After a Retreat

So I was in a place called Karuizawa from the 7-9 meeting with other Tokyo Ms and regional leadership. It was a really good time for me. Away from the busy city, near the mountains, surrounded by snow, and retreating to be with God. My mind was crystal clear, I was eager to tackle the challenge of sharing the good news. I didn't realize how much of a good time it was to be away from Tokyo like this, in the midst of many Christians. Even the retreat center was a Japanese Christian place.

It was when on the ride home we entered the big city's premises, that I was so surprised to find that I had really let my guard down the past couple of days. And I was even more surprised to realize that while in Tokyo I usually had my guard up! As we drove to get deeper into the city, I felt like I had momentarily lost my balance, and I was scrambling to get my gear and put my game face on. For what you wonder? Yea for spiritual warfare. I was personally reminded of how real it is on the drive back and today, the first day since I've returned back. I've been a mess. There is no reason for it, but my mind has been foggy all day until after meeting for church earlier tonight, and I've been really dragging and accosted with temptations right after my return. I don't understand it. I was SO good in Karuizawa. But then I lost my balance and I've been having a hard time trying to regain it. It's great to be in my bed, but being here is real heavy, hard to get up and do all those things I was so eager to do only a couple of days ago.

So prayer requests:

- please keep this in mind and pray for all the Ms here in Tokyo that they will be diligent and eager to face the challenge, to fix their eyes on Jesus

- please also keep H-san in mind. She came out to church today for the 2nd time. I am so thankful for her, but I challenged her to read her Bible on her own time starting from Matthew. So please pray for her that she would read her Bible and that she would seek God every day :)

Funny Picture

Haha. This picture is talking about the closing doors on the trains and if you get caught in them. Yes this is definitely Tokyo. And yes, people are serious about this!

Happy 2010 from Tokyo!

It's that time of year! A new year, full of new hopes and new resolutions and etc etc hehe :) I'm just looking forward to spring where it will be warmer and friends will visit! :D I got very sick for the first time since I've been here right after returning from my travels. Probably from the exhaustion, and the drastic change in the weather going from stinking hot to unbearably cold. I'm great now! Just runny noses especially with the going in and out of the cold, and big sneezes.

I've been trying to post a video blog on this thing, but of course probably due to my limited abilities, I cannot get it to LOAD. One try lasted for 6 hours as I tried to get it to load. Yes, I really did wait 6 hours for it to load successfully.

Well, New Years here is SUCH a big deal. I had no idea. Stores and restaurants have been closed for several days. Everyone has gone back to their hometowns and their families. For me, I spent New Years in my apt here with my roommate and a friend (H-san) who is not from Japan. She is a believer, and we had a great time reading God's Word together, eating chili Amanda made :), watching a bad choice of a movie (The Talented Mister Ripley - a TERRIBLE last thing to do right before the year ended!!), and watching Japanese television for the countdown! Then the next day, we all went to Shin-Okubo for Korean food. It was nice. Haven't had good kimchi in a long time. I've been having cravings for everything spicy, which is very unlike me since I generally avoid spicy foods! haha It makes me miss home of course, where I was surrounded by spicy choices and therefore didn't feel anything special in rejecting them.

Our first church of the year was great! H-san came out for the first time and brought a friend who is not a believer. It was very hard because of the limited Japanese communication abilities, but it was a good time together :) giving God the honor and praise He's due.

Prayer Request: Please pray for H-san, as she is making a conscious effort to be committed to God. I feel that Satan will be stirring up trouble. Please pray for protection over H-san, and for her continued growth in Christ. Please pray that she will stay faithful to Him and to coming out to church, which is what she desires to do.

Well, I'll post some photos now that I've been meaning to do :) Some of my parents who visited and some from Singapore!

(mind you these photos are chronologically backwards)

My dad finally found Japanese noodles to eat. He wanted to try real Japanese noodles he said. This is called soba noodles.

Looking at the city view with my parents :)

Touring Meiji Shrine.

My goofy parents at Starbucks. I love to laugh with them :)

These are pictures from Singapore (also chronologically backwards hehe).

This is in line at the Night Safari. So cool. But hard to see in the dark...wish I had had night vision goggles!!

Amanda and I got henna done in Little India!

Yes. Read the flavors. I kind of wonder now what they actually tasted like...Probably should've tried them lol.

Orchard Place on Christmas Day. Packed with people! This was nothing compared to the crowds that we saw later in the day!

Jump for joy!

Our group on a little boat tour with our hostel owner. Sugoi ne?

Leaving the island after a grueling night of fending off rats and monkeys...

The morning sunshine overlooking our campsite on Christmas Day.

Our camp.

The thieving monkeys stole our marshmallows! I think I will try to post a video that shows how scary they actually are.

The view.

The trees. The tropics are an incredible place to be. Just go somewhere where there is AC!

the video of them crazy monkeys!!