Japan Newsletter - December 20, 2011

Dear Friends,
So good to be writing you this chilly december. I have finally returned to Tokyo from my studies in Okinawa. The semester ended well, though it got a little crazy towards the end with all the reports and finals, especially the ones I had to take in Japanese. But God is good, and his grace is abundant. Some how I finally made it to the end and left the day after the semester ended. Though I don't know what God has planned for me in the future, as I am going to begin my study in CCBC Tokyo, it is possible that it will be the last time I will ever see Okinawa. My time serving there was so very different from anything than I had ever experienced before. There were so many difficulties and so many times of failure. But God used my time there to really work on my heart. He used my failures to bring me deeper into a humbleness before Him and a submission to his service. He broke me of a lot of my pride that I really didn't even know that I had. Also He built me up in my prayer life and devotion time, especially during this last semester. There were so many things to think about and so much that I had been worrying about during this semester. I had worried about my future ministry, about my language abilities, and about people here in Tokyo that I was powerless to help while still in Okinawa. But God really spoke to me about lifting my concerns, worries, fears, and everything up in prayer. And to do it consistently.
It was so interesting. I remember at the last Men's retreat that I was able to attend in America, elder Paul from CC Sonora made the practical suggestion of writing a prayer list on a 3x5 card and praying through it every day during our devotions. A few months ago, I was flipping through a book and a 3x5 card fell out of it and onto the floor. As I was picking it up, suddenly all that Paul said that day came to my mind. So from that day I wrote out a prayer list on a 3x5 and have been praying through it in my daily devotion time ever since. And it has left me amazed how much daily consistent prayer changes life and ministry. That prayer list soon turned into a praise report card as God consistently answered every issue I was praying over in His way and for His glory. God is faithful, and prayer should be at the heart of our ministry.
There was something that Pastor Tommy said to me in Okinawa that really stuck in my head. He said that ministry is not about method. God shapes the man and then He shapes the ministry. It made a lot of sense to me. And even though He has a lot more shaping to do in me, I think he has been shaping me for the ministry that he will have for me in the future. I am so grateful for all that he has been doing in me and look forward to the things He is planning for me. He even blessed me in giving a huge part of my future to me during my stay here in Tokyo.
As I have written about before, I have been dating with a amazing woman of faith named Tomoko Aoki. She is a member of the Tokyo Horizon Chapel congregation and I have been friends with her for over two years now. We started dating at the beginning of this semester and communicated mostly through writing to one another during my time in Okinawa. It was a blessed time for both of us and God brought us closer to Him and closer together through those writings. By the end of the semester, God was speaking to me about her to me strongly though my devotions, times of prayer, and even words of prophecy given by members of the CC Okinawa Fellowship. He convicted me about her and gave me great peace for what He lead me to do upon my return to Tokyo. On the evening of December 15, I asked her to be my wife... And she said yes ^_^. We are engaged and hope, Lord willing, to be married December of next year, after I graduate bible college. Thank you all for you support and prayers about this. God willing, she will be able to accompany me on my next visit to America this summer and you all can meet her ^_^. Please pray that God would continue to guide us is this next step in our relationship together and that God would use us for His purpose as He has already begun to do.
Thank you for your prayers about meeting with Tomoko's coworkers. Since I have come to Tokyo, I have already been able to hang out with them on two different evenings with more times together planned. The times we have spent together have been blessed and they have been very accepting of Tomoko and my beliefs and we have been able to share a bit with them in our times together. Please continue to pray about our times together with Tomoko's coworkers as we build relationships with them and minister to them. Please pray for wisdom for Tomoko while she is working with these people and please pray for wisdom for me as I try to support my future wife in being salt and light in her workplace.
There is also another praise report which I have already referenced in the last post that happened last week in the Gospel Cafe. For those of you who aren't familiar, the Gospel Cafe is a cafe owned by members of the church here at Horizon and is both a functioning cafe and a outreach point to the community. I have been able to help out a couple times at the cafe since I have returned much in the same way I helped out before I left for Okinawa; waiting tables and talking with people. Last wednesday I was given the opportunity to speak with a younger man by the name of Kazu Yoshikawa. I had met him before at the cafe, but had not had the opportunity to speak much with him. Soon our conversation turned to Jesus and I was able to share with him. Through our conversation, God drew Kazu to himself and He accepted Jesus as his Savior. I have started meeting with him weekly to disciple him during my time here. We met together on Monday and it was a blessed time of questions and sharing. Please pray for Kazu, that he would grow in his new found faith and be protected from the attacks of the enemy. Also pray for my wisdom in the situation and for a special blessing for my Japanese as God disciples him through me.
I have more to tell, but I will have to save it for next time. I love you all. May you be blessed as God shapes you and shapes your ministry around you.

Much love in Him,
Alex

God is good.

Dear Friends,
More news to follow. But pray for Kazu Yoshikawa. He just accepted the salvation of Jesus Christ last night and can use all the prayer he can get as he starts his walk with Christ.

Thank you,
Alex

Japan Newsletter, November 13, 2011

Dear friends,
Thank you so much for your patience in waiting on my letter to you all. Midterms and the many reports that followed finally finished. But all in all this has been an exciting time for me here at the school.

