Hello Jess! :)

Say "Hello!" to our awesome new teammate Jess(ica) Lee. I would introduce you to her myself, but she does a much better job than I ever could on her blog (link). She arrived in Hiroshima on June 23rd and will be here with us a Pioneers mid-term missionary for two years (at least ;)).

A couple of weeks after she arrived, we were very lucky to join her for dinner at Pastor Haitaka's. Lucky for us, she didn't have a car and didn't know how to get around. :) After an awesomely delicious dinner and lots of desserts (Jess made a special pineapple dessert and I took a pork & kimchi stir fry dish), we played a couple of games and had a great time of fellowship. (Click on pictures to see larger versions.)

She's also been awesome at jumping into ministry and helping wherever and whenever needed. Already, she's been "David" in David and Goliath, "Elijah" and "Worshipper of Baal" in the same story on two different occasions, she was also part of the praise team that lead praise in both English and Japanese during our VBS week, has folded countless numbers of VBS flyers (and spilled a bit of water on some of them :)) and Good News newsletters, babysat for me so I could do my Old Testament Survey lectures, housework, etc, absolutely loves our kids and is adored back, and as part of her ministry to the team, will be babysitting for us every other week for a couple of hours so Peter and I can have some much needed time to ourselves. She will also be teaching English classes and Bible classes too while studying Japanese, ministering to the Murray's, and trying to find some time to catch her breath sometimes too! She's also just fun to be around and enjoy a meal with, especially as she's family. :)

God has blessed her with amazing language skills and she's picking up Japanese like you wouldn't believe. She's also making lots of friends very quickly, has already been an awesome blessing to us as a family, the PI team, and the local churches here, and we're very excited to see how God is going to work through and in her during her time with us in Hiroshima (which will, hopefully, God willing, extend beyond two years). :)

Relief Work in Tohoku (Kesennuma, just north of Sendai)

After my first semester at language school ended for summer break, I (Peter) had the opportunity to serve on a Pioneers team to assist with the relief efforts in Northeastern Japan through CRASH Japan, a Christian relief organization in Japan. We mainly worked in the city of Kesennuma, which was one of the hardest hit cities by the earthquake and tsunami. You can see a lot of original footage on YouTube of when the tsunami hit Kesennuma. It's devastating.

Seeing the affected areas for the first time in-person was surreal. It just boggled my mind to see what was once a neighborhood full of houses and businesses completely destroyed with only their foundations remaining. There were lots of clean-up crews with heavy machinery sorting through the debris. After six months of clean up, they've definitely come a long way. However, there's still so much more that needs to be done, and there's some damage that can't be fixed. When we first arrived, we were shown our meeting place for our first project, but we quickly had to leave. Our guide informed us the tide is coming in so we couldn't stay there too long. Apparently, part of the city sank about one meter. So every day when the high tide comes in, that part of the city gets flooded.

Recovery and reconstruction will last for years, but progress is being made.

We weren't sure what to expect once we got there. We didn't know what exact needs there were, and how we would be able to help. We went with open minds and open hearts, and a flexible attitude willing to serve.

Through CRASH Japan, we were asked to join a project to spray EM (Effective Micro-organisms) in the affected areas. This EM is used to get rid of bad bacteria, bad smell and help rejuvenate the soil. The project was led by a Christian, Ashikaga-san, who had a smile on his face every day and was always joyful. Other Japanese volunteers joined in the project including folks from a Scientology group, students from Kita Kyushu University, and other volunteers sent from the volunteer base camp. We realized that spreading EM was the project assigned to us, but that God had additional plans for us. We were able to build good relationships with the other volunteers, and were able to share the love of God with them.

The project assigned to us was to spread EM, but God had additional ideas.

We were also introduced to a group of local High School students who were interested to spending time with us. We were able to spend two afternoons with them, and had a good time of playing and getting to know each other. Through spending time with them, we were able to hear some of their stories, their hopes and future plans. We were also able to share with them what gives us hope, and those among us who could speak Japanese shared from the Bible how Jesus gives us hope. We were told that two of the students contacted our CRASH Japan base logistics manager to find out more about how to become a Christian. Praise God!

Hanging out with the local High School students.

So with a grateful heart, I want to thank you who supported my going and serving in the Tohoku region, and also a big thank you to those who continue to support us in being here to serve. The following video provides a summary of our experiences that our Pioneers team would like to share with you. Blessings!

Acupuncture for my right foot

Back in May, on the day of Sungjae's one year check-up, I missed a step coming out of the doctor's office and hurt my right foot & ankle and skinned my left knee. My left knee healed soon enough but my right foot & ankle swelled up that evening and I was in a lot of pain for the next few days. I hobbled and hopped around the house trying to get housework done and feed the family. I actually got sick a couple of days after which was a mixed blessing as it allowed me to rest my right foot & ankle.

