Dear Everyone,
I am sad to say that this will be my last post for this blog. It has a been a great joy to be able to share with you just a small portion of what I learned. Let me start out by describing our trip home.
Wednesday morning started out fairly quiet as members of the team awoke and finished packing their bags. By the time all of us finished packing and getting ready the farewell party arrived. The farewell group consisted of the missionary couple we had been working with, the pastor of the church, and some ladies from the church who came to cook us breakfast. In my opinion, Japanese spaghetti is not much of a breakfast item, but nonetheless it was delicious. It was a pleasant visit as we all ate and shared memories from our time in Japan. As we all finished and cleaned up it was time to head to the bus station. Everyone except a few of the church ladies accompanied us to the station.
Upon arriving at the bus station, I could already feel the weight of a bittersweet goodbye laying heavy on my heart. Once we were there and bought our tickets we had about twenty minutes to just chat and prepare our luggage. Then the airport bus drove up. It was finally time to say goodbye. We all exchanged long hugs, praises to the Lord, and blessings on each other as we loaded the bus. Immediately as we sat down many people in the farewell party and some on our team began to cry. We were all truly touched by the Lord and used by the Lord in Japan and it was finally hitting us that it was time to leave.
Once the bus arrived at the airport the mood changed from one of goodbyes to one of anxiously anticipating hellos back in the states. The Lord was with us all the way from Osaka to Atlanta. He blessed us with smooth flights and smooth transitions back into the US. As soon as we all found our luggage we prayed one last time as a group just thanking the Lord for His provision and Grace over our trip. After that I hopped in a taxi, arrived at my relatives house, ate a surfeit of American food and went to bed.
Now I sit here at the computer getting ready to return to my life. It is hard to believe the trip has already come and gone so quickly, but what can I say except that God is truly good. I have learned a great deal about what it means to trust the Lord, how to have true faith, and many other spiritual treasures. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life and it is one that I will carry with me the rest of my life. Glory be to God in the highest for all He has done and all that He is going to do in not only my life, but in your life as well!
P.S. If you want to know more about the trip just give me a call and I would love to hang out and tell you more about it. Thank you for following this blog and I hope it has been an encouragement and blessing to all of you!!
Only By Grace,
Cody
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Homeward Bound...
Dear Everyone,
That's it for the most part. In just a matter of hours our team will be getting on a plane and coming back to the US. But we did a little today which I can talk about.. We started the day quite early as usual, this time heading to a museum and a scenic tour of Lake Biwa. The car ride was was long and full of disappointment when we pulled in to a closed museum. So it was off to a random Japanese seafood market which smelled something like I never have in my life. After trying one or two samples we headed out the door to meet up with the ladies of the group at the shopping mall.
Once the arduous task of shopping and eating was over it was back to the church relax before we went out for our last supper as a team in Japan. We went to Kyoto Station which is an amazing smorgasbord of people, metal, and food. It was a very interesting place and we decided to eat at an upscale Italian restaraunt. It was delicious just like everything else we have had in Japan minus some random raw seafood and pancakes :(..
Now that we are back from dinner and packed and we can do is pray and wait. Please pray that God would keep us safe as we journey home and that He would bless the church for doing so much for us. I will post one more blog after this giving my thoughts, attitudes, and reactions to the trip as a whole.. Thank for all your support and I'll talk to you on the other side :).
Only By Grace,
Cody
Monday, May 25, 2009
No rest for the weary..
Dear Everyone,
Although today was supposed to be a relaxing day for us as a team, we started early to go shopping and to a famous bamboo forest. The market we went to only shows up once a month so it was quite large and quite a treat to go to. There were over 1,000 people scouring the different stalls and haggling with the peddlers for a cheaper price. I found some nice goodies and just enjoyed walking around and taking in the scenery. The market was setup near the center of a Shinto temple so it was not all commercialized and the temple area that we saw was quite beautiful. Continue to pray for the Japanese people, that God would stir a revival in the nation and in the hearts of a people enslaved by tradition and cultural pressure of perfection.
After shopping for quite some time, we caught a bus to a famous bamboo forest in Japan. It was a very unique and marvelous experience to walk underneath and through a forest of giant bamboo. The sound of the bamboo crackling in the wind was a sound I will never forget and one that was quite soothing to a weary sojourner. We spent a little while there just taking in the sight before we headed off to enjoy conveyor belt sushi.. That's right, the restaurant we went too consisted of a seat with a conveyor belt circling the entire place. Every plate was a dollar and we easy ate quite a few plates..It was a very interesting experience and one I hope to enjoy again someday..
Once we finished eating the team split up. Two members came back to hang out with the college guys we met on Saturday and the rest of us continued shopping/walking around Kyoto.. After many hours of walking, walking, walking, and being lost, we finally found the right bus to bring us home. We had a chance to rest for a few minutes and then the guys were off to an authentic Japanese hot spring... It was a great experience and if you want to know more ask me in person because it's a bit much to blog about... All I will say on here is that it was very revealing and relaxing at the same time..
