Snowy Day Friendmaking

We had our second Narimasu worship service this morning. I was outside shoveling snow with some kids before the service when a seven-year-old girl walked up and asked if she could help "because there's nothing else to do. " So she helped us shovel and sweep snow for a while. It turns out that she had come to our Christmas party last month and remembered us as fun people. She asked what we were doing today. We told her about Sunday School. She went home to ask her parents if it was OK for her to come. After getting permission, she came back with a book of matches "because it's cold today." We had fun at Sunday School playing games, talking, and eating doughnuts. I guess the room was warm enough because no matches were lit. Before she left, she asked me to write a nametag for her. "But you already have one," I replied. "No. I need it for when I come again next week." Who was I to argue?

English School

This is the third post of the day, but I wanted to keep them separate. Today was the first day of New Hope English Club at Narimasu. A couple students were kept away by the snow but Fuyuji, the coordinator said that he had a good start with the students who were able to come. There is a special running for three months with tickets at about a third of the regular price. We are looking for more students, so again if you or someone you know . .

Preschool Update

Oyako Club has been going really well. Because I'd been teaching one-hour classes at my other job, the two and a half hours seemed very long for the first few sessions. Now it just seems to fly by and I've been getting good feedback from the kids and their parents. It's a fun challenge to plan and run activities for kids with different backgrounds and interests.

Some of the parents have said that they want to send their children to our preschool once we start full-time in April. My target number is twelve students to start with. It looks like we may be about halfway there. Please keep this project in your prayers and if you know anyone with preschool-aged children who don't live to far from Narimasu, . . .

Morning Services

Last Sunday, January 8, we began morning worship services at the Community Life Center. I counted 46 people. Worship was great, the hula and sign dance teams did a wonderful combined performance, and I'm told the message was excellent.

I taught Sunday School. There were eight kids ranging from three to twelve years old. The older kids helped with interpreting and caring for the younger ones. We all had fun and spent about half of the time at the park. I want to start something on Sundays for the neighborhood kids too. It's not clear in my mind yet, but something with lots of games and a brief message that includes something applicable for Christians and non-Christians alike.