I am convinced that God kept my stomach to the minimal state of queasiness for Nicole and Neile's wedding on Saturday. I felt yucky all day, but I did not throw up all over the piano!!! I woke up early that morning and prayed, "Lord, please heal me!!!" I was able to sing and play, and to do it at my best. All I can attribute it to is God's GRACE!
I have found myself returning to this desire to serve God with my voice in the last year. For so long I avoided using this gift because I had allowed pride to come in and muddy-up my motives. But, I feel like there's a piece of me missing when I don't sing and play.
I'm putting my neck out there and taking the opportunities that I can to use my voice--even when my motives aren't 100% pure. I'm asking that God redeem these gifts so that I can serve Him with ALL of myself.
exciting to think of what possibilities await in Japan...
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
a new % of Christians in Japan?
I heard a blip about this new Gallup poll completed in Japan and then had this article sent to me today. Stats are not my favorite thing--they don't seem to really capture the true HEART of people, but I thought I would share this with you all anyway.
Christianity on upswing in Japan
Gallup poll: Traditional religions show decline among teens
Posted: March 18, 2006 1:00 a.m. Eastern
By Michael Ireland ©?2006?Assist News Service LOS ANGELES, Calif.
"A poll conducted by the Gallup Organization has yielded some surprising statistics on Japanese attitudes toward religion, morality and spirituality. According to a media advisory obtained by ANS, among the findings from one of the most extensive surveys of the country ever taken was a Christian population of 6 percent, a number much higher than reported in previous surveys. Researchers were also surprised by high numbers of teens who claimed the Christian faith, while the traditionally dominant religions, Buddhism and Shintoism, though still claimed by many adults, suffered declines among teenagers. Some respondents answered that they belonged to more than one religion. Of the 30 percent of adults surveyed who claimed to have a religion, 75 percent considered themselves Buddhists, 19 percent Shintoists, while 12 percent considered themselves to be Christians. Researchers were especially surprised at the large number of Japanese youth who claimed the Christian faith. Of the 20 percent who professed to have a religion, 60 percent called themselves Buddhists, 36 percent Christians and followers of the traditionally dominant Japanese religion, Shinto. Calling the numbers "stunning," George Gallup Jr. who assisted with the poll, noted of teenagers: "These projections mean that seven percent of the total teenage population say they are Christians." The poll was conducted in association with American Trademark Research and MJM Group in 2001 for use in a documentary that is expected to be released later this year. "According to the social scientists in Japan, this was the single largest study ever attempted," said Bill McKay, one of the documentary's producers and project research director. "The entire study examined preteens, teens, young adults, adults and seniors." "In my 50 years of polling, there has been no study that I would consider as important as this one, because it provides insight into a fascinating culture," added Gallup. "When they saw the design of the questionnaire, Japanese experts argued that the Japanese would never answer the socially delicate and/or the highly personal questions," observed McKay. "However, it was our professional hunch that the Japanese were ready to talk and when they did they told us more than we had asked for. The data is the most revealing look behind the face of Japan and shatters many WWII myths of the Japanese culture." The poll also delved into popular attitudes toward a variety of subjects related to morality, spirituality and general views about life "Most Japanese, judging by their responses to scales on happiness, are neither 'very happy,' nor 'very unhappy,' noted Gallup. "There is a degree of fatalism in their somber mood. Teen's perspectives on life tend to a sense of nihilism to an alarming degree. A note of hopelessness is found in the responses to a number of questions. And there is little evidence of eternal hope, although a considerable number do believe in some form of life after life." On matters of morality, Gallup noted a strong relativistic streak: "Like much of the rest of the world, the Japanese tend to take relativistic views on ethical matters. There is little belief in 'absolutes,' and this is true across the all-generational groups. In the 'hierarchy of crimes,' those related to economic and family matters far outweigh those related to sexual activity." Researchers were also surprised by teen attitudes which reflected an especially pessimistic outlook on life. While 22 percent of U.S. teens in previous Gallup surveys often wondered why they existed, the number for Japanese teens was 85 percent. Similarly, while 76 percent of U.S. teens always see a reason for their being on Earth, only 13 percent of Japanese teens agreed with the statement. A surprisingly high 11 percent of Japanese teens wished they had never been born, a figure that comes in at 3 percent for U.S. teens."
