Another year

We started this blog when we returned to Japan in the spring of 2009 with the aim that people back home could follow our journey as we seek to plant a church in Sapporo. It has been an encourgement to hear that people have been following this journey and that the regular posts have helped people to partner more with us in this journey and also learn something about this country and its culture along the way. So how has this past year been for Hiragishi Izumi Church? We ended 2009 with Sambi's baptism and full of hope for the coming year. Over the past year we have not had any additions to our small church. Yet we have realised afresh that the task of starting a church from scratch really does take time and patience. Only now are we beginning to see the fruit of time spent getting to know people in the community and being in the places where people are. We have made a conscious effort to be 'out there' and befriend people in the different worlds in which we find ourselves, not least school, football and local sports clubs. Interestingly, people who have come to events which we have held during the past year have been people that we already know in some way. It is not easy operating without a building which is known as the 'church'. Of course, church is about people more than a building, but it is not so easy for people we know to get a handle on where and what this 'church' is. As we go into 2011, there are many challenges but also many opportunities. We are excited to see what God will do. We are glad to have new co-workers on board with us. And we long to see some of our many contacts move towards Jesus and see some new believers from the Hiragishi area who take the big step of baptism and become added to Izumi Church. Thank you all for your support and encouragement over the past year.

The journey to faith

One of the joys of our work here is being able to help others understand the message of the Bible and find their way to a relationship with Jesus. A young guy has been coming now and again on Sundays since early last year. He is a friend of Sambi's and she invited him for the first time on Valentine's Day. After that he began to come on special occasions, around once a month. Over time he began to relax and he always chatted freely as we ate together afterwards. Recently he came and asked if he could pray during the service - he did and it was great! Some weeks ago he shared a bit about his life and how he feels about himself. David wondered whether he would like to meet more regularly (he is not working at the moment) so now he has met with David and JP three times to begin considering the message of the Bible. He has lots of questions and often comes at things from an intriguing angle. As we meet with him, we try to find points in common and ways in to share so that he can understand. He is not going to back to his family home at New Year so wants to come this Sunday and cook curry rice for all of us after the service. It would make an even better New Year for us if Wataru were to commit himself to a relationship with Jesus and be the next addition to our young church.

Christmas with a difference

This year will be unusual for us. One of our boys will be gone for Christmas Day! David headed off early this morning to the airport with Calum so he could catch a flight to Tokyo with 15 other 10 year olds chosen to represent the whole of Sapporo in a football tournament in Yokohama. They will be there till the 27th. Calum did open one of his presents before leaving and the rest will await his return. He is so excited to be going and already there is a great rapport among the boys who form the team. The coaches are making it a fun trip too. There is even a grand 'curry rice making' evening - everyone had to take their own spoon! Calum is looking forward to rubbing shoulders with some of the other future Japanese stars from the top club teams. He's not one of the main starting players so is unlikely to feature much on the pitch but it will be a great experience. It was fun to watch them leaving this morning. Everything was of course highly organised - even down to each child receiving a mask to wear on the plane! Obviously someone is concerned that the children don't pick up any nasty bugs en route. Well, here's hoping for a great time and as they say in Japanese - 頑張れ!　(Do your best!)

Christmas Food

'Christmas equals chicken'. So says a marketing director of KFC in Japan. A professor of business at a university here comments that 'the Japanese are keen to celebrate Christmas in a non-religious way' so as there is 'a certain amount of nostalgia attached to the KFC Christmas meal, people try to pass the tradition on to their children.' KFC is certainly big business here at this time of year. Dr Sanders gets dressed up in his Santa outfit and you can see many Japanese clamouring to buy KFC chicken on Christmas Eve. Of course many pre-order now to avoid disappointment. While it is true that many see Christmas just as a chance to eat chicken and Christmas cake with their family on Christmas Eve (the 25th being just another working day here), it is also true that people here are also drawn to churches which often hold candle services on the 23rd or 24th. These are usually simple services by candlelight with traditional carols and Bible readings, and a short message can be given too. Maybe there is an opportunity in here for churches to reach even more people at the Christmas Eve service. 'Celebrate Christmas with us and join us for a chicken meal afterwards!' It would be great to see the crowds flocking to churches rather than KFC.

On the move - again!

It has reached that time of year again when our older boys are on the move, this time returning to Japan for the winter holidays. They are in Tokyo and will head up to Sapporo tomorrow - two other boys (as well as Mum and Dad) are eagerly awaiting their arrrival. It is always fun to have these weeks to be together and catch up. Schedules are adjusted; work commitments scaled back (somewhat); and precious time is spent talking and listening, often in the case of of teenage boys lasting late into the night! Daniel and Matthew enjoy the adventure of travel. They also look forward to such mundane pleasures as McDonalds in the airport, though it seems they checked out Starbucks during their stopover in KL. That seemed to be partly for the coffee but more for the wi fi connection (until they discovered the whole airport had wireless access). It won't be all rest though. Daniel goes back to mock A Level exams in late January so the textbooks will return too. However, before that we can enjoy Christmas together. Having said that though, just as two boys come back, one goes off for a football tournament in Yokohama. But that is another story which can wait for another day. Meantime we look forward to this weekend when we are once again a family of six all under the same roof.

A hot year

Every December in Japan around this time the kanji (Chinese character) of the year is chosen. With great ceremony the character is painted on a large sheet of paper by a priest in front of one of Kyoto's famous temples as the chosen kanji is revealed. This year it is the character 暑 which is used for 'hot', as in summer heat, which has been chosen to be the kanji of the year, having received by far the highest number of votes. The main reason is for this character being number one for 2010 is the record-breaking heatwaves over the summer which saw numerous people succumbing to heatstroke. Another reason put forward was the rescue of the Chile miners from the underground heat in which they found themselves for these long weeks of waiting. The effects of global warming were also mentioned. As the kanji for the year is chosen just before Christmas, it has often been perfect for an illustration in a Christmas message. So in recent years we have had characters for 'love', 'life' and 'new' among others. Perfect for a lead-in to a Christmas message. This year's choice does not seem to give so much scope - we'll see.

