Summer Ministry

Summer has kicked off here in Okinawa: the beaches are open!!!

The Ruiz family is back, and the day after Tommy took us all out to Tropical beach to swim. It was nice, the water was a lot warmer than i expected it to be.

Then, we went up to Nago on Monday (it was Ayu's birthday!) and swam. the water is so beautiful out there...

S.O.S. (summer of service) starts soon, next month in the teens somewhere. We already have a couple applications from people, but usually we won't know until they show up here.

Already, we are preparing and starting some of our summer outreaches and ministries this week. This past Tuesday, i started teaching childrens ministry for a women's Bible study on the Kadena base. There were a lot of kids (35 in the older kids, and 18 babys and toddlers!). I am getting really excited for it, looking over the things i want to be able to do and teach them. The first time was winged (someone with the information had to leave the island suddenly), but it was good. The kids are really cool, i already like them.

We have 2 Kid VBS outreaches planned for this summer, which we are helping out at. The first one starts this Friday, with the New Life school. A group of us are heading over there are friday for the whole summer to help with the games and the skits. Then we have one with CC Okinawa. There might be one more, but i'm not sure.

Other ministries involve just helping at the church, and some extra childcare things, and anything else that comes up during the summer.

It is hot...i am sweating as i'm writing this. But it's really blessed, the sky is so beautiful (Okinawa clouds are my favorite), and the beaches are so beautiful. Sometimes, it's hard to believe that i live on this island.

God's really been teaching me how to (slowly) be busy in ministry, be busy about His business, but at the same time, take those moments, set them aside and cherish them; to spend time with Him, meditating and thinking upon His love and grace, His awesomeness and just to look at this beautiful creation all around me. It's really so peaceful, if the Lord wills, you really should visit this beautifl island, it's very wonderful. The sights, and the people too.

It's a good time, it's a blessing to live here.

My sister is getting to do a lot of fun things, and i get to see her grow in the Lord everyday.

Maybe, if your not already, take the time this day, to look around you and thank the Lord for the good things you can see. Sometimes, because the world we live in is so dark, we can't see good but only the bad in our lives. But, if you look, there is always good. There is always something God is doing. Thank Him for that, no matter how small it is. ^_^

God bless you,

-'manda

Arrival!

So, this past Wednesday night, my sister flew into Okinawa!!!! She made it!

we all knew she could make it if I could make it alone (i tend not to have the best sense of direction...).

So she is here and settling in, today it has been a week she has been here! She has gotten to help with children's ministry, cooking (lots of cooking, and she loves it!), and starting to practice some music for worship.

I don't have a lot of pics yet, but tonight we go to Nago to spend the night and then have a day of sightseeing, so i am sure some photos will come out of that :)

Here is what i have at the moment though:

I tried taking a picture of us all in the van...


I tried again...failed.


And the third time! dark, but everyone is in!


we headed down to the Peace Memorial Park (also Hime Yuri museum)

The Suicide Cliffs, where the generals, doctors, and others took their lives during the war.


It rained a lot that day.


me and allie


This is what the museum looks like from the outside. it's a pretty cool looking building.

It is pretty new, at first it was really just a monument for peace, with different things built around the area dedicated for peace and such. It's a very beautiful area, hopefully the next trip will be sunny and we can take a stroll around outside.

Well, we have church tonight, then Nago sightseeing tomorrow. The rest of the week is pretty normal. Thursday Tokito comes back from California! We are happy and excited to have him back with us here :)

On the 16th Eder comes back from the states, and the Neely's leave for the states. And the 18th the Ruiz family returns. Yay! we miss them all! It will be good to have a full house again (that is a good show too).

God bless you all, read your Word.

-'manda