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=49337
Christianity on upswing in Japan
Gallup poll: Traditional religions show decline among teens
Posted: March 18, 2006 1:00 a.m. Eastern
By Michael Ireland ©?2006?Assist News Service LOS ANGELES, Calif.
"A poll conducted by the Gallup Organization has yielded some surprising statistics on Japanese attitudes toward religion, morality and spirituality. According to a media advisory obtained by ANS, among the findings from one of the most extensive surveys of the country ever taken was a Christian population of 6 percent, a number much higher than reported in previous surveys. Researchers were also surprised by high numbers of teens who claimed the Christian faith, while the traditionally dominant religions, Buddhism and Shintoism, though still claimed by many adults, suffered declines among teenagers. Some respondents answered that they belonged to more than one religion. Of the 30 percent of adults surveyed who claimed to have a religion, 75 percent considered themselves Buddhists, 19 percent Shintoists, while 12 percent considered themselves to be Christians. Researchers were especially surprised at the large number of Japanese youth who claimed the Christian faith. Of the 20 percent who professed to have a religion, 60 percent called themselves Buddhists, 36 percent Christians and followers of the traditionally dominant Japanese religion, Shinto. Calling the numbers "stunning," George Gallup Jr. who assisted with the poll, noted of teenagers: "These projections mean that seven percent of the total teenage population say they are Christians." The poll was conducted in association with American Trademark Research and MJM Group in 2001 for use in a documentary that is expected to be released later this year. "According to the social scientists in Japan, this was the single largest study ever attempted," said Bill McKay, one of the documentary's producers and project research director. "The entire study examined preteens, teens, young adults, adults and seniors." "In my 50 years of polling, there has been no study that I would consider as important as this one, because it provides insight into a fascinating culture," added Gallup. "When they saw the design of the questionnaire, Japanese experts argued that the Japanese would never answer the socially delicate and/or the highly personal questions," observed McKay. "However, it was our professional hunch that the Japanese were ready to talk and when they did they told us more than we had asked for. The data is the most revealing look behind the face of Japan and shatters many WWII myths of the Japanese culture." The poll also delved into popular attitudes toward a variety of subjects related to morality, spirituality and general views about life "Most Japanese, judging by their responses to scales on happiness, are neither 'very happy,' nor 'very unhappy,' noted Gallup. "There is a degree of fatalism in their somber mood. Teen's perspectives on life tend to a sense of nihilism to an alarming degree. A note of hopelessness is found in the responses to a number of questions. And there is little evidence of eternal hope, although a considerable number do believe in some form of life after life." On matters of morality, Gallup noted a strong relativistic streak: "Like much of the rest of the world, the Japanese tend to take relativistic views on ethical matters. There is little belief in 'absolutes,' and this is true across the all-generational groups. In the 'hierarchy of crimes,' those related to economic and family matters far outweigh those related to sexual activity." Researchers were also surprised by teen attitudes which reflected an especially pessimistic outlook on life. While 22 percent of U.S. teens in previous Gallup surveys often wondered why they existed, the number for Japanese teens was 85 percent. Similarly, while 76 percent of U.S. teens always see a reason for their being on Earth, only 13 percent of Japanese teens agreed with the statement. A surprisingly high 11 percent of Japanese teens wished they had never been born, a figure that comes in at 3 percent for U.S. teens."
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=49337
Monday, March 13, 2006
a new friend
I love the way God brings people together!!
I met a young woman at the Body Builders seminar named Shannon. I went over to introduce myself because her name tag said that she would be serving in Japan. Our introductions quickly revealed that she was a recent graduate of Wheaton Grad School and that she knew someone serving with Asian Access!! She will be in Japan hopefully in October of this year. We were able to go to dinner together and to share about our callings and hopes for Japan. So amazing!! I anticipate Shannon being one of those people who God uses to strenghten me, and hopefully someone that I can pour into as well!
