New Year Traditions

Every country has its own set of traditions to welcome the new year. Here in Japan special food is prepared to be eaten over the coming few days. Special decorations go up on doors. People take advantage of a few days' holiday to go back to their family home. Many will go to the local shrine to offer a 'prayer' for the coming year. And as the old year closes, many millions tune in to NHK (the BBC of Japan) to watch the annual 'Red and White Singing Contest' when teams of men and women, both soloists and groups, entertain the audience with their songs. Now in its 60th year, the 'Kouhaku' has established itself as quite an event and is a glittering production with various well-known personalities taking part. Once it is all over NHK will switch to scenes of various parties round the country as the revellers welcome the start of 2010 which will take us into the Year of the Tiger. Tomorrow will see the start of the visit to the shrine for millions of Japanese - more on that in the next blog.

Christmas

Last Wednesday we had a few of Alistair's kindergarten friends (along with some mothers) round for a Christmas party. It was great fun and a great way to get to know them better. Lorna was also able to share the Christmas story very simply and the kids all listened really well. Today it was a public holiday here in honour of the Emperor's birthday so we invited our neighbours and some others to come round for a 'British-style Christmas party'. We were very encouraged that some came, in fact more than we thought would come and the numbers were just right. It was all fairly low-key and relaxed as we chatted, thought a little about the meaning of Christmas, sang one or two carols and shared some food together. Some people that we have got to know a little over the past months, we now know better and have been able to invite them into our home - not always easy for a Japanese person to accept. As we look back on these past months there have been several 'God-appointed opportunities' to meet people and these people were among the folks who were here today. We look forward with hope and encouragement to the new year.

Celebration

Yesterday was a day to be remembered. As a baby church we celebrated our first Chirstmas and also had the joy of our first baptism. It was wonderful to have 32 people there. There was a real sense of the Lord's presence with us as we sang Christmas hymns and pondered on the message of the Saviour coming to the world. Sambi gave her testimony complete with hand-drawn pictures to help her tell her faith story. We had borrowed a portable baptismal 'bath' from another church which was set up in our dining area. As it was the first time for a baptism in our house we had to work out how much to fill the bath and what temperature of water to use (allowing for it to cool down a little) but thankfully got both just right! It was a special privilege to be able to baptise our first believer in Izumi Church. Afterwards everyone shared a little about their connection to Sambi and each one spoke so affectionately of her. And then everyone lingered on as we ate, chatted and laughed together. Many young people were there yesterday. Who knows what seeds have been sown? It certainly was a blessed and encouraging day.

Beware of fire

Recently we have been hearing a strange sound outside our home. At first we thought it was someone just kicking something along the street - we have lots of high school kids passing by. Then we kept hearing the sound at exactly the same time every evening - 8.10 to be precise. One night David popped his head out to see a man walking along banging two wooden sticks together. Every evening, same time, same sound. Curiosity got the better of us so the other night we opened the window and asked him what he was doing. And he explained that men in the area take it in turns to go round the streets each evening from the beginning of December to alert people to the danger of fire and to warn them to be careful to turn off their heating (usually kerosene-powered stoves) or at least ensure it is safe before bed time. House fires are not a rare occurrence in Japan; some houses are old and made in such a way that they can catch fire easily. With modern houses and safer heating, the risk is not nearly so great as it once was but the community service continues in our area. This is the first time we have ever come across it. We enjoyed our chat with the 'fire prevention' man. Maybe we will have a chat again some evening.

