Hey Everyone,
Great to be writing you all again ^_^! Lot's of interesting stuff has been happening around these parts and I am glad that things have calmed down enough for me to tell you guys about them.
Firstly, we have the Shine kids program. Actually, this month in Setagaya we had a very good problem, if there is such a thing. We actually got too many kindergarteners in one class. We had about 12 student at one time. Five 5 year olds, five 3 year olds, and two 4 year olds. Unfortunately, I found out the hard way that this is beyond my limit. The class got really crazy and we barely made it through. I guess it was kinda my fault for not planning ahead for the abundance God was going to give me. But then again, since I only have one helper in Setagaya, I can't really see how I could have prepared. But anyway, I had to actually make two seperate classes. One for the beginners, and one for the children who have been with me since last year. And since then things have been running smoothly. Praise God. Sadly, because of that one crazy day some of the visitors didn't return. However there was one case in which God brought back one person in a interesting way. The child of one of the visitors (who wasn't going to come back) started singing one of the English Shine Kids songs perfectly. Amazed that the child had learn something in English so quickly, the mother brought him back last friday. For me, this was clearly a work of God and I praise Him for it. God has also been blessing the Shine Kids in Machida and we have seven new students this semester as well as two new helpers. This is wonderful. Please continue to pray for God to bless these ministries and also to bring helpers to us that speak english in accordance with His will.
My time teaching sunday school has been interesting as well. Firstly I have a praise report. Back in 2007, before I even became a missionary for Calvary Chapel Sonora, I took a short term trip here for about three months. During that time, we did a little a one week English program in Setagaya. During that time, a little girl named Miu came as well as her family. I recently found out that God used this as a starting point for that family and they began to seek God. Since then the mother and father have accepted Jesus and have in the last two months been coming to the English service in Setagaya. And I have had the honor of teaching Miu in Sunday school ^_^! I am left in wonder of the amazing work the God does in peoples live and how he uses the work he has for us to change the world. This has really encouraged me to continue planting seeds of the gospel here in Japan, even if I cannot see if or when they will bloom. The growing and blooming is God's work. He only asks me to plant the seeds and trust. I love having Hide as a roomate. I remember one time, when I really felt like all the stuff I was doing didn't seem like it was making a difference, he said, "The people from the church who taught me english never saw the fruit of what they did. It wasn't until five years later when my life had gone down the drain that I thought of what they had said and I went looking for Jesus." I guess that is just kind of the way it goes around here. You just keep planting the seeds and praise God when He lets you reap the harvest. Awesome ^_^. Anyway, we continue to do interesting stuff in the sunday schools. Lately they have be learning a bunch of evangelistic skits as a part of class. I started just doing it for fun and so they could preform for the church. But actually I have been praying about taking them out onto the streets and having them perform them there. I think it will be the youngest street evangelism the church has ever done. But then again, I always tell them that God uses everyone that believes in Him to change the world around them. So we'll see ^_^.
Lastly, we have big news that directly concerns you all. On March 25 of this year, we are going to be having a homestay in the town of Sonora. We are going to bringing members from the church here as well as people from our various English outreaches to Sonora and having them stay with families from the church there ^_^! There are actually two main reasons for this trip; evangelism and encouragement. The group will be mixed. Those from the outreaches are not christian. For them, this trip is the culmination of the work God has been doing through us for these people. They have come to trust us through the building of relationships with them. So much so, that they have trusted themselves to us for a trip to America. This is for the most part a huge breakthrough. For these people, the purpose of the trip is to experience the love of Jesus through the members of our church and for what has been planted in there hearts to be nutured through the work God will do when we are in Sonora. For those christians coming on the trip, the purpose is encouragement. Being a christian in Japan is a lonely prospect. There are very few of us here and that can become very discouraging. But I think spending time with their brothers and sisters overseas, to be loved on and fellowshiped with by our church, could be used by God to lift their heads a bit. Anyway, if you are interested in having someone stay in your house for the seven days we are there, please email me at onwingsofnewhope@yahoo.com or get in contact with my prayer team (Justin Flores, Ron Alison, Bob Wilson, Scott O'Brien, Ken Burns, Heather Sparks, and Lindsey Cook) for more information. Also we have a special need of the use of a eight person van for the seven day period we are there. If you are able to offer the use of such a van, firstly God bless you ^_^. Secondly please get in contact with us as soon as possible. Thank you.
Because He lives and loves,
Alex J. Robinson ><>
Great to be writing you all again ^_^! Lot's of interesting stuff has been happening around these parts and I am glad that things have calmed down enough for me to tell you guys about them.