God is awesome!
I met a young woman at the Body Builders seminar named Shannon. I went over to introduce myself because her name tag said that she would be serving in Japan. Our introductions quickly revealed that she was a recent graduate of Wheaton Grad School and that she knew someone serving with Asian Access!! She will be in Japan hopefully in October of this year. We were able to go to dinner together and to share about our callings and hopes for Japan. So amazing!! I anticipate Shannon being one of those people who God uses to strenghten me, and hopefully someone that I can pour into as well!
God is awesome!
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
みんな昔は子供だった
Or, "We were once children."
This is the name of a Japanese drama series that a friend lent me the other day. It's completely in Japanese, no subtitles. These dramas are very popular in Japan. They are kind of like a mini-series (11 or 12 shows) airing for one season. I absolutely loved seeing the Japanese countryside--a different view from what I've experienced so far in Japan myself. Even though I understood hardly nothing of the dialogue, I caught a glimpse of some culture. AND, Japanese commercial breaks are a ton shorter than ours! So many car, coffee, and contact lens commercials!!
Here's a link to a page that gives a synopsis and info about the actors:
www.jdorama.com/drama.863.htm
Enjoy!
This is the name of a Japanese drama series that a friend lent me the other day. It's completely in Japanese, no subtitles. These dramas are very popular in Japan. They are kind of like a mini-series (11 or 12 shows) airing for one season. I absolutely loved seeing the Japanese countryside--a different view from what I've experienced so far in Japan myself. Even though I understood hardly nothing of the dialogue, I caught a glimpse of some culture. AND, Japanese commercial breaks are a ton shorter than ours! So many car, coffee, and contact lens commercials!!
Here's a link to a page that gives a synopsis and info about the actors:
www.jdorama.com/drama.863.htm
Enjoy!
on my way to body builders bootcamp
Wanted to let you all know that I am attending "bootcamp" tomorrow and the next day sponsored by The Body Builders. hehehe... NO, really. That's the name of the organization.
www.thebodybuilders.net
The "Body" they are "building" is, however, the Body of Christ. This is a seminar for fund raising. So, definitely be praying that the Lord would teach me some skills and new attitudes. It's been a great journey so far. I'll tell you more later when I don't have to get up at 5:50 am the next day!
www.thebodybuilders.net
The "Body" they are "building" is, however, the Body of Christ. This is a seminar for fund raising. So, definitely be praying that the Lord would teach me some skills and new attitudes. It's been a great journey so far. I'll tell you more later when I don't have to get up at 5:50 am the next day!
Friday, February 24, 2006
ESL @ CCC
Translation: English as a second language at Christ Community Church.
Last night was week 3 for this new ministry that has started up at CCC here in Wheaton, IL. The ESL team is rolling with the changes that are going on (almost weekly) as we try to navigate this new way to reach out to our community. Our students show up every week eager to learn. It's inspiring for me to see their eagerness as I'm trying to learn Japanese. I know a bit of their frustration and joy, being a student myself.
The majority of our students are Spanish speakers from Mexico. But last night we had a family of 3 come for the first time from Vietnam and have one French speaker from Cameroon. I'm humbled when I hear why these people are taking the class. A student told me last night that he wants to learn enough English so that he can take classes at a local college for his job. Some people need the language so they won't be taken advantage of by a dishonest boss. Some need to learn how to communicate with their children whose primary language has become English.
I don't think I was prepared to have this much responsibility when I signed up for this. It is an awesome opportunity for me to learn some skills for teaching English in Japan. But, my prayer is that the Lord will teach me to be faithful with this time of ministry now, for the sake of these students--not just looking to how this will benefit me.
