Ceremonies

It has been some time since anything appeared here.  Now is the time to rectify that.  The frantic juggling of past months (and not least the last few weeks) have meant little or no time for doing things like posting here.  Now that one of the jobs is handed over to someone else, and David is no longer PTA Chair of the local school, and Lorna is back from her travels in Singapore and India, there is a little more breathing space to begin regular posts once again.  These past weeks have involved lots of greetings, bowing and speeches for David.  The end of March and beginning of April is ceremony season in Japan as it marks the end of one year (school, church, business) and the beginning of another.  David had to pop up in several places to give greetings ranging from a Bible School graduation to an induction service for a new pastor to a welcome to parents at the entrance ceremony for the local primary school.  It was important not to get the pieces of paper mixed up and give the wrong speech on an occasion for which it was not written!  There were two ceremonies at at the local school, both with some similarities and some differences.  The first took place late March as those graduating from sixth grade and moving onto middle school took their places for the last time in the large sports hall where those events tend to be held.  It was a moving occasion with full involvement from the whole school and lots of attention to detail and much bowing.  There were not a few tears too.  As always, these occasions are done very well in Japan.  There is a high regard for closure and doing it properly and meaningfully.  David's task as PTA chair was to give a congratulatory speech, the first half for the graduating sixth graders, the second half some words to the parents.  What to say?  In the end David chose to speak about a book by Max Lucado called You are Special which is translated into Japanese and which one of the years at the local school had actually performed last year during the school show.  It seemed to go down well and afterwards we heard from both parents and teachers that they had been moved by the speech.  Just one little opportunity to speak some words of hope and encouragement into the lives of these children who have now moved on to middle school.  The speech-making season for David is now over but the ceremonies continue - they are an important and valuable part of life here.  How far do we need to understand that and what lessons are there for the church as we seek to engage with this society and its people?  It is a constant challenge to consider how to bring the gospel into this context. 

Another Family Christmas

Last Saturday we once again rented the place we have used on several occasions before for different events. It was the second ever Hiragishi Izumi Church Family Christmas. We had asked people to let us know if they were coming so had a fair idea that we were going to get a large crowd again. And of course there were always going to be children who just turned up on the day. We had learned our lesson from last year when we struggled to cope as a very small church with the numbers who came so procured the help of some folk from other churches - a wise move as it turned out. This year we had also asked someone we knew from our Otaru days to come as our special guest. She is a ventriloquist who tells the Christmas story with her doll Gon chan in a fun and compelling way. So we got down early to set up and some children began to arrive half an hour before we were due to start. The kids and adults poured in - we had around 80 kids and over 20 adults. It was a great time of singing, games, food - and of course the amazing ventriloquist and Gon chan telling the story of Jesus coming to earth. One thing which we were immediately able to work out was that we knew almost everyone who had come. Many of the children were from the local school. Almost all the children from Lorna's English classes were there. A good number from the boys' football club came too. The lesson learned - how important is to be out and about in the commnunity, to be involved in activities locally and in particular to build up good connections with the local school. The challenge - to see some of the many people we have got know to move on beyond just coming to an event. We are hoping that at least some might feel they want to come and celebrate Christmas Day with us when we will have a low-key service in the same building followed by some games and food. Thank God that He is at work in Hiragishi.

School Festa

Every year there is a special event at our boys' school called the Festa, a Saturday morning set aside for games, stalls, food and fun. The day started with Calum and Alistair going off to school as normal as the second period of the morning was a chance for parents to go and observe the class. These times happen quite regularly at Japanese primary schools and it is always interesting to see how the class works and the way the teacher and children interact with one another. The Festa is organised by the PTA so many mothers had been busy for many weeks making things, setting up and getting everything ready. Before the Festa itself started, the children came into the sports hall to be entertained by the wind band from the high school next door. The standard is always amazing - almost professional. David spoke to the teacher who is the conductor and he said the band practises every day (sometimes early morning) and at weekends too. As PTA Chairman, David had to make various mini-speeches and announcements during the morning. The Vice Chairmen (or rather Chairwomen - everyone else on the PTA is a mother!) had helpfully written out a script of what to say when so David just had to pop up from time to time and say his piece. As well as all the other stalls and food on offer, there is a Dad's Corner where three dads helped out with a basketball shoot - a popular place. It was a great way to be involved again in the local school and in a small way give back something for the many benefits we receive in being able to send our boys to Japanese primary school. Of course it also means we are increasingly well-known in the school and community. As we look forward to our Family Christmas event in early December, we hope that many of the local children (and parents) will once again come along. More news on that nearer the time.

