Life has gotten in the way of updating this blog! Spring seems like a busy time. Easter was a blessing, with some unsaved people attending. We shared the Lord’s Supper during one service. We continue to rejoice that Jesus was raised again so we, too, can walk in newness of life and look forward to heaven!

On the home front, our children had a karate belt test – to move from a white belt up to an orange belt. There were lots of nerves, not knowing what to expect, and doing it in another language. They worked hard to prepare. They knew they’d be asked to do 50 push-ups and 50 squats. They ended up having to do jumping squats instead, which about killed them! But they all passed with flying (orange) colors. 🙂

Karate belt test

Since the last time I wrote, we’ve come in contact with another family who is interested in joining our Bible study. The problem is that they live over an hour away! As we considered it, we realized that there are 3 families who come from that faraway place called Minami Aso. The first 2 families we met from there have been coming at least occasionally to our Sunday morning Bible study. The latest family said it’s just too far. They have four small children to drag along with them, too. So, we’ve been sniffing around the Minami Aso area for ideas of where we could meet together once a week. It would mean shifting around our current schedule and stretching Norman’s strength a bit more. What we really need is more helpers!! Pray with us about this new venture. God is working in hearts, but the laborers are few and far between.

Our family is growing up…at least in stature! We hope they’re growing other ways, too. 🙂

Wow. I haven’t updated this blog in a couple months! Sorry about that. Life has been moving right along — homeschool, projects, coffee shop, Bible studies, Kumamoto Bible School, music events.

December always opens opportunities to share the real meaning for Christmas. On December 2, we shared a Christmas gathering with my once-a-month English conversation class.

English class

One more pic!

I was able to explain two Christmas carols that had lots of Christmas meaning included in them. I wrote each lady a note in a Christmas card in which I urged them to pursue Christ.

Keiko (who lives with us) was able to help Sue (our co-worker) with her Christmas kids’ event on December 10. They had 12 elementary students from Sue’s neighborhood.

Our evening Bible study group that meets in Kumamoto City held a Christmas event on December 17. About 30 people came, a good number unsaved. We sang carols, played Christmas charades, had a Christmas flashcard story for the kids, had a Christmas quiz, and listened to Norman share why Christmas is important and remembered all around the world. Good food ended the party, but people hung around to talk and fellowship for a total of four hours! We had at least 2 newcomers, and everyone heard the gospel. (If you are wondering, the location was Marty’s preschool!)

Christmas party on the 17th

Flashcard story

Christmas message

Lots of fellowship

Marty and Chika in a festive spirit

Other happenings this month include Melodie’s first violin recital. She survived!

Melodie at her recital. She played several songs with a group ensemble, too.

Melodie had gotten a sewing machine for her birthday in July, and Norman had free time to help her sew her first project! Good job, Melodie! (and Norman!)

We still have a Christmas gathering scheduled for the 24th; and, of course, the 25th will be special. Keep those in your prayers, please.

We thank you for your thoughts and prayers this year. Thanks to each who has sent us cards, gifts, and support. We couldn’t be here without all of you! We wish you all a merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Please allow me to share a bit of Japanese culture. 🙂

I suppose it all started with the earthquake in April. Some poor lady’s car was parked beneath a heavy object. The earthquake jiggled it loose, and the object fell on top of her car, denting the roof in a dimpled pattern.

My first lesson of Japanese culture is this: Many Japanese have a “throw-away” mentality. One of our friends got a small scrape on his year-old car, and he didn’t even think twice over his “need” to buy another one. In this earthquake case, the lady decided to get rid of her imperfect car with the dimpled roof.

My second lesson of Japanese culture is this: Cars must be inspected every two years. (I’m not sure if brand new cars need to be inspected this often since we’ve never had one.) Our small car needed to be inspected this month, so Norman took it to our mechanic. The auto guy gritted his teeth and gave us bad news: “It’s old. It has lots of kilometers (miles). And it needs work.” He could make it roadworthy, but he couldn’t guarantee it would make it until the next inspection. However, the good news he had was this: Some poor lady’s car had been dimpled in the earthquake, and he could sell it to us for a greatly reduced price! There was one catch (as it related to me). It is a manual transmission car. Stick shift. Normally, this wouldn’t be a problem. But in Japan it caused one for me.