Last night was week 3 for this new ministry that has started up at CCC here in Wheaton, IL. The ESL team is rolling with the changes that are going on (almost weekly) as we try to navigate this new way to reach out to our community. Our students show up every week eager to learn. It's inspiring for me to see their eagerness as I'm trying to learn Japanese. I know a bit of their frustration and joy, being a student myself.
The majority of our students are Spanish speakers from Mexico. But last night we had a family of 3 come for the first time from Vietnam and have one French speaker from Cameroon. I'm humbled when I hear why these people are taking the class. A student told me last night that he wants to learn enough English so that he can take classes at a local college for his job. Some people need the language so they won't be taken advantage of by a dishonest boss. Some need to learn how to communicate with their children whose primary language has become English.
I don't think I was prepared to have this much responsibility when I signed up for this. It is an awesome opportunity for me to learn some skills for teaching English in Japan. But, my prayer is that the Lord will teach me to be faithful with this time of ministry now, for the sake of these students--not just looking to how this will benefit me.
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
new links
Have you noticed how many posts I've put in lately? What a good little blogger I am!
Take a look on the left hand side of the screen and you will see some new links. Asian Access is the missions organization that is sending me to Japan. Japan Stories is an awesome podcast where you can listen to a short (5-7 minutes) broadcast of missionary stories from Asian Access. It's a great way to keep in touch with what is happening on the field. And, it's pretty entertaining as well!
Beyond that, I will have my 3rd Japanese lesson this week with Mick (or Mitsuru, his given Japanese name). So far it's been a huge encouragement to meet with him and to feel like this Japan thing is a reality. Last Sunday I went with Mick to his Japanese church service. I felt like I was back in Japan! We also went to a Japanese supermarket in the Chicago area! They have any kind of Japanese food I could ever want to have this side of the ocean. Praise God for this newfound motivation!
Take a look on the left hand side of the screen and you will see some new links. Asian Access is the missions organization that is sending me to Japan. Japan Stories is an awesome podcast where you can listen to a short (5-7 minutes) broadcast of missionary stories from Asian Access. It's a great way to keep in touch with what is happening on the field. And, it's pretty entertaining as well!
Beyond that, I will have my 3rd Japanese lesson this week with Mick (or Mitsuru, his given Japanese name). So far it's been a huge encouragement to meet with him and to feel like this Japan thing is a reality. Last Sunday I went with Mick to his Japanese church service. I felt like I was back in Japan! We also went to a Japanese supermarket in the Chicago area! They have any kind of Japanese food I could ever want to have this side of the ocean. Praise God for this newfound motivation!
Monday, February 06, 2006
A Window Seat on a Bullet Train into Japan
Here is a fresh look at Japan from a first-time visitor to the country. This entry was written by Ken Exner for his travelogue, and was slightly abbridged with permission from the writer. Ken's full entry can be read here: http://www.asianaccess.org/profiles/jpn-description.html
and you can see his photos, too.