Quite a day

Today was the day of the Hiragishi Family Christmas - the first time we have ever held such an event here since the church started last year. We had no idea how many to expect and thought we would do really well to reach 50. We began to hand out invites and to give us some idea of numbers, we asked people if they could let us know if they planned to come. Numbers began to creep up. However, it was still quite amazing to welcome 93 people this morning - 73 children and 20 adults. One of our team was sick and couldn't be there so we were really stretched. We wondered about the weather as the forecast was for high winds and rain just at the time people arrived. We were praying about it and the rain stayed off till the right time. It was great to see many children we know (and parents too) as well as others we don't know. They listened well, joined in with singing a Christmas song, had great fun with the games and it was really a delight to have time with them. Most of those there have probably never before heard what Christmas is all about. Great as it was to have all these folks there, this is just the beginning. Some have now come to two or three events we have held. We long for some of those to move on and express interest in learning more about Jesus. That is the challenge for us now - to pray for fruit. And as a church here to pray regularly for these families and children that we had the privilege of welcoming to our Family Christmas. God is at work in Hiragishi and it's exciting to be a part of it.

Family Christmas

This Christmas is somewhat different from last year for Hiragishi Izumi Church. We have got to know lots of people, not least through our involvement in the local school, through Lorna's children's English classes and our boys' involvement in football and swimming. We thought it would be good once again to rent the building below our house and have planned a Family Christmas outreach event for Saturday. There will be lots of fun and games, lots of goodies to eat and a chance to sing a Christmas song together and for us to share the Christmas story with those who come. For many, it may well be their first time ever at a church event, and first time to hear what Christmas is really all about. Because we don't have a church building as such, it is harder to become known more widely in the community but this event has given us the opportunity to place leaflets in the local newspaper as well as go out and hand out invites to the children on their way home from school. It's interesting that many of those who have already said they will come are people we know personally. That shows the importance of slowly building up relationships. However, we hope that others from the community will come too and that this Saturday will mark another important step in the life of this fledgling church. Look out for a report later this weekend.

A dog's life

Leaflets and fliers advertising almost anything pop through your letterbox here with great regularity. One of the latest for us is to tell us about the grand opening of a place called Pet Town complete with cute photos of some of the dogs which are for sale - along with all the necessary accessories. Dogs are big business in Japan. There are after all over 13 million of them - more than the total number of children under 12. Some dogs seem to spend almost all of their time indoors. And they certainly get pampered. Today's leaflet offered a selection of clothing (designer labels are popular here), a stroller for taking the dog for a 'walk', even a special Christmas dinner and cake. Dogs can have all the gear here, even little socks and shoes. Of course if you need to be away for a few days, you can check your canine friend in to the dog hotel. And then why not give it a treat at the beauty salon or indulge it with a visit to the pet spa? We have quite a number of pet salons around our area and a pet cemetery not too far away. Why the big thing with dogs here? Perhaps some people just need the company. Perhaps it's easier to be friends with your dog when relationships in the family and workplace can be tense. However, the statistics are worrying - a low birthrate and an ever-increasing number of dogs will not solve the problems brought about by the population crisis facing Japan.

Christmas Tea Party

Yesterday the Hiragishi ladies (Lorna, Kaori and Nora) hosted the first of our Christmas events this year. The idea was to have something low-key and informal in our house for ladies. The weather forecast of the previous evening was proved correct - high winds and heavy rain, quite unusual for this time of year in Hokkaido. In fact it is one of the worst days we have experienced here for some time. But everyone made it - helped by Lorna offering to pick some of them up. A good time was had by all (in fact people didn't leave till an hour after it was meant to finish!) Conversation flowed easily. There were good times of sharing. And some want to meet up again. It turned out that 9 of the 10 are mothers Lorna knows from school (or friends of these mothers) and the other one there was our neighbour who meets each week with Lorna for French lessons. It really shows the value of building up personal relationships with people in the early months of church planting. The Hiragishi guys were not present - but David and JP were at the same time meeting with a young man who comes once or twice a month to our service and who was keen to meet to talk and share more about the Bible. That too was a special time - but no space for that here so there will be more on that next time. Now our thoughts turn to our Family Christmas outreach next Saturday - lots to plan and prepare for that.

Countdown to Christmas

Today is the first day of December so we move into one of our busiest times of the year. The Christmas season is always an opportunity here. But it's odd too as we celebrate in a land where Christmas Day is just another working day - actually it is often the last day of school before the winter holiday. Things have changed since we first arrived in Japan over 12 years ago. You can get a decent-sized frozen turkey quite easily; you can buy Advent calendars; you can even get chocolates for the Christmas tree! Certainly the commercialisation has also moved up several notches over the years. But these coming weeks will see people drawn to churches and other events held up and down the country. For our fledging church here we can't do anything on a big scale. But for starters we (or rather the ladies in the team) are hosting a Christmas Tea Party this week in our home. We were hoping and praying for 10 to come - and exactly that number have said they will come! Most are mums Lorna has got to know through the school. It will be quite simple and informal - making a chocolate log cake and German cookies together (and eating them!) with Kaori, Nora and Lorna also sharing something about Christmas. This may be the first time for many of these ladies to hear what Christmas is really all about. More opportunities will follow over the coming weeks - watch this space for more info.

Church in a house

As we are renting a house here and using it for our worship services on Sundays, there are certain things we can't do to mark it out as a church. We cannot out up a sign outside. We cannot display a cross on the building -though we posted an entry last year showing the wonderful cross someone made for us which we display inside our second floor window to be visible to passers by. We had an idea of decorating the glass panel above our front door so that it somehow reflected that our home is also the church. We are blessed to have Sambi san as our first member and she is so talented at anything artistic. You can see from the photo what she designed for above the door - complete with a cross in the middle. It looks really good after dark with a light on behind. These are just little ways of our trying to show to those in the area that this is where our church meets while at the same time remembering that our home is rented out for the purpose of a home which restricts what we can do. Holding church services in our home has many plus points. Yet it is not so easy to make our presence as a church visible in the community with no obvious building as such. We trust that passers by will notice the cross in the window by day and the illuminated cross above the door by night.

What is a church?

