SGGs: Cahatols & Stoutamores

It's been such a long time since I've updated our blog with our Small Group Gatherings. Sorry! :P

On Sunday, May 31st, we had one at our good friends the Cahatols and got to spend a fun evening catching up with mutual long-time good friends and meeting new friends. A couple of the ladies had to leave early, but Peter got to share with them a quick summary update of what's been going on and our future (very flexible) plans while enjoying our meal of lasagna & salad together. As they were leaving, one of them gave me a hug and started tearing up - I was so surprised and so touched! We'd never met them before and only got to chat with them for less than half an hour but I could feel their love for us, which was because of their love for God and a passion to see His love and grace known. One of the couples had to travel all the way back to their home in Castro Valley after the SGG, almost an hour away.

The two little boys that were there were so well behaved. The older one actually sat and listened to most of our presentation (holding our brochure in pic) and the younger one and Juhee kept each other entertained. We all laughed when at one point toward the end Peter asked the younger one "What are your intentions?" in a fake really deep voice with his hands on his hips. =DDD

On Saturday, June 13, we had our first ever ladies only (apart from our special Butler, Tim =D) Small Group Gathering at the Stoutamores. We had a delicious light lunch and instead of our usual formal presentation, had an informal time of updating and sharing. The best parts though were the brainstorming and prayers afterward. We brainstormed a lot on how we can reach out to the Korean Ministry part of our church, which was really helpful and timely.

With the four of us all being connected to Jr. High ministry in one way or another, past/present/future, we couldn't help but discuss a little bit about what's going on in our Youth group these days. =)

God's been constantly bringing the perfect people at the perfect times into our lives. He's so good to us. =)

Special Financial Update Newsletters

Top one's in Korean, bottom one's in English. Click on the images to see legible, larger versions of the newsletters. Sorry I didn't attach the attachments that went with this newsletter. I will soon. =P

아래 이미지를 클릭하시면 더 큰 이미지를 보실 수 있습니다. 위는 한글, 아래는 영어 소식지입니다. 이멜로 함께 보냈던 첨부파일은 나중에 별도로 업로드하도록 하겠습니다.

On a different note, there was an error in our newsletters. The Departure fund total should be $43,000 not $43,0000.

If you would like to receive our newsletters by email, please email us at peterandjennyoh@gmail.com. =)



We finally sent it out! A newsletter focused on our financial needs had been in the works for a while and we actually wanted to send it out as our May newsletter but we had to make adjustments to our figures so had to wait, and then we had to update it again and again 'cause more funds kept on coming in... We eventually just had to send it!

It's been such an amazing month. When this newsletter was delayed I was so stressed and worried 'cause I was relying so heavily on this newsletter to get the word out about our $3,000 match donation. But halfway through the month, our donation was matched, mostly from people who didn't even know about this amazing offer! PTL! The ironic part is that since the donation was matched, we've been receiving even more into our account.

God really used these past few weeks to show me that me fretting and worrying really won't do me a whole lot of good! He's in control and He will supply our needs for us to go Japan and stay there. It's truly been an amazing month.

One of the sisters at the weekly Mom's meeting I attend shared these verses from Philippians 4:4-7 earlier this week and I am reminded of it as I write this blog:

(4) Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! (5) Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. (6) Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (7) And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

In Him,
Jenny =)

Sharing at NVC Elementary

Today was a very special day. We shared with elementary school aged students again (1st time at New Vision Korean School on Apr 4th, 2nd time at AWANA on Apr 24th) and their response to our sharing really touched our hearts. Many of them remembered us from when we spoke previously and a couple even remembered that we are going specifically to Hiroshima (most of them knew that we're headed to Japan), which really impressed me.

Peter preached on Matthew 28:19-20 and summarized the 4 main action points: 1) go (God has brought all nations to you at school!), 2) make disciples (your everyday words & actions are important), 3) baptize, and 4) teach them to obey. Peter also told them about 3 ways in which they can support missionaries: 1) pray, 2) give, and 3) go.

There was one thing we completely underestimated them on... The number of kids who would sign up for our newsletter! We didn't realize so many of them actually already had email addresses and that they would want to receive our newsletters! We had the most sign-ups we've ever had so far!!! Peter explained during the "pray" part of his sermon that signing up for our newsletter is the best way to keep in touch with us and know exactly how to pray for us. It was so touching that so many wanted to do this! For me, it meant much more too... I consider it an honor that for many of these kids, we're the first home missionaries in their lives, that we as a family will hopefully be able to further flame their interest and knowledge of missions, the need out there, and our responsibilities too. May the Holy Spirit grow these seeds into huge mobile maple trees! =)

One girl emailed us tonight and it was so sweet, I wanted to share it with you. I've made it anonymous, but otherwise, it's as is.

