Right Out Our Window

The Shinkansen (bullet train) is a world famous symbol of Japan.

When you ride the bullet train, the lunch boxes sold on the train are made in this building just across the river from our balcony. 

Here are some of the employees receiving training on using fire extinguishers outside. Judging by their clothing, they're very careful about contamination. 

So, if you're visiting Japan and riding the bullet train, please enjoy a box lunch made right in our neighbourhood.  

In Fukuoka

Regional Developer Mark Jones flew in to be with our team, and also wanted to see Fukuoka in western Japan and the Shaos, who are reaching out to Chinese residents of that city. We spent the day with the Shaos and heard of their vision for expanding from one location to two to better reach the 120,000 Chinese living in that city of 1.5 million. How far is Fukuoka from Tokyo? About the same distance as Toronto to Minneapolis, so we don't get to see the Shaos very often.

It was great to hear of their vision and the possibility of another worker joining them, one from their own church who is in seminary now and has a vision for the Chinese of Japan. After flying back from Fukuoka I was surprised to discover that last year the population of the city was surpassed by Chinese visitors arriving direct from Shanghai by cruise ship for shopping excursions. They choose cruise ships because there's no limit on baggage, and they purchase for friends and family.

We're thankful for the impact that's being made on Chinese who are resident in the city. Our colleagues, Henry and Wendy Chuang, will go to Fukuoka in September to spend time with the Shaos, speaking in their native Mandarin. All of our conversations had to be held in Japanese, our common language, and translated to English for Mark.

Where's Heather Now?

Back in 1990 or so, we were living in Hiroshima, and Heather was starting her academic career at the "yochien" kindergarten at the local YWCA.

Heather's still in school today, but this time as a teacher for "at risk" children in the Bronx. Here's a video from her school, and you'll see her in action a couple of times in it. 

https://www.facebook.com/hope.academy.bronx/videos/vb.908287502572769/1295372497197599/?type=2&theater

People with So Much, Yet with So Little...

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/03/21/national/nearly-quarter-japanese-considered-suicide-government-survey-says/#.WNOZIDuGPIV

How Many C&MA People in Japan? It's Complicated...

Here's our Global Ministries team in Japan! These are the Canadians working here with the C&MA minus Laura, who was nowhere to be found when it was time to take the picture. 

Here's some of our Global Ministries (Canada) C&MA team with some of the International MInistries (US) team at a joint prayer time in September. 

And here's a sampling of the wider C&MA in Japan. Workers from Brazil, Peru, the Philippines, the Japan Alliance Church organization, the Japan Alliance Mission organization, and a few visitors from the US as well. The Shaos, working with Chinese in Fukuoka and partnering with Chinese Alliance churches in Canada were not able to make it for this celebration. 

Our Retreat, Laura's Place of Service

Our Canadian C&MA team will be having a retreat at Torchbearers Yamanakako next weekend, and Steve and Jen Frentz, the directors there, as well as Laura will be joining us since they are Global Alliance Professionals working in Japan with visas provided by our mission. We're looking forward to a great time together.
http://www.torchbearersjapan.com/staff.html?lang=en

Thanksgiving



We had 26 people over for Thanksgiving turkey on Monday. Friends and neighbours involved in our programs here and other locations. The newly arrived Klassen family joined us along with Laura K. who is working with us, and three other special guests. 

The Covenant Players, a Christian drama team, have been bunking in with us once or twice a year for the past 27 years in Japan. Since they were here, they did a play on thankfulness for us, which sparked some good conversation around the table. While Kurt and Lia in the foreground are doing the play in English, Cathy, just on the other side of the door, is reading each line in Japanese as well.