My third lesson of Japanese culture: In order to drive a stick shift, you must pass your driver’s test, using a manual transmission car. The driving test is more challenging here, so when we first arrived in Japan, I opted to obtain merely a license to drive an automatic car. I suppose a fourth Japanese cultural point is the driver’s test here! If you merely show up and take the driving test, you must pay about $60 and drive through a mini-driving course (not on public roads). The real trick is that there are two courses (Courses A and B) which take different routes around the driving range. You must memorize all the twists and turns, as well as keep up with all the nuances they deem prudent for driving (like rolling down your window at railroad crossings to listen for an oncoming train). In my case, to lessen my stress, and since I hadn’t driven a stick shift in 15 years, I joined a short driving school. After practicing for four hours on their course, with careful instruction, I then could take the driving test. Only this time, the instructor would tell me where to turn instead of my need to memorize it.

Praise the Lord, I passed! It was a bit more expensive than taking a lone driving test (unless I failed it too often and had to keep retaking it), but now I’m the proud owner of a license that allows me to drive my dimpled, “new” car! 🙂

The most amazing thing in August was attending the baptism of three of our believers: Marty, Chika, and Chloe.

Marty

Chika

Chloe

Please keep these disciples of Christ in your prayers as they strive to follow God in every aspect of their lives. The spiritual journey is a battle that never stops until Jesus takes us home.

We were able to show our faces on television twice. Technically, we aired both in July and August. The picture below was taken during shooting for a meal I made that the reporter tried. It was part of a show called “Suppers around the World.”

TV crew taking close-up shots of Hawaiian Chicken in our dining room

Because of being on TV, we have had new customers to our coffee shop, since the camera crews took footage of that, too. Check-out clerks at the stores I frequent made sure to tell me they saw me, even clerks who normally don’t talk to me!

We have seen a few newcomers to our morning Bible study in August. One lady heard for the first time that Jesus rose from the dead. She was amazed to realize that.

I’ve been meeting monthly with my new friends Yoko and Yuko. They have really gotten into learning about the big overview of the Bible. Some good questions have arisen, and I believe God is at work.

Norman and I have had the opportunity to work with two different couples as they work through marital struggles. Satan would like nothing more than to destroy these families. Please pray for each spouse to submit to God’s truth in faith and follow through in their actions. Pray for us as we guide them through this. We need wisdom and patience.

Mr. Shimazu and us — the workers at the coffee shop

On another note, we have hired a worker to cover many hours at the Guidepost Gallery and Coffee shop (or Michishirube, in Japanese). Mr. Shimazu has been a friend and fellow artist for about 6 years. It is wonderful to have some freedom away from the shop!

To end on a chipper note, I bought some colorful blocks for the small children who visit our home from time to time. Apparently, Melodie thought they were perfect for her!

A chip off this old block

It definitely feels like summer now in southern Japan! We have many new and exciting things happening this month and next. Let me tell you about them!

First, a new customer to the coffee shop, Mrs. Y, decided that not enough people know about this wonderful place to drink coffee, meet friends, and talk leisurely with the owner. So she keeps coming back with different friends several times a week. Not only that, she has connections with local television stations. So two of them contacted Norman this month, asking to do interviews or short sections of their program, showcasing us and the coffee shop! The slight problem was that we already had a pretty booked schedule, and they wanted to film things this month, too.

All that to say, a 3-man camera crew came to the coffee shop last week to do interviews with us and our new employee, Mr. Shimazu. This particular show features couples in the Kumamoto area, highlighting their levels of happiness throughout their married lives. The crew came to our house afterward, took footage of our family singing, the O’Reillys (asking why they were in Japan), and interviewed the rest of the family. We will go to the TV station on July 26 for the live section of the show! Pray for us, please!

The second station will be filming us both at the coffee shop and our house on July 25. (Can you see how crazy our lives have become?) They will be asking why we’re in Japan and shoot footage of me making an American meal. This program highlights Suppers Around the World. The reporter will also eat with us. The O’Reillys don’t leave until July 27th, so we’ll probably have 12 people around the table that night!

Do please keep us in your prayers! We have no idea what God has in store through these opportunities, but we know He has a plan and it’s a good one! We’ll let you know how it goes!

Time to cool down! It’s hot!

Chris and Norman do garden duty, picking green beans.

