日本のたくさん新しい写真 (Many new photos of Japan!)

So short and brief descriptions in this blog. Yet, this post is replete with pictures to hopefully make-up for my negligence.

I think this means "Welcome to Japan!"


We went to a temple around New Years time and it was so crowded! I found it really interesting how you can have this traditional temple in the middle of a sprawling metropolis. This picture captures that dichotomy.


Beautiful Tokyo Tower, I love this picture.



Just some innocent fun at the Laundry Mat! You can kind of see me in the reflection. Using appliances in Japanese is not the most convenient thing if you catch my meaning. I spent 10 minutes trying to figure out what meant "normal" on this thing.




Oh sweet Lord, I love this. The first Japanese appliance store we went to had this... thing. So funny to watch and so fun to ride. I think it's ages 12 and up.. what's really funny is maybe a month later we saw this machine in some woman's house. I can't believe people use this to work out. It's a mechanical saddle.


These are some girls who we met through the church. The one on the right accepted Jesus while we were there. I think the one on the left is still non-Christian. I swear though this is how they looked all the time. They were always giggling about something. You can kind of see the church in the background lots of people. Talking... eating.. It's after service lunch-time.





We arrive in Osaka, fresh off the Shinkansen. At first we though the Shinkansen didn't have bathrooms (that's what we were told). Then we found the bathrooms were accessable by these gliding doors -plus!- the toilet seat (up/down) and flush are activated by an IR Sensor you put your finger near. Different, yeah?


This is my room in Osaka. I love it.. the best part is Eco, our toilet. I will introduce you later.

Track Sushi in Osaka, for a team members birthday.
I spent $12 for... 24 pieces of mind-boggling delicious sushi.
I can get used to that!


This is the karaoke place we went to after track sushi. I think the following video will speak for itself.

Hello from Iwake!

I want to apologize for the lack of updates, it's very difficult to find an internet connection let alone a time get on! I just woke up and had breakfast and we are supposed to gather for devotions in 5 minutes.

I'm out in the "country". The town is called Iwake, and is about a 2 1/2 hr drive from Tokyo. They told me it was the country, but it's actually a city. There are mountains and more green than Tokyo, but it ain't the country! It is only me and 4 other team members here, as we split the team into three groups for this week. My team went to meet with a guy named Eriya who is involved in the CCC (Campus Crusade for Christ). We spent 3 days in the city of Tokyo, where he is located, and then left for Iwake (another 3 days here). I feel like I have so many stories, but I can't get them all out on the blog. I'll just have to tell you in person! Remember, God is good!

One cool thing though, I went to an onsen (public bath). It was really relaxing, but there is something unsettling about showering/bathing naked in a room full of gloomy japanese salarymen. So... More to come later!

今日は東京に行きました。(Today, to Tokyo, -oh baby I- went.)

Once again, I don't really have enough time to bust out any major essay, but I can give you my first impressions of Tokyo and how things are going so far. (I lied if you keep reading.. this thing is huge.) The people at the Church in Ichihara are so encouraged, I think. We have been doing some youth nights and stuff with kids in the community and just fun and games type stuff. For two days I worked on installing insulation in these Christian kindergartens. During those two days I was hosted by a Japanese family. Oh sweet Jesus, thank you for the Japanese. Great food, great bed, great bath, complimentary tissues w/ drink tray ( In case I'm feeling parched during the night) that is what I'm talkin bout. God bless those people!

東京!
I only had an opportunity to stay in Tokyo for about 2-3 hours. We were passing through on our way to a YWAMers house where I am at right now.

My first impression of Tokyo: The architecture is mind boggling... you either have gravity defying skyscrapers, ancient circa. 942 Japanese temples/buildings, or lego-polygonal blocks 5 stories high and only 1 foot away from each other.

2nd, (Japanese) people are everywhere. For instance the Shibuya Crossing has 2.4 million people cross it every day. You cant stop them, they just keep coming, like a sea of hello kitty. I was briefly in Shinjuku which is a very populated area, so yeah.. its nutso.

3rd thing: Anyone who has ever traveled somewhere else will tell you McDonalds is different in those countries. Im here to tell you my Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese was much tastier than any McDs Ill have in the states. Fries (or Furido Potato) are the same, which is nothing less than satisfactory. Btw, if you want to know how crafty the Japanese are they turned McDonalds and Starbucks (Yes! It really is everywhere.).. they turned these places into verbs. If you want to say "Wanna go to Mcdonalds?" You say.. "Maku ru". That is the epitome of craftiness.

And one more thing! I was asked if we have McDonalds and Kentucky Fried Chicken in America. Globalization accomplished! I said.. "Yes, all these places came from America, and so did Starbucks" ..their reply *pure unadulterated shock*... "Also seven eleven and baskin robbins came from America" ...their reply *seriously out of this world upside down town*.. I was amused... so. Its funny, but I don't blame them -these chains are everywhere.

SO! Hopefully I will have some stories about amazing moves of God and more of what He is doing in Japan. I think it is so easy to get distracted here, and the past ten-twenty years have not been good to Missions/the Church in Japan. Ask Uncle Rob and he will be able to fill you in. So that is what we are struggling with daily. Please pray for my team, for Japan, and for the lasting impact this outreach will have on my life and on Japan. Love you all!

