Baptist Day

Day four started a bit later than the other days so far and after having a bit longer in the morning to rest, we headed to Koza Baptist Church for the annual Baptist Day worship service. Baptist Day has a long history within the Okinawa Baptist Convention as a day of fellowship and fun for the English speaking and Japanese speaking churches. One aspect of ministering in Okinawa is the way that denominations work hand in hand together and the Okinawa Baptist Convention is no different. The Japanese speaking Japan Baptist Union and the Japan Baptist Convention from mainland Japan and the English speaking Southern Baptist Churches and American Baptist Churches have for a long time linked hands in service together. Baptist Day has been a way to encourage that fellowship.

Our team was able to be a part of the worship and all seemed to enjoy the singing and preaching as well as taking part in the service themselves. When they were introduced to the congregation, the group got up on the stage and sang, "Country Roads". The OBC provided lunch boxes for everyone and they were delicious.

After the service, the team went to Daiichi Baptist Church and participated in the afternoon bilingual service just now getting up and running as Great Commission International Church. Roger preached and after the service everyone enjoyed shopping at the Christian bookstore at the church.

Dinner today was at "Hana Ori" a restaurant serving Okinawa homestyle cooking. Team members had fried noodles, Okinawa fried chicken, seafood noodles and fried chicken with vegetables. The restaurant was a hit. After dinner the main part of the team went to the beach to watch the sunset while Jim Crouch and Melanie Neal went to Tomigusuku Baptist Church to spend the night with church members. They will speak at service tomorrow morning.

Carrie continues to be feeling a bit under the weather but she did sleep more today and was able to eat a bit more food. Continue to keep her in your prayers.


Tomorrow is another day with two church services. Roger preaches in the morning and Jim in the evening.

Friday

Day 3 was a busy work day. Each member of the team worked in some area at Okinawa Christian school. Since summer school is in session, several worked in classrooms with the regular teachers. Some worked in our library and helped to straighten and put books on the shelves. Some did hot work in our kitchen putting down a new floor as well as helped with taking lockers out of the locker room and moving them down one story.

After a bit of afternoon rest to help with the jet lag, our team went to Mihama and helped Pastor Vee Tetsuo with his ministry in a very busy shopping area in Okinawa. He had prepared tracts with the arrival photo of our team as an introduction and information about the evening church service and sent them all over the area to hand out. The team handed them all out-no one attended the Friday evening service so the WV group had a wonderful praise and singing time in the small rented room above Starbucks.

The service was over about 8:00 and since no one had eaten dinner, we went in search of a place to eat....we looked and looked but it was hard to find a place to serve 15 at one time. We finally found an A and W Rootbeer restaurant that was very happy to have us and we were finally able to sit down and relax a bit and celebrate Jim Crouch's 78th birthday. All the people in the restaurant joined in to sing happy birthday.
Saturday is Baptist Day at a local church and then we will be doing more street evangelism, attending church and then resting a bit before Sunday.
Keep everyone in your prayers for their health.

Day Two in Okinawa

Our team started the morning early today--most everyone was up at the crack of dawn in spite of extreme tiredness. The group working at school met at 8:00 for teacher devotions and then at 8:30 for elementary chapel. But the 9:00 time slot was important for the three Melanies and Carrie. It was a time for them to gather round the computer and Skype their families. Thanks to modern technology they were able to see and hear their families at the Crossroads Church Wednesday Bible study. It was fun for me to see them communicate with their children, husbands and brothers this way.

The main part of the group spent the morning helping in the elementary classrooms and in the afternoon helping with science and PE activities. Si worked hard with the OCSI maintenance crew putting in a new floor in the school kitchen and others attended pastoral meetings. As soon as school was out at 3:00 we went to our home and we all ate curry rice (a Japanese favorite) and cream stew on rice. Everyone seemed to enjoy the food and although a couple in our group were ready to close their eyes, we were able to discuss the plan for the next several busy days. After meeting we went shopping at the 100yen store and a local grocery store.

You may wonder who the lady in blue is who is eating dinner with us this evening. Her name is Dibbie Adkins and she is working at OCSI as a volunteer teacher for summer school. She also is a native West Virginian and it was a serendipity to realize that she had gone to church in Huntington with Betty Crouch and Jane Riffle over 20 years ago. God is amazing! Coming all the way to Japan to meet old friends makes all of us aware of how He weaves this beautiful tapestry of relationships old and new.

Tomorrow is going to be another busy one with work at the school in the day and evangelism in the evening. Dinner will be in an area called Mihama.

Arrival

We are thanking God that our WV champuru mission team made it safe and sound to Okinawa this evening. All 12 of the group came out with their luggage- smiling and in good spirits. The weather is hot and muggy and the van we were traveling in had no air conditioning but not a single complaint was heard. They are all very excited about taking part in ministry here and were full of questions as we made the trip from the airport to the various locations where they are staying (with a quick side trip to McDonald's). Tomorrow they will begin their work at the school and after school is out will come back to our home for dinner and a meeting about what to look forward to in the coming week. I imagine they may be a bit tired so we will make it an early dinner.

As we stopped at McDonald's I helped a little with ordering and after we were done, the cashier leaned over the counter and said in a quiet voice with a smile on her face, "Is this group of people all together?" I said, "Yes, it is-these are people from our church in America who have come to Okinawa." What an impression our group made even as they were doing something so simple as ordering. It made me realize yet again of the constant watchfulness of others around us. It is evident this group has an awesome opportunity to share Christ in many ways and as the watchers around see them so full of love and care and learn how far they have come for their faith, it will be a testimony to the truth of the Gospel. "They will know we are Christians by our love....."

Anticipation

This photo is of a traditional Okinawan dish called goya champuru. Goya champuru is made from a bitter cucumber called goya and a mix of egg, tofu, carrots and pork. Some people here talk about champuru as a truly mixed or mixed up dish made of different ingredients that are absolutely delicious together.
We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our West Virginia team tomorrow--we think of them as our "champuru" team--different people with different gifts from God who will be a wonderful blessing when mixed together in Okinawa.

It will be a super busy time for all of us, but we are so excited about how God will use them as they minister in Okinawa. Some of the experiences God has planned for them include:

• Volunteer work at Okinawa Christian School International with the summer school program. We have over 125 students who are participating this year.
• Speaking and giving testimonies at local churches. Our team will be speaking at Goya Church, Tomigusuku Church and at Daiichi Church.
• Leading a workshop on church planting. The Okinawa Baptist Convention will be hosting a workshop for pastors led by our own Roger Adams to help the pastors increase their understanding of church planting.
• Handing out tracts and doing street evangelism at two very busy areas in Okinawa: Mihama and Gate Two Street. David and Pastor Vee Tetsuo have begun a small church plant aimed at young people who have no church background. Our team will be handing out tracts and speaking to people; inviting them to church. (see our earlier blog for more information)
• Helping with cleanup of our Baptist Camp in the northern part of Japan. (See our earlier blog for information on the camp.) We will spend the night at the camp and while there our team will be cleaning the kitchen to ready it for the summer season and work on the grounds.
  

It is a very busy schedule with lots packed in--so we ask for your prayers for this special group of volunteers. Please pray that God will protect their health in this very hot and humid season as well as protect them spiritually and emotionally. Please also pray that the work they do will bring people to the kingdom of God.

Pray for:
Roger Adams
Jim Crouch
Betty Crouch
Jean Richmond
Carrie Adams
Melanie Rumer
Melanie Neal
Melanie Kearns
Si Riffle
Jane Riffle
Grace Alsop
Hilda Alsop

We will be sending daily updates so please check back often.

Blessings
Leslie