A month later, it was still hurting so I went to see a doctor. With my limited Japanese (doctor had no English), I managed to understand that she said it was normal for such injuries to still hurt after a month. At a traditional Japanese restaurant that we went to with our VBS summer missions teams in August, I sat down on my feet, traditional Japanese style just for a little bit. I looked at my foot as it was hurting more than usual and the whole right side of my foot had bruised up.

We'd decided a couple of weeks prior that I would go to Korea with the kids for 10 days for a number of reasons, receiving treatment from a doctor that I can communicate with, being one of them. I went to an acupuncturist 2 minute walk from my parents' apartment and received treatment three times during the time I was there. She said that a bone in my right foot had probably fractured slightly which is why it didn't stay swollen but I was in so much pain for so long. The main problem now though was that because I had been standing and walking in an unnatural position to try and keep the pain off of the area where it hurt, my muscles had tensed up in an awkward way which is why it hurt when I tried to lay it flat, walk, run, go up stairs, etc.

I'm very happy to say that after two treatments, my foot felt MUCH better. She used acupuncture around my right foot, but all over my body and even my head and neck too! She also massaged the tension out of my foot. The first day she did it, I endured the pain for as long as possible before I cried out, "It hurts so much!" to which she very calmly replied, "It's only temporary. Endure it a bit longer." ^^;;; After the third treatment I could barely feel the pain. It actually felt kinda nice. :)

It got worse temporarily when I got back as I overdid things a bit, but it's now almost 100% better. Yay!!! :)

5 Love Languages of Children

On Friday, September 2nd, Susan led a one and a half hour seminar on the Five Love Language of Children at Koyo Chapel during their monthly ladies' outreach event, Sumire Cafe. Peter was in Tohoku at the time volunteering in the tsunami / earthquake disaster areas, Juhee had been sick Monday - Tuesday and Sungjae was sick Wednesday - Thursday, so I was worried that I might not be able to attend. Thankfully, on Thursday night, Sungjae's fever broke so I was able to go. Phew!

I really wanted to go for the sake of my own learning to educate myself in being a better mother (yay for seminars in ENGLISH!!!) :), but also to learn from Susan how to teach as she's an awesome, very thoughtful, and gifted teacher, and also because I'd invited some friends to join us for the morning. Some were missionaries here in the Hiroshima area. One was a mommy friend from Juhee's preschool, Samuel Yochien. It was her 2nd time attending Sumire Cafe - yay! :)

Susan taught about the 5 Love Languages and had something special planned for each love language after she explained it. The five are:

1. Physical Touch
2. Words of Affirmation
3. Quality Time
4. Gifts
5. Loving by Helping

After explaining "Words of Affirmation", Susan had us all do an activity. We had to write a card with words of affirmation to one of our children. Susan had brought little note cards for everyone. The room went quiet as the moms sat, thought carefully, and then wrote notes to their children. I wrote a simple one for Juhee and she loved it! :)

Susan mentioned that it's hard to find out a child's love language for kids under five, but I think I know Juhee's 'cause it's pretty extreme. I'm pretty sure her #1 is "Physical Touch" because even as a baby, she loved sleeping right next to me or on top of me and even in the middle of the night would climb on top of me multiple times. As she grew older, she always wanted to touch our sleeve and now always wants to touch our hair pre- and post-sleeping and cuddle. She LOVES big hugs and kisses, and likes holding hands too. I know most kids love hugs, kisses, etc and Sungjae does too, but I can see a big difference between the two of them already.

While the seminar was taking place, the little kids played in the back on a blanket while Keiko-sensei (Pastor Haitaka's wife) and Shigekawa-san watched them. Sungjae was there most of the time so I was able to concentrate and take some notes. I'm sure the other moms of little ones were grateful for the babysitting too! Around about the time Susan finished, the 4 Samuel Yochien girls came in, joined us for a delicious traditional Japanese lunch, and then all played together afterwards. Two of the Samuel Yochien girls, including Juhee, are from Christian homes and two are not. All four ride the same bus together to and from Yochien every weekday at two different bus stops. For one of the moms, it was her first time attending a church event.

I pray that the moms that were there, me included, will be able to remember and put what we learned from Susan that day into practice so that we can continuously, purposefully, intentionally, correctly, and creatively, fill our children's love tanks. I want my children to feel loved and be confident in the knowledge that they are loved. It doesn't just happen. Now, I am much better equipped and will hopefully be able to speak their love languages better. Pray for me and Peter please! <3