All change - again!

The holidays are over. The older two boys left on Monday for India. The new school year at Hebron begins today. The younger two have a few more days before second term begins here. It was great to be a family of six again for some weeks, though during our holiday time we were not always all together as the boys had different camps in which they were involved. Daniel is now in his last year at Hebron. It's amazing this has come round so soon! He is a school prefect and has various other responsibilities during this final year. Next year will see him finish and hopefully move on to university. Matthew has three more years at Hebron but as Daniel goes into his final year there, Calum starts his final year in Japan. If all goes to plan, he will go to Hebron next year. Next year will be a time of even more comings and goings than normal - whatever might be considered 'normal' in our lifestyle! And as if that were not enough, there will be a major change of role for us at the end of next year with a move to Tokyo after that. But that is stil far off. While we prepare for the future, we live in the present and we are looking forward to continuing the task to which God has called us in Hiragishi once we are back into 'work mode' next week. There is another change of role to be faced then too - but a post on that can wait till then. Meanwhile we are glad to know Daniel and Matthew are safely at Hebron and we will enjoy our last few days with Calum and Alistair before we get back to the busyness of the coming weeks.

Parents and School

Late last year David had a phone call from Calum and Alistair's school. 'Would you like to be PTA Chair for the next school year from April?' Stunned silence. Lorna has had lots of involvement with the school but David very little, apart from doing the morning duty as school guard and attending the school events. And a foreigner being PTA Chair?! Anyway, David agreed and the duties have now begun. The school prefers a dad to be the Chair but most of the duties are carried out by the mothers on the committee who do all the work and David just pops up now and again to give a word of greeting or a speech (the graduation and entrance ceremonies are some months away yet so plenty time to practice for those!) This Saturday is school sports day so is the first occasion in the school year for the PTA Chair to do his bit. An encouraging word is expected at the beginning and a closing comment too. Just for fun, the PTA Chair is also expected to fire the pistol at the start of the mums and dads tug of war - low-flying crows beware! And there is even more fun the previous day. In the afternoon all the mothers (or some grandparents) gather to claim their spot around the area where the sports take place. Last week each family was allocated a number (the children choose lots) and the parents divide off into groups of ten in order of the numbers chosen. Apparently the mothers then run off fast to place their pegs on one of the best spots for their mat at sports day the following morning. The PTA Chair is expected to turn up and set the various groups of ten off on their race for the best spot. Some guidance has been given though - the PTA Chair is meant to say that people should take care and not run! We'll see what happens. It's certainly a great way to be known by everyone in the school and indeed in the wider community.

Back to 'normal'

Earlier this week Matthew made his way back to Hebron. Daniel left the week before for his mock exams which are now over. As a 'reward' for having to go back a week early, the A Level students can enjoy a long weekend at the beach. There is often some little story (sometimes quite big stories!) when our boys travel here and there. This time (despite having everything clearly written down), Matthew managed to get off the train at the wrong terminal at Narita Airport in Tokyo - but after a quick call home, he managed to sort it out. Many folks we speak to here are amazed that our boys can travel all the way to India and back on their own - something they have been doing since they were 12. They usually see it as a great adventure and enjoy all that international plane travel has to offer. Sometimes they meet up with friends from other countries at one of the airports en route. We send them off with all the information they need, hopefully enough money for all they need, and secure in the knowledge that they are met by an escort from the school at the other end. Most of all though we send them off knowing that God goes with them and he sends his angels to look after them (probably more than we know). We always look forward though to the first e-mail to let us know they are safely there - but being boys that's not always the first thing on their mind! We miss the boys when they are gone but know they are at a great school with great staff. And Lorna is already looking forward to her visit for half-term in April - no doubt with more travel stories to add to our collection.

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.

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.

