Tokyo and Phuket

Tokyo Christmas Party :) We didn't know how many people to expect, but we ended up with 50+ people :)

I’m going to assume that many of you are just a little curious about my time in Tokyo and Phuket, Thailand, mostly because I would be if I were on the opposite side of things. I have so many stories and things that I’ve learned that I feel like I’m still discovering them. The Lord is so active in this world that it is undeniable, and it is easy to look out the window and see the little ways that He is working, even if it is in the small smile of a Japanese man or woman on the street or in the rescue of a Thai woman from the sex trade. The Lord is working. He is active, and He loves each and every one of us so deeply that He can’t help but show that in the smallest ways everyday, as I am discovering.

Hiro and Myumi's Decision Cafe and Japanese Christians (aka Christians make up less than 1% of the total population of Japan)

I think the hardest lesson for me was learning how to love and how to receive love, no strings attached. I have spent much of my life working for God’s (and everyone else’s love), so the new and freeing concept that God and my fellow DTSers could love me no strings attached was hard to move from my head to my heart. I know that God loves me, He sacrificed His Son for me…. No greater love than that, right? But for someone who has spent most of her life working for love, it is a hard habit to break and even harder to move into her heart. However, I was forced to question how I was supposed to love like God loves when I didn’t even fully accept His love in my own life. It struck me that I was being asked to love complete strangers in both Japan and Thailand, and I couldn’t possibly offer them something that I didn’t even have.

Myumi and Me :)

I feel like God took me on a journey to discovering His love for me and in turn, discovering His love for both the Japanese and Thais. He did this in a lot of ways, but the main way He did this is through my team members and the local missionaries in both locations. Looking back at the place that I was at prior to DTS and seeing where I am now, I realize how much God must have loved me in order to bring me to DTS and truly rescuing me. God saved me through DTS.  He brought people into my life who love me and know me. In some ways, I feel like I have watched my team members show me God’s love. They have shown me time and again that love really pushes through the good and bad, it isn’t judgmental or condemning, it doesn’t ask how much you give, but asks how much will you receive, and it is there when no one else is. In a lot of ways, I am still discovering God’s love for me and others, but I beginning to understand that God is huge, and even if I were the only one still on the planet, He would have still made the world exactly the same. He has opened my ears and heart to all He has to offer me, and I’m excited to see what He has coming next for me…

* There is much more to tell, but that will come in time… 

The adorable Essie and I!!

Thai's paying homage at a local shrine. "To be Thai is to be Buddhist" is a common belief amongst all Thais.

My roomie and Joe (Mongolian Missionary to Japan) making an appearance. Joe has the most amazing story. He and His family became very dear to our team.

Update: My DTS Family!!

Hello to all of my wonderful friends and family!! I haven't blogged in a very long time because as you know I just spent the last 2 months living in Tokyo, Japan, and Phuket, Thailand. And I think it is safe to say that the Love of God changes everything...though I feel like I'm still discovering it for myself. And I can honestly say that the Lord has shown Himself in a myriad of ways. I would love to pour out my heart as to the little and big things we did in Japan and Thailand, but in many ways, I am still processing both experiences. I'll work on getting a brief *fingers crossed* summary of my time spent in both countries as soon as possible. In the meantime, I would like to dedicate this post to my DTS family. I left Port Credit in December close to a couple of my fellow DTSers, but over the last few months, we have truly become a very strange family. We don't always get along, but even though miles and oceans separate many of us, I know I will never be the same because of their influence on me. I will never forget the late night talks, tears shared, prayer time, long walks, and worship (though not all of our worship times our held in my heart with fondness). We grew together, laughed much, and became family along the way. I miss each and every one of you with every fiber of my being, and I just pray that you are all doing well. I love you much!!

For those of you who don't know my team, you will probably get to know them a little. Here is a link to a video we made during our last week of DTS (also called Debrief week) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlezndUDrN8. It is a promo video for my DTS and shows a lot of great pictures from our time together. DTS truly does save you.

 Enjoy!!

 

We got very close in Tokyo....literally!!

