my sister's family

it's spring time

my favorite season of the year has come ....it's spring time....it's flower time!!! Yay...

worship leading in Japanese

Today was my second time to lead the afternoon worship service in Japanese! My nerves went haywire at the start. They always do whenever I have to speak or perform before people.

Thank God, they said I did well. The people at church were able to understand everything that I said. I was worried that I might mispronounce some words or get the intonation wrong. I rehearsed the Bible passage reading and the things that I needed to say for each part of the service with my Nihongo tutor last Wednesday and with Eri-san this morning.

The entire service was recorded on cassette tape for my tutor to listen and comment. I hope and pray that God will use that to speak to her heart about Him.

Amy Carmichael was in Japan??

I have been reading the book about Amy Carmichael's life and ministries called "A Chance to Die", written by Elisabeth Elliot. I have just finished the chapter that describes her missionary work in Japan, before she went to Ceylon. This woman had touched so many lives for the Lord here in Japan despite her short stay.

So far, my favorite quote from this book is this:

" Where He leads, I will follow. What He feeds, I will swallow!" :)

Kobe Hanshin Earthquake anniversary

5:46 am, Tuesday, Jan. 17th. Very cold. Middle of winter season. Trapped in my apartment for 2 hours. Later rescued by a next-door couple who I met for the first and last time. This happened 15 years ago, but the memories are still clear because it was when God spoke to me, " You are ready to go because you know wh...e...re you are going but what about the others? Around you, people are dying without even hearing about Me." In the midst of deep misery, I heard God's voice. Returned to the Philippines a few days after the earthquake but promised God I will return to Kobe in His time. Ten years later, March 2005, God sent me back here to do my share of helping spread the good news to many more Japanese. What a joy to see friends and students from 1994-95 now walking in the Lord, attending church meetings and Bible studies. What a joy to see many more students knowing God through the Bible times in classes! God is eternally good!!!

Jesus loves Japan

Maikos walking in Kyoto..

Japan has more than 100 million people...all packed in a land the size of California. Only about a million are Christians.
This is Kinkakuji Temple, a famous tourist spot in Kyoto.

and more...

young salarymen (company employees) shopping in one of the center gai's

Kobe Motomachi Center Gai

Center Gai (street) where I often go for shopping and walking exercise