Today is our last full day in Japan. It is a day of rest, a day of taking in the city of Tokyo, a day to spend with Hiroto. So much has happened in the last 12 days, I can't even begin to describe all of it.

At no point have I felt like I don't fit here. Yes, there are plenty of differences, but for the most part, I've felt at home here like this is just right. I could easily move here. God has done so much here, he's really impacted some people and I can't even begin to express what has been happening in my own heart. I will try to get that all written down at some point. For now though, what I will miss:

1. The base.
2. Black Betty!
3. Nao-san, Sensei Naoki-san, Fumi-san and Hiroka-san
4. Justin, Yu, Tony, Loanna, Lindy, Derrick, John and Justin (aka Zoolander)
5. Paul Bostrom
6. Miso, rice balls, Crunky and Koala Bears and Peach Ice.
7. K's House Tokyo
8. The Sen-to
9. Yoshiaka Baptist Church
10. Most of all, though, even though I will still see them every week at church, I will miss being on a team with Orion (Oreo) Cannon, Lacy Goeden, Chelsea Norris, Natalie Hanson, Amy (Fockly) Findly, Amy Mihaly and Melissa Kraus The seven of you displayed so much faith and patience.

God has greatly blessed this trip and I am so sad to leave. To be honest, I really don't miss anything about America (except the people, of course. Don't worry, friends, I miss you all). I will be home on Monday, not sure of what time, but I do get back two hours before I leave. I love time travel. :)

Earthquakes are fun...

So far, we've been through five earthquakes. I was hoping for one, we've had five. Such an odd experience. One moment normal, then out of no where a ton of shaking for 30 seconds, then normal again. So weird.

When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power. 1 Cor 2:1-5

This has been my theme that God has been pounding me with this trip. I keep praying this is true of how I'm working on this trip. Please keep praying for us. We are now done with mucking out places, there simply isn't much left to be done in that sense, at least no one else is asking for help. Tomorrow, we will help with an english class, send home two members of our team and clean up the compound to prepare it for the next group. Friday, we will help with another cookout for the displaced before heading to the conference on Saturday. We still have 5 days here. It seems so weird to think that we're leaving that soon. Sort of surreal, really. Pray we make the most of it.

Grace and peace...

I feel numb. I've felt numb since I got here. Two days ago we went to the effected area and walked around the destruction. It was overwhelming. I've seen similar before, but never on this scale. What I saw in Slidell pales in comparison to what I saw in Ishinomaki. Yet my heart shuts off because of how horrible it is.

Concrete buildings ripped out; all that's left is the steel skeleton of what was once an office building. Rubble everywhere. What finally got me, though, was a coffee cup. Someone's coffee cup was sitting, half berried, full of mud. Someone brought that cup from home, most likely, drank from it every day and now it is destroyed. After that, I saw so many personal affects all over the place. That opened my eyes. This was more than just a destroyed industrial park. People died here.

Pray that God opens the eyes of our hearts to what he's doing here. We fully believe that he will use this disaster for good, as he was the one who was soveriegn over it in the first place. Pray that we can bring hope to these people beyond simply digging or giving a meal. Pray that God has his way.

Another day gone by...

I'm typing this from my phone as I managed to leave my wireless adapter at the other base. Today we go to church and that's our only plan. Day of rest.

We haven't done much so far but that will all change tomorrow. Yesterday, we helped put on a bbq for graduating kindergartners and then hung out with some kids at a youth meeting pit on by aspireing missionaries. It was fun bit surprisingly tireing. 

I keep wondering when it will hit me that I'm in a foriegn country. This place feels like home.

Day one... GO!

After 14 hours of flying, an hour on a train and some walking, we arrived at our hostel in Tokyo and I crashed for a solid 9 hours of sleep. Today, sitting in the lobby, talking with one another, sharing verses, having breakfast, it was sweet fellowship as we get ready to head out on a bullet train to the northern part of the country to Sendai. Today, we will be getting to work.

I am surprised at how little culture shock I'm experiencing. Maybe it's because I've always been so attuned to other cultures and grew up always moving, but this is the first time I've been out of the country since I was four. It's sort of sureal, sort of just... every day, to be honest.

I think it's because I'm so set on being in Sendai and ready to work. I have a vision and am set on it, so to think of us having a mission the entire way, in tokyo, at a hostel, on the train, in the market... all of it, it's not hitting me. Pray for my heart, that it really connects in to the vision for this trip in general, and not just in the tsunami effected area.

I'll keep you all posted on how things go!

Well, we're about 32 hours out from leaving, so I figure it's time to post an update.

So, I'm about to be fully funded! God dropped a pretty large fun bomb on me today, including talking to my uncle on the phone, whom I've never met and insisted on sending me a support check. From Uganda. Thankfully, my parents were able to help in the logistics of money juggling so that I can deposit that tomorrow. It made me very happy. Praise God!

A few prayer requests:

1. Pray for our transportation. It's been hard trying to figure out how we're going to get around once we get there. Most likely we'll be taking the bullet train to Sendai and then get a van (we may help purchase one, ironically being cheaper than renting). Either way, it's been a stresser for our team leader Orion, so you can lift him up in prayer for sure.

2. Pray for the Japanese. They are still hurting now three months after the tsunami and will be for years to come. Pray that Jesus reveals himself to them and the Gospel goes out! Also, pray for the relief efforts, that they go well and that, as we are commanded, that we unconditionally love and remember the poor and hurting.

3. Pray for our own hearts that we are loving always, quick to forgive each other, united, tight and energetic. We will have so many obstacles, language, culture, left sided driving, etc. Pray we stay strong and confident in our God and remain obedient to him. Pray that we connect intellectually and emotionally with this trip.

4. Pray that we are changed and that change filters out to the rest of Symbio.

5. For me, pray that I continue to be a support to Orion and right hand man. I am nervous, but confident, if that makes sense.

I will post again once we arrive and let y'all know were things stand and maybe, just maybe, have some fun pictures. :)

God Bless,

Lee

11 days to go...

Here we are coming up on June 3rd. 11 days until we board a plane and set off on what is going to be probably the most amazing, yet hardest thing I've ever done. I expect to see hardship and trial. I expect to see much destruction. I expect to hear stories that will make my head spin. I also expect to see God bare much fruit through us.

Please be praying for our team. All of us are experiencing frustrations, bitterness and trials. Even for myself, I have spent the last two days freaking out about minor things concerning the trip and ultimately had to lay them down and let God deal with them. He is good to do so. Orion and I had a pretty big misunderstanding that led to a big hurt, only to have it reconciled in the end. Things like this will come up and so far, God is working us through them. I am glad.

Please also continue to pray about how you may support us. Be it in prayer, financially or to encourage us, anything is appreciated. :)

Wow... 11 days...