My involvement in the translation ministry has been going strong. I have been given the opportunity to translate for devotions, messages, and have been able to continue in translating the men's discipleship every week. I was given the opportunity recently to share my testimony in Japanese in several churches that I have been sent to serve at since I wrote last. God has really blessed those times and it has been a great encouragement. I will be able to share my testimony in Japanese again next week at the youth event after church, so please pray for this as well. Also, last sunday, I was given the opportunity to teach the youth bible study. Usually it is given in English and translated into Japanese. But on the that day there was no one to translate, so I ended up translating myself into Japanese. I got a little tongue tied sometimes, but it was a lot of fun ^_^. Tonight I have the opportunity to translate again. But tonight will be the first time that I will be translating a message from Japanese to English, so I am really excited about it. But please continue to pray for my Japanese abilities, and also for my heart during translation. There have been a lot of blessed times during translation by the grace of God, but there has also been a lot of discouraging times that I have crashed and burned. Mostly they have been times when my flesh got in the way. Maybe 3 weeks ago I was given the opportunity to translate a message for the evening service. I prepared for many hours and thought that I had the material down, but looking back on it, it was really a work of my flesh, me trying to do things on my own. Little did I know that God would use it to teach me about my utter need of Him in all I do. I remember when I finally got up there, it was like all the Japanese was sucked out of my head. God gave me grace in letting me communicate a bare minimum of the message, but it was a horrible time. After I was done, I headed out to some backstreet and just cried. But the reason God tears us down sometimes is to rebuild us again with Him at the center. The Spirit ministered to me a lot during that time about humility, reminding me again that the gifts that God has given me are for His glory and not my own. God continues to teach me a lot about humility in translation, and I know that He still has a long way to take me. Like it says in Philippians 3:3 we are those who "worship by the spirit of God, who glory in Jesus Christ, and who put no confidence in the flesh..." But I am very excited for what lies ahead and have been blessed by being able to be used in this way so far. So again, please pray for my speaking abilities, that I man translate the words of God humbly, by His power, for the Japanese people here at CC Ginowan.

Also, there has been interesting developments in the children's outreach on Saturday's. The Kindergarten class has been blessed with students every week, however there has only been one regular student in the elementary outreach class, and that is the pastor's son. At first, this was a bit frustrating to me, but again, God was working in my heart to submit to what He wants to do. I started shifting the class over whenever it was just him from an English class to a Japanese class. He is at around the same level in Japanese as the kids I usually teach are in English, so it is really easy to shift it back and forth depending on who comes. And it has been a really great time. It is a lot of fun to teach him the Japanese and be able to support the Pastor of this church and his family in this way. We will keep praying and being patient on the Lord to bless us with other students, but until that time comes, we keep building up our little brother in this way.

Like I said, the end of the semester is only four weeks away, and I have begun to make plans for ministry during the winter break. I felt lead to return to Tokyo during the winter break to continue serving in the Tohoku disaster area and to serve in Tokyo Horizon Chapel as much as I can. I have been in contact with Pastor Rich, the new pastor of the English fellowship there as well as Pastor Watanabe and Pastor Jeremiah who is making preparations for his move to Kagoshima and the church planting he has been lead to do there. They are thinking and praying about how I can serve in the Church. It is very exciting to me. Another exciting door that has opened up for my time there is opportunity to spend time with my girlfriend Tomoko's co-workers. The company she works with is a tight knit office that do a lot of activities together and though they have not met me yet, I have already been invited to several activities. Everyone in the office knows that she is a christian and that I am a missionary, but praise God that they have been very accepting and welcoming. They have even invited us both to one of the co-workers weddings. Please pray for us both for the time we spend with them, that we would be lead by God in all these things.

But, there has been a new development in the college here. A new Calvary Chapel Bible College is starting up in Tokyo, a sister to this one. They have decided to make new arrangements for study this coming semester. The plan now is the half of the semester is going to be taught at the Tokyo campus and half here in the Okinawa campus. Since I am in going to be in the Tokyo during the time that the semester begins, I will be going straight from Machida to the Tokyo Campus in Fuchu. Please be praying for me in this new location, that God would continue to grow me and work through me in this new area. There are many exciting aspect to this new Campus, including being involved in a huge English School For Kids there which is very exciting for me.

I pray that you are all doing well and seeing the work God is doing in your lives daily. I thank you always for lifting my needs up in prayer.

Because He lives,
Alex Robinson

September 29, 2011

Dear friends,

How ya'll doin' ^_^? Things have been going well for me here. The college is in full swing and the semester is getting intense. But, praise God, even though there is a tone of work to do, I have been blessed to be able to minister in ways that I didn't really expect.

Firstly, at the school, we have been able to start a english outreach for children similar to what I used to do in Tokyo. There are two classes; elementary and kindergarten. Joanna, the pastor's wife is running the kindergarten kids, and I am teaching in the elementary age class. Currently, we have about three kids in the elementary and about six in the kindergarten and are teaching every Saturday morning. Please pray for growth and blessing in this ministry as we try to serve the kids of Ginowan city and there families.