Other things on our schedule coming up include the following:

• Two concerts (July 23 & 30) at Michishirube (coffee shop) as a way to help pay the bills
• Sell coffee as a vendor during a summer festival
• Kids’ Camp (July 27-28) – Chloe will be a helper; Cameron and Melodie will attend
• Norman speaks at a different Kids’ Camp (Aug. 1-2)
• Multi-church ABWE fellowship (Aug. 7); we’re renting a bus to attend it.
• We hope to begin homeschool again, the second week of August! (Whew, are we ready for that one yet?)
• Two charity mini-concerts in August by our family for the children who are homeless due to the earthquakes
• Chloe and Marty will be baptized on August 14th!
• Five days away for our annual ABWE retreat (August)
• Multi-church fellowship at Michishirube (Aug. 27) for Kumamoto area

This is all in addition to our regular Sunday Bible studies, individual Bible studies, English classes, and life! One lovely thing that has been a huge treat to Norman and me is that the O’Reillys graciously agreed to watch our children for a couple days this week. This enabled the two of us to have a little getaway which we can’t remember doing in a very long time. It’s the lull before the storm! Reality is a’comin’!

Thank you for your prayers! We need them this summer more than ever!

Coffee shop sign

Apple cake!

20 kinds of coffee beans

The coffee shop is going strong lately! We’ve seen more customers walk through our doors this month. With a concert tonight, we’ll see even more people. Cameron and Chloe will be the opening group for a duo who will play folk songs, I believe.

A small O’Reilly practicing with chopsticks. She was glad to find chicken nuggets in Japan!

The biggest change this month is having the O’Reilly family here! Our neighbor lady agreed to let them stay in her “Granddaddy House” which is kitty-corner to our home. They are able to have their own space, a tiny kitchen, and a separate bathroom. They got over jetlag after a week or so. After observing how Norman leads different groups he ministers to, Chris is “taking over” this week as part of his internship. Chris will have lots of new experiences and challenges ahead. Please keep him in your prayers!

We are glad we have a big table these days!

Mrs. O’Reilly teaches the Smith children music theory.

Baby O’Reilly figures he should learn ukulele like his bigger friend.

Our kids are getting lots of experience learning how to take care of small children! It’s great for them! And it gives us adults a little break.

This past week, saw these ministry opportunities: * English conversation class  * Meet Christian friends for fellowship and fun  * Men’s discipleship Bible study  * Ladies’ Bible study and prayer time  * Sunday morning and evening Bible studies  * Meet another family to encourage and reach out to them  * Child care  * Discipleship training time with O’Reillys

Thank you for your continued prayers. We need them still! Pray especially for a Bible study I have on June 29th. Pray for God to open hearts to His Word.

Stay cool!

We have been so busy this past month! So much to do; so little time!

First, more updates on the “barn’s” progress.

Fellow missionary Tom Carr uses his height to help put up the ceiling.

The kids helped paint.

The shower is put in the right place.

Walls are in for privacy in at least part of the bathroom!

The toilet is in and functioning! This is a great addition for those living in the cabin. Amanda and Keiko don’t have to traipse across the yard to visit the bathroom in our house now.

Getting the kitchen set up. Little by little, things are coming together!

The shower has cold water…but not hot yet! We hooked up Keiko’s clothes washer so she can use it whenever she wants.

As you can see, Norman’s been hard at work trying to finish this project in the midst of all the other things he’s doing these days. This week, he began clearing out the storage things in the large meeting room in hopes of hosting a larger gathering in June.

Moving to another topic, our grand “renewal” opening of the Guidepost Gallery and Coffee store went well enough. Definitely, more customers walked through the door, but our coffee adviser who’s helped us get this thing going was much more optimistic regarding sales. However, we were able to meet many new people and make more of a realistic effort to pay the bills.

We hosted a concert on May 21, inviting an area man to play acoustic guitar and harmonica and sing folk songs. It was well attended. We served dessert sets which included our flavorful coffee and sweets made by me! The Japanese people really seem to like apple cake! Chloe and Cameron also sang solos and played guitar and ukulele for a short part of the concert.

Life in Kumamoto is settling into some sense of normality. There are still many blue tarps covering rooftops due to shifting (or missing) roof tiles. Lots of remodeling is going on. Others are still waiting for insurance estimates and carpenters. Donations have come in to ABWE to be used for helping victims, and our missionaries have discussed how to disperse it. We hope to give it out very soon to those in need.

We are preparing for Chris and Sarah O’Reilly and their two children to be here for 8 weeks this summer! It’ll be a new kind of “GRIT”! Actually, it won’t be GRIT-like, but we hope it’s a blessing to them and to the work here. They should arrive June 1.

