a tree of life

Hope deferred makes the heart sick
but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life
Proverbs 13:12

After almost one full year, my final paper is FINALLY finished to complete my MA from Wheaton. Some friends gently, but firmly reminded me of this proverb and it motivated me. Writing the paper was a long process of digging through my time at HoneyRock. It was reflection that was long over-due. I feel like a burden has been lifted.

My Japanese tutor has asked me to teach a Japanese woman English. She is not a Christian but has an interest in Christianity and making a change in her life! This is a wonderful chance to minister to this people group that I love here in the states! This is very similar to what I would be doing in Japan. Our first meeting is August 1st.

I will be gone this weekend on a retreat with my Japanese church. We will be staying at Streator Baptist camp in Illinois. Please pray for this time. I'm hoping to build stronger relationships with the members of this church.

How to eat at a Sushi Bar

Click on the title above to view this informative video.

Tee Hee...so funny.

I found this link on a fellow Asian Access staffer's blog, so I can't take full credit. But, I wanted to share it with you.

Please keep in mind that this is not a serious video, but should be enjoyed with your tongue very much in your cheek :)!!!

Why not enjoying some cycling?

Yet another reason why I love Japan...

Here are two different descriptions of bicyling. One from the US and one from Japan. See if you can tell which is which.

"Pure, fresh air and gentle sunlight are but a very few of the delights that you can enjoy while riding a bicycle around Karuizawa. It is one of the main pleasures for visitors to cycle leisurely around the town. The roads are well marked, and many have cycling lanes. So, why not enjoying a cycle through the woods to immerse yourself in the forest fresh air?" (No, this is not a typo!)


"A three-mile long paved bicycle path leads from the inn to the falls. This path crosses the main park road at the dam, near the village green. The park has two mountain bike trails. Please remember that mountain bikes are not allowed on hiking trails."

Tee-hee...

Glory, Glory, He Reigns!

Wow! What a week. If you don't know already, Christ Community Church in Wheaton, IL has the best group of youth IN THE WORLD!!! I am so proud of those kids. Marie, our wonderwoman of a youth pastor is an amazing leader with an extraordinary love for our youth. I am so proud of Marie too.

Cabrini Green...

every night we "debriefed" our day and talked through what in the world we just experienced. My words were something like, "the first day [at Cabrini Green] was shocking, the second day was paralyzing." I have never felt so much oppressive spiritual darkness before. It was a scary, dark place. My last blog entry was pretty negative towards this gentrification that's taking place. But I'm not so sure anymore. While I wouldn't say I'm all for uprooting these families and bringing in all the commercial stuff; those housing projects were such a huge mistake from the beginning! I keep remembering how one of the high-rises looked like a cage with all those people on the other side. It was not a pretty sight. Who knows if this mixed-income housing will be a better solution. Some don't have much hope in it. I don't know...

We had an unexpected day open to return back to Cabrini Green. I'm so glad we did. We were able to witness first hand what God is doing there and how the Love of Jesus is alive in the city. The first two days we were walking through the neighborhood handing out fliers about the Kids Club Sidewalk Sunday School that happens on Thursdays. This program is kind of like a VBS program that reaches out to the kids in the projects. Around 150 kids showed up for the first one of the summer. They heard the gospel message and some prayed to receive Jesus as their Savior! What a day of redemption after two days of walking through such darkness. What's great about this program is that these kids will continue to come all summer and will have an opportunity to come again in the fall once their after-school program starts. This is a HUGE deal. For the first time, these kids will have people in the community from this ministry that are willing to invest in their lives and intervene for their well-being. These kids are hearing for the first time that they are valuable human beings and that someone cares about them. Amen!

I was so impressed by Sarah, the volunteer coordinator. She is passionate about her job. She has a love for these kids that is inspiring. Two brothers came into her group a couple of years ago that had tragically lost their mother. Even after her job changed from a group leader to the volunteer coordinator, she has continued to act as an advocate for these boys. They are thriving now and have a hope-filled future.

By the way, the Kids Club ministry is part of the Moody Church in Chicago. Here's a link to visit their homepage.

www.kidsclub.ws

As I worshipped in church this morning, I was filled with such awe of a God that breaks through the darkness. He has won the victory! We need not fear the evil one because he trembles at the name of Jesus Christ!!!