Secondly, there has been opportunity to serve the kids on base as well. At the Kadena air force base here in Okinawa, there is a woman's discipleship that meets every tuesday morning. During that time, there is also child care provided for them that is sort of like a sunday school class for the kids. I have been blessed in being able to go many times to this and it has been very fun. It has been a while since I have been able to be involved in a sunday school for American kids. It is so interesting to be able to serve both the Japanese and the families of American Soldiers during my time here. But I am thankful that God has seen fit use me in this way. Please continue to pray for guidance in how best to serve the families of our soldiers over seas.

The translation ministry is going well also. It has even expanded. In addition to translating devotions once a week, I have also come to be able to translate weekly at the guys discipleship as well. This translation is still a bit difficult for me. There is so much for me still to learn. I mean sure, I can talk about regular stuff, but then when you get to things like camel's fur clothing and pits of vipers and all that, things get a little more complicated ^_^. (I was translating about John the baptist by the way) However, this has been a amazing experience for me in expanding my biblical as well as regular Japanese. I still have a long way to go, but I can see God using this to perfect my ability to preach in Japanese and go more in depth than I ever have before. So... Praise God ^_^. Please continue to pray for my language ability, the more that I learn, the better I understand that I have soooo far to go. This might take a lifetime ^_~.

Another fun thing we got to be involved in recently was a surfing outreach. There is a organization in Japan that ministers to Japanese Surfers, and the leader of the southern branch of that organization invited us to go out and minister to the surfers. We brought out food, guitars, cajons, sat on the beach, feeding surfers and beach goers and talking to them. It was a great time. Even got to talk with some people who had recently moved down here from Tokyo. They lived close to Takadanobaba which is about an hour away from where I used to live in Machida. Their kids are going to be enrolled in a international school soon, even though they don't speak english. I told them about out saturday school and gave them our number. Please pray that they would come and also that we can continue in these beach outreaches in the future.

Other than that, it has been business as usual. Rockin' the studies, late to bed, early to rise, running on coffee and the Holy Spirit ^_^. My devotion time has been good and have been growing. I have been learning a lot about prayer. Been a blessing.

Anyway, I am on my way to tutor homeschoolers at Calvary Chapel Okinawa now. I love you all and hope you are all well. Feel free to drop me a line sometime if you feel lead ^_~.

Because He lives,
Alex

Japan Newsletter August 26, 2011

Dear Friends,
It is good to be writing you all again. Wanted to give you all a update about all that has happened so far since my return to Japan. But firstly, I want to thank you all for my time in America. Being able to meet with you all, to share at the men's breakfast and at the sunday service as well as with the home fellowships was such a blessing and encouragement for me. So good to see all my old friends and to meet some new ones as well. To meet people that had never met me but knew me and had been praying for me through these blogs and the church was overwhelming to me about the grace of God in my life. That you all so much for your prayers, your support, your warm hearts, great conversations, and smiling faces. I will keep them in my heart as I enter into this new portion of my time in Japan.

Upon returning to Japan, I spent two weeks in Tokyo. Luckily, I was able to arrive in time for the Horizon Family Camp. A time for all the different branches of the Horizon Church in Machida where I served in the past to come together for a time of prayer, sharing, and encouragement with one another. To see the Japanese men and women I had worked with in Tokyo again and share with each other about what God was doing was so great. They were all shocked about the level that my Japanese had gotten reached even in the short time here in Okinawa. I guess all the time here being a intermediary between the Japanese and the American students coupled with the grace of God had a effect on my language skills.

Luckily, this semester will be filled with a lot more of this kind of activity. The staff here is shifting me into rotation as translator. I will be set to translate on tuesdays for the morning devotions as well as filling in here and there whenever it is needed. Even now, I am preparing to translate for the men's breakfast tomorrow and the message that will be given. Please pray for me. Even though I have assisted my friend Hide in translating messages in Tokyo, I have never taken lead translation of a message nor have I done direct translation as all the translation in Tokyo was simultaneously done over head sets. I am kind of nervous and I need God's help in these things.

Also, I am extremely excited to announce that there is going to be a shift in the school here in Japanese to American ratios. Whereas last semester, the predominant ethnicity at the school here was American, this semester there will be more Japanese students than American students. Which also means much more opportunity to speak with nationals and serve along side them during the semester which has always been my desire in ministry here. So exciting ^_^.

But with the increase of Japanese nationals, there is also an increase in Japanese only classes and a decrease in bilingual and english only classes. So much so that I have no option but to take to of my courses in Japanese this semester ^_^;;. This is also a first for me and it is a little bit intimidating, but I am going to do my best in this and hopefully God will use this semester to expand my Japanese tremendously.

Lastly, because of schedule change. I will be able to be involved in melt this semester, which is an English outreach at a local College. I was only able to attend this twice last semester, but I am really excited to be able to take part in this outreach weekly ^_^!

So anyway, lot's to be nervous and lot's to be excited about this semester in school. Please pray for me, for my language abilities, and for ways to serve and minister this semester to open up. Love you all and I will be writing you all soon.

Yours in our Lord,
Alex

Mmade it to the U.S.

Hey everyone,

Thank you for your prayers for my time in tokyo and the tohoku. It was a great time and I can't wait to share with you all about it. And I can't wait to do it in person as have made it to the U.S. I look forward to seeing you all sunday. See you then.