Entrance ceremony

After only 7 school days for a spring break, the new school year started today. For Alistair this meant the pomp and circumstance of the entrance ceremony - a special occasion for those starting school for the first time. All the 6 year olds were resplendent in their suits and ties for the boys and black or pale peach coloured dresses for the girls. Outside, they all received hand-made accessories for their bag, made by the local association ladies as a reminder for them to be careful of traffic. Inside, after a brief introduction in their classroom, the children processed in to the hall to the music of the 6th graders orchestra (which everyone plays in). The 5th graders looked after them all, showing them where to sit. The national anthem, a speech from the principal, then greetings from each of the other school years, led by the 6th graders followed. Calum had a part in his year's greeting as they introduced the fact of the autumn school show by doing a brief performance of Michael Jackson's Thriller dance! Then it was the compulsory photo and down to the classroom. There they received their brand new textbooks. In Japan, each child receives a set of high quality brand new textbooks each year, for free. Parents, however, buy jotters, pencils, crayons etc (all as laid down by the school) as well as a pack of items which the school has chosen to help the children learn things like maths. So each child has their own complete set, and everything is new. Parents on low income receive a grant to help them buy these things. Later parents will buy the 2 octave harmonica, paint set and other items as required. Every single pen, crayon, maths tile etc has to be individually named, and specially sized labels are on sale to help. It's all quite an event, but the children are made to feel very special. Even if you meet people in the street, when they see the outfit, they will bow and say "today you entered school - congratulations". It's a big landmark in the life of a Japanese child, and for us too this year, marking the end of nearly 16 years with a pre-school child or children in the house!

Ready, steady, go

Today a very special guest appeared at Calum's school. The children all gathered and waited excitedly in the Large Hall. Lots of mums (and a few dads) were there too. The children practised a song as a present for the special guest. He was a bit late so they practised it again - and again. And then he arrived - Atsunori Inaba. Now, for those of you who know nothing about baseball, the name will be completely meaningless. But he is one of the star players of the Sapporo pro team, Fighters. And he has just embarked on a tour of all of the primary schools in Hokkaido (1300 of them) over the next five years. Today was the very first and it so happened that Calum's school had the honour. No one we spoke to seemed to know why. As he entered the hall, the children (and teachers!) bounced up and down doing what they call the 'Inaba jump'. During this tour Inaba will present batons to each school to be used at their school sports day. He has inscribed a message on the batons - roughly translated 'Run your best!' Today he spoke to the children and encouraged them not just to do their best in sports, but in study - and in doing what their mums tell them! It was great to watch the event and the cultural interplay that happens as a school welcomes a superstar into their midst. Lots of bowing and impeccably executed speeches, particularly by children. It was good that we could both be there and again just be visible in the school on a day when many others had gathered. We have discovered that people are getting to know us and know why we're here, even if they are not people we have ever spoken to. The word gets round.

One thing leads to another...

We have one boy at the local primary school. He has a girl in his class called H chan. Alistair goes to one of the local kindergartens and H chan's sister K chan is in his class. What are the chances our two and their two being in the same class in a kindergarten of 350 and a school of 250? Not long after we moved to Hiragishi Lorna met the two sisters in a park. We then met the mother on several occasions at school. The family happened also to be sitting near us at the school sports day last May. At Christmas time K chan came round to Alistair's Christmas party. This year in conversation with Lorna, the girls' mother mentioned wanting to send her girls to English classes. Lorna said she was thinking of starting classes but needed a place to hold them. A couple of days later the girls' mother said she knew of a possible place. Her husband works in a facility which helps disabled people and they have another building on the main road in our area which might be available for use. Lorna went to see it and it was the husband who showed her round. They have agreed in principle for Lorna to use the place but we're waiting for final confirmation. Are all of these conversations and meetings just co-incidences? Of course not. God is at work. And maybe this is a family in whose lives he is already beginning to work.

Where to draw the line?

Japan is a place of many traditions and often these are marked with special rituals. Two days ago saw us arrive at what is called 'setsubun', the day before the beginning of spring (not that we are anywhere near spring in Hokkaido!) The special ritual associated with this festival is called 'mamemaki', when dried soya beans are thrown accompanied with a chant of 'Demons out! Luck in!' in an attempt to drive out evil spirits. Some people don a mask to look like a demon and others throw the beans at them. Afterwards, the beans are eaten to bring in luck. Often this 'bean throwing' is done at school and kindergarten. So at Alistair's kindergarten on Wednesday, some of the adults put on their demon masks and the children threw beans and monkey nuts at them. So what to do? Join in or ask to be kept out of that time? We have felt that we would not want our children participating in this kind of festival so have always asked the teacher if our boys can do something different at that time. It's always a delicate decision where to draw the line between what is acceptable to be involved in and what, as Christians, we should say no to. Alistair was quite happy not to be part of the 'bean throwing' at the demons and it was a good opportunity to say why to his teacher.