"Hello, Paster Peter and your wife. (I don't want to say Jenny, because I'm just a 9 year old-kid.) Anyway's, I'm the e-mail that says "xyz@gmail.com." Actually, my real name is xy. (You can notice by the "xy" in my e-mail.) Oh, and could you do me a favor, please? Could you tell Sara I said,"Hi?" Thank you! And....... I'm sorry I e-mailed you first before you got a chance to e-mail me. So, I'll try to always pray for you everyday. Bye!"

A few of the girls came and gave me hugs too. They were sooooo sweet and affectionate.

I love kids. =)

Spaghetti = Zazangmyun

I think every Korean kid, regardless of country of residence and generation, has one of these pics: their face covered in zazangmyun 짜장면!

I guess it's like the Korean version of Western hemisphere kids with spaghetti on their faces... Or maybe even mac & cheese? =)

Church Planting Movements (CPM)

Meet Paul and David Watson, two of this generation's leading Church Planting Movement gurus and American Airline's best customers. ;) They travel the world both separately and together to train trainers in person as well as through their blogs/websites. At our Pioneers CPM training, a lot of the stuff was actually from them.

Check out their material online:
CPM Training Resources
David Watson's Blog
Reaching the Online Generation

We were very privileged to be able to have dinner with both of them while they were in San Jose for a week's training at CityTeam Ministries in San Jose at the end of May.

We've been learning a lot from them ever since we first heard about their work about 18 months ago. It was a very new, refreshing approach to church planting for us and the first time we heard David Watson's seminar, I was in constant shock! In fact, David Watson's blog was our vacation reading during our first ever family vacation last September, the week after we resigned from Youth ministry.

We tried to implement their 3-Column Bible Study at church but it was hard. Pastors, teachers, and students weren't comfortable with this new method because it was so different to what they're used to. What? No teacher's guide? What? No answer sheet?

I've been attending Bible studies since I was about 5 and when I tried this method for the first time, I really struggled. Actually, I still do. It's a completely different way of reading, understanding, and obeying the Bible. Most people are having the Bible spoon-fed to them and not having to really think about what the passage is saying, what God is trying to say to me personally through this passage, and how I'm going to be different through obedience of the Scripture. Most Bible studies not only give the Bible passage in the booklet (completely eliminating the need to even open a Bible) and the lessons that are supposed to be learned, they also give you application points too so you don't have to think a whole lot about what you've just read and how it applies to you personally.

The other thing I really liked about their training is that they encourage summarizing Scripture so that it can be retold by you, the reader, to someone else, which is a must, not an option. Again, something that we know we're supposed to be doing but not holding ourselves accountable to, and sometimes, not even sure how to go about doing it.

There are many more aspects to it and there's more that I don't know that I do know about their way of CPM-ing(?), but it was very interesting discussing the possible hurdles that we may face in Japan using this method and how other missionaries in other cultures have overcome the obstacles that they faced.

It's always fun, enlightening, and encouraging spending time with such awesome men of God who share their experiences and teachings so freely and enthusiastically. =)

How do you say "hi"?

If you're a Korean-American attending a daycare in California where your teachers sometimes speak Spanish to you, your dad's a Youth pastor and you live with teenage uncles, then you not only wave, you also bow, give fist bumps, and blow kisses while saying "hi/hello/bye/bye-bye~". She lo~ves greeting people and whenever she sees/hears certain clues (like a door opening or closing, someone picking up a bag, putting on shoes...) she'll start saying "hi/hello/bye/bye-bye~" whichever is appropriate in a very loud voice. I guess she's noticed that when people greet / say farewell, their voices become louder too. Hmmm... Never really thought about that... (In the pic: my mom, me, and my little girl.)


I think the language for "pick me up/give me a hug" is pretty much universal though...

=)

PS (added June 14th): I forgot that she also does the "ET" thing, holding out her index finger for you to touch with her index finger.

Fun Times in May =)

Here are a few fun pictures taken during the month of May...



We visited a family-friendly farm near Half Moon Bay for the first time as a family during Memorial Day Weekend. Thanks to the chilly weather, it wasn't as packed as it should have been! Juhee rode a horse for the first time that day. She refused to get on the horse when I tried but when daddy just plopped her down despite her protests and the horse started moving, she absolutely loved it! She enjoyed it so much that when it was time to finish, she kept on baby signing "more". After horse-riding we went on to feed the goats. The goats were a bit pushy so she stayed safe and sound in daddy's arms while he fed them.

We went to the beach afterward and it was really windy and very cold but she had a great time - even when her lips (and mine) started turning purple!



Hanging out with the big girls (and a boy) during a playdate with a couple of other families from church. So much concentration... >












^ Exploring nature together with Martin (6 weeks older). I wonder what they were looking at? I wonder if they were looking at the same thing and what they were thinking?