Tokyo-Nikko-Hakone-Takayama-Hiroshima-Kyoto
October 24-November 11, 2002
"For three weeks now, I haven't needed or wanted the counsel of the empty page. Japan has been a warm embrace, a beguiling friend, a show of lights, a geisha bow. Twenty days have felt like two. I didn't need to write because my waking thoughts were deeply invested in Japan.This country is for me, and may always be, a flash of excitement -- a window seat on a bullet train, time-lapse travel through a time-warped land. Japan is a place that has seemingly reset the properties of time. It moves at a frenetic pace, but stops to idly sip tea. It's a place that hurls eagerly into the future with a velocity unimpeded by the weight of its reverence for the past. It preserves as much as it reinvents.Japan is a riddle of contradictions. It is as much about Zen, Kabuki, Sumo, and Geisha as it is about Sony, Toyota, and Panasonic. It is a hyper-modern sprawling metropolis; it is Mt. Fuji peering through the clouds over miles and miles of autumn-burnt parklands. It is a maze of metal and glass skyrises; it is a narrow alleyway with wooden homes with dragon-tiled roofs. Japan is heavy drinking -- sake, whiskey and beer -- but it is also a work ethic that revolutionized the world. It is Sweet Home Alabama crooned karaoke-style; it is a late-night Yakitori snack from 7-11 (or wait--was that just me?) Japan is a public bathhouse where tattooed and fingerless gangsters (yakuza) bathe communally in lavender- and chamomile-scented spas (onsens). I could go on, but put simply – Japan is an enchanting amalgam of contrasts, where the juxtaposition of old and new, delicate and bold, revelry and refrain, colors the country brilliant and fires the pulse of its people electric.Japan is also a land of gentle grace that survives long-forfeited imperial ambitions. With honorific salutations and demure bows, the people of Japan are as hospitable and polite as you may find anywhere in the world. If you pull out a map on the street and look at it cross-eyed, a random pedestrian will present himself to you within ten seconds to offer help. Say "Arigato gozaimasu" (thank you) and he may even walk you to your destination. In striking contrast to the rest of Asia (and maybe even the rest of the world), Japan is a teenage wonderland of post-modern punk. It is a Hello Kitty button on a Sex Pistols T-shirt. Gothic makeup, black taffeta and steel-studded belts seem to be as acceptable as rainbow stickers and Powder Puff Girl handbags. For all the piercings and all the hairstyles that would make even a Londoner turn his head, the youth of Japan have an enduring affinity (that seems to follow them late into their twenties) for anything that is cute. From saccharine Sanrio to the cries of "Kawaii!" (how cute!), it's hard not to notice this generation’s obsession with the commercially cute. (They even manage to make punk rock look cute.) They may try to act sick and twisted in outfits that make their parents cringe, but the kids in Japan are still cheek-pinchingly adorable. It's too early for me to know how lasting an impression this place will have on me, but what I do know is that I am compelled to visit again."
and you can see his photos, too.
Tokyo-Nikko-Hakone-Takayama-Hiroshima-Kyoto
October 24-November 11, 2002
"For three weeks now, I haven't needed or wanted the counsel of the empty page. Japan has been a warm embrace, a beguiling friend, a show of lights, a geisha bow. Twenty days have felt like two. I didn't need to write because my waking thoughts were deeply invested in Japan.This country is for me, and may always be, a flash of excitement -- a window seat on a bullet train, time-lapse travel through a time-warped land. Japan is a place that has seemingly reset the properties of time. It moves at a frenetic pace, but stops to idly sip tea. It's a place that hurls eagerly into the future with a velocity unimpeded by the weight of its reverence for the past. It preserves as much as it reinvents.Japan is a riddle of contradictions. It is as much about Zen, Kabuki, Sumo, and Geisha as it is about Sony, Toyota, and Panasonic. It is a hyper-modern sprawling metropolis; it is Mt. Fuji peering through the clouds over miles and miles of autumn-burnt parklands. It is a maze of metal and glass skyrises; it is a narrow alleyway with wooden homes with dragon-tiled roofs. Japan is heavy drinking -- sake, whiskey and beer -- but it is also a work ethic that revolutionized the world. It is Sweet Home Alabama crooned karaoke-style; it is a late-night Yakitori snack from 7-11 (or wait--was that just me?) Japan is a public bathhouse where tattooed and fingerless gangsters (yakuza) bathe communally in lavender- and chamomile-scented spas (onsens). I could go on, but put simply – Japan is an enchanting amalgam of contrasts, where the juxtaposition of old and new, delicate and bold, revelry and refrain, colors the country brilliant and fires the pulse of its people electric.Japan is also a land of gentle grace that survives long-forfeited imperial ambitions. With honorific salutations and demure bows, the people of Japan are as hospitable and polite as you may find anywhere in the world. If you pull out a map on the street and look at it cross-eyed, a random pedestrian will present himself to you within ten seconds to offer help. Say "Arigato gozaimasu" (thank you) and he may even walk you to your destination. In striking contrast to the rest of Asia (and maybe even the rest of the world), Japan is a teenage wonderland of post-modern punk. It is a Hello Kitty button on a Sex Pistols T-shirt. Gothic makeup, black taffeta and steel-studded belts seem to be as acceptable as rainbow stickers and Powder Puff Girl handbags. For all the piercings and all the hairstyles that would make even a Londoner turn his head, the youth of Japan have an enduring affinity (that seems to follow them late into their twenties) for anything that is cute. From saccharine Sanrio to the cries of "Kawaii!" (how cute!), it's hard not to notice this generation’s obsession with the commercially cute. (They even manage to make punk rock look cute.) They may try to act sick and twisted in outfits that make their parents cringe, but the kids in Japan are still cheek-pinchingly adorable. It's too early for me to know how lasting an impression this place will have on me, but what I do know is that I am compelled to visit again."