All singing, all dancing

Today we were at one of these events at which the Japanese excel - the annual school show. We are always amazed at the standard reached by the children ranging in age from 6 to 12. Each year group does some kind of play, usually involving acting, narrating, singing and dancing, sometimes with musical instruments too. Everyone has a part. Everyone can sing - in tune! Everyone's role is special. It's a real team performance. Even the youngest children performed a play lasting over 20 minutes. Some of the stories are quite 'different' - Calum's year group did something about ghost children meeting human children. Calum had the honour of being a zombie! The 10/11 year olds came up with a 50 minute play all about the way we are destroying the earth - it was brilliantly done and very thought-provoking. These events always provide fascinating insights to Japanese culture - even if we don't understand all that is said. It's such a privilege to be able to have our children at the local primary school.

The travel adventures - again!

Today Daniel and Matthew began their long journey back to India for the start of the new school year. Despite a delay due to a typhoon in Tokyo, they arrived safely there and after an overnight stay at the OMF Guest House, will fly to Bangalore via Bangkok tomorrow. They will arrive in Bangalore around midnight Indian time (3.30 in the morning Japan time) and travel up the long, winding road to the school - 36 hairpin bends! Although we've had a good time together over the past six or so weeks, it's never easy to say goodbye and be separated again. The little brothers also miss their big brothers. Yet we so appreciate Hebron School and all that it offers the boys educationally, spiritually and - just as important for our boys - in sport! We commit all of our boys into God's hands and look to him to grow them and shape them through all the different adventures and experiences they have. Our lives are continually filled with adjustments and adapting to new situations. But we serve an unchanging God who provides for all our needs.

When is a holiday not a holiday?

In the north of Japan, summer holidays for school children are short - just 3 1/2 weeks. Most of their parents will only be able to take a couple of days of that, maybe to go camping for a night. So what do children do? One of the answers is work! Calum has come home with about 20 sheets each of maths and Japanese, with a note from the teacher explaining that children are expected to do 30 minutes a day revising this term's work. They also had to choose something to study, a sport and some way to help at home, and have a chart which they fill in each day saying whether they managed these things, as well as a note to write of what they did each day. On top of that each child is expected to produce some sort of craft which should take about 3 days to make. Calum's football and swimming also continue pretty much as usual. In churches, Sunday schools will continue through the holidays, with most children being there most of the time. We have the saying 'All work and no play'. So often that can be the reality for people here. And perhaps that is why many Japanese are drawn to Jesus through his own words - 'Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest'.

By all possible means...

When Lorna signed up to help in Calum's school library twice a month, she didn't realise that something else would also be involved, namely reading to the children now and again. However, the other mothers were delighted and decided that she should read an English book with a short Japanese translation. Since we had the book in both languages, we chose The Three Billy Goats Gruff. Lorna read in English, Matthew obliged by playing the part of the ugly troll, even dressing up for it, and Daniel did the Japanese version. 83 children and 5 teachers turned up to listen, one of the teachers even recording it on video! Another great way to meet the children and help out in the school.

Who's that in the bright green hat?

So just how do you go about getting to know people in your area? Well, in David's case, by joining the team of what they call 'school guards', volunteers who are out and about when the children are going to and from school just to check there are no problems. All the children here walk to school - no parents walking with them or taking them by car. Last week the school guards were introduced to the children at morning assembly so now every child in the school knows who David is. And the rather fetching gear was given out - yellow armband and luminous green hat! Today was day one of being out and about and it was great to hear the children all saying 'Good morning' as they passed by. It will be a good way of getting to know them and just become more visible in the community.

Where is the wind blowing?

"The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes." (John 3 v 8)
A couple of weeks ago we attended a series of lectures at the Hokkaido Bible Institute in Sapporo by a Japanese pastor who is involved in planting a church in another city in Hokkaido. We were keen to learn whatever we could from his experience as we seek to plant a church here. A lot of the things he said have been extremely useful for us, but in particular we both felt encouraged and challenged by this verse. God's Spirit blows where He wills and we do not know where that is. BUT we can hear its sound. So as we are out and about in Hiragishi that is one of the things we are focusing on - listening for the sound of the wind - seeking to find where God is already working.

We have also realised once again what an asset our boys are to our ministry. Already we have several opportunities to help out at Calum's school - Lorna helps out in the school library and in making things for the school fete later in the year. On Saturday it was Calum's sports day, a huge event in Japan held at the weekend with hundreds of spectators. We were able to meet several of the parents of Calum's friends and Alistair also met up with some friends from his nursery. Already we are beginning to be recognised as we are out and about - "Calum's Mum" or "Calum's Dad" is a cry we quite often hear. And as we meet people we are consciously asking God to show us the next steps in our ministry here. Please pray with us.