They sold lots of different things, keychains, papers, and these arrows....i really dont know the significance, but they cost about ¥1000-¥1500 each, about $10-$15...
All the people walking up to the shrine to pray....
People buy these little wood tablets for $5 and then write their prayers on them....
I found some English ones....
The Shrine from the 330 road....about 2 blocks from Foster Base....
Carnival food....mmm.....the only good part of the event.....yakisoba, takoyaki, okonomiyaki, big hotdogs, tempura, corndogs, etc.....alot of fried stuff....the best kind of stuff....
Well again please pray for us here in Okinawa....
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