Need for prayer.

Dear friends,
Please pray for my mom. She needs it. Pray for healing.

-Alex

Summer Plans...

Dear Friends,
I am glad to be writing you all with the I's dotted and the T's crossed on the last final of this semester. Everything has been turned in and the semester is officially over. This semester has been crazy, I learned a lot and though it was a very difficult time for me, God used it to refine me a little more than I was before. If you were to ask me the biggest thing I learned this semester, it would be that the work that God has for you is not a static thing. Though it may be in the same place to the same people or in a totally different place to people you have never met before, the work of God is not a static thing. As such we really shouldn't place our own understanding and expectations on the work that God has for us, but instead just follow what His will is for you in that day. I think of Elijah. One day he is before the king, warning of Judgment. Another day he was by a river, being fed by God's provision. Next he was ministering to one widow and her son. Next he was taking on 400 prophets of Baal. Next he was in a cave. I mean, what if he had just said "hey, my ministry is to the king. Or hey, my ministry is to the widows, and I am not going to do anything else. No your ministry is God's and it is whatever He tells you it is. Because of this, you have to be checking in with him daily. That is another thing I really learned to rely on more during this semester, my daily devotions. Because the work He has for us is often different from day to day, we have to check in with God each morning, get our marching orders for the day. That is what got me through most of the semester.
But now that it is over, I had to figure what I would do over the summer months. At first I had supposed that I would stay around here, help out with ministry and serve at the church while I renewed my missions visa and my passport. However, I found out from the government here that I cannot renew it yet. It is too early and I can't renew until august. So, I prayed about what to do instead, and I really felt a strong urging to return to the Tohoku region to continue helping in the relief ministry there. For some time now, Jeremiah has been running missions/relief trips into the tohoku about every week. I talked to him about coming up and helping him on the trips.

So I am going to make my way up there on the 31st of this month. I'll be staying with my old roommate hide as a base of operations and heading out with Jeremiah on all the trips he will take in June. Apparently, they go to different areas in Tohoku, but they also make trips to the town where I served before which I am looking forward to visiting again. I can't wait to see everyone up there again. Though I have come to love Okinawa and it's people, Mainland Japan will always hold a special place in my heart.

After this I'm going to be returning to America for a short while in July to visit with all you back there and spend time with my family as there probably won't be another opportunity until next summer. And then I will be returning back to Okinawa to work on my visa. But not only this because there has been a interesting development here as well. Many people from the church here are feeling called to service in the Tohoku region right now. So apparently, Pastor Ruiz here is going to working out some kind of rotational team based ministry to there. There are not many specifics at this point, but I am hoping that I can be involved with it before semester starts ad maybe even after a bit as well.

Anyway, that is a ball park idea of what my summer is going to look like. I will keep you updated and also hopefully write in detail about the trips that I take. With all that happened during the two day trip I took before. I can't wait for what God will do next in that area.

I love you all very much and I am praying for the church there daily. I pray that you will be blessed in you daily walk with God and the work He has for you daily. Keep checking in with Him and remember that the best way to eat a elephant is one bite at a time. Don't worry about tomorrow, just keep your head in the game today.

Much love in Him,

Alex

TOHOKU MISSION HULA VIDEO!!

Hey guys,

Remember the hula I mentioned in the Tohoku mission report...


WELL HERE IS THE VIDEO!!!

Returned from the Tohoku Region!

Dear friends,
Thank you so much for your prayers during my time in the Tohoku region. It was a blessed, intense, glorious, and frightening. But in all things God got us through and revealed himself to people.

We headed out from Okinawa on monday by plain and flew to Tokyo where we met up with our friends; Pastor Travis of CC west Tokyo, Pastor Rich, and Pastor Santo. From there, we drove five hours deep into the Tohoku region. Finally we arrived at our destination, Higashi-Matsushima（東松島) at 9:30 at night.

The next morning we awoke early and had devotions with one another. Pastor Travis shared from 2 Kings 4:18-4:87, Using it to highlight the method of the ministry for our time there. He said that the purpose of the time their was to build relationship with the people in order that they will allow us to help them. When the woman went running to Elisha, Gehazi meets her on her way to him and asks if there is something wrong and the woman says everything is fine. However, later when she sees Elisha, she falls at his feet crying and begging for help. She had no relationship with Gehazi, and therefore she did not tell him of her problems, but only shared them with the man she knew, Elisha.

It is very interesting that in our time there I realized again how important trust and relationship is to the Japanese people. In Katrina, everyone wanted and needed help, and took as much as they could get if anyone offered it to them. However, something we realized quickly is that if the Japanese don't know you and therefore don't trust you, they will not relate there problems to you or accept the help you are offering for the most part. We came in the first day, making it clear we were there to help, and for the first day no one asked for it really, and the one person that did ask for our help was very timid about it and only allowed the work to go on for a shorter amount of time.

But then Travis added this in his devotion, that they way in which Elisha ministered and was used to heal the dead boy was that he lined himself up with him, eye to eye, head to head, shoulder to shoulder. He placed himself at the same level with the boy. From this he said that the way we would minister was to just stand with them, talk with them, listen to them, show them that we were with them in this disaster and that God was too.