Yesterday David went to the dedication ceremony of a new church building in Sapporo. It is a church that was started over 50 years ago by OMF and over the intervening years God has grown this church and blessed it in many ways. The church has sent out missionaries overseas and because it has had many students attend over the years, many of these students have gone their different ways and contributed to the extending of God's kingdom throughout Japan. The new building itself is great. The church wanted a building that reflected the theme of 'light' and as soon as you enter the building you are in a place that is bright and welcoming. But of course a church is so much more than just bricks and mortar (or whatever latest materials were used for this new building). A building itself can look good and offer an ambience of peace and light, but it is the people inside who really make the church what it is. The comment was made more than once yesterday that the old building has gone and a new building has risen in its place - but the people remain. And indeed the hope is that many more people will in time be added to this church - not to a building but to the community of God's people which forms the church in that area. It was a privilege to be part of that gathering yesterday as God's people dedicated not just their new building but themselves afresh to all that God will do through them in the years to come.

Education options

One of the big issues when you work in another country as a missionary is children's education. In some countries local elementary schools are a good option; in other places it is more difficult. The larger question is often what to do when children reach secondary stage. Local options can still be there but it is often at that point that it is more necessary to transition to an education system (and language) which will be most beneficial for university entrance and also re-entry into the child's 'home country'. There is no one right answer in all of this and we, like many other parents, have had to grapple with the issues. The other day OMF held a seminar here in Sapporo where some parents (inclduing us) and some former missionary kids shared about their experiences with different options - local schooling, international schools, boarding, home schooling. There are pros and cons to any option and a child may or may not be able to thrive or cope with a particular option. It was good to be able to have time together to share openly about these (sometimes sensitive) matters and be able to support one another as different families prayerfully consider which path to follow for children's education. These days there are many more resources and the advance of technology along with faster travel helps so much. And we are thankful to be part of a mission agency which takes member care so seriously and has qualified people in place to be able to advise and listen as we make the choices we need to make concerning our missionary kids.

Gadgets and forms

Japan loves its gadgets. Shops selling electronic goods offer almost anything imaginable. Go into one of these places and it just pulsates with life (and noise!) New models appear with great frequency to satisfy the consumer's needs (well actually people don't need the latest design with the latest features to replace their 'old' model but they buy them anyway). You would think that with all this technology it would be a straightforward matter to get what you want speedily and efficiently. Ah, but that does not take into account all the attendant bureaucracy, not to mention the amount of paper shuffling. Forms abound in Japan. The other day we went to buy a new phone (one of the ones that cost zero yen) which one of our boys could use while he is on a trip next month. He was being added on to our existing contract but still we had to fill in several forms. Today as requested we went back to pick up the phone but more procedures were required. The form then needed to be faxed (still very popular here to deal with all the forms!) and 40 minutes later the matter was still not complete so we need to go back tomorrow (with our piece of paper), sign another form and we will have the phone! It's just amazing that with so much technology around things can take so long and generate so much paper. Just one of those other paradoxes which are so part of life here.

A new beginning

Exactly a month ago today David got a call from our agent to say that he had concluded a deal for an apartment for our new co-workers, JP and Nora. They moved in a few days ago and this afternoon we had a time in their new place to dedicate it to the Lord and to pray for JP and Nora's ministry as they join the team in Hiragishi. It really is a great apartment -spacious, bright and ideal for hosting guests. It is in a quiet location yet many people walk by on their way to the local station (the centre of Sapporo is only 10 minutes away by subway). Already JP and Nora have had encouraging conversations with their neighbours. It is important here to visit your neighbours for 'greetings' when you first move in and give them a small gift. We were pleased that as well as the Chuas and Sambi (the only member of church to date), a young guy called Wataru also came. He is a friend of Sambi's and comes once or twice a month to our services. He joined us later for our service too and as he left after we had eaten together he said he wants to believe in Jesus but... However that it a big step for him. We trust that God will use JP and Nora and do a great work through them in Hiragishi. It's so good to have them on board with their passion and love for Jesus. Willkommen!

Reaching the area

A couple of months ago we had a team of six here from Singapore to help us for a few days. We discovered two things at that time. One is that we still have so much work to do to make the church known in the wider community. That is not helped by the fact that we have no visible church building, just our house. The other thing was not really a discovery but something we understood afresh - that taking the gospel to an area where Jesus is not known is a very real spiritual battle. Today we were joined again by some folks from Singapore (9 this time and all giving up their holiday to come and help out in Sapporo for some days). It was cold, windy and a little rainy but undaunted we headed out in four teams to pray as we walked round the area (engaging in the spiritual battle) and to deliver leaflets with a simple story and Bible message to some 700 homes (making our church known). Who knows what the outcome will be? The fruit may be unseen, at least for a time. But it was encouraging for us just to be out and about praying for people who live in the area and in some small way offering them a chance to take a step nearer to Jesus. In many ways our emphasis in these months here has been to make personal contact with people - and we now know (and are known by) lots of people. But so many others are still quite unaware that there is a church in Hiragishi. Prayer walking and delivering tracts may be small steps, but God can use all these things to draw people in this area to himself. Thank you all nine of the guys who helped us today - we appreciate you so much.

Winter clothes

Lots of things change as we approach winter in Hokkaido. We get our winter gear out as the temperatures plunge and the snow begins to fall. However, winter clothes are not just for us humans. Smaller trees and bushes are meticulously tied up with rope and sticks in a kind of pyramid shape to protect them from the weight of the snow. And the other day we noticed something we have never seen before in Japan - a grave all dressed up in its winter clothes. As you can see from the photo, the little bushes at the front have been carefully tied up. But each part of the grave, including the large tomb stone is now enveloped in its own cover, each one presumably made to size. The graveyards here simply fill up with snow over the winter months so it is not possible to use them during that time. After cremation the bones of a deceased are placed in a casket and then later on buried in the family grave. During the winter months the bones must be stored elsewhere (often in the home) until the snow has gone and the grave can be used again. Yes, winter brings many changes to Hokkaido - in life and in death.

