Bonjour bonjour!

So what’s new? I have a housemate! A major blessing indeed. We are getting along very well. It’s a big change in my life. It was hard not having anyone to talk to aside from the times I’m at church teaching. With Kristy here, there’s someone to eat with, watch tv with, talk with, and just bum around with. It’s great!

Classes this term just resumed. Although I’ve had to give up some of my classes (so Kristy and I can teach the same number of classes), I do have new students joining the ones I am teaching. I’m really enjoying my time in Japan :) But it is still my goal to get to know my students better. But how? It’s difficult when I only see them once a week, or when classes are one after another, so there’s not much time to chat with them. Well, Kristy and I are going to open up our apartment in February and invite our students over for some snacks and games :) OH yeeeeh..well, that’s a step. But if you have any ideas, please shoot them over!

Much thanks for all the encouragement and prayers I’ve been receiving. Your love and support really matters to me. It’s great to feel and know that I am loved (even though I’m half way across the world)! I really thank God for sending me all these angels (you boys and girls) to keep me going, and of course, with the strength I draw from Him.

Here are some pictures that we took as we ventured at Osu Kannon. There was market outside (that occurs twice a month) so we went to check that out. Got myself a used kimono in pretty good condition for 1000 YEN (= $10 CDN). Yupppp, but the question remains: when will I wear it? Halloween? Haha..one day.
[kishimen in miso soup]

[deep fried curry--basically a "bun" with curry inside and is DEEP FRIED....soooo good. About $1.70]

[DEEP FRIED DONUT..so I call it. I don't remember the name. But there's "an" [bean paste filling] inside and the outside tastes like a doughnut. costs about $1.20]



[mitarashi dango: very popular in Japan. It's basically rice balls made with flour and sugar? But the sauce on top of it is AMAZING. It looks simple but it's gooood! Costs 60-80cents for one stick]

Yes, my "I love my food" expression are all the same :)

P.S. I had creme broule (sp?) today :) Hehehe...

New Year 2007 on the Island

Happy New Year!!! Welcome, 2007!

This will be a good year...I can smell it! Well, this year came to a good start!



Blessing #1
Spent the day with a Japanese family today. My students (a father and daughter) invited me over to their home for a family celebration for New Years! It was such a warm feeling. Unfortuntately, I don't know enough Japanese to communicate effectively with them, but the family members made the effort to communicate with me in English. I had such an amazing time! I got to taste some really really really delicious traditional Japanese food! Mmmm....absolutely priceless. This family knew that I'd be alone this New Year, so they were kind enough to invite me over so I would have somebody to celebrate this New Year with. I feel so loved. I even got to try on a kimono!!!! And what's more heart-warming is that I got to be part of their family photo :)







[raw fish...yummmmmy!]


[a special kind of sushi--it is shaped like a cake (and thick like a piece of cake)--"sushi cake" I suppose!]


[traditional Japanese food for New Years--"happy food"]

Blessing #2
Yes, more shopping. But most importantly, it's not the shopping but the fact that I got to spend time with Hiromi (my student--the same one who invited me to her house for New Year). It's so nice to have someone who wants to spend time with me. She took the initiative to ask me to go out. We both had a really good time. Even though we have this little age gap, but we still had a lot to talk about. I have a frieeeeennnnnd! A blessing indeed.

Blessing #3
I will have a housemate in 3 days :D There will be someone whom I can share this ministry with; someone to talk to and come home to. I really look forward to the months to come :D

I am definitely being looked after here in Japan. God has definitely provided...more than I can imagine or deserve.

Class resumes next week :D Tune in later!