When they were hesitant to ask for anything. We just started spending time with them. Some of us sat around with those gathered in the shelter, while some of us, including me, spent time with kids, playing with them, teaching them crafts, and just loving on them. And as the day wore on, God began to work in hearts and open doors with the people there. They began to talk more, share more, and ask more.

By the time that evening rolled around, we stared to prepare dinner. Pastor Santo, who was a former owner of a Japanese restaurant in San Francisco started teaching the women who came with us how to cut cabbage, professional style. One of the Japanese ladies who was washing her dishes came over and started watching him. Then travis invited a whole bunch of women to come in and see his cooking skills. While he was showing them the way to cut cabbage like lighting and how to do this and that, he was sharing with them about why we had come. From this point things really started to roll. We fed everyone dinner of Teriyaki chicken and rice with corn soup, salad, sausages, and ice cream. Everyone ate their fill. Including the defense forces.

This was an unexpected aspect of the ministry there. There were Japanese defense forces stationed at the rescue center we were working at. Mostly to distribute rice and help anyone that needed it. But when we offered them a hot meal as well, they were taken quite aback. In the end, we at dinner at the same table with the defense forces, talking and laughing. Later that evening, it was mentioned that one of the girls on the team, Taliya Hokumori, knew how to hula dance. Soon everyone on the room was asking here to dance for them. She danced a few dances while Pastor Travis, originally from Hawaii, played a hawaiian song on his guitar. For the last dance, Travis called me up along with all of the defense forces stationed there to stand behind here and copy her dance. It was hilarious. Everyone in the rescue center was busting out laughing. After gabbing for a while, the whole group played with the kids, making balloon animals and fighting wars with balloon swords until late at night. We then returned to the hotel to rest up for the next day.

We woke up the next day early again and had our devotion time. Pastor Rich shared from 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8. I think the thing that I remember the most clearly from this was in verse 8 where it spoke of not only sharing the gospel, but our lives. He said that often time the emphases is the opposite in this kind of ministry. That I will share my life with you, but I must share the gospel with you. That if I share the gospel in words, the trip is validated. Paul of course shared the gospel, he preached everywhere he went, being lead by the spirit. But, here he emphasizes that he was sharing his life with them. He said that we should also seek not only to share the gospel, but our lives which speaks of the work of the gospel with people. Then we headed off.

The second day, doors to help were opened up a little more. We we allowed to help one man clean out his house and spent most of the day doing it, pausing only to head back to the rescue center to make hamburgers. We worked until the end of the day and made our way back to tokyo, arriving late at night, and flew out the next day, returning to Okinawa.

There were difficulties on the trip as well. Mostly in terms of spiritual warfare. For reasons I do not fully understand I was often single out of the team for attack when I was there. Sudden feelings of depression and oppression. Sudden unprovoked feelings of anger and hatred. Even suicidal thoughts out of nowhere. In these times, I would pray to God and He would always be faithful to rescue me and protect. They would all pass as soon as I entered into prayer and I would be free again. This is understandable in a way. The forces of depression and sadness, anger and hate, as well as suicide are strong there right now. Please continue to pray that the spiritual strongholds would be destroyed in this time and that the people there are well as those who go there to help would be protected.

It was a short, but a amazing trip. And it will not be the last. Travis has already been to the same rescue center three times before. and is going again next month. At the end of the semester in three weeks there will be another trip there from this school lead by pastor tommy which I am praying about going to as well. Hopefully, in the Lord's timing, foundations will be built to this rescue center and God will touch peoples lives as the months go on. We need patience in this time, knowing that God is working out this situation to bring his children to glory. It was a interesting thing as I was looking at the chaos of the damage left by the tsunami, which included cargo ship in the middle of fields, entire buildings torn apart, houses with holes blown straight through them... of all the structures I saw left standing, I did not see one shrine or temple. In fact, from what I saw, the places that received the worst and most exagerated damage that I saw were the temples and shrines. As I was looking at the decapitated roof of a temple lying shattered in a ditch, I was reminded of the idols lying shattered before the ark in babylon... I know that God will use this catastrophe to bring men to Glory. Let us all continue to pray towards this end.

Because He lives and loves,
Alex

Newsletter april 17, 2011

Dear friends,
It is good to be writing you again. I am only sorry that time has flown by so quickly since the last time I wrote you and time continues to fly by me even as a I write this letter. Firstly, I want to thank all of you that sent care packages to Tokyo for both the support of the church there and for outreach.

Much has happened since that time and God has been opening doors for ministry all over Japan. Currently, my friend Jeremiah Boek, with whom I worked and did ministry during my time in Tokyo, has been working with the crash team and has to my understanding been put in a position to minister to the Tohoku region of Japan. They have been on many relief trips there and have been ministering to multiple areas there.

