Celebrity Status, English Classes and Freedom.

Since today is our day off, I figured it would be a good day to update on here and let you all know what's been going on in the last week and a bit. We have actually done a lot since I last updated so here goes!

Last Saturday we went to Inuyama with Wendy (here with MBMSI teaching english) and Nizomi (she runs an english teaching school that we are helping out at!) for the spring festival. It turned into a really long day, but it was a lot of fun. Bascially they set up tons of booth selling food and souveniers and goldfish (Yes we bought some. Unfortunately they have all died now. Well all except for mine!) We also got to see some more beautiful cherry blossoms. Also through the streets there are floats that circulate, each representing a different community. They are three stories high and pushed by men, who are underneath and all around. It is pretty cool. Then at night they decorate all the different floats with paper lanterns (365 to be exact, one for every day of the year) and light them all individually. They all line up and one by one parade through the streets, the people follow their community float. It's pretty neat to see! Some of the lanters lit on fire, but they were very quick to up them out.

One thing that we found quite humorous was that we thought we were going to see the tourist attractions, but in reality we become part of the attraction. For the first while we had several people coming up to us and ask if they could take our picture, some posed and some candid. And some people pretended that they were taking a picture of other things or people, but at the last second we would see how they turned their camera towards us. We eventually began just to pose for those people so we could show them that we knew that they were taking our picture. At first it was funny, but it kind if got tiring after a while. And Darlene and I had an interesting experience with taking pictures with these slightly intoxicated older men. We had instant stardom I guess you could say, and it makes for some interesting stories!

Sunday was church, and it went well. We also enjoyed a nice lunch with the Church family here.
Sunday afternoon the Hieberts came back from Canada, where they had had MBMSI meetings all week.

This week was pretty full of teaching different classes. We attended the regular classes of Leona and Laurence and Sean, on Tuesday and Wednesday. Then thursday, Simone, Brianna and I attended Nizomi's school for the day and helped her out. It was a really good day, and I think we are going to be going back out there every week now! Darlene and Amber went to help Wendy in Fujikaoka, and Joanna stayed back because she had to help out in one of Laurence's classes.

On Friday and Saturday we began teaching our own classes. Last minute we got a couple new students, so I think there are at least 6 classes that we are doing now. I am co-teaching two young kids classes. The goal is so teaching them basic greetings ("Hello, My name is ..... How are you? I'm fine thank you" etc.) and colours, shapes, numbers, the alphabet and animals. The trick is to make learning fun, by playing games. The kids are between the ages of 2-5 so we need to do several activities and be switching them quite often or you will lose their attention. The first classes started off really good, so I'm hoping and praying they continue so. Our other classes are private tutoring, North American Culture, Bible, Basic Travlers English and a parent and child class. Pray that we can build great relationships with the people who are already attending these classes, and that they would bring friends!

On Saturday night we met with Laurence at the Church and prayed. We prayed for our students, and for the baptism and the church people and anything that came to mind. I could sense that God was at work, and His Holy Spirit was with us. I just got this sense of wanting to proclaim God's freedom. I couldn't thank Him enough for what He offers us, and how much He gave so we might be free from our former lives. We then went up to the sanctuary and sang the song "Freedom". We proclaimed that where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Freedom in that place. All who hunger and thirst can find Freedom in Christ. My prayer was that anyone who entered that building would sense God's freedom and long for it. It was beautiful.

Yesterday there was a baptism at church, and two membership transfers. It was really great to see this. I just keep getting this picture in my mind of all the believers who will one day all worship together, nothing like race or language will stop them! God isn't limited to those things, and neither should we. Praise be to God! Pray for Mr. Nakaoji as he is the only Christian in his whole family, including extended, and this is very hard. Japanese people are very group oriented and so his going against the group could be fatal for his relationships. Pray that God would bless him, and that he would continue to seek God, no matter what. We are praying that his life would be a testimony for his family and allow them to at least show interest! After the service we had a nice lunch with the church people and then some of us went up to the sanctuary and just played intruments and worshiped together. It was a little chaotic with all the different intsruments and singind and is running around and screaming, but it was a lot of fun! I think that's something God delights in, His children having fun together and loving eachother and loving Him!

"Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Freedom.
Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Freedom.
If you're tired and thirsty, there is Freedom.
If you're tired and thirsty, there is Freedom.

Freedom reigns in this place
Showers of mercy and Grace
Falling on every face
There is Freedom.
Jesus Reigns in this place
Showers of mercy and Grace
Falling on every face
There is Freedom.

JESUS REIGNS! Hallelujah.

One day all God's children will rejoice together and glorify Him who is worthy of it all!

Glory Glory Hallelujah HE REIGNS.