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
The Doting Husbands Association
Here's a cultural insight into the Japanese family. I received a copy of this article from Asian Access today. Very interesting...
The Doting Husbands Association?
Tue Jan 31, 2006 8:44 AM ET
TOKYO (Reuters) - A group of Japanese men hoping to encourage the nation's legions of workaholic husbands to head home early and show their wives some appreciation have proclaimed Tuesday "Beloved Wives Day."
The group, which calls itself the "Japan Doting Husbands Association," urged men to get home by 8 p.m. and say thanks to their wives for all they do.
"Many men can't put their feelings of gratitude toward their wives into words. Work is number one for them," the non-profit group says on its Website, http://www.aisaika.org
"This attitude is putting Japanese marriages under great pressure."
Statistics bear this out. Japan's divorce rate has risen steadily over the years. In 2004, more than one in three marriages ended in divorce.
The group urges men to improve the marital mood through five "golden rules" including going home early, calling wives by their given name and looking them in the eyes when talking.
Many Japanese husbands call their wives "you" rather than addressing them by name, or in some cases merely grunt.
The group's homepage includes a column where husbands can write down feelings they are too shy to say out loud.
"I'm sorry I had a car accident. I'm sorry I'm away so much on business trips. I'm sorry I end up sleeping at the office so often," said one from a man in Kanagawa, near to Tokyo.
"Thank you for loving me just the same."
© Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.
The Doting Husbands Association?
Tue Jan 31, 2006 8:44 AM ET
TOKYO (Reuters) - A group of Japanese men hoping to encourage the nation's legions of workaholic husbands to head home early and show their wives some appreciation have proclaimed Tuesday "Beloved Wives Day."
The group, which calls itself the "Japan Doting Husbands Association," urged men to get home by 8 p.m. and say thanks to their wives for all they do.
"Many men can't put their feelings of gratitude toward their wives into words. Work is number one for them," the non-profit group says on its Website, http://www.aisaika.org
"This attitude is putting Japanese marriages under great pressure."
Statistics bear this out. Japan's divorce rate has risen steadily over the years. In 2004, more than one in three marriages ended in divorce.
The group urges men to improve the marital mood through five "golden rules" including going home early, calling wives by their given name and looking them in the eyes when talking.
Many Japanese husbands call their wives "you" rather than addressing them by name, or in some cases merely grunt.
The group's homepage includes a column where husbands can write down feelings they are too shy to say out loud.
"I'm sorry I had a car accident. I'm sorry I'm away so much on business trips. I'm sorry I end up sleeping at the office so often," said one from a man in Kanagawa, near to Tokyo.
"Thank you for loving me just the same."
© Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Something I've always wanted to know...
I ran across a book the other called Folktales of Okinawa*. I thought I'd share something with you from the book that I found quite informative and entertaining.
Why the Monkey's Buttocks are Red
Long, long ago, on a New Year's Eve, a shabbily dressed traveler came to a village The traveler went to the richest man in the village and asked if he could spend the night in his house. The rich man looked at the traveler and yelled, "This is New Year's Eve and we are preparing a big feast for tomorrow. A dirty hobo like you will spoil the feast. Go away."