Soon I will be joining him in ministry to that region. There have been many teams that have come from this area to minister to people on the mainland. As I did not know the Lord's will for me during this time, I restrained myself from going, though I desperately wanted to. Also the opportunity came up to go to Hokkaido and minster at the church that this church planted there. However I was given the strong impression in my heart that I was not supposed to go on this trip either, though I didn't really know why at the time. I even wrestled with God a bit about it, but that is neither here nor there. But, within the last week, the doors have opened up for us to go and minister to a small village in the Tohoku region for about four days and I believe God is directing me to go with them. I understand now why I was kept from all these opportunities, it was for this time now. Pray for protection for the team going. Radiation is still an issue in the area, however I am confident in the hand of God to protect us as we follow His leading.

When we get to the village, we will be doing outreaching to the children as well as food outreach and relational ministry. The village we are going to was not badly damaged by the earthquake, but was heavily effected by the tsunami. Most of their houses have been flooded, but as they are still standing, they are not top priority to government relief right now as there are areas far more damaged. So we are going to go up, speng time with them, put on a BBQ for them, play and encourage the children, and help clean out their houses. Essentially, just love on them and share his love with them.

I have already completed all my studies a week in advance and will be leaving tomorrow. I am very excited.

I wish I could go on, however, my time is short. I will be making this a two part letter this month and will be giving a full report of my time in the tohoku upon my return.

Thank you so much for reading and for your prayers. God bless you all.

Yours in our Lord,
Alex Robinson

Pictures!

Hey guys!

Sorry I haven't posted any new pictures in a while on my flickr account. I reached the picture limit there and didn't want to pay to have more space. So I made a photobucket account instead and uploaded some recent pictures there for those of you who don't use facebook. Hope you enjoy them.


http://s1096.photobucket.com/albums/g324/servantsamurai123/


-Alex

Care Package Outreach

Dear friends,

I have a update concerning care packages to Japan. More than just people in the church and those we minister to normally, my church in Tokyo is going on the offensive and outreaching to nearby Fukushima prefecture hit very hard by the earth quake. They are renting dump truck and hauling supplies out there to distribute to people along with the good news of Jesus. They have given me a list of items that they are in need of. They are heading out this friday. But as this is going to be a ongoing Endeavor, these supplies would be most appreciated if you are lead to send them.

Needed supplies:
Non perishable food, instant foods, snacks, canned goods
RICE
Igloo containers to fill up with water
First aid supplies: band aids, feminine sanitary pads (Japanese women usually use only pads not tampons)
Clean blankets
Warm clothing, please put in a bag, sorted to size
BAtteries, radios, flash lights, paper plates, paper cups, disposable chopsticks
Saran Wrap, or any plastic wrap
Plastic garbage bags
WEt wipes
Work gloves
Diapers.

This outreach will be based out of the sister church in Setagaya. As such, those interested in giving to this outreach, please send your packages to this address.

Tokyo Horizon Chapel
5-21-7 Sakuragaoka, Setagaya - Ku, Tokyo, 156-0054.

Thank you all for your heart for this country and your prayers.

Alex Robinson

Aid to Japan...

Dear friends,

In the aftermath of the earthquake an tsunami's, many of you have asked as to how you can aid Japan in this time. Many of your have asked if I know of Christian Relief organizations that are at work in japan now and also about the possibility of care packages. Also you have asked about the specific prayer needs of Japan in this time. I will do my best in this letter to answer these questions for you.

Firstly, lets talk about Christian organizations at work in this country. The one I know the best is the organization CRASH. This stands for Christian Relief, Assitance, Support, and Hope. It is run by one of the missionaries that I have worked with in the past. He loves the Lord, has a heart for Japan, and has served here for the last 25 years. They have served in disaster areas throughout asia and have been prepared for serving in the relief effort for a Japanese disaster for quite some time. They are responding to this crisis even as we speak. If you are lead to give financial support or wish to volunteer in the Relief effort, I would like to direct you to there website which is http://crashjapan.com/.

Some have spoken about sending care packages here to aid those I know in the disaster area. I have spoke with my church in tokyo and they have said they would be most grateful if such care packages were sent. Currently, they have said they are in need of non perishable items such as Toilet paper, Cans of meat and vegetables, Rice, lighters, batteries, candles, flashlights... the bare essentials. They have said that they would distribute the items to those in need in the church and the people they minister to there, including the Horizon Language school and Shine kids classes of which I have previously spoken to you about. For those of you interested please send any packages to

Tokyo Horizon Chapel
C/O Kevin Song
4-19-5 Haramachida
Machida, Tokyo 194-0013

Lastly, many of you have asked about prayer needs during this time. People here have composed a prayer list that I think is suitable for a base guide to go through as you pray for Japan. But before I give you the list, I want to ask most of all that you pray for God to reveal himself to Japan through this. We have been praying for a revival to come to Japan for a long time now. And I believe that God has spoken to me that this Revival would come before the day of the Lord. If this is His time for this, pray that this would be and that anything in its way would crumble. And please pray for me, as God has not yet revealed what role I am to play in all this. Thank you for you prayers and love. I pray that this day would find you enjoying the presence of God, sharing fellowship with your Savior and Lord. Because one thing we can learn from all this is that we are not promised tomorrow.

Prayer List for Japan:

Trapped Victims - Even now, they are working around the clock to unearth those trapped under the rubble.

Relief Efforts - That insight, wisdom, and strength would be given to the Relief Workers.

