Groverden & Young Invasion part 1

Celebrating Mike's Birthday

During the first two weeks of April, I spent friends with my brother Mike, his wife Natalie, and our two Australian friends Melody & Grover. Traveling with five people in Japan is definitely an adventure. We spent four days on two different farms. Our wonderful farming friends took us to some sightseeing places around their homes. They don’t get many days off and once summer starts they have to work non-stop. Therefor they welcomed this vacation with us with open arms.  It was nice to see Mike reunited with his friends. We played yatzee, went to onsens, ate delicious food, saw cherry blossoms, celebrated Mike's Birthday, made gyoza and just enjoyed one anothers presence. It was wonderful.

After four days with them we went to Hiroshima. While there, we went to the Peace Museum.

Atomic bomb dome...only building still
standing from the bomb being dropped

During my trip to Hirsoshima last year we were on a time limit so this time was a little different experience. There is so much to read in the museum that you could spend all day in there. We spent at least half of our day soaking up all the information. The rest of the day we spent processing and discussing all of the things we had read. It made for some very intense conversations about war, peace, and the consequences of our actions. In the museum we were learned that no one explained to the people of Hiroshima what the atomic bomb was, until 7 years after it was dropped. They were left in the dark for 7 years. Can you imagine? What would it be like if within a second your whole life changed? You saw a flash and then your friends and family members were dead. No one explained why you are experiencing the side effects of radiation (which of course they didn’t know that it was radiation at the time); no one told them why their skin was hanging off their bones. Or why a girl 6 years after the bombing was then getting the side effects of the radiation and therefore dying of cancer. No one explained these things to them until 7 years later. Of course since this was the first time such a thing was done no one knew all that the consequences of the bomb. For that matter people still don’t know what to expect, which makes the situation In Fukushima right now very scary.

The next day we had a slow morning and saw the Australians off to Kyoto. Mike, Natalie, and I then explored Hiroshima a bit more. We went to the castle ruins and a large Japanese garden. Even though it was a rainy day, we managed to enjoy the outdoors to the max.

Miyajima's gate with rainbow

That night we stayed in Miyajima. Miyjima is a very small island that is famous for its floating gate in the ocean and its many shrines. A long time ago the island was considered so sacred that the only way you were allowed on the island was if you passed through the gate by boat first.

Since we arrived on the island at sunset and it had been raining all day, there were very few people around. Mike, Natalie, and I were able to explore the island like no bodies business. We hiked up some slopes, visited a couple of lit up temples and watched the tide lower. It was a perfect end to a great day. The next day we woke up super early to hike to the top of the mountains on the island. On our way to the island there was a rainbow. Seeing it frame the tori gate made up for waking up at 6am. It was a steep climb up to the top but again completely worth it.

At one point in the hike Mike said its so great that Japan has shrines everywhere to remind you that God is present in everything. I would like to say that I think about God’s presence in my life all the time, or that I recognize God is everything I see and everyone I meet but that isn’t the case. After Mike said this I was suddenly put in my place. I realized he was right. Seeing the shrine as a dwelling place for God among all this beauty, made me realize God’s presence in a real way. Here I am hiking up a mountain in Japan with Mike and Natalie, the trees are beautiful, the air is clean, the water flowing down the path is peaceful and yet I have not once recognized that God was apart of every bit of it. God was in the trees, the river, the waterfall, and especially in the conversations we were having. God is who we have to thank for the things that we so often take for granted in this world.

Thanks be to God!

Visiting Mrs. Karube and family

This is a monument to the battle of the
Alamo and the battle of Nagashino in 1575.
Apparently there are a lot of similarities
between the two. A plaque of the Alamo in Japan! 

the crew!

Miyajima

Ice Cream, Knots, & Survival

Cherry blossoms!

Well the last two weeks have been eventful ones. I have been teaching English at St. Luke’s center four days a week and then one day at the youth center. The classes at the youth center are some that I helped teach last year. It was so great to see those kids again. They are a blast to be around. Now that I understand more Japanese, I pick up on more of the silly things they say and ask.

Last week at St. Luke’s center, during one of the songs, the kids were told to run. Of course running for little kids also means screaming. I told them in English not to scream. And what do you think they heard? They thought I said that we were getting ice cream. Which then made them chant, “ice cream! ice cream!” It was difficult to tell them there is no ice cream because boy I wanted to eat it too!

Besides confusing little children in English, I also participated in a youth event at the youth center. About once every two months, the center has a youth event on Saturdays. These events are held to get the kids out of their houses, to play, and to learn new things. Two Saturdays ago, the kids learned how to make bags out of old T-shirts and how to tie a knot.

Let me explain story of the knot a little bit. Japan is and has always been prone to earthquakes and tsunamis. But due to the how much damage was brought on by the disaster 2 years ago, many people are taking the time to learn and be more prepared for mother nature. One of the camp leaders had attended a lecture by someone from Uganda a few months ago. There she learned how to make a sturdy knot at the end of a rope. If a tsunami came and someone was swimming for their life you could potentially save that person’s life by throwing the rope with the knot. After the camp leader learned this she felt that it was important to pass on this knowledge to the kids. We pray that they will never have to use this knot to save a life but it to know than not at all.

Even though I am  in Nagoya, away from the devastated area, I am reminded how much that disaster has effected everyone in Japan. The second anniversary of the disaster was just a few weeks ago but the damage from it is still very much present. During the week of the anniversary the TV was filled with stories of the disaster. While there were many stories of sadness and loss, there was also an abundance of stories of hope and joy that came out of the disaster. Please continue to pray for everyone effected by the disaster. Pray that they may continue to move forward.