Reaching children

Today we went to another church in the morning. One of the good things about having the Hiragishi service in the afternoon is that we can occasionally go elsewhere in the morning for a visit. The church has an interesting name - it could be translated as 'Love your neighbour' Church though that sounds a little odd in English. Anyway, this a church which has been going for more than 20 years and has three large buildings on its land. What is impressive is that these buildings are filled with energy and life on a Sunday morning, not least with lots of children. The church has always had a particular ministry focus on children - indeed they have something on each day for children. They have a couple of buses which pick up children from further away and bring them on a Sunday morning. We attended the early morning Kids Special - around 100 children were there for an 8.45 start! It was great - fun, lively, welcoming, worshipful and an excellent Bible message by the pastor. The main worship service follows at 11am and around a third of the children stay on for that. We were impressed by the dedicated team which gives of their time and energy week by week to reach these children for Jesus. We came away with some ideas of what we might be able to do here in Hiragishi as we look to start some outreach to local kids over the coming months.

Working together

Every year there is a joint 3-day gathering of OMF missionaries in Hokkaido and the pastors of the church group with whom we work (JECA). Over the last couple of years or so JECA has been planning a new church plant somewhere in Hokkaido. It has been exciting to hear of this development and interesting to watch the way it has moved forward to this point. There have been joint church plants before but this time it is different. The local churches and pastors will take the lead, with OMF playing more of a supportive role. The group which had the task of identifying the place for this new church start (hoping to kick off in April 2012) has a vision for something bigger - seeing this first church plant as only the beginning of a desire to plant other churches in other parts of Hokkaido. While it is great to see this vision unfold, there are many issues to be worked through, in terms of the 'what' (what will this church look like?), 'who' (who will lead it) and 'how' (dealing with the many practical matters, including finances). OMF too is working through its role in all of this - what is our task as missionaries here and what should our priorities be as we work alongside a national church? Big questions that don't admit of easy answers. But God is at work in Hokkaido and we long to see him do more so that the many unreached people might have the chance to hear the gospel.

Caring for one another

One of the values we hold dearly in OMF in Japan is member care. If the workers are well cared for and feel well cared for, then the work itself is helped. Living in a foreign land often brings its challenges and that not only in the early months, although these can be particulary stressful as a new missionary adapts to so many things that are new, with very little language to help them. One of the ways OMF here helps with care of new members is by what is called a Barnabas scheme. A new missionary (or couple) will have a more senior missionary allocated to them to befriend, encourage, help and pray in the first year of life here. We are just finishing being Barnabas to one couple and have just started with another couple too. It's great to have time with them - we are encouraged and challenged too. Once a month OMF also divides its Sapporo-based missionaries into fellowship groups which are times to share together, eat together, pray for and encourage one another. It is a privilege for us to be able to lead one of these groups. Actually although we've just been here 12 years we seem already to be reaching the stage of veteran (!) missionaries as many of our older colleagues have either retired or otherwise left Japan. It's a joy to be involved in a fellowship where care is a top priority. Hopefully it will always be a value which is well lived-out among the OMF community here.

Winter blues

Change is in the air. In fact, thousands of little white bugs are in the air too. Winter must be just round the corner. Every year at this time, the tiny 'yuki mushi' (snow fly) begins to make its appearance. Sometimes there are just a few, and other times you can end up walking through a cloud of them and you get completely covered. They are tiny, white, fluffy bugs and they herald the onset of winter. The first snow is already forecast for next week (a little bit too early!) Actually it won't really start until into November. Lots of preparations are made. Trees get their 'winter clothes' on to protect them from the heavy snow; car tyres are changed; snow-clearing implements are taken out of storage ready for use. In this football-mad house, this weekend has been the time for clearing away the outside goals before the pitches have their blanket of snow. It is time to move to indoor futsal for a while. Many changes, but life goes on - it's just that the pace of life becomes a little slower. Winter here we come!

A Day at School

Today was a busy day at Calum and Alistair's school. Saturday is not usually a school day but the boys headed off at their usual time this morning. It was a special time for parents to come and visit the school and observe a couple of classes. In the afternoon everyone stayed on for the school festival. In the morning we divided our time between the 1st grade class and the 4th grade class. It was fascinating to observe the way the class is taught, how the children participate and just the general atmosphere. The first period for both classes was what you might translate as 'social values' or 'moral education'. Each class was considering different scenarios and the children were to suggest what should be done and how the other person would be feeling. It was interesting to see the class working together on this. When a child had something to share, he or she would stand up behind their chair and give their answer in a clear voice. The next class was maths. The 1st grade class was considering how to work out the answer to 13-9; the older class was on fractions. In the 45 minute period each class managed to do one problem only - it was all done with involvement of everyone and each step worked through slowly and clearly. Everyone could follow. Watching the interaction and how the process works itself out provides a fascinating cultural study of the interplay between teacher and pupils on the one hand and between the group and the individual on the other. Having had all of our boys at Japanese elementary school has been a great blessing for them as well as a rich insight into the culture for us as parents.

Great provision

Last week David went to look at some possible apartments with our soon-to-be co-workers the Kochs. Later in the week he went with Kaori (who is also in the team at Hiragishi with How Chuang) to look at possible apartments for them as they have to move out of their present place next month. We found a great place for each of them quite quickly. However, that is only the beginning of the story as often we then hit the problem of landlords here not being willing to let a place to a foreigner or because the contract is taken in the name of OMF which has religious registration. Yet both proceeded smoothly and this afternoon within an hour calls were received from both agents to say that everything had gone through. We see both of these places not just as somewhere for the Chuas and Kochs to live but places that they can use for their ministry over the coming months and years in Hiragishi. God has provided great places and great co-workers. We look to him to be at work in this area and draw many to the spring where living water can be found - in Japanese izumi which forms part of the name of our church. Looking forward to many great things happening here!

A great vision

Today we visited another church as we are away for the weekend. It is called Obihiro Glory Church and is located in a city of some 170,000 surrounded by many smaller towns in the wider area. The present pastor moved there just over 20 years ago. The church has been built up to around 80 members (large by Japanese standards); there is a good mix of ages, including young people; and a very welcoming atmosphere. It was a joy to be there and be part of the vibrancy of a church alive with people who are worshipping and seeking to reach out to people round about. The church has a vision to plant seven (yes seven!) daughter churches in areas around Obihiro. One is already underway, meeting twice a month on Sundays in a cafe which is run there by two key members. Another area has a couple of OMF missionaries living there to help begin to make contact with people. It is wonderful to see a church with such a passion to reach out to people in the areas they are living. And it's not just the pastor's own vision - the church folks are behind it too. May there be many more churches with a similar passion to reach the unreached millions of Japan.

