So! (i usually start all these posts with "so"....)

These past couple weeks have been crazy here at the Bible college. Not too crazy, but crazier than usual.

We had to extend the school day to Monday and Saturday to cover all the classes, because other exciting events took their place!

We had another wedding, and a mini conference here.

This past week ago, Justin's parents (one of the students here this semester) flew in to visit him and celebrate his 19th birthday. It's been a blessing to get to know them (he looks so much like his mom!). It's really neat to be able to see into some of the students lives, really see some of the things and people that have made them into the awesome people they are today.

Two weeks ago (i think two weeks) all the guys were gone on a men's retreat, so me and Tamiko (dorm-steward/intern) took the Ginowan youth group (the girl's in it) up to Yomitan (Tamiko's native land) for a Bible study and time of worship/fellowship. We brought a sweet dinner (snacks and sandwiches!) and after picking up some famous Creme Puffs at a local spot, we sat down to chub out and take some sweet pictures.

Infamous Creme Puff shop (Tamiko's favorite)



View from the yard.

After that, we headed down to the beach for some worship (Thanks Hannah!) and a Bible study.

God has been putting on my heart to really be loving to EVERY person. If we say we love God and hate a brother, then we are a liar. If we love Him who begot us (saved us), then we will love him who is begotten (him who is saved).

Mariko!



Hannah: full of the Joy of the Lord.



Tamiko is the best translator ^_^



(We stopped to visit Tamiko's family and see their sweet house her dad designed!)

It was cool to be reminded of God's great love, and also that this is not something that is impossible no matter how faulty a person we are. We can do all things through Christ.

We have some people from our church that left/will be leaving for the mainland soon, so we threw them a goodbye bash this past Sunday night (really a lets-eat-cake-and-say-goodbye).

It is really sad to see them go, we don't like having to miss our brothers and sisters. But at the same time, it's super exciting because we know they are going out for an amazing thing. God is using them, and God is with them. We are blessed that they are blessed going out.

We stand behind them and pray for them. ^_^

Abraham is heading out too mainland for a new Job (i don't know what his pose is hahaa)



Tomoyuki! Tomo is the coolest! he drives a sweet scooter, and he draws and does photography, he is a good brother. your missed dude! have fun in mainland with your family! (he finished college here)



and Mariko, my only tall asian friend. She is the coolest, i really miss her. She has the sweetest/coolest heart from Jesus, i really enjoyed getting to see it and to watch it grow. Be blessed and so filled with Jesus while your attending college in mainland. God is going to bless you, even though times will get hard, in this new step you've taken. Keep your eyes on Jesus, we are praying for you ^_^

This past sunday, was Easter! So in celibration of the day our Lord rose and gave us that shining hope we live in, we all headed up to Nago where Tim was hosting a Japanese BBQ in his home! (now that doesn't mean things cooked on a grill outside in Japan). We were going to have it on the beach, but the weather was a little stormy and rained a lot. So we kept it indoors (praise God, the house they live in is a perfect size!) and it was awesome. Lots of people came, and we ate, had some live music (Incoming Rush, and Hakugaijin played acoustic shows!) and then had an easter message speaking about the whole reason we were there celebrating. It was super cool, and we got to talk to some sweet Nagonians (the people that live in Nago).

A cornucopia of shoes.


Hakugaijin playing


I personalized everyone's cups so they wouldn't get mixed up.

Now we're settling back into a normal schedule, until FRIDAY! when the students leave for the Korea missions trip!!! So everyone is buckling down hard for the second half of the semester, to stay ahead on homework. Time flies...~

God bless

-'manda

ごめんなさい！！

Sorry for the lack of updates! Things have been busy here, but also i have been neglectant of this blog..ごめん。

So, here are some things we have done these past few weeks:

First off, we took the students to the south side of the island (opposite direction of Nago), to the Peace Memorial Park. This is the area where some of the "suicide cliffs" reside, where the wealthier, or more educated took their lives during the war. Most of the medical doctors or higher ups in the army did so in this area.

It is always a sobering place to visit, very beautiful, but very sad. The stories and pictures inside the museum are hard to process as real most of the time. (it's a bit more graphic than the pictures and things shown in american museums, at least from what i remember).