Lastly, not only am I excited to celebrate Easter at St. Stephens church in Nagoya again, but I also get to hangout with my brother, Mike, his wonderful wife, Natalie, AND my two favorite Australians! This is all happening in less than 48 hours...Woohoo!

Thanks for tuning in!
Katie

Homecoming, Exercise Shows, & Changes

Well sometimes things come up and you just have to run with it.

Last Thursday I found out that the missionary I worked with last year in Nagoya was unexpectedly returning to England after sixteen years of ministry at the youth center. I was asked to substitute while they look for a replacement. So I have packed a month’s worth of clothing and am residing in Nagoya for the next month or so. Going back to Nagoya was like returning home. It has been wonderful seeing friends and former students. I also loved returning to my wonderful St. Stephen's Church family.

While they were fixing the apartment I will be living in, I stayed with one of my coworkers and my Japanese grandmother. My coworker speaks fluent English, loves American TV shows, and is an amazing cook. So I felt right at home. My Japanese grandmother is also an amazing cook and a very lively person. One evening after dinner we watched a concert on TV. The entire time she and I made fun of the young singers. I know it’s kind of bad but we were enjoying ourselves. At point in the evening we changed the channel to an exercise program. You should have seen us! We were trying all the exercises right along with the people but most of time we just laughed at how bad we were. 

Most of my work in Nagoya is comprised of teaching English at St. Luke’s youth center. But I have also taken up the task of organizing all of the materials. Never in my life did I think I would enjoy this task so much. Occasionally I also eat with the kids of ELCC. During the day at the St. Luke’s Church there is a school for Filipino children. This school prepares the kids to go onto Japanese school or to go to school in the Philippines (if they end up going back). Last year I taught English, art, and helped with a PE class there. During lunch there is a mixture of at least three languages (Japanese, Tagalog, English) being spoken. I love listening to them go back and forth. There is never a dull moment. 

While I am working in Nagoya I am also continuing some of my work from Sendai. I have recently taken up writing a weekly blog about the events happening in the project. Please check out letuswalktogether.blogspot.com. This last week was the second year anniversary of the disaster. I know I say this a lot but there is still so much that needs to be done for the victims. Please continue to keep the victims and the Let Us Walk Together Project in your thoughts and prayers.

Katie

Yujiro, Bibles, & Friends

Last weekend I went to Tokyo for a young adults gathering of the Anglican Church in Japan. Like the church in the US, Japan is rapidly losing members. The young people in Japan want to be more involved and have more of a voice in the church. Therefor last year many young members met up and created “Yujiro” (Somehow it means “under 26 years old” I was a little lost in the explanation). This group has met two times since. They gather together to talk about activities in their home churches and dioceses, to talk about what they would like to see happen in the church, and to have a Bible study.

It was interesting to hear their thoughts and ideas. The concept of young adult's gatherings is a rather new thing for them so they are still working out the kinks. That also means they are open to anything, which is great. You could tell by the way that they talked that they are passionate about God and the church.

During the Bible study (or Bible sharing as they called it) I was blown away by how intensely they poured over the reading. We spent several hours discussing the meaning of the verse and looking at other passages for reference. I only understood about half of it but I am ok with that. I asked one of my friends if they have Bible studies at their church. She told me that it is very rare to study the bible as a group outside of Sunday worship. Because of this weekend and the bible study they had, many want to start a regular bible study in their home churches. In fact we are going to start one here in Sendai as well.

This was my first time to be around so many young people in the church in Japan and it was great. I don’t think I have laughed so much during a weekend in a long time. I love meeting new people but it is really frustrating to do so in Japan. I never know when/if I will see them again. But of course this means that I have people to visit all over Japan and they all have a place to stay in Texas whenever they visit. FYI Mom I offered our house to any/every one that comes...hope you don't mind!

 Thanks for tuning in!
        Katie Young

Slides, Lanterns, and Martyrs

This past Sunday three friends and I drove out to Yonezawa to “dig” a church out from under the snow. One of the sweet men, Mr. Onuki, who volunteers for the Diocese, invited us out to his church. Another fellow staffer was already there when we arrived. While the boys worked on the front of the church we three girls worked on the back of it. I promise we really did clear a lot of the snow off the church but we also managed to make an igloo and a slide from the top of the roof to the ground. It was AWESOME.

In Yonezawa this past weekend there was a Lantern festival going on. So some of my friends decided we would join in on the festivities. They built several snow lanterns in the wall of snow by the church. So incredibly beautiful!

During the Edo period, Christianity was banned from Japan. During the banishment many Christians were martyred because of their faith. In Yonezawa, 53 Christians were killed. The thing that was different about Yonezawa is that these 53 people walked to their death voluntarily. Because of their kindness and love that they gave to others in the village they were respected. Non-Christians lined the streets to honor these men and women as they walked to their death. It wasn’t until 300 years later that they were officially recognized for the sacrifice they made. Now in Yunozawa there is a memorial to honor these men, women, and children that died for their faith. Once we finished making our own lanterns we went to this memorial. It was dark out and there was too much snow for us to actually walk up to the memorial. But the story of these people and examples they left were not lost on us. We walked back to the car in silence, maybe all pondering the same thought “if we were them what would we have done?”

We finished out the night by walking around the actual festival and then eating a delicious meal at the church. It was a perfect end to a perfect day. 

Thanks for tuning in!

Katie