Government Workers - That they would be able to organize the rescue efforts and rebuilding.

American Military - Many members of the churches here, soldiers stationed in Okinawa, have left to help in the relief.

Food - Many don't have it.

Elderly - This is a difficult time for them.

Children - Many have been orphaned. Many are scared and need God's comfort.

Damaged Buildings - Many of the structures have been compromised.

Refuge shelters - Difficult to maintain enough of them and workers to manage them.

Blankets

Electricity Restored - There are going to be scheduled blackouts all throughout tokyo, and many areas in Japan don't have any power.

Contact with families - Communications are down in most areas. And in the destruction, many cannot locate their families.

Warmth from the Cold - Japan even now is still very cold.

Aftershocks - My friends have told me they are still experiencing them.

Rebuilding - That once this crisis is over, they would be able to rebuild, that the whole nation could have a foundation not only of bricks and concrete, but of a belief in Jesus.

Clean up

Hospitals

Boldness For Believers - That they could outreach to the survivors and give them the only surety anyone can have. Jesus.

Translators for emergency workers

Financial Aid

Fearful People

Travel availability - many planes and trains are intermittently out of service. Some permanently.

Nuclear power plants - That they will stabilize, there is a unstable plant within contamination radius of my church in Tokyo.

I am o.k...

Dear friends,
I know that there are many of you who have been concerned about my safety. I want to let you know that I am O.K. The earthquake was horrible on the mainland of Japan. Upon hearing the news of the earthquake there, I began to pray. The phones went down during that time and the hours afterward. I could not get in contact with anybody there. We spent much of the afternoon and the evening praying with my Japanese brothers and sisters here who also had family on the mainland and could not make contact with either. We did not know much, but we comforted one another in the fact that God was in control. I began to try to make contact with people via email and facebook due to the phones being down. In addition to the phones, the trains were also down there. Many could not locate there families and loved ones when I first began to contact them. Fortunately, apart from cuts, bruises, and damage to the buldings and property, everyone I know there seems to be o.k. Praise the God who by His right hand protects his children. Please keep praying for Japan, the damage is extensive and many have lost there lives. Pray for those in ministry here. for the wisdom in how to minister to the grieving and injured.

Japan Newsletter, Feb 27, 2011

Hey friends!

It's hard to believe only a month has gone by since I spoke to you last. My first month here has been a very eventful one. My schoolwork load has been a lot larger than I remember college being. It is very rarely that I have had any time to myself. I spoke with those who are coming from the Murrita campus have said that the work load in the states is a lot less, that this is a extremely intensely training oriented campus. This makes me very excited for my two years that I am going to spend here. Intense training is exactly what I am looking for here. I can't wait for what lies ahead of me.

However, don't let my description mislead you. My activities here are not confined to study alone. As I have said previously, there are four different churches connected with the college here. They placed us into teams of four people and will be rotating us to a new church every month to serve in anyway we can. For this month I was placed in Calvary Chapel Okinawa. This church, for the most part, is for the most part consistent of military personnel and their families. Very close to the church, there is a fairly large army base and as such, most believers from that army base come to CCO. Funny how God works, I come all the way to Okinawa and end up ministering to Americans ^_~. But, one thing I have learned here so far is that you have to let God define your ministry. If you go into His work with a bunch of expectations, things you feel are your ministry and close yourself off to other areas, you can miss what God is trying to do. It's kind of like Elijah. He comes on the scene out of no where, right in to the presence of the King, telling him the word of God. But then, God tells him to sit by a river and be fed by birds, and after that he was sent to the house of one widow to work the miracle of the oil and flour... From working with the King, to chilling by a river, to ministering to one widow... The work God wants us to do can change dramatically in a very short time, and we have to keep up with it without letting our own preconceptions get in the way. And this is true, because half way through the month, after not using a word of Japanese at that church, suddenly a whole English class of non-christian Japanese students walk in to practice their english and my ministry changed again. God is awesome in that way.

Actually there are quite a few non christian Japanese people at both the church there and here in Calvary Chapel Ginowan (the church attached to this bible college). But here in Ginowan, they are of a slightly different variety. The unsaved that come here are mostly from TEEN CHALLENGE. It is a christian organization that was started in America, and, unbeknownst to me, is very active in Japan as well that works with rehabilitating alcoholics, drug users, and ex cons. Most of them are from the mainland. And actually, most lived very close to were I lived in Tokyo before they came here to be put into rehabilitation. They are interesting to talk to, and we have had some good conversations so far. Please pray for the work of the organization and my and my fellow students role in ministering to them.