A new team

It has been a joy in recent years to have many new missionaries coming to Japan with OMF. Our language school has literally been bursting at the seams. It is an even greater joy for us to have the privilege of two of these new workers being added to our team from the beginning of next month. JP and Nora come from Germany and arrived in Japan in the summer of 2008. They have both done really well at the language school and are now ready to finish there and join a church planting team. They are both young and full of ideas, but at the same time are very teachable and looking to learn. They have worked in the past in different kinds of church settings in Germany, reaching young people in particular. Both are keen surfers and snowboarders and hope to use these interests for ministry opportunities. We are very much looking forward to having them on board (no pun intended!) in Hiragishi. But even more so we are looking forward to seeing what the Lord might do through them and through all of us in this baby church plant as the months and years go by.

A well used house

Eighteen months ago we moved into our house here. Just over a week before we were due to leave Scotland to return to Japan, still no house had been found for us. Then on the very day we were moving out of our 'Scottish' house, an e-mail came with details of a place for us in Hiragishi. It seemed perfect. And a year and a half down the road we realise just what a provision this place is. It's great for our worship services. We can host many people in our large lounge, with an extra tatami room off that too. Often we have hosted large gatherings of people whether these be church-related, OMF-related or just having several of the boys' friends for sleepovers. It's a very flexible place with so much space. It is not obviously a church building from the outside. But then again, it isn't - it is our home which doubles as our meeting place. And church is not about a building anyway (however helpful a building may be). It's about people. We are so glad that our home can be used as a place where people can come and go. We have had lots of precious times and fun times over these past eighteen months.

One year anniversary

Today was a special day in the life of Hiragishi Izumi Church. We celebrated one year of the start of services in our home. It was a happy time with a number of guests and a lively time of fellowship afterwards over a pot luck supper. As we look back, there is much for which we can give thanks. We remembered that first Sunday twelve months ago; we remembered the dedication ceremony we held a month later when so many people came; we thought about Sambi's baptism during our first Christmas service; we thought of the people we have got to know, the relationships that are gradually being built up, the way the existence of the church is slowly becoming known in the community. Certainly there have been many challenges too and these will continue. Starting a church from scratch is no easy task. It is not all about what happens on a Sunday afternoon. Indeed, most of what we do is focused 'out there' - in the community, in the school, meeting people where they are. So it was somehow appropriate on the day that we held our anniversary service that we (along with our new co-workers JP and Nora) could attend a barbecue organised by the local community association at lunchtime - a great chance to meet people and just be part of things in the community. Being 'out there' is so much what church planting is all about.

First big outreach

Two weeks ago we had some guests from Singapore, four ladies and two men from our colleague How Chuang's home church. They had come on what they called a 'vacation with a purpose'. After a holiday in Hokkaido, they came to Hiragishi to help us for a few days. We spent some time prayer walking in the area and delivering leaflets by a well-known Christian author. Since a few weeks before we had been giving out leaflets and invitation cards for a special event to friends and contacts, as well as having aroujnd 4000 distributed via the local newspaper. In many ways this has helped raise the profile of the church in the area and simply make the existence of our church known. As we meet in our house, there is of course no obvious church building. The special event was a Singapore Culture Day when people could hear something of Singapore and its different cultures, enjoy traditional songs and dances, and taste some local delicacies. One of the team shared a short testimony. We had been praying for 50 to come. We didn't actually have 50 guests but on the day, including the Singapore team and church folks, we had exactly 50 there, which turned out to be just right for numbers. Most of those there were people we have got to know, through school, English classes or just folks we have met locally. There were lots of encouragements. For many of those who came it was their first time to a church event. We don't know what seeds have been sown but trust that this has been a significant, if small, step forward in the life of Hiragishi Izumi Church.

Statistics

Japanese love facts and figures. It's amazing the amount of statistical information which is released or available on local government home pages. Just the other day, two sets of statistics were released. One concerned the level of violence and bulliyng at school. Both have become increasing problems in schools here, though much effort has gone into tackling bullying. Last year violent incidents in all schools nationwide increased for the fourth consecutive year reaching a record total of just over 60,000. On a much more tragic note, figures were also given for suicides by school-age children - 165 in total, two of which were linked to bullying. Cases of bullying did decrease quite significantly but it is clear that are still many such problems in school, especially in junior high schools. Another set of statistics released concerned the number of people over 100 in Japan. This is expected to reach a record 44,000 this year. There have been considerable difficulties with these figures as lately a series of scandals have hit Japan as people have been found to have been claiming welfare payments for elderly relatives (some of whom would be over 100) but who have been found to have died many years previously despite still having their names on the local registers. Statistics can be interpreted in different ways and don't necessarily paint the whole picture. However they do confirm two social trends which have been apparent in Japan for many years now - an ageing population and an education system which, for all its merits, is struggling to cope with instances of bullying, leading in some cases even to suicide.

Following the rules

Japan is often a land of paradoxes. It is in many ways very efficient. Things run smoothly; trains run on time: everything is done well and in an orderly fashion. Yet in other ways it can be very inefficient, to our eyes anyway. Recently we have had two cases (in different sports clubs) where we hit up against what might be called the 'following the rules' way of thinking. There are often detailed procedures for even the simplest thing. Yet at times these rules seem to fly in the face of common sense. Or so much time is spent following all the procedures that it seems - to us - a rather inefficient way of getting things done. Sometimes there can be a lack of flexibility (or even freedom) to depart from 'the way something should be done'. One of our recent cases concerned Alistair receiving a badge for moving up one rank in swimming. He passed the test and was given his test sheet and a badge by the coach. Then the sheet and the badge were taken back and the test results whitened out. Why? Because it was apparently necessary to have several weeks of practice before being entitled to receive the badge. But he was already at the required standard and the coach had so graded him and awarded the badge. But the 'rules' said it should not be done. There was no freedom to apply what we might feel would be common sense to the situation. Nor was there any apparent freedom to depart from the 'must-be-adhered-to' procedures. It can be easy to get frustrated with such situations. But it served as a reminder to reflect on what someone said to us in our early days in Japan - it's not wrong, just different. Very true. We live in a different culture with a different way of thinking and there are many times where we just need to go with the flow. Maybe it's just the lawyer in us which likes to argue the case though when it seems patently lacking in common sense!

