First Week in Japan
I'm finally here! It's been a long time coming, but now I am in Japan!
I found some rare free time so thought I'd do a quick blog to let you know what I've been up to!
The flight on Sunday/Monday was nice. I didn't get any sleep on the plane which meant I was extra tired when in Japan due to Nefyn camp and the 8 hour time difference, but oh well! After arriving in Narita, I was met at the airport by an OMF worker and we travelled via train to Ichikawa (OMF Japan HQ). There I was shown the guest house and they then left me to my own devices! In Japan! All alone! Was a bit scary, but I wondered outside, to the train station, then popped off to Akihabara (Electric Town). I just had to visit this place while I was here! This is geek heaven. Hundreds of stores that hold DVDs, games, Anime, Manga, all kinds of electronics and arcades. Oh and porn mixed in there as well which I found shocking. There are even vending machines with porn scattered around Japan for easy access. But anyway, it was a fun experience!
After staying the night at the OMF guest house, I travelled by Shinkensen (bullet train) and 3 other trains to my mission destination. To my delight, Pokemon were decorated on the outside of the awesome Shinkansens! The view from the journey was fantastic. I went past many cities, towns, rice fields and mountains. When changing on to the smaller local trains, the signs were in Japanese so I didn't know exactly what trains to get, but I just jumped on the ones that came at the correct times (something that you cannot rely on in the UK). They were the right trains! *phew* I
did ask a Japanese man for clarification, but he had no idea what I was on about so I guess God guided me instead!
Once I arrived at Itayanagi, Tsugaru, Aomori I was met at the station by the missionaries I was to stay with. They are the Ghent family. They have been here planting churches for over 20 years and speak Japanese like natives (they are North American and Canadian). Really nice people.
The church is set in the middle of a farming community and this part of Japan is famous for it's apples so there are many apple and rice farmers living here. The number of Christians in this town is way below 0.01% which is sad. But better than some towns in northern Japan where there is 0% Christian due to no churches or missionaries ever reaching them.
Everyone I have met up to now have been really nice!! Even if they cannot speak English, they have treated me well. There are some here who speak some English due to English lessons set up by the family here. I have already been involved in an English class which involved me sitting in a cafe with around 7 Japanese people and we asked each other questions. I was nervous to begin with, but it went well in the end.
There have been a few church events so far where we have cooked for people who then came to eat and hear a gospel talk. Many people here are open to God and are seeking him, but even people who become Christian do not share their faith as they do not want to offend people due to the culture of ancestral worship. Some people never become Christian because of this family pressure.
Today I went with the family to the north were we went to a beach which was really nice. The scenery here is truely amazing. The mountains can be seen for miles around. I wish to climb them one day!
I must go now! I will try and keep you updated! Before I go, I'd like to request a prayer. That God will show Himself to these people in a way that causes them to love and worship the one who created them, instead of hundreds of idol gods that can not save them from their broken lives. I have seen and heard of a lot of pain since being here already and it makes me sad. God is the hope of the whole world.
Mata ne! (see you!)
I found some rare free time so thought I'd do a quick blog to let you know what I've been up to!
The flight on Sunday/Monday was nice. I didn't get any sleep on the plane which meant I was extra tired when in Japan due to Nefyn camp and the 8 hour time difference, but oh well! After arriving in Narita, I was met at the airport by an OMF worker and we travelled via train to Ichikawa (OMF Japan HQ). There I was shown the guest house and they then left me to my own devices! In Japan! All alone! Was a bit scary, but I wondered outside, to the train station, then popped off to Akihabara (Electric Town). I just had to visit this place while I was here! This is geek heaven. Hundreds of stores that hold DVDs, games, Anime, Manga, all kinds of electronics and arcades. Oh and porn mixed in there as well which I found shocking. There are even vending machines with porn scattered around Japan for easy access. But anyway, it was a fun experience!
After staying the night at the OMF guest house, I travelled by Shinkensen (bullet train) and 3 other trains to my mission destination. To my delight, Pokemon were decorated on the outside of the awesome Shinkansens! The view from the journey was fantastic. I went past many cities, towns, rice fields and mountains. When changing on to the smaller local trains, the signs were in Japanese so I didn't know exactly what trains to get, but I just jumped on the ones that came at the correct times (something that you cannot rely on in the UK). They were the right trains! *phew* I
did ask a Japanese man for clarification, but he had no idea what I was on about so I guess God guided me instead!
Once I arrived at Itayanagi, Tsugaru, Aomori I was met at the station by the missionaries I was to stay with. They are the Ghent family. They have been here planting churches for over 20 years and speak Japanese like natives (they are North American and Canadian). Really nice people.
The church is set in the middle of a farming community and this part of Japan is famous for it's apples so there are many apple and rice farmers living here. The number of Christians in this town is way below 0.01% which is sad. But better than some towns in northern Japan where there is 0% Christian due to no churches or missionaries ever reaching them.
Everyone I have met up to now have been really nice!! Even if they cannot speak English, they have treated me well. There are some here who speak some English due to English lessons set up by the family here. I have already been involved in an English class which involved me sitting in a cafe with around 7 Japanese people and we asked each other questions. I was nervous to begin with, but it went well in the end.
There have been a few church events so far where we have cooked for people who then came to eat and hear a gospel talk. Many people here are open to God and are seeking him, but even people who become Christian do not share their faith as they do not want to offend people due to the culture of ancestral worship. Some people never become Christian because of this family pressure.
Today I went with the family to the north were we went to a beach which was really nice. The scenery here is truely amazing. The mountains can be seen for miles around. I wish to climb them one day!
I must go now! I will try and keep you updated! Before I go, I'd like to request a prayer. That God will show Himself to these people in a way that causes them to love and worship the one who created them, instead of hundreds of idol gods that can not save them from their broken lives. I have seen and heard of a lot of pain since being here already and it makes me sad. God is the hope of the whole world.
Mata ne! (see you!)
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Johnny