Say Yes!

I went to the Lawson 100 (Convenience Store) to pick up some milk and orange juice.  As I was waiting for the clerk to finish bagging my items, he ask me a question in Japanese that I didn't understand.  Trusting the clerk, I just said はい (Hai= Yes).  Next thing I knew, he was putting two long straws into my bag.

I say yes a lot here in Japan.  Would you like to go to a party?  Yes!  Will you help shovel snow?  Yes! Do you want some of this weird looking food?  Um...Yes? Each time I say yes, I have little clue what is on the other side.  I say yes mostly out of curiosity. If I didn't say yes, I would miss out on endless experiences.  Yes opens doors. Yes leads to adventure. Yes sometimes leads to crazy exhausting days.  But if I had said no, I wouldn't know how delicious Japanese food tastes, got to see a Japanese home, learn how great of a hostess a friend can be, or have two giant straws in my kitchen drawer.

The journey to Japan started with a single Yes to God.  Yes, we will serve.  As missionaries (that's you, too!) we are all invited into God's mission.  We are all given the opportunity to say "yes" to Christ's love and go out and serve each other.

Snow!

Snow outside our apartment.

 On Monday Tokyo received it's first snow fall of the year.  We've gotten mixed reports (and centimeters are still confusing to us) but it looks like somewhere between three and five inches.  Tokyo is at the same latitude as San Francisco  so it is not normal to get snow.  It started Monday morning. As we were skyping with Erik's parents when we noticed the heavy rain started to turn into a slushy snow.  We were really surprised when it started to accumulate.  Even more surprised when we got a call at 6pm from Pastor Sekino who needed help shoveling the sidewalk at the church.  Erik and I bundled up and made the .8 of a mile walk to the church.  It was very amusing to watch the Japanese battle the snow.  There were people trying to ride bicycles.  There were women in heels.  Shopkeepers used square & spade shovels, dustpans, brooms, squidgies, and even a trowel to remove the ice and snow.  And everyone had an umbrella!

Shoveling at Tokyo Lutheran.

Walking down Okubo-Dori Ave after the snowfall. 

Snowman the Hongo kids built after our English Snowman lesson.

Happy New Year!

Just like the Minnesota State Fair!
Vendors sell food on a stick on the way to Meiji Shrine.

Tokyo is a little less crowded these days.  The first few days of the New Year are a huge deal in Japan.   Millions of people have traveled home to spend the New Year with their families.  They will then go to worship at the temples/shrines so they have good fortune in the new year.  We decided to experience a bit of this.  On New Year's Eve we went to Meiji Shrine.  On the way to the shrine the sidewalk was lined with vendors selling food, treats and even beer.  Once we got to the park, there were huge crowds of people.  We never actually made it into the shrine.  We waited with the crowd as we all counted down to midnight.  Then the shrine opened and the line began to move.  We've both been to the shrine on a 'regular' day, so we decided to head home.

New Year's Day we heading to Tokyo Lutheran Church for the New Year Worship Service (all in Japanese).  Along with worship, there are multiple parties during the New Year.  We've been invited to different congregation members homes.  Last night was our first house party.  I've learned that every experience I have in Japan, I really cannot predict.  I really just have to go with it and accept that I don't know what will happen, who will be there, what I will eat, or how long it will last.  I just need to be observant of those around me and listen extra hard for words I do know.

So here's how it went.

We had instructions to meet at NishiOkubo Station.  When we arrived, several other members at the church were there waiting.  (My expectation was we were just meeting the Japanese pastor).  They immediately recognized us, the only Americans in the train station.  This happens often.  As soon as the whole group had arrived, we walked to the couple's house.  The party was hosted by a wonderful older couple, who I have decided to call Obaasan and Ojiisan (Grandma & Grandpa).

We sang a Japanese Hymn and then share what we would do for God in the New Year (I said to work really hard planning/teaching Bible study and Erik said get to know people and hear their stories).  Then began the feasting.  We sat on the floor around a table.  Each dish was passed and we picked up food with our chopsticks and put it on our small plates.  We had many traditional Japanese New Year Dishes which I promise to learn the names of in the future. Most were fish based and tasted salty.  We even had ichigo (Japanese strawberries) and dragon fruit.  I must have felt extra brave, because I pretty much ate everything in sight.  When I was eating my gohan (rice) with kinoko (mushrooms), Erik asked me, "who are you?"

Crowds of people gather outside Meiji Shrine for the New Year.

In the middle of our feast, a story that was written by Obaasan and Ojiisan was read aloud to us.  Through some miracle, I understood that the story was about baby birds that had been rescued by the couple.  The couple saved these birds because it's important to preserve life.  They even have a rescue cat named Gloria.  I felt very much at home hearing the story and being with this couple and their family.  Ojiisan reminded me of my great grandfather John who passed away a few years ago.  My grandfather also had many cats and rescued animals.  In our short time here in Japan, I've met many people who remind me of our loved ones back home.

I know I keep saying it, but that's because it's true.  I feel very blessed to be here in Japan.  I am thankful for the many Japanese who have invited us into their lives and even open their homes to us.  I am also grateful to you: our many family, friends, sponsors and partners in ministry.  Thank you for your support and prayers.

May you each have a blessed New Year!

Blessings,
Tauna & Erik