2022 Year End Update

Here we are at the end of 2022! Let me share with you how this year ended and where we are going in 2023.

Language Learning

I wish I could say that I am breezing through my first 6 months of language school while impressing my teacher with a masterful use of Japanese, but the truth is that my fluency level is probably more on par with my neighbor's dog. I can understand basic commands, but I certainly can't hold a conversation with anyone.

Truthfully, I can feel discouraged by this at times since my ministry is sometimes limited by my ability to communicate. I am growing in my understanding of what is being said, but I often stumble over my grammar and words when I am trying to respond. One of my friends delicately framed my problem as "grammar constipation", and I know that may sound course but after he framed it that way it all started to make sense. All the grammar and vocabulary is stuck in my head, and I just need to... (haha wait for it) push it out. 😏

With this in mind I will be looking to supplement my class work with more speaking practice in 2023. My number one goal next year is to learn Japanese! I only have 18 months left of being in language school full time and I want to make the most of it.

Love Your Neighbor | Minami Terrace Ministry

This ministry has been very active for me and is playing a significant role in my development as a missionary. We feel blessed to have a trusted relationship with the local community and a large enough space available for us to regularly meet. This is all thanks to a Japanese Christian Artist named Mayuko who grew up in this community and currently lives there. Her fiancée is a christian missionary and together they have had a powerful impact on this neighborhood (pictured together, bottom right).

Our commitment is to faithfully love these people and share God's Truth with them. Here are a few memories of what that looked like this year:

YouTube

I recently connected with other videographers in the Tokyo area who have a similar desire of honoring God. We meet once a month to encourage each other, share ideas, and offer a peer review if needed.

I was not able to film any more new content for my YouTube channel this past year due to language school, but that does not mean I am done with YouTube! I definitely have some creative ideas flying around inside my head but I need to wait until my schedule clears up.

Lord willing, I plan to film and produce 2 videos in 2023. The first being a light hearted take on my observations of being a foreigner living in a foreign land, and the other a short documentary on Mayuko's "Love Your Neighbor" ministry.

Year End Observations & Personal Thoughts

Nothing in Japan happens overnight. This culture is very patient and slow to change in many ways. The Japanese people value solidarity over individuality, which makes them very resistant to doing anything that is not accepted by other Japanese people. I actually believe this is what makes Japan so interesting to outsiders. They have done so well to preserve their culture and way of life for hundreds of years.

Christianity, as far as it relates to Japanese culture, is considered a western religion. A foreign religion for foreign people. The Japanese people will respect Christians, listen to Christians, and they may even go as far as adhering to Christian moral values - but they will never risk life changing faith in Christ as long as being "Japanese" is more important to them than being forgiven.

Every culture is unique. Each culture handles the gospel differently. It penetrates the hearts and minds in different ways among different peoples. Some missionaries go overseas and see immediate fruit from the culture they are sent to. I have friends in Africa experiencing this right now. Other missionaries will spend years in a country before they see any fruit. Japan is known as the graveyard for missions for a reason, and I want the reader to understand that patience and prayer will be required of both of us if we want to see any fruit from our efforts together.

With this in mind, I am convinced that the most effective ministry in Japan is a lifelong ministry. Relationships take time to establish (especially in this culture). They need time to see our humanity, our ups/downs, our struggles, our trials, our perseverance, our hopes, our joys, and our love. They need time to trust us. They need time to see that though we are a foreigner that our humanity is in the same eternal condition as theirs.

I am not wasting my time here, and you are not wasting your support. Let's head into 2023 continuing to trust in the God who is able to do all things above what we could ever ask or think, because this missionary is going to ask for a lot.

Prayer Requests

1. God has been faithful to provide for all my financial needs in 2022. I know that my support will change in 2023 due to various reasons and so I ask that these needs will continue to be met.

2. I firmly believe that to the degree we are content in Christ alone is the degree that we reflect Christ to others. Please continue to pray that God would protect this contentment in my life. I cherish it deeply.