Firstly, we have the Shine kids program. Actually, this month in Setagaya we had a very good problem, if there is such a thing. We actually got too many kindergarteners in one class. We had about 12 student at one time. Five 5 year olds, five 3 year olds, and two 4 year olds. Unfortunately, I found out the hard way that this is beyond my limit. The class got really crazy and we barely made it through. I guess it was kinda my fault for not planning ahead for the abundance God was going to give me. But then again, since I only have one helper in Setagaya, I can't really see how I could have prepared. But anyway, I had to actually make two seperate classes. One for the beginners, and one for the children who have been with me since last year. And since then things have been running smoothly. Praise God. Sadly, because of that one crazy day some of the visitors didn't return. However there was one case in which God brought back one person in a interesting way. The child of one of the visitors (who wasn't going to come back) started singing one of the English Shine Kids songs perfectly. Amazed that the child had learn something in English so quickly, the mother brought him back last friday. For me, this was clearly a work of God and I praise Him for it. God has also been blessing the Shine Kids in Machida and we have seven new students this semester as well as two new helpers. This is wonderful. Please continue to pray for God to bless these ministries and also to bring helpers to us that speak english in accordance with His will.
My time teaching sunday school has been interesting as well. Firstly I have a praise report. Back in 2007, before I even became a missionary for Calvary Chapel Sonora, I took a short term trip here for about three months. During that time, we did a little a one week English program in Setagaya. During that time, a little girl named Miu came as well as her family. I recently found out that God used this as a starting point for that family and they began to seek God. Since then the mother and father have accepted Jesus and have in the last two months been coming to the English service in Setagaya. And I have had the honor of teaching Miu in Sunday school ^_^! I am left in wonder of the amazing work the God does in peoples live and how he uses the work he has for us to change the world. This has really encouraged me to continue planting seeds of the gospel here in Japan, even if I cannot see if or when they will bloom. The growing and blooming is God's work. He only asks me to plant the seeds and trust. I love having Hide as a roomate. I remember one time, when I really felt like all the stuff I was doing didn't seem like it was making a difference, he said, "The people from the church who taught me english never saw the fruit of what they did. It wasn't until five years later when my life had gone down the drain that I thought of what they had said and I went looking for Jesus." I guess that is just kind of the way it goes around here. You just keep planting the seeds and praise God when He lets you reap the harvest. Awesome ^_^. Anyway, we continue to do interesting stuff in the sunday schools. Lately they have be learning a bunch of evangelistic skits as a part of class. I started just doing it for fun and so they could preform for the church. But actually I have been praying about taking them out onto the streets and having them perform them there. I think it will be the youngest street evangelism the church has ever done. But then again, I always tell them that God uses everyone that believes in Him to change the world around them. So we'll see ^_^.
Lastly, we have big news that directly concerns you all. On March 25 of this year, we are going to be having a homestay in the town of Sonora. We are going to bringing members from the church here as well as people from our various English outreaches to Sonora and having them stay with families from the church there ^_^! There are actually two main reasons for this trip; evangelism and encouragement. The group will be mixed. Those from the outreaches are not christian. For them, this trip is the culmination of the work God has been doing through us for these people. They have come to trust us through the building of relationships with them. So much so, that they have trusted themselves to us for a trip to America. This is for the most part a huge breakthrough. For these people, the purpose of the trip is to experience the love of Jesus through the members of our church and for what has been planted in there hearts to be nutured through the work God will do when we are in Sonora. For those christians coming on the trip, the purpose is encouragement. Being a christian in Japan is a lonely prospect. There are very few of us here and that can become very discouraging. But I think spending time with their brothers and sisters overseas, to be loved on and fellowshiped with by our church, could be used by God to lift their heads a bit. Anyway, if you are interested in having someone stay in your house for the seven days we are there, please email me at onwingsofnewhope@yahoo.com or get in contact with my prayer team (Justin Flores, Ron Alison, Bob Wilson, Scott O'Brien, Ken Burns, Heather Sparks, and Lindsey Cook) for more information. Also we have a special need of the use of a eight person van for the seven day period we are there. If you are able to offer the use of such a van, firstly God bless you ^_^. Secondly please get in contact with us as soon as possible. Thank you.
Because He lives and loves,
Alex J. Robinson ><>
Alex
ReplyDeleteJust wondering if you have seen
http://www.internetevangelismday.com/japan
about digital ministry for Japan
Blessings
Tony