Hello again everyone!
Alex J. Robinson checking in again with all of you back home and at all points unknown to me currently. Well, I must say that this has been a very full week for me. We finally had our first Shine Kids club (This is the name we have given our English outreach to the kids here in Machida). I think it went very well. We orginally had about 15 children sign up and ended up with about thirty. And more on the way now that word is getting out. Hmmm... I suppose I should probably explain exactly what we hope to achieve with this first club. To put it simply, this is a door opening outreach. The thing about the culture here is that the people grow up having a fear of churches and other religious places aside from buddist and shinto establishments engrained into them. We are trying to break through this fear by offering a good solid class for their children and being loving to both them and there kids in the process. This way, the people of machida will not be afraid to come through our doors. God will hopefully use this to aid in the other outreaches we plan to do. I really have a strong feeling that He will use this in this way. The only thing that has been difficult for me is that in trying to open up this window, we have had to make this a purely English class, meaning a lack of bible stories. This made me very frustrated at first, but then Jeremiah explained it to me. This is a ministry that is setting the ground for the others, most importantly the week long shine kids program that will be put on by the modesto team that will be telling the gospel. But until then we must be ourselves of course and be the servants that we are, but must be tactful about how we share the goodnews. For if we are not, we will do nothing but burn bridges. I am starting to see what Jeremiah meant when he said that a lot of the ministry here is through the relationships that you build. That you must be patient in all things, acting only when when God tells you to. Following Him always and not looking away. Otherwise, you will just fall into despair at not being able to do all that you want. I've always got to remember that it is not what I want, but what He wants. I can't let myself get distracted by selfish ambision. Pray for me in this, That my spirit would be humble and responsive to His leading in all things.
Also this week, I was able to attend the annual Megumi Challe Conference in Hokaido. A gathering of christian leaders of all kinds and those in training. I was a real blessing. I was able to talk with many of the different leaders about their ministries in Japan and gain a deeper understanding of this mission field. Along with this I was able to fellowship with them and also the people from tokyo horizon that I don't always get to spend time with. Over all, it was a great time of encouragment and was absolutely a God send to be in a room with such similarly called people. And as a added bonus, it allowed me to use and work with Japanese more than I ever have before. And again, thank you all for praying for me in the area of my language needs. God has been ever so faithful in this matter and has given me a better ear and a quicker toung than I have ever had. It is true, I have much to learn and am no where near fluency, but He has taken down the wall that was Japanese in my mind and replaced it with something that is fully possible with His power. I have also almost completely learned Hiragana, the most important and widely used alphabet and have started to memorize some kanji. Please continue to pray for me in this as well.
Anyway, my last prayer request lies in next week. Everyday, I am going to be in Ome in the mornings, helping out with a VBS there who have said they will donate their materials at the end of the week to the shine kids week that modesto will be involved in and getting ideas from them as to how to go about the whole thing. Then, during the evenings, I will be teaching at a English outreach in Saiama. A lot to do and all a blessing, but please pray for strength and vision for me in the middle of it all. And that I would be filled with His joy no matter what ^_^.
Anyway, early day tomorrow. Gotta get going. Oh, and sorry if this is not the most eliquent of my blogs. I am quite tired ^_^. But again, a blessing not to be idle.
Your'e in our Lord with all sincerity,
Alex J. Robinson ><>
Alex J. Robinson checking in again with all of you back home and at all points unknown to me currently. Well, I must say that this has been a very full week for me. We finally had our first Shine Kids club (This is the name we have given our English outreach to the kids here in Machida). I think it went very well. We orginally had about 15 children sign up and ended up with about thirty. And more on the way now that word is getting out. Hmmm... I suppose I should probably explain exactly what we hope to achieve with this first club. To put it simply, this is a door opening outreach. The thing about the culture here is that the people grow up having a fear of churches and other religious places aside from buddist and shinto establishments engrained into them. We are trying to break through this fear by offering a good solid class for their children and being loving to both them and there kids in the process. This way, the people of machida will not be afraid to come through our doors. God will hopefully use this to aid in the other outreaches we plan to do. I really have a strong feeling that He will use this in this way. The only thing that has been difficult for me is that in trying to open up this window, we have had to make this a purely English class, meaning a lack of bible stories. This made me very frustrated at first, but then Jeremiah explained it to me. This is a ministry that is setting the ground for the others, most importantly the week long shine kids program that will be put on by the modesto team that will be telling the gospel. But until then we must be ourselves of course and be the servants that we are, but must be tactful about how we share the goodnews. For if we are not, we will do nothing but burn bridges. I am starting to see what Jeremiah meant when he said that a lot of the ministry here is through the relationships that you build. That you must be patient in all things, acting only when when God tells you to. Following Him always and not looking away. Otherwise, you will just fall into despair at not being able to do all that you want. I've always got to remember that it is not what I want, but what He wants. I can't let myself get distracted by selfish ambision. Pray for me in this, That my spirit would be humble and responsive to His leading in all things.
Also this week, I was able to attend the annual Megumi Challe Conference in Hokaido. A gathering of christian leaders of all kinds and those in training. I was a real blessing. I was able to talk with many of the different leaders about their ministries in Japan and gain a deeper understanding of this mission field. Along with this I was able to fellowship with them and also the people from tokyo horizon that I don't always get to spend time with. Over all, it was a great time of encouragment and was absolutely a God send to be in a room with such similarly called people. And as a added bonus, it allowed me to use and work with Japanese more than I ever have before. And again, thank you all for praying for me in the area of my language needs. God has been ever so faithful in this matter and has given me a better ear and a quicker toung than I have ever had. It is true, I have much to learn and am no where near fluency, but He has taken down the wall that was Japanese in my mind and replaced it with something that is fully possible with His power. I have also almost completely learned Hiragana, the most important and widely used alphabet and have started to memorize some kanji. Please continue to pray for me in this as well.
Anyway, my last prayer request lies in next week. Everyday, I am going to be in Ome in the mornings, helping out with a VBS there who have said they will donate their materials at the end of the week to the shine kids week that modesto will be involved in and getting ideas from them as to how to go about the whole thing. Then, during the evenings, I will be teaching at a English outreach in Saiama. A lot to do and all a blessing, but please pray for strength and vision for me in the middle of it all. And that I would be filled with His joy no matter what ^_^.
Anyway, early day tomorrow. Gotta get going. Oh, and sorry if this is not the most eliquent of my blogs. I am quite tired ^_^. But again, a blessing not to be idle.
Your'e in our Lord with all sincerity,
Alex J. Robinson ><>
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