Starting church from scratch

What do you need to start church from scratch? The simple answer might be a place to meet and some people. The place to meet can be anywhere. We have a great house and we started here with our small group. Our services are quite simple and informal. But as we've gone along we've realised there are some practical things you need to think about in Japan when meeting in your own house. We did not have a lock on our toilet door (don't know why) but we thought guests might like one! We need to have slippers for people to wear, especially in the cold Hokkaido winters. We are expecting lots of guests on Sunday for Sambi's baptism so have just had to go and buy lots more slippers. We need to have a special pair for the toilet too. And while on the subject of the toilet (again!) we need to have a soft cover to go on the heated seat for the comfort of our guests. We don't usually use one (doesn't go well with boys!) There are many other things to think through when church meets in your house - turn the phone ringer off; decide when to shut the curtains (it gets dark midway through the service); not have the rice boiling during the service so no smell and no beep, beep when it's ready. Lots of little things. But good to bear them in mind so people are not distracted from meeting with Jesus and worshipping God.

Kanji of the year

Every December in Japan a character in the Japanese language is chosen to represent the kanji of the year. Today was the day for the result for this year and the character for 'new' emerged as the one to represent 2009. This has been a year of things new in Japan, not least with the election of the DPJ to form a new government after around 50 years (except for one short period) of the LDP being in power. A number of new systems were introduced concerning such diverse matters as payment on expressways and juries in court cases. Well-known Japanese athletes set new sporting records. And the arrival of H1N1 saw it given the name 'new flu'! So 'new' it is for 2009. The announcement of the character of the year is always made in December and so often it is a word or idea that can be used as a launching pad for a message at Christmas services or other events. Our young believer Sambi will be baptised on the 20th during our first ever Hiragishi Christmas worship. New birth, new life, new creation - the ideas for the message are already coming fast. And we hope many new guests will come that day, for some their first ever time in a church. May that be the beginning of a new journey for them.

Freedom of expression?

Last week the Supreme Court in Japan upheld a ruling that had found a Buddhist monk guilty of trespass when he entered an apartment building to put political leaflets in the mail boxes of the residents (which are usually in a separate location from the apartments themselves). There was a notice in the entrance hall of the building prohibiting the insertion of leaflets and pamphlets in mailboxes. One of the residents got angry and the Buddhist monk ended up being arrested and fined. It is now getting increasingly difficult to distribute leaflets in Japan. Many newer apartment buildings have secure systems which deny others entry. Some people living in houses put notices up saying they don't want leaflets put through their letterbox. And now there is a ruling from the Supreme Court that means people need to take care when doing this kind of activity. Churches here have often distributed leaflets about events or other literature. It just shows that as we start off a new church in this area, we need to take care when distributing information. But of course people contact is fine - and maybe that's the most effective way anyway.

New Year decorations

Lorna is part of a group at Calum's school which meets regularly to study or make different things. As the end of the year is approaching, December's activity is to be making shimenawa, a traditional New Year decoration which many Japanese use to decorate their homes. However, on checking with two Japanese Christians, it was clear that these decorations are actually Shinto ones (Shinto being a Japanese religion - the way of the gods). It is believed that a god comes to dwell in the shimenawa. Our neighbour in Otaru would not throw these out after New Year but rather took them to the local Shinto shrine to be destroyed, because she saw them as divine. So Lorna had to explain that as a Christian she could not go that event. So much of what is seen as Japanese culture, has such religious significance. Although it may be difficult for us to say no, it is so much harder for Japanese Christians.

Praying for the nations

Twice a year OMF missionaries wherever they are gather together for a special Day of Prayer. Today was the day for us in Sapporo. Around 50 of us were there for a time when we were able to come apart from our busy lives to engage in the work of praying for the work of OMF in the different places we work. It was a powerful time and great to be able to lift up to God lands, people groups and situations which are very different to those we face in Japan. One of the features of life in the 21st century is that many Asian people now find themselves scattered round the world, in the cities and towns of the West and Australasia and increasingly in Africa too. There are huge opportunities to reach out to Asians of all nationalities without even having to leave your own country, or even your own town. As we took time today to focus on prayer for others, we are all the more thankful for those who pray for us here, for the land of Japan and for the start of the new church in Hiragishi - just a small part of the amazing things God is doing round the world.

overwork in Japan

Live to Work | Japan: Below the Surface from OMF Media on Vimeo.