Thank you all for praying for my culture shock as well. It took me a bit of time to get used to the culture here, but God has been helping me quite a bit. One thing that really helped is that most of the Japanese bible college students here are from the mainland. Nobody from Tokyo, but there are people from the Kanagawa prefecture and from Osaka. Being able to talk and be with them along with the Okinawan Japanese at the same time helped me to better understand the difference in language and culture by comparison. It helped me to understand how they differ in there interactions with people. One thing I learned quickly when comparing them is that Okinawan Japanese are so very upfront with there feelings, opinions, and emotional states. In fact, I don't think I have run into a culture more predisposed to wearing their heart on their sleeve. Coming from the mainland Japanese culture were everything is subtext and implied meaning behind what is actually said, I understand completely why I was so dumbfounded when I first got here. I was expecting to be interacting with Japanese people. But this is so different. The more time I spend here the more I realize that this is not really Japan. This is Okinawa. Though this is all considered Japan, these are two different peoples sharing a common language. As different as America and England connected only by words. And the history I have been able to see so far is supportive of this idea. During the war, Japan saw this as a place to control, a good access point for the rest of Asia, but not their own country. They saw the okinawans as less than themselves. And truthfully the okinawans saw the Japanese as much as a invader as a ally by the end of the war and welcomed the liberation the Americans provided for a time. Anyway, I don't want to go all history nerd on you. I am just saying that through the history God gave me insight into the culture I will now be serving in ^_^. Praise Him all the earth.

Anyway, great talking with you guys. Miss you a bunch and am praying for you. I am going to keep trying with the video Blog. I haven't had time to shoot much video so far, but I will try to get into the pace of doing so. Sorry for that.

Much love,

Alex

japan Newsletter, Jan 2011 part 2

Hey guys, I am back.

Now, where was I? Oh, yes! Okinawan culture. Anyway, during my time in Tokyo, there was always a certain pace I had when I was speaking with people in Japanese. I guess I could equate it to the sound of a machine gun. Always very quick, few breaks in speaking, and all with very similar intonation. RATATATTTTATTTATATA. But here it is totally different. It is ironic that Okinawa is a small island surrounded by water, because Okinawan Japanese sounds a lot like waves to me. Slow, broken pace, with intonation going up and down. UP UP UP... UP DOWN DOWN ... DOWN UP UP... It really throws me off. And along with the pace of speech, the pace of life seems to follow a similar pattern. I very used to the go go go of Tokyo. My ministry, my time with friends, everything seemed very fast, always a ton of things to do and get done. At first it was a little challenging but at some point I came to like it. But here, things are ssssoooooooo sssslllloooooooowwwwwwwwww. It's kinda frustrating some times. I wanna be doing and running but we often are waiting and strolling. But, then again, the reason I came here was to grow. And patience is a quality that will be forced to grow here.

Oh, and please don't miss understand my description of Okinawa. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here so far. The students and teachers here seem like really great people. The presence of the holy spirit is very strong here and very moving. I am very much looking forward to my schooling and ministry here. I have been begun to study and learn about 1,2,3 Peter lately. In 2 Peter 1, he speaks a lot about the knowledge of God and growth. "Grace and peace be yours through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord." (1:2) "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness." (1:3) "... make every effort to add to your faith, goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self control; and to self control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you posses these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1: 5-8)

It was very convicting for me. I realized how desperately I need to grow in my knowledge of God. That my grace and peace, everything I need for life and godliness comes through this knowledge. That I desire to serve Him in this country as effectively and productively as I possibly can. So I need to run after knowing more of him and growing to be like Jesus by grace.

I truly believe that this will occur in my time here and I am so excited to see how He will change me in this time. It is so exciting!!!

Anyway, I love you all and pray that you would be blessed and that you would grow in your knowledge of Him and through it grace and peace would be yours in abundance.

Much love through Him,

Alex ><>

Japan Newsletter, Jan 2011

Dear Friends,

It is good to be writing you all again. I have good news to report. My time in Toyko was wonderful. I was able to reconnect with many people during my time there, both christian friends and people I have ministered to in the past. I was able to see all of the shine kids from Setagaya again. I put on a little christmas program, during which I was able to share about Jesus and His love for them. Actually it was really cool. I remember asking why we celebrate christmas, and my youngest student, little Ayu, stood up and said "イエスのうまれたときです." (it's when Jesus was born). It is so beautiful the way God works and how he grows the seeds He has us plant. When I met the Shine kids, none had even heard of Jesus. I felt like crying. Please pray for the hearts of those children, that God would continue to grow the seeds planted and continue to draw them to himself. It doesn't matter if I am there or not. He is always faithful, and His love for them is sovereign. Praise Him.

Also, I was able to teach again at the church in Machida and Setagaya before I left. Jeremiah was away in kagoshima, scouting out the land for the church plant he has been lead to do there (Please pray for him in this. He is leaving later this year), and asked me to lead the bible study and give the message while he was gone. It was a powerful experience for me and I praise God for allowing me to do so. Hopefully, the message will be posted online pretty soon on the church's homepage. I will tell you when it is up.

I got some video from my time in Tokyo, but it is not much and it is kinda random. I will probably be able to put it up soon, but it is not very good. I am still in the learning process about when to film and when not to.

Anyway, on the 27th, I flew out to Okinawa! I am now settled into the dorm and orientation is on monday. Please pray for me. I know it is weird to say, however I am experiencing a pretty good amount of culture shock. The culture and atmosphere of this island is very different from what I have become used to in tokyo. The way people talk and relate to one another is something that will require a fair amount of adaptation. Luckily, the okinawan accent has not caused me too much trouble, but the way they think is alot different and the pace is strange to me as well. I'll have to explain later. We are going to be eating lunch soon and have to go.

Anway, I'll do a part 2 soon.

Much love,

Alex