As always, we appreciate your prayers for us and the work here in Japan. We need your help!

Since life has been topsy-turvy these past couple weeks, I have neglected to post updated pictures of the “barn” addition’s progress. Norman ekes out a few hours here and there to try to finish this needed work. Our goal is to have it finished in time for our next interns who will arrive the first part of June.

The floor boards are down! Foundations are important.

The floor is in. It is covered by linoleum…and flattened cardboard boxes so we can step on it with our dirty shoes!

Next comes the outside framework to be able to attach wall boards

It’s coming along!

Putting on the outer siding and a recycled window

More siding progress

Amanda approves the addition next to her “cabin.”

Norman’s got the inside framework ready to go.

Now for a little insulation…

That’s where the project is up to for now! Norman’s also trying to get our storefront ready to sell coffee drinks and coffee beans. We hope to open that part of the gallery next week (May 5th). Fliers are written, printed, and ready for newspaper distribution. We hope to make many new friends and acquaintances through this avenue…as well as help pay the rent on the place we use for Bible studies.

An update on earthquake issues: Keiko will definitely have to move out of her apartment. Ensuing aftershocks made more cracks appear and more ceiling to fall down. Fellow missionaries and friends helped Keiko box up her things in preparation to move. She just decided to quit her job in order to pursue ministry in a bigger way, but her boss begged her not to quit for at least three months. (She works in real estate…which is under high demand now!) She will be moving temporarily to our homestead, as she finishes working her job and decides where God is leading her to serve. She is considering several options. Please keep her in your prayers, that she will know clearly what God would have her do. Quitting her job was a huge step for her, and I know God has something amazing in store for her!

We currently feel maybe one aftershock a day. Things seem to be settling down, thankfully. Most people have electricity, gas, and water, though some water isn’t fit to drink yet. Stores are pretty much back to normal.

Thank you for your prayers!

Wow. The past week has been up and down…literally! (Or maybe it’s side to side.) Anyway, schedules are out the window, people are in desperate states, and emotions are all over the place. We’ve been brought to the end of our physical and emotional strength, and have been encouraged to rely on God to get us through.

On Monday, fellow ABWE missionaries gathered at the preschool (owned by one of our church regulars) where our Sunday night Bible study currently meets. There was some damage to clean up, and the missionaries brought 4 van loads of supplies to distribute, which was great since stores in the Kumamoto area were quickly depleted.

Supplies! Lots of bottled water, instant food, paper products, and baby diapers!

Sorting and getting ready to distribute things

A corner inside where the wallpaper was torn during the quake

We as a family were blessed to have been away from home during the second quake. Stronger in strength than the first, the quake caused two bookshelves to fall over onto our beds…where we would have been at 1:30 a.m.! We are grateful that God protected us in this way. Besides that, we were able to have Keiko and Sue at camp with us. There’s nothing as scary as being in an earthquake all by yourself at night!

It was strange to enter a convenience store and find empty shelves. Many grocery stores were simply closed. There were gasoline rations or closed gas stations. It felt like the end of the world!

Then, after all of this, the volunteer fire department workers came to our door midday on Thursday (4/21) to “highly recommend” us to evacuate our house due to the threat of landslides. Our house is right next to a very tall, steep hill. In addition to that, we live at the base of mountain off in the distance. With heavy rain in the forecast, all our neighbors had already relocated temporarily. So, we packed up our family and Amanda, and we holed up in our storefront building about 15 minutes away. Nothing happened overnight, so we were able to return home the next day.

Last night (4/22) was the first night we didn’t feel so many aftershocks. The days right after the big quakes, we would feel 15+ strong aftershocks a day. Very unsettling. Our 75-year-old neighbor told us he’s never experienced anything like this in his entire life. Chloe and I had upset stomachs for several days due to the constant shaking. Adrenaline spikes up and down, and we end up feeling exhausted.

However, we continue to try to help those around us, starting with those we know personally. In coming weeks, as the ground returns to more stable conditions, there will be more work to be done near the epicenter in Mashiki Town. Melodie’s violin teacher had her house there, and it is unlivable. We hope to be able to help her and others like her. For a very short time, people may be more open to speaking about spiritual things. Please pray that we can be a light during this time…and that we’ll have strength to face the overwhelming physical needs of those who have lost everything.