 

 Our time of intercession...yes some of us are sleeping and others are actually praying, but as long as we were together, that was generally all that mattered ;)  (Kevin on guitar)

 My entire team on New Years Eve in Tokyo!! Such a good night with lots of fun and great stories :)  Okay, starting from the front left; Tabitha (white jacket), Marvin, Jessie B, Isaac, Me, Max; Second row on the left: Hayden, Olivia, Cat, Jess G, Anna, Kyungmi, Harcourt; third row on left: Mat,
Andrew (not actually a team member), Kevin, Wouter, and Steve!

 

Late night Ramen anyone?? We decided to go out for a typical Japanese meal of Ramen... 

Left to right: Jessie B, Matt (missionary of the local YWAM Japan base and our tour guide), Kyungmi, Cat, Kevin, Me, Marvin, Isaac, Harcourt, and Steve

 Christmas Eve in Tokyo, showing our wrapping paper stockings from our DTS staff...

Last day together... I love you much!

Back row left: Marvin, Isaac, Steve, Cat, Me; Front: Jessie B, Kevin, Kyungmi

To my family and friends, I promise I will post more pictures later! Also, feel free to check out just a fraction of the photos on facebook :)

Hey,

Just a reminder to all of you out there, I won't be updating this blog until I get back, so check out the blog that will be done for all my fellow DTSers while I am gone.... http://jamm2011.dinstudio.com/ It is a great place to find out about our exploits, which I'm sure will be many, and learn a little more about what God is doing in the lives of everyone. On that note, I pray that all is well with you and I hope you know I am praying for you. Keep us all in your prayers for safe travels, easy in and out of customs, and a lot of FUN!! Also pray that God reveals Himself even more. We are here to serve the Lord! Also, please remember, that you are made for MORE!

A Matter of the Heart

I feel like I haven’t been posting as much lately. The reality is a lot has happened in the last few weeks that I don’t feel fully capable of describing over a blog post. I even find it hard to describe to people over the phone. The truth is, God has been moving in my life, and even if no one else gets anything out of this DTS, I know that this DTS has forever changed my life, or at least, that is what I pray. God moves in unusual ways, but I’m finding that He only speaks to us in ways that we can handle. In addition, He speaks to each of us in a unique way. When He speaks to me, it is a message particularly catered to me.

In the last few weeks, I have spent more time at Greenhaven Farm, with my roommates, and with God. My focus has shifted in the past few weeks, and I can only pray that the Lord allows me and gives me strength to be real and authentic everyday, and that He allows me to see more of Him; to meet Him in my heart and not simply in my head.

I have been finding over the last few weeks that I knew God before only in my head and not in my heart. I guess this might seem like a strange statement to those who know me, but God wants our hearts not our minds. Yes, ideally, He would like our minds too, but that is not where revelation of who He is comes from. He doesn’t live in our heads. He doesn’t even care about how much knowledge we have or don’t have because if we have a heart that is not in full surrender to Him, we aren’t going anywhere. We will be stalled by our knowledge…. I guess I’ve been learning that knowledge is all well and good, but that doesn’t mean that you truly understand what He has done for you. I didn’t.

I have spent years of my life doing. I have spent so long trying to earn salvation, without realizing it. I thought that God wanted me to always be doing things for Him. I had two hands that were willing, but I didn’t have a heart that was open to Him. God uses our hands, but that isn’t what He is after. Just today, our speaker Frank Naea mentioned a verse that sums this up pretty well:

“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may

give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I

pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may

know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in

the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is

like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised

him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far

above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be

given not only in te present age but also in the one to come” (Ephesians 1:17-21

NIV).

This is a matter of the HEART! It is a matter of God reaching us in the very depths of our being… suddenly, life is no longer about constantly moving, mental aerobics, or doing as much as I possibly can do in one day. It is about the condition of my heart, which I can testify my heart is in pretty sorry shape in relation to my Father in Heaven. I don’t, or I should say didn’t, know God in way that reached my heart. I had all this knowledge about God, the Bible, theology, society, people….but nothing about WHO God is. Nothing. There are many reasons why I never let God take root, and one of them just happens to be that I was too busy doing to stop and allow God into my heart. It also goes back to pride and the idea that I never wanted to let anyone hurt me ever again, so I didn’t. I built walls around myself, my heart, which kept all out; including God. It left me a robot, shell of a human being.