The traveler went to the house next door, which looked rundown. He knocked on the door and repeated his request for a place to stay . The old couple who lived in this house was so poor they were having just a cup of hot water for dinner. Even though they had nothing to offer the traveler, they gladly opened the door and invited him in. The traveler sat in front of the fireplace, called a jiiru, and looked at the pot that hung there.
"Put more water in the pot and let it boil," he instructed.
The old couple thought it was a strange thing to do, but did as he said. The traveler began to chant a spell and suddenly the pot was filled with food. The old couple were astounded at what had happened in front of their very eyes.
"Well, let's eat. This looks delicious," the traveler said.
The old couple began to eat and thanked the traveler many times. The traveler didn't eat a thing and just kept smiling as he watched the old couple eat. Soon the old couple had filled their bellies and sat back to rest.
"Tell me what you would wish for. I could make it come true," the traveler said.
The old couple sat thinking for a long while and finally agreed on a single wish.
"We want to be young again," they said at the same time.
"All right then, put more water in the pot and heat it up so it's not too hot."
The old couple did as they were told and when the water was warm, the traveler chanted a spell, then took the pot and showered the water over the old couples' heads. As the water trickled down their bodies, they began to grow younger and younger until they became a young man and young woman. Morning came and it was New Year's Day. The traveler left the house and the now young couple went out to give New Year's greetings to their neighbors. They first visited the rich man and as they were greeted on his front steps, the rich man didn't know who the young couple was. Soon he realized they were the old couple from next door and he asked what had happened to them. They couple told him about the mysterious traveler and the miracles he gave them.
The rich man waited until the young couple left, then went off to find the traveler. He soon found him on the street and invited the traveler to his house. The rich man brought the traveler a big New Year's feast.
"Please, help yourself to all this food. I apologize for being so rude last night. My neighbors told me about you and now I understand you area man of great power. If you would kindly do the same for me as you did for them, I would be ever do happy. And I would reward you with a great treasure."
The traveler smiled warmly and instructed the rich man to heat up a pot of water so that it was not too hot. The rich man did. But this time, as the water started to bubble and before the traveler began to chant his spell, the rich man and his whole family grabbed the pot of water and poured it over themselves. Soon they changed, but not the way they wanted to. The rich man turned into a monkey, his wife a dog, his son became a goat, and his daughter became a crow.
"Maaa-maaa!" Said the goat.
"Bow wow!" Howled the dog.
"Eek, eek!" Squealed the monkey.
"Caw, caw!" The crow flapped its wings and all the animals went out of the house and quickly disappeared into the mountains.
Now there stood a rich man's house, empty. The traveler suggested the young couple should move in and they did. The rich man, now a monkey, came back to the house one day and sat on a black stone in the front yard of his former house.
"Get out of my house, this is my house!" The monkey shouted. "You have no right to live here, get out, get out!"
The young couple ignored the monkey because they knew it could do no harm to them other than shouting louder. From that day on, the monkey came to the house every day, sat on the same black stone and harassed the couple with his shouts until he couldn't shout any more. And every day his shouts became filled with more and more obscene language until the young couple got so worried they called on the traveler to help them.
"Boil the black stone until it is hot," the traveler told them, "then put it back in the yard just before the monkey comes."
The couple took the stone and boiled it until it was too hot to touch and carefully put it back in the yard in the morning. The monkey arrived and looking at the couple inside of the house with its mean little eyes, sat on the black stone. He instantly flew up into the air, screaming in pain.
"Ouch! Ouch!" The monkey screamed. "Help me! My buttocks are burning!"
The monkey ran back to the mountains and never returned. Now you know why a monkey's buttocks are red.
This story made me smile! It's interesting to me that the western mind would give a scientific explanation of such an inquiry but the eastern mind creates these intricate stories that are entertaining and have a moral outcome. It is indeed easier for a poor man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven than a monkey with red buttocks! :)
*published by Bank of the Ryukyus International Foundation in 1996; English translation by Terunobu Tamamori and Jayne A. Hitchcock.
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