Neighbourly kindness

Japanese people love to give things to others. In fact, it is often not easy to return the compliment as you might then receive another gift in return for yours. A couple of months ago Lorna started teaching one of our neighbours French. She can speak English too but it is French she is interested in for the moment. So after brushing up her French again, Lorna started the weekly one-to-one class only to discover that this lady is actually quite good already! Anyway, this neighbour has a garden filled with various vegetables and fruits, probably more than enough for her husband and herself. So over past weeks we have been the grateful recipients of freshly-picked cucumbers, green beans, 'eda mame' (soya beans which so far we have only ever bought frozen) and delicious blackberries. Lorna took some muffins to her the other day as a thank you but then just a few days later we received even more blackberries and some special pink-coloured sticky rice which the Japanese make on special occasions. What a blessing it is to have such neighbours.

Football - again

Today was a big football day in Japan. The national team played their first home match since the World Cup, ironically against Paraguay who knocked them out on penalties in South Africa. But revenge was sweet as Japan triumphed this time 1-0. It was amusing to see the match described on television as the first step towards the Brazil World Cup in 2014! But a more important match (for us anyway) took place earlier in the day somewhere on the outskirts of Sapporo. The last big tournament of the season (before everyone has to retreat indoors to play football) was taking place and Calum's team managed to be drawn against one of the toughest teams in Sapporo. A win seemed unlikely. Yet for weeks before extra practices were arranged to give the team as much chance as possible. Today they played really well in a hard contest and having ended 0-0, it went down to penalties. With the score at 3-3, Calum stepped up to take the deciding kick - and in it went! Now, many mothers attend football matches in Japan and it was worth being there just to see their reaction as they shrieked and danced and 'high-fived' - not your normal image of Japanese mothers! At the end the boys lined up as usual in front of the parents, gave their thanks and bowed deeply. Maybe some future national team stars among them - but which country would Calum choose?

The weather!

The weather is quite a topic of conversation here. It is normal to mention it in greetings when writing a letter. People usually have something to say about it when they meet. And there is usually some coverage on the news about rain, snow, wind or heat - it can often be the headline. Japan is a country where it can get very hot (like this summer) and very cold (in certain areas); some parts have rainy seasons; others experience typhoons. The daily evening weather forecast is usually quite fun as there is always a little chat about some obscure aspect of weather before moving on to what tomorrow will bring. Tonight we had little pictures of sheep-shaped clouds to tell us that the weather is to be changing - there is actually a word 'sheep cloud'. The change of seasons is marked well. We were interested to learn that according to the Japanese calendar autumn started on 7th August (while most places, even where we are in the north, were baking in one long stretch of summer heat). In the traditional calendar there are actually 24 days which divide the year into 24 sections, each day marking a different point in the year. The other day we hit the day which marks the limit of summer heat - well, it's still pretty hot! But it will not be long now till we come upon the days marking the descent of frost, the beginning of winter, the start of small snow and the start of big snow! Climate change is affecting everywhere but one of the wonderful things about Japan is to see and experience the rhythms of the changing seasons. It's said a hot summer can lead on to a bad winter though - we'll see.

Planning an event

As we have lived in Hiragishi for the last 17 months or so, it has been encouraging gradually to get to know people and to build up relationships with people in the area. A number of friends and colleagues have also put us in touch with people they know who live round about. There is a lot of potential in Hiragishi. So far we have built things up slowly, partly because we have not had the time or resources to devote to things which require a large investment of time or people. However, we are now planning one event and one special worship service next month, and we have other ideas to build on those over the coming months. A few folks from one of our colleague's home church are coming to Hokkaido for a holiday next month and would like to spend a few days helping us in Hiragishi. The main event we will have is what we are calling a Singapore Cultural Day, a low-key, 'easy to come along to' event with a taste of Singaporean culture, music, dance, games and food, and a simple testimony by one of the visitors. We have designed fliers and are sending these to people we know and distributing them more widely in the area. We have no idea how many might come. But hopefully it will be a chance just to get to know people in an informal and relaxed setting, and perhaps be a first step for some in a journey of faith.

Shut in

The problem of hikikomori is well known as an issue affecting a significant number of younger people in Japan. Those people withdraw from society, retreat into their rooms and often remain there for months, if not years. The term 'hikikomori' has been used to describe this phenomenon which seems particularly to affect Japan. The word 'hikikomori' has now become a new entry in the latest edition of the Oxford Dictionary of English. The definition reads '(in Japan) the abnormal avoidance of social contact, typically by adolescent males'. Most people you speak to will know of or have heard of someone who is or whose family member is to some extent 'hikikomori'. Figures are hard to come by but it seems clear the issue affects a significant number of Japanese from their mid-late teens into their 20s or even older. How to deal with it is even more of a challenge. We know one missionary who has been receiving training in this area from a specialist but it takes a long time to be able to understand enough to be able to be of help to someone who is hikikomori. Is this a challenge and an opportunity for the church? Jesus came to reach and rescue people who were lost and without hope. It is a complex phenomenon but so many need help to find hope and direction for their lives.

Back to school

Today all of boys went back to school, two in India and two in Japan. Daniel begins studies for A Levels; Matthew begins studies for GCSEs; Calum continues in Grade 4 and Alistair in Grade 1 at our local elementary school. While the older two could enjoy an 8 week holiday, the younger two had a Japanese-style holiday of 3 and a half weeks! And even then there was work to be done during the holidays. Each boy came home at the end of term with a sheaf of papers - homework sheets for Japanese and maths; Alistair had to do a couple of drawings of things he did during the holiday with a sentence or two about them; Calum had to interview dad about his school days; there was a chart to be filled in each day saying what they had done. And they also each had to make something to take back to school and show to their classmates at the beginning of term. Some of the creations by some of the kids are really amazing. This year Calum produced a firing cannon made largely of disposable chopsticks; Alistair created a spider and butterfly out of wax doodles (a timely birthday present from the UK). They managed to get everything done (just!) and went back to school today laden with bags of stuff! Alistair also had to look after a morning glory which all of the 1st Grade students had planted earlier in the year. That is now so big it is left for Mum and Dad to take back at some point this week. The kids were eased back in gently this morning - an opening ceremony and a half day. But from now till Christmas Eve there is no break apart from a few public holidays here and there. It will be a long term.