Even as I write this, I can hear the voices of those of you reading this, saying, “No, this isn’t right…they must have brainwashed her…” “This couldn’t be true, she is so servant hearted…” and on and on and on and on…. You don’t have to agree with any of this, but you don’t see my heart. Only God knows what has happened, how I came to this stage, and what He sees as my next steps. He alone can save me, and only He can tell me who I am and who I am not. Amazingly, I don’t feel pain writing this.

It really is about our personal relationship with God the Father. He saved me. SAVED me. He saved you too, but do you feel it? Do you feel the weight of your chains lifted? I do. Do you feel it in the depths of your heart?  It really hit home today that believing in God in your heart says that the blood of Jesus is sufficient, that the grace of God is sufficient for me. I don’t have to do. I don’t have to prove myself to God. I just have to allow His grace to flood my heart, and I have to daily give my life over to Him. It is hard. Even now as I still struggle with my relationships with some of the girls here and back home, I have to hand those over to God. I have to focus on Him. When I feel like I’m being overwhelmed by everything that I feel like I need to work on, I just hand it over to God. The work He has started in me, He has also finished in me through the cross…and that is enough for me. It is not by my works that I am saved, but by His grace.

In other more exciting news, just last Sunday, we had a JAMM Café, which is an opportunity for my DTS to take over a church service and get our message about human trafficking out. We led worship, read poems, had a small skit about human trafficking, and asked for financial support…which God more than supplied our needs…we asked for $1500, and God provided much more than I or anyone else ever expected. His provision has been huge thus far.

Thank you as always for your support and prayers… this is going to be my last blog posting for a long while due to lack of computers on outreach. However, some of my fellow DTSers are going to blogging about our journey in Japan and Thailand for the group…the link is: http://jamm2011.dinstudio.com/

Check it out, book mark it, add it to your favorites, and find out how I am doing and more about our outreach!!

Female Infanticide

I did my research project for DTS on Female Infanticide, which is the killing of innocent babies (generally of the female gender). It occurs all across the globe. However, it is culturally engrained in India and China; though the practice is illegal in both nations. Here are two short videos to learn more about the practice. I hope you enjoy, or at least learn more about infanticide. 

This one is very difficult to watch, though demonstrative of how potent infanticide is: 

   

This video has more facts about the situation in India:

This is a topic that really breaks my heart, and I hope that it breaks yours a little too. Please pray for the daughters being born in India and China right now; that God would change their society to see them as worthy members created for a purposed. They were made beautifully in His image.

Thank you!

A Powerful Story

Hello!

Here is a powerful story about one man's journey into the world of sex trafficking. Don't worry, it isn't gruesome or gross. It is a great testiment to the power of God's grace and His revultion at this horrible trade.

http://player.vimeo.com/video/31795904?autoplay=1

Please Pray

Hello all of my faithful prayer warriors,

I guess this really isn't an update because I don't feel comfortable giving out details. However, I ask that all of you pray fervently for the people in my DTS. In my last post, I mentioned that I believed that our DTS was under spiritual attack, and I still believe that it is. Recent events have made me aware evermore that this DTS isn't just an ordinary DTS. We are currently under attack for whatever reason. Planned speakers don't show up or have to cancel, people leaving (currently 2 out of the original 16 DTSers have left), unusual situations have presented themselves. We are under spiritual attack. I have been told that most DTS's don't have nearly this many problems, and I have also been told that as a group we are one of the most talented that has come together at this particular base. Once again, I can't give details, but I hope that you can bring our DTS and every individual forward in prayer. I am specifically praying for unity among the group because I feel that many of the attacks have been toward dividing the group. I also am beginning to get a sense that each of us can do great things for the Lord, but we are being thwarted. One thing after another has come up to stop our plans or hinder us in our efforts. I know that the Lord has already completed the work that He has started. He promised that through the cross, and I don't know if we are to go through the fire in our testing or if we will be rescued from the fire. However, I ask that all of you prayer warriors bring us before the Lord in prayer. Ask for our protection, strength, courage, and endurance. Ask for unity amongst individuals. Pray for us, please. I know that the Lord has a plan for everyone, but the verse Eph 6:12 has come to mind specifically that we are not fighting against flesh and blood but against powers of this unseen world. Please just pray for our victory today and in these coming days. Thank you.