Day 7 & 8
Thursday/Friday, July 19-20, 2007

Yesterday, the 19th, we worked with the Kindergarten children here at Tomino (where we are staying). Naomi lead a short dance/learn some English/warm up time and then Alyssa and I danced to "All in All". It was so fun to work with these little ones, and watch their tiny faces as they followed along. One of the little girls went home and told her mom about us and they ended up coming to our concert later that evening.

During the morning we had some time so sit and talk with Rocky. He was sharing his excitement in serving the Lord and talking about how well our ministries fit together. They too have the desire to use their talents for the Lord, singing and playing instruments, but the thing that is the most important to them is worshiping the Lord with their whole lives! Their whole lives surrendered to Jesus, no matter where he may call. Rocky's enthusiasm for Christ is contagious! He and his wife Marla are so much fun, they make us feel welcome and very well taken care of. It is so much fun to serve the Lord along side their ministry team! They are talking about visiting Colorado next time they come to the states. If they do, we will help them set up a concert event and you all need to come meet these awesome servants of the king!


We had a delicious curry lunch with some of the Afureru team, and the Pastor of Tomino and his wife. They are so good to let us stay here this week. We are praying that the Lord richly blesses them for their generosity. After lunch we got to see Takako for the first time on this trip! She worked with us in '05 and almost the whole time last year, and since then has been married. We were so happy so see her again!




That evening was our 75min concert at the Well Tobata Hall, a beautiful theater that seats 300 people. They have done a lot of advertising for this event, even advertising on the public television station here in the area. Our rehearsal time went so well, we knew it was going to be an awesome night! During the performance, there were no injuries that were holding us back in giving our all and worshiping the Lord. Praise be to God for His strength that sustains us! The testimonies went really well, we were able to work well with the translators. Looking out into the audience were some familiar faces, people we have met or taught over the last 2 years and in the center was Junko, taking what I'm sure will be awesome pictures! Rocky, Marla and another team member sang "All in All" live, as Alyssa and I danced to it. What a wonderful time of worship, joining talents to paint a picture of what the Lord is to us, our everything. Rocky told us later, that the theater hands (not-Christian that I know of) had been telling him how horrible it was to work with classically trained dance or theater groups and how they tended to be rude, and hard to work with. Rocky was back stage the whole time and he said, the way we work together and stay joyful behind the scenes was a real testimony to the people who worked there. Praise God for the ways He uses our everyday lives to reflect His Glory!

Today is the 20th, and still raining today! In Colorado this would mean it is cold and you need warm clothes and maybe a jacket. But here it is warm, yet you're getting wet....strange feeling! This evening we held a Purity Seminar for boys and girls. This was hosted by the same pastor as last year. He is a really neat man, who's joy for the Lord just pours out of his smile! He has a heart for young people and wants this message of purity to be spread. This is the pastor who goes down to the train station with a microphone, preaching to the people. Not preaching on "feel good topics" but preaching sin, repentance and the amazing power of our Lord Jesus Christ. Alyssa was talking of this pastor's enthusiasm saying, "I don't even know what he is saying (in Japanese) but I just want to say, yeah, Amen! because he is so passionate." The seminar went really well, we opened by talking to boys and girls, and then we did a dance. After that we split into boys and girls. We were with the girls sharing the rest of our stories and what God's word says about love. Yukiko and Takako translated for us tonight. On the way home we were able to talk with Yukiko and Shinobu about their team's desire to speak on this subject here in Japan. The Afureru team, has been praying and starting to plan, for soon holding their own Purity Seminars. I am so excited to know their hearts and their willingness to share on this important, life changing subject. Please pray that the Lord will guide their team as they follow this call. This would not be just talking about physical and emotional purity, but it would be getting to the heart issue... The relationship with Jesus Christ, the yielding of our lives to Him, telling how Jesus can forgive, wash clean and fill the emptiness inside.

Tomorrow we have another Purity Seminar and then Alyssa and I will be traveling down to another church about 3 hours away. So on Sunday, we will be at one church, Naomi at another, and Gwen and Hannah at yet another! (3 churches that morning) Then on Sunday evening we will all meet up in Hiroshima.



I don't know when I will be able to send the next update, but please pray that God will use us, and stay tuned!


For His Glory,