Arrested on holiday!

Somehow there are always adventures on a Ferguson holiday to the beach. Usually these involve some kind of injury and a visit to the local hospital. This time we went one better and spent some time in the local police station. The place we go to is an OMF holiday home right on the beach in a tiny village in a fairly remote part of Hokkaido. There is a small town nearby and Daniel was walking in to town one morning. As if from nowhere, out pops a policeman and asks to see Daniel's passport. He is not carrying it (as we don't usually need to). The only ID he has is his Hebron school card. So he is driven back to the holiday home and Dad is summoned from the beach to deal with the friendly local police officer. After protracted communication with the local police station and David showing his ID, we were then asked to go the station and were duly driven there. After an hour or so, we were told it would take another two hours to sort it all out. Anyway, the 'crime' was that as Daniel had just turned 16 he should have been carrying his passport until his ID card (which all foreigners must carry at all times and which we had applied for) was issued. He was due to get it the following week. Daniel had to sign a letter expressing his remorse and asking the police to be tolerant (it sounded much better in Japanese). It really was amazing how such a little thing could take such a long time to sort out. But we had some good chats with the various police officers. It probably made their day to have such an 'incident' - there is unlikely to be much exciting criminal activity in such a sleepy little town. Life on a Ferguson holiday is never dull.

Farewells - again!

Sometimes missionary life is a bit like one of the songs from The Sound of Music - 'So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodbye'. Today was another farewell day as we took Daniel and Matthew to the airport to begin their journey back to India - three planes, five trains and a seven hour taxi ride up the mountain. The first leg took them as far as Tokyo and unfortunately they had to fly on the busiest day of the year on the busiest air route in the world. After negotiating the crowds at the airport, they were off and we all adjust again to life as four in Sapporo and two in India. Daniel and Matthew are very much third culture kids - Scottish boys living in Japan and at school in India. The last few days we have packed a lot in and there are always last-minute things to be bought, forms to be completed and the usual challenge of fitting everything in to the cases while keeping them within the weight limit. The boys should arrive at the school early on Tuesday morning, unpack, get things sorted in the dorm and be ready for the start of the new school year on the Wednesday. As it happens, the younger two boys go back then too so by the middle of this week we will all be back in routine again - until the next homecoming in December.

The spirits return

We live right opposite one of the largest graveyards in Sapporo. It really is huge with thousands upon thousands of graves. Actually the setting is quite pleasant - the mature trees make it seem like a park. In fact in Japanese it is called a 'spirit garden'. These last two or three days have seen much activity. The roadsides have been full of parked cars; people are always milling around; Buddhist priests hang about ringing their bells and chanting a sutra upon request (for a nice fee of course); the graves are cleaned (buckets and scoops are helpfully provided); and each grave is decorated with flowers and perhaps some fruit, and incense sticks are burned. Why? It's the time of 'obon' when family members return to the family grave to pay their respects to the spirits of deceased relatives who are said to return temporarily at this time. It's fascinating to wander round the spirit garden and just observe. Whole families turn up, all dressed very casually and the atmosphere is certainly far from sombre, although everyone will quietly stand in front of the grave when the priest does his chant. One of the relatives passes him an envelope in gratitude for services rendered. Many of those who visit the grave at this time of year probably do so purely out of tradition, though some will believe that the spirits do indeed return and they certainly want to make sure that the grave is visited and rites performed. It is fascinatinｇ to observe - but at the same time it is sad and the thought occurs as to where the contact points are with the gospel. So many need to hear of the living God who promises life both now and forever.

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Time with friends

A couple of months or so after we arrived in Sapporo for language study in July 1998, Lorna was in a park with our two (at that time little) boys and met a mother with her two girls. A conversation turned into a friendship with the Watanabe family which has lasted twelve years. Today they came to visit us and we all enjoyed spending time together. Yuji (the father) is an English teacher (which was very helpful for us in our early days here), Rei (the mother) also likes English and they have two girls of similar age to our two older boys. It has been great to have friends with whom we can go camping, skiing and just spend time together with. Apart from our first two years we have not lived near each other but still make time to meet up at least two or three times a year. We can talk about all sorts of things and have learned so much from them. It is a joy that we have had this family as friends through all our time here. And it all started with a 'chance' meeting in the park.

Football camp

This morning Calum left for football camp with his local team. Daniel has also gone as he has been helping with coaching over the summer. As always, the organisation is impeccable, even for a three day camp. Each child received a booklet of around 20 pages. Everything is planned to the finest detail. The time away is a mixture of training, matches and study, with a little free time in there somewhere too. Wake up is 6am followed by the morning 'meeting' at 7am - there is a strict instruction not be late! The departure took place amidst due ceremony. Everyone turned up wearing the standard gear (club tracksuit) even though that had not been specified in the instructions given out beforehand - sometimes a kind of telepathy works here so that everyone knows exactly what to bring or wear, except us who often seem to get these things worng! The children all got on the bus (in year group order), then all came off again to stand before the coaches and parents who were there to say farewell. The head coach said something. The captain gave a brief reply and all the children bowed. Then they were off. And hopefully all the children were bearing in mind what was written on the first page of the booklet that the point of the camp is not just to go and have a fun time!

Where there is no vision...

For most of the first year or so since our return to Japan to start a church from zero, we have been thinking and praying about the vision of this new church. What are we about here? What are we aiming it? What are our values? How is God leading? These and many other questions have been on our minds. A couple of months back it was great to be able to agree on our vision and values. So far it is just in Japanese, but an English version should appear at some point. Actually it is not so easy to translate something which is thought through in another language and designed for a specific context. We have worked with five keywords as we have considered this new church plant. Biblical - perhaps obvious, but what does the Bible really say about church? Indigenous - in effect, we want to be a church which is rooted here, in this community, among the people who live here. Equipping - a church where each person learns from one another and is equipped and built up to be the person God has made them to be. Holistic - perhaps a word that needs explaining, but the key idea is that being a follower of Jesus is something which takes in all of life, anywhere, at any time, words and deeds. And reproducing, looking to make and nurture disciples of Jesus who bear fruit as they live their lives for him. How God will build a church in this community among these people is something we don't yet know and can't yet see - but it is exciting to be here to watch and be involved in its outworking.

