Note: My apologies for our Week 3 report being late. We have been on the road and on the go! The Week 4 report (next) will contain much of what kept me from sitting down long enough to get this report written.
A cup, a flower, a few books, and something for writing. They seem like such simple tools! But the conversations which arise through this simplicity have been amazing. The Spirit works in ways that we truly are unable to fully grasp. Both of us have been blessed by our time with readers this Summer. From the moment they arrive, we are focused and engaged in conversation and interaction – so much so that we keep forgetting to take pictures with them! In a way, though, even that is an indicator of how impactful these sessions have been. We remain prayerful that the seeds sown in these moments will one day grow to produce a harvest beyond what we think possible.
Family Music Class on Thursday was such a joy. It tends to be a smaller group since many families are busy during the week, but that can lead to a more intimate time together connecting and enjoying. Emily and I are continually reminded just how busy people are here. Each week has been a different mix of who can be here and who must be somewhere else. A sense of consistency can be elusive. God remains faithful, though.
Worship on Sunday was greatly encouraging! There is a Chinese group that meets monthly on Sunday afternoon, but this week they came early for a joint worship service. Brother Lau Kin Fatt (second row, left end, in the picture above) and his wife Chrissy were visiting along with long-time friends from California, Eddie and Tai Young. The Laus minister for a church in Malaysia and have strong connections to several associated with Tachikawa. The sermon was in Chinese with Japanese translation, and the singing was in Japanese, Chinese, and English (at least!), but it was one Spirit throughout. We even had a visitor pop in for service who had recently arrived in Tokyo via hitch-hiking. He had come to the big city to try his luck in the local music scene. Eddie went above and beyond for the Kid’s Worship time by learning “This Little Light of Mine” in Japanese and then helping lead the kids in a couple of verses.
Of course, nothing puts a finishing touch on a combined worship like heading upstairs for a potluck fellowship meal! What a wonderful way to continue the morning’s worship through sharing a meal and getting to grow closer as a family. A great time was had by everyone (even our new hitch-hiking friend!). After everyone had been through the line and were mostly settled, we sang “Happy Birthday” to those celebrating in June. Then we took a moment to recognize anyone who was celebrating an anniversary. Finally, a few of us stood in turn and shared something encouraging. It really is amazing what sense of family is present here.
The Family Music Class from Sunday morning was great fun. It also ends up being a true source of exercise as well! It has been neat seeing the growth that is occurring in these kids. Watching the parents enjoying these times together with their children has been encouraging, too. For the ones who have been coming more often (and continuing from last Summer), it is good to see relationships begin to deepen. It is our prayer that the interaction they have in this space will be positive and meaningful. As they find a sense of community in these classes, we remain hopeful that the Spirit will use these relationships to stir the hearts of those who come. You never know who will recognize the “light on the hill” that we are shining and who might be drawn to its glow.
After the fellowship meal was over, Emily and I packed our bags and headed out for the first of two destinations. Leslie and Sara Taylor, along with their children Cambria, Madeleine, and Boston, are missionaries working with the Matsudo Church of Christ to the northeast of Tokyo. One of our goals for this trip was to find some time to visit with them to discuss some of the more practical considerations of becoming full-time missionaries. They initially worked with Brent and Sandy Rogers in an area southwest of Tokyo before working with Matsudo alongside Steve Carrell. After returning to the states for a little while, the Taylors returned to Matsudo a few years ago where they are leading an exciting and growing ministry. To our pleasant surprise, they suggested that we come over and spend a couple of nights at their house so that we would have plenty of time to get to know each other and chat. What a blessing this time was! I had originally planned to sit down for a more business-like chat over topics like moving our belongings, VISA paperwork, language schools, health insurance, and others. However, by staying over a couple of nights, we were able to simply dwell with this family who welcomed us into their home so freely. God knew that is what we both needed, and the encouragement gained by all of us was profound. We did end up talking about most of our list, but more importantly we sat down to play cards, took walks around the neighborhood, gave space to share about personal struggles and triumphs, and got ourselves out of God’s way. The Taylors are a sweet family and I am excited to watch the Matsudo church as they continue Kingdom work in the days to come.
Normally, these weekly reports cover Wednesday through the following Tuesday, but after visiting the Taylors, Emily and I caught a ride Tuesday morning with Leslie to the Nationwide Minister’s Conference at a mountain lodge in Nagano prefecture. So, I’m ending this report a day early and I’ll pick up Week 3’s Tuesday as part of Week 4’s report. In the meantime, here’s my parting shot for this week. Emily and I regularly go up to the church roof in the evenings. Sometimes we are hoping to catch a glimpse of Mt. Fuji, other times it’s to check out the sunset, and occasionally we just go up looking for a cool breeze. During one recent evening, Emily noticed a bright light in the distance and wondered if it might be Tokyo SkyTree, the tallest structure in Japan and one of the tallest in the world. It is almost 41 km away from Tachikawa (a little over 25 miles) and takes about 90 minutes to reach by express train. Sure enough, the next time we were on the roof in daylight, I was able to get a zoomed in picture that was clear enough to confirm that Emily was right! For reference, I put an inset of an arial shot of SkyTree to compare. Even Nao was amazed that SkyTree is visible from Tachikawa. Crazy!
~ Clay
Fowlers in Japan 