Im in Japan!

I am at an Inotaneto Cafe. Nobody here speaks english. If I stay on too long I have to pay an extra 100 yen. We had a safe flight, a great experience so far. I think my Japanese will have no choice but to improve in this situation! Later I will come back here, as they have wi-fi, with my friends laptop and update the blog with pictures from my travels. I will also hopefully chat with my family! But... since I have to pay as of now I would like to keep things brief. I love you all, please keep praying for me.

Gavin

日本(Japan) Edition! Pt. 1

この朝は日本に行きます。僕は日本人があうと楽しみしています。僕ために祈りてください。天国のお父様はあなたに祝福です。僕は二ヶ月にあなたに見ます。
(This morning I will go to Japan and I am looking forward to meeting the Japanese people. Please pray for me. Heavenly father's blessings to you. I will see you in two months.)

So to start... This is my room. Everything is in chaos as people prepare to leave for their outreach locations. I haven't had a moment to breathe today!



To start our Japan plans, we will be staying at a church in Chiba!

Here is the church's mailing address. I will only be staying there for two or so weeks. Air mail will arrive in about 5 days. It's expensive, so if you want to send something please wait!

Ichihara Shalom Church
Goi 4871-1, Ichihara City
Chiba Pref., Japan 290-0056
http://church.ne.jp/ichiharashalom/index.htm

Check out the website!

So here is the schedule:

1. We arrive in Japan, and take the train to Chiba. The city is across Tokyo bay. The bay is about 4mi in width, I believe.
2. We will stay at Ichihara Shalom Church there in Chiba for two weeks working in maintenance and/or using it as a base of operations.
3. After Jan 4, we will move into the Tokyo Metropolitan Area for two weeks. The YWAM base is located in Shibuya, ontop of that we have several other contacts. It is a possibility we will go into international schools and work with students there who are learning English.
4. From Tokyo we will take the shinkansen (bullet train) to Osaka. There in Osaka we will be hosted by a church which has worked with YWAM in the past.
5. Then from Osaka, fly out and return to Kona to debrief (Feb 15).




Shinkansen path: Tokyo to Osaka.



This is my crazy Japan team. This is actually only half of them, but I love this picture because everyone in this picture is posed in a way which represents one aspect of their character. For instance, Sydney is making the "cute" victory sign with her fingers. She does it in every picture (It's hilarious to see that almost every Korean or Japanese does this), and yet she is too busy to look at the camera.




This is a song my sensei "Yukako" taught our outreach team. She is Japanese from the northern part of the main island. It is the Japanese version of an originally Korean song dubbed "The Blessing" song. Yukako really helped our team with some insight into Japanese culture. She also was gracious enough to set aside time with me so I could work on speaking the language. She'll be doing her outreach in Boulder, Colorado. I have been there.




I'm really excited to see what is going to happen in Japan. We've had some great prayer times and already God has moved to reveal potential problems for our team. Please keep all of us in your prayers, as I believe there will be a lot of opposition waiting to mess with us in Japan. I believe, however, that in the end we will see how God's works prevailed.

Peace

More on the topic of exciting travels.

I have just under 2 weeks left till I leave for Japan. When ya fly to Hawaii (or Hawvay'i as the Hawaiians call it) you gotta' take in the beauty! So this weekend I split a rental car with 5 friends. Saturday and Sunday we will go forth and explore. So.. on my first day we went to this beautiful valley, ate at Verna's (No can.. No can. If can - VERNAS!) Then we went up to see the sunset at Mauna Kea. All of those back home will be assured to know I experienced the suffering chills of cold -Blast!-

World Class Observatory on top of Mauna Kea (14,000 ft)


Mustache? TRY BEARD! dum dum DUM DUM DUM!!!



Please share in the this experience with me aided by the amazing feats of technology.



It was in the upper 30 degrees farenheit, and the wind's icy fingers froze my exposed skin. If you would have seen a full body shot of me you would notice that I may have been a little ill prepared. I ascended Mauna Kea armed with: A borrowed beanie; dazzling aviators; a beach towel, which in a moment of unparalleled genius, I utilized as a scarf; a cargo jacket; swimshorts; and my tennis shoes. Yes, I said I climbed a 14,000 ft mountain in swimshorts. Wanna' fight about it?

As for Japan I will post up another update soon with the full briefing. One cool thing from this week was this German woman named Susi Childers. She began this school called Photogen X. Essentially, they take a world tour for two years and photograph people. The focus is on social injustice and being a "Voice for the Voiceless". When she was younger she never dreamed of using her talent in such a way to fulfill the purposes of God. I love how Christianity creates radical living. No matter what I do, as long as I hold on to the Father's will, my life will be rich and stimulating. So, I get excited as only a youth can.

Oh snap! (notice the onomatopoeia pun)

Last weekend I went to a place called Makapala which is near Palolu Valley.

This is what it looks inside...




This is what it looks outside...




You see that land way below me in the above pictures? Well, this photo is sea level baby! I trekked down into that land, sweater tied to my waist, walking stick in hand, and mustache bristling in full glory.

Just wanted to share the love. More to come later this week so keep an open eye!