Then, the next event, was my BIRTHDAY!!!

On the 5th, i turned 20! はったち！

I got some really great gifts from people, my stomach was greatly filled with delicious little goodies. here are some pictures of the blessings i got: ありがとう　みんあさん！

Anna Hebel (my german friend) gave me this cute frog hair tie!

Emiko cooked breakfast that morning, and cut my tofu into heart shapes.

This, my friends, is Taiyaki. It's the best and cutest thing EVER. (fish-shaped bread, with あんこ paste inside, aka red bean paste). This is prolly one of my favorite things here.

Okinawan power rangers. melon drink /no.1

Jewelry Natsuki gave me. :]

This came straight from mainland, tokyo. It was the cutest packaging i've ever seen.

And this is what was inside: from Amber! thank you!!! I love it! (see how happy i look!)

It was such a beautiful day too, the sun was out, and the clouds were really big and white. ^_^

That saterday, we went to Yakiniku (meat buffet!) and karaoke to celebrate all the march birthdays this month (There are alot!). It was a lot of fun and good times.

outside Bombohe (pronounced "Bombosh" for some reason) after chubbing some yakiniku.

The Nihonjin rockin' it out at karaoke!

Kentaro looks confused.

Joanna, michal, and Ryuko breaking it down.

Something new God has allowed me to be a part of, is an English class up in Naha. It's an evening class on Tuesday nights, and i get to help teach English to really cool Japanese people. Most of them are older, middle-aged and above. They are totally great though, they are funny, and willing to try and learn. There is a precious older woman there, named Sachiko-san, and i had an awesome time talking with her this past week.

(Sachiko-san is on the right here)



This is not everyone, there are some more that come but they were not here for this picture.

Now, for the most recent update. We went for a one day, one night camping trip to Tonaki Jima (a small island, a 2 hour ferry ride away). This trip ended up being a 4 day, freezing cold trip, stuck on the island! The waves got to 12 feet high, all the boats were canceled, and the weather turned stormy, rainy, and very cold and windy.

But, despite all this, it was in God's hands. He kept us on that island to show us some amazing things. Every step of the way we were provided for, too. God stretched 3 meals into 9, provided two houses for us to stay in instead of tents on the beach, and as there was no translator to help the Japanese students communicate with the american students (and one German), He completely took that barrier away and we were all able to communicate and fellowship fine.

(this is the house the girls stayed in; it's actually Brevick's Grandma's house!)

The things He showed us are so sweet. Hearing each person after that trip, they each needed to hear God, and were shown something amazing by Him. One friend said, they had told God "You didn't have to trap me on an island to teach me this, You could have taught it to me at the cafe." But they realized, that God really DID have to make them stuck on an island of only 400 people that don't speak our language at all, to speak to us. He had to remove those distractions of our daily lives and even the comfort of nice weather and normal meals. He made it so that all we had was Him, and each other. It forced us to make friendships and to really spend time with Him. we had nothing else to do, hardly any of the students brought homework to do with them! (we only planned for one day!).

I wish i could better explain what everyone shared from that experience, but just know that we were blessed. Maybe God wants to do something similar in your life right now. He always wants to teach you something, but sometimes we aren't looking for Him too and we miss it.

Don't be afraid to let go of your time and spend it with Him. He knows you have lots of things to do, and He knows how much time is needed for them all. Let that be in His hands and do what you were created to do: fellowship with the Father.

John 15:4-9

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

"I am the vine, you [are] the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw [them] into the fire, and they are burned.

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

"As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.

Jesus wants us to abide in Him, and in His love. we were created to be in a relationship with God. So we need to make the time to spend with Him, He deserves it. If you "can't" make the time to spend with God, then maybe there is too much in your life and you need to let go of it and make that time for God. We really need to pray for discernment in what to drop out of our lives, but we need to not be slack in making those decisions because so many time too often we let our "Christian life" style, duties, responsibilities, ministries; we let those things we do for God, get in the way of God. And God didn't send His Son to die on the cross for us to serve Him. He sent His Son to restore our fellowship with Him.

God bless whoever reads this,

-'manda