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   

Christmas in Japan 2012

We are thankful to the many people who sent emails, facebook messages, and cards wishing us a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  Tauna's mother thoughtfully sent our address to everyone, so we have an abundance of Christmas cards decorating our living room.  Each day we went to the mailbox and found a Christmas card waiting for us.  It felt a little more like Christmas with all the love from overseas.

Christmas Cake and spread during TLC Christmas Party.

Many people have asked us these two questions:
Is there snow over there?
Do they celebrate Christmas in Japan?

No, it doesn't snow in Tokyo.  Well, not like it snows in the mid-west.  It can snow in Tokyo, but most days are around 50 degrees and sunny.  It does snow in northern parts of Japan and in the mountains.

Yes, they do celebrate Christmas in Japan!

Christmas here is more like Valentine's Day. Stores and streets are decorated with Christmas lights and you frequently hear hymns and carols.  Christmas lights are very romantic.  On Christmas Day, you and yours truly eat KFC and Christmas Cake (shortcake with whipped topping).  When we were walking home from Christmas Eve service the streets were lined with clerks dressed in Santa suits trying to sell us chicken and Christmas cakes.

We celebrated with our church family all weekend.  A few of us dressed in Santa suits and brought gifts to the families in the congregation who had lost loved ones during the year.  We also had a joint service between the English and Japanese congregations on the Sunday before Christmas.  Pastor Sekino gave the sermon in Japanese and Erik read the translation in English.  Together we sang hymns in both languages.  Afterwards we had a Christmas party.  Those who were new members, recently confirmed or baptized were introduced and presented flowers from the children. We even danced the hula!  And of course, we ate Christmas cake!

Christmas Eve services were beautiful.  There was a special service just for children. The children reenacted the Nativity Story.  The Japanese service was beautiful with hymns and hundreds of candles.  At the start of the English service we had some excitement when a woman sat down and her hair caught on fire from the candle (she was okay).

Christmas Day we skyped our families.  Erik went with Pastor Sekino to visit more people, and Tauna went to the Hongo Center for the Children's Christmas party.

Santa visits TLC during Christmas Party.

It's hard to believe it's already the third day of Christmas here. After a busy month of Japanese lessons, orientation, and serving Tokyo Lutheran and the Hongo Center, we are spending these days sleeping in, exploring our neighborhood, and catching up on our Japanese vocabulary.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!
~Erik & Tauna

Thanksgiving

Erik and Pastor Sekino both read from Psalm 100.

Pastor Sekino gets some advice on turkey carving.

We truly have many things to be thankful for.  This time last year we were still living in Wisconsin.  Erik was working part time in a chocolate shop and Tauna was working at the church as we both patiently waited for Erik to receive a pastoral call.

What a difference a year makes!  We are so thankful to be able to serve God as missionaries in Japan.  We are grateful the first month has gone smoothly.  We are thankful for the many people from JELC, JELA, Hongo, and Tokyo Lutheran Church who have helped us get settled and answered our countless questions. We are thankful for our Japanese teachers.  We are thankful for the patient Japanese employees who smile politely and bring english menus when we visit restaurants and stores.  We are thankful for our new beautiful home.  We are thankful for our families and friends back home that continue to support us with love and prayers (and the occasional skype call).

For Thanksgiving day we invited the J3 Missionaries over to our apartment for tacos.  We were really excited because this was the first time we had guests over.

On Saturday, we gathered at Tokyo Lutheran Church for a feast.  Tauna helped another American girl make a turkey.  The church smelled delicious. There were about 40 people at the feast.  We all introduced ourselves and told what we were thankful for.  We had turkey, mashed potatoes, mac'n'cheese, sushi, lefse, salads and several desserts.

As we were relaxing after the meal, there was an 4.0 earthquake.*  It was a reminder that life here on earth is short.  Each of our days is a blessing from God and we must do our best each day to love one another and give thanks.

Blessings,
Erik & Tauna



*This is the biggest small earthquake.  A 5.0 earthquake is when damage starts to occur.

First Impressions

Christmas lights at Shinjuku Station.

Christmas is coming in Japan!

This afternoon we had the ELCA J3 missionaries over for a Thanksgiving meal.  We feasted on tacos and good company.  Erik and I love to host people, so we were grateful for the opportunity to feed people as well as entertain our first guests.  On Saturday we will be joining Tokyo Lutheran for a Thanksgiving Feast.  One of the members made a special trip out to Costco to purchase a turkey!  I am going to attempt to bake my first cake in my Japanese oven for the occasion.

After our feast, I went down to Shinjuku station to do some Christmas shopping.  Christmas is in the air.  The Japanese have developed a love for Christmas.  The windows of the department stores are decorated and the stores are playing Christmas music.  It looks like Christmas in the US, but after our weekend at English Bible Camp in Chiba, I am seeing Christmas a little differently.

English Bible Camp is open for anyone wanting to learn English, get out of town and meet new friends.  Those attending camp aren't necessarily Christian.  English language is taught by reading the Bible and talking with native English speakers.

On the way home from camp we started talking about Christmas.  A young woman told us that they learn how to celebrate Christmas from the Americans that come to Japan.  I asked her if she knew why we celebrated Christmas and if she knew the Christmas story.  She did not.  I then proceeded to tell her the story of how a young girl carried God's son, gave birth to him in a strange town and placed him in a lowly manger.  I was so nervous to tell her this story.  I was going to be the first one to ever tell her how God came into the world.  I had never told this story to "fresh" ears.  I was also nervous that she wouldn't understand my English.  It's hard to put into words how it feels to be in a position where you are sharing the gospel with people for a first time. I have shared God's story with people who have heard it, but pushed it away or forgotten.  It's a exciting, humbling and moving experience.  Reflecting on it brings out an emotion that moves me to tears.  

My experience on the bus ride home made me look at Christmas shopping very differently.  In Japan it is all Santa and Snowmen.  I found myself searching hard for signs of the Christ child.  The one Christmas card I saw with a picture of a church, had Santa pulled up in front with a giraffe and elephant.  I wonder how many Japanese know that we put the star on top of the tree because of the star the shepherds and wise men followed.  I wonder if they know why it's called "Christ"mas.  I wonder if they know why we gave presents.

I look forward to celebrating this Christmas with both the Christians and non-Christians.  Because even if we don't always remember why we celebrate, I know God's love will be with us as we exchange presents and feast on KFC.

Blessings,
Tauna        

Christmas light display on Mosaic Street at Shinjuku Station.