Our first time on the seesaw together. She knew exactly what it was for (from daycare) and while pointing up excitedly said "up" as soon as she saw it. We were on the seesaw for a lo~ng time, more than once! The constant up and down movement while looking down at her was starting to give me motion sickness (it's not just bad when I'm traveling!). @@

Seesaws have been added on to my mental list of things-for-daddy-and-Juhee-to-do-together. Rollercoasters top that list! ;) >


Thank You God for allowing us all these fun times with friends and family, for wonderful times of fellowship, of bonding, and of encouraging each other in our daily walk with You. We cherish every moment. Thank You... =)

Learning From Children

Juhee's two Japanese friends in this picture - Chiho-san and Takumi-kun - are both from non-Christian families. Juhee's main purpose for playing with them is so that she can have her turn down the slide and have fun with her friends! =) No hidden agenda. No wonder why "Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these"" (Matthew 19:14).

We want to be able to share our lives with people here and in Japan like Titus did with the Thessalonians: "We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us" (1 Thessalonians 2:8). We want to build true friendships and share our lives with the people around us. Hopefully it'll stay that way and we won't develop a "hidden agenda" which will end up closing doors. But if that does happen, we'll hopefully have the wisdom to reflect back on our actions, know what we did wrong, to repent, and to learn from our mistake.

This is an excerpt from pp. 56-57 of Professor Al Hammond's book, Stories from Japan.

"Learning From Children
When Japanese are offended by you, they do not use abusive speech, but use a very indirect polite level of language. By so speaking they create social distance and buffer themselves from further pain. At a time when I thought we were finally accepted, I experienced this estrangement from my neighbor, Masuda San. I felt the sting of his formal polite greetings which had replaced the friendly insider expressions. I had been placed on the outside of his circle of cordial friends and I did not know why.
Months passed until one day the smile and warm informal greeting from this usually friendly farmer resumed. After a comment or two about the warm summer day he paid me a complement. "I like your children," he said, beaming at me. "Domo," I replied, reciprocating with the plain male speech for thanks. "Why do you like them?" I added, which was probably the wrong thing to ask. "Because they ain't thinking nothin," was his mystifying reply.
I knew that my younger children not only accompanied Mr. Masuda in his farming adventures in his field but also frequented his home where they received cookies and juice. Out of natural curiosity, the Masudas enjoyed the youngsters, who spoke colloquial Japanese with less foreign accent than their parents. But why did he say he liked them, because, "They ain't thinking nothin,"? I pondered.
A reflection on my relationship with Masuda San in contrast to that of my children suggested the answer. I had approached my non-Christian neighbor as an object of missionary evangelism. From the start I was giving cues of my impatience to get the right response from him. I had subsequently angered him when I had given his daughter a translated Moody Bible Story Book without asking permission from her parents. My youngsters, on the other hand, had accepted Mr. Masuda, just as he was, as a kindly neighbor willing to teach them about farming and ply them with cookies. Their trusting approach opened his heart; my hidden agenda had closed doors (Romans 5:8)."

Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Help keep us accountable please! =)

Work of Art

A really good friend of ours created this for the evite that he sent out for the Small Group Gathering (SGG) that him and his wife will be hosting for us in a few weeks. I had no idea he was so artistic! I really like it and think it's brilliant so wanted to share this with you (with his permission of course!).

I asked him for a bit of an explanation and this is what he said:
Buddha sitting there
The Son is starting to rise
A cross can be seen

The interpretation, I leave to you. =)

Not very Japanese-y! =)

A few things have happened during SGGs that made us laugh and I wanted to share a couple of them with you. =)


At the one gathering where we had over 30 people including a lot of kids, I noticed the shoes were in a disarray and remembered the story that Susan Murray told me while we were visiting them in Hiroshima of how surprised she was the first time she had people over at their place because as they came in and took off their shoes, they stooped back down, put their shoes together, and turned them around so that they were all facing in the same direction (toes to door, heels to house). Seeing the shoes here made me smile and just reminded me again of how different so many of even the seemingly small things of our lives are going to be different once we're in Japan.



After a wonderful Japan-themed dinner and our presentation, it was time for dessert! Everyone got excited at the prospect of green tea ice cream - yummy! Of course, the kids were the first to stand in line and get their green scoops of ice cream. But then, one by one, the kids started complaining that the green tea ice cream tasted weird... Sure enough, the green tea ice cream was actually AVOCADO ice cream!!! =D The brother who bought it, rushed into an Asian store, picked up a tub of ice cream with green scoops on the lid, paid, and left the store. Even the ladies serving the ice cream assumed that it was green tea ice cream until the kids started complaining. The poor dads ended up having to eat most of the avocado ice cream. I didn't try it but apparently it wasn't bad. ;)

Assumptions are a funny thing. I'm sure we'll have many such mishaps once we're in Japan and end up with things we thought was something else!