Penetrating the web

The other day David went for a walk in a local park. Actually one of the most well-known - and beautiful - parks in the Hiragishi area. It does however provide a home for the largest shrine in Hiragishi. Just near the shrine area there is a traditional Japanese garden with perfectly manicured little trees, bright flowers, a pond and a waterfall. It is a very quiet spot - if no one else is there, all that can be heard is the gentle splash coming from the waterfall. It was a reminder of the name of our church - izumi, which means spring. It is an oasis in the heart of the noise-filled, bustling, 'instant-everything' society in which we live. Right across two rocks in front of the waterfall there was a large spider's web glistening in the sunlight. Coming to Japan to share the gospel has been compared to trying to penetrate a spider's web. There are so many strands linked together,different pieces of the web of Japanese thought, customs and lifestyle which make it so hard for the truths of the gospel both to be shared and accepted here. A spring of water; and a spider's web. Our desire is to see many drawn to the izumi; but to do that we need patience, wisdom and the power which only God can give to help us penetrate the web so that more and more people can find their way not just to a shrine, or a peaceful garden, but to the One who created them and wants to give them life in all its fulness.

On a journey

Last Sunday our family were joined by eight Japanese guests at our worship service. It was great to have so many with us. Each is on a faith journey, but each at a different stage. Two were baptised last Christmas. One had been a pastor in Canada. Two have been Christians for some years. One is a young guy who has been a few times and claims quite openly he does not believe in God. One is an older man who is seeking something and perhaps does indeed have some faith of his own. And that is church. It's community. It's a gathering of people of different ages, different personalities and all on a journey. As always we eat together after our service (which begins at 4 in the afternoon) and that always give the opportunity for a relaxed time of conversation, laughter and caring for one another. Our church has the word izumi in its name - that means spring (as in the place from which water springs). Many people around us are thirsting and seeking something, yet don't know where to find it. Our desire is that more and more people in our community find their way to the only community where people's deepest longings and deepest needs can be met - the local church, where they can meet Jesus, be encouraged in fellowship and find the resources to live fruitful lives that in turn draw others to Jesus. That's a big part of what we do as we seek to plant a church from nothing in Hiragishi.

Time to vote

Recently it has been rather noisy in these parts. Vans drive around with loudspeakers on their roof, filled with people wearing white gloves who wave at all those folks who are unfortunate enough to be nearby when the van passes. It's election time! Up and down the country the candidates do their rounds in their vans exhorting people to vote for them. No one really seems to be listening but you can't avoid the noise which resonates around the community, sometimes from early morning till into the evening. Tomorrow sees elections for the Upper House. As usual the two main parties are doing battle, but this time a number of the smaller parties are expected to take seats. Prime Ministers come and go here with great regularity. The last elected PM did not last too long and his successor, Mr Kan, is already finding his popularity ratings falling. Politicians are struggling to come up with answers to the big economic and social issues which Japan faces. Whatever the result tomorrow, maybe nothing much will change. But one thing that will certainly change is that the noisy vans with their white-gloved passengers will be off the roads until the next election - unfortunately they seem to come round rather frequently.

Customer service

There are a lot of set phrases or ways of saying things in Japan. It is a polite society. And saying the right thing is regarded very highly. That extends even to the supermarket checkout. The person on duty will greet you with a word of welcome as you put your basket up. She (or sometimes he) will then empty your basket for you and tell you the price item by item as it is scanned and then placed neatly into another basket. Often this is all done in a kind of high-pitched lilt or singing-kind of voice. You hand over your money (usually cash - very little use of debit cards here) and the checkout assistant confirms the amount you have handed over, then confirms the amount of change before uttering (in the same lilt) a closing greeting to welcome you back for more custom some time. With all these greetings and careful packing, not forgetting the cash transaction, it can tend to take a while to pass through the queue at the checkout. But as the customer is valued so is proper service valued. Self-scanning areas are beginning to appear in a very limited way at Japanese supermarkets - speedy, efficient, but not quite the same service. For a society which is so technologically advanced, it's often interesting to see how many people are employed to give personal service to the customer. A bit more time-consuming perhaps but refreshing at times to have contact with real people rather than a machine.

One big family

Every three years the whole of the OMF team in Japan gets together for Field Conference. It is always a special time and this year's was no exception. Around 200 (including children) gathered at a hot spring hotel in Hokkaido for a time of encouragement, challenge, fellowship and fun. It was a joy to welcome a group from Northern Ireland who led various activities for the children during the week - so good that parents hardly saw their kids all week! The General Director of OMF Patrick Fung gave some powerful Bible messages from Acts. There were times in small groups, times for prayer, times to unwind and the week ended with a memorable time of communion as we were able to focus on what Jesus did for us on the cross and then join together as one to sing a final hymn of praise. One of the focal points of the week was to spend time discussing and praying about the future direction of OMF in Japan. We are the largest mission organisation in Japan and in recent years have been blessed with many new workers. What role should OMF missionaries be playing over the coming years to see God's kingdom expand in Japan? These are exciting days as we look ahead. Yet the challenges are many too. How good to be able to come together for a week to be built up, encouraged and enthused for the tasks that lie ahead.

The dream ends

So Japan are out of the World Cup. The dream of reaching the semi finals is over. It's been fascinating to watch both the unfolding of events in South Africa as well as the reaction at 'home'. The team has performed much better than anyone expected. And had it not been for one penalty miss, they could have been in the quarter finals. One of the enduring images of the Japan campaign is the ever-expressionless face of the manager Okada. Rarely did you see a smile. But he had his game plan carefully worked out and the team functioned as instructed. After last night's defeat as always happens at the end of a match, the manager is interviewed immediately by the Japanese media. He took responsibility - 'I was not strong enough'. Some players were also interviewed and as always were gracious in defeat. All sports people in this country are able to speak competently. Then the team went over to bow in front of their fans and express their thanks. People back in Japan had really got behind the team. It's a shame they are out but the players have done their country proud and will return to a great welcome. And that is more than can be said for some other countries. Amazing to think how far Japan has come in football when the professional league only started here in the 1990s. Team spirit, discipline, technical skill - all very Japanese characteristics and all very much on display by the 2010 Japan team. Well done guys.