We just got back from the spa about an hour ago and are preparing to go to bed. We hope to enjoy our last day in Japan tomorrow seeing as how Wednesday we are coming home. Continue to pray for our team's safe journey home and that we would carry with us what God has taught us and used us in Japan for.
Only By Grace,
Cody
Although today was supposed to be a relaxing day for us as a team, we started early to go shopping and to a famous bamboo forest. The market we went to only shows up once a month so it was quite large and quite a treat to go to. There were over 1,000 people scouring the different stalls and haggling with the peddlers for a cheaper price. I found some nice goodies and just enjoyed walking around and taking in the scenery. The market was setup near the center of a Shinto temple so it was not all commercialized and the temple area that we saw was quite beautiful. Continue to pray for the Japanese people, that God would stir a revival in the nation and in the hearts of a people enslaved by tradition and cultural pressure of perfection.
After shopping for quite some time, we caught a bus to a famous bamboo forest in Japan. It was a very unique and marvelous experience to walk underneath and through a forest of giant bamboo. The sound of the bamboo crackling in the wind was a sound I will never forget and one that was quite soothing to a weary sojourner. We spent a little while there just taking in the sight before we headed off to enjoy conveyor belt sushi.. That's right, the restaurant we went too consisted of a seat with a conveyor belt circling the entire place. Every plate was a dollar and we easy ate quite a few plates..It was a very interesting experience and one I hope to enjoy again someday..
Once we finished eating the team split up. Two members came back to hang out with the college guys we met on Saturday and the rest of us continued shopping/walking around Kyoto.. After many hours of walking, walking, walking, and being lost, we finally found the right bus to bring us home. We had a chance to rest for a few minutes and then the guys were off to an authentic Japanese hot spring... It was a great experience and if you want to know more ask me in person because it's a bit much to blog about... All I will say on here is that it was very revealing and relaxing at the same time..
We just got back from the spa about an hour ago and are preparing to go to bed. We hope to enjoy our last day in Japan tomorrow seeing as how Wednesday we are coming home. Continue to pray for our team's safe journey home and that we would carry with us what God has taught us and used us in Japan for.
Only By Grace,
Cody
Sunday, May 24, 2009
You'll Never Guess...
Dear Everyone,
The following entry is a recap of the last two days since I have been either too busy or too tired to blog so be prepared for a lot of different activities mentioned. Let me start with a recap of Saturday.
I got up early Saturday morning to play sports with whomever might show up. We tried our best to advocate the sports day but we did not reach too many people or so we thought.. When we arrived at the park there happened to be a large group of guys our age playing soccer which screamed fellowship. Besides the group of guys we didn't know, there were 3 to 4 college students from the church that we invited. As soon we started talking to the guys playing soccer they immediately challenged us to an epic international duel of the soccer titans; US vs. JP... yeah right. Our team was average at best and we lost both games but not before I charged through three of the opposite team to score an amazingly placed goal. Forgive my arrogance but it's not often I play soccer or score a goal so you get the picture :).
After playing the two soccer games with the guys we decided to teach them how to play Ultimate Frisbee. Although the teams were mixed, my team won, which included Michael from our team, who is ridiculously good at Ultimate and competes at a collegiate level. It was a good feeling to actually win something that day. If I didn't mention already the weather was scorching so you can imagine the exhaustion by the time we were done. Once we rested and talked for a few, we exchanged info and hopefully will be hanging out with some of the guys tomorrow and maybe even sharing our purpose for coming to Japan!
When the team got we all seemed kind of pink and when I say kind of pink I mean medium well sunburnt. That was not the end of our day though. As a team we decided to take a guy out who has really helped us out as far as translation and who is a Bible study leader for some karaoke. That's right I said karaoke. Yeah 3 hours of it. I got the pleasure of Rickrollig Japan and we covered anywhere from Backstreet Boys to Journey so you can imagine the beautiful harmonies :S... Once those three hours were up and our voices toasted it was time to go.. We came back and fell asleep almost as soon as we put our heads on our pillows..
Today was another busy Sunday in the life of Kyoto Christian Fellowship.. Cory and I lead worship again which was a great chance to just thank te Lord for what He has done so far in the trip and to fellowship with our Japanese brothers and sisters..After the service we held small prayer groups and shared our concerns for around 45 minutes.. Once that was over it was time for lunch at the Italian joint again. And it was just as tasty as the first time we ate there... Phew it only gets busier... After we finished eating we got a quick rest and then it was off to the international church again. I had the privilege to sing a solo which I hope encouraged some folks. This time I sang "Jesus What A Friend For Sinners!" a Capella. After the church service which was wonderful we ate a small snack and came back to the church..
The last two days have been crazy busy and we have not had much time to rest much but we are pretty much home free now and don't really have anymore official plans until we leave on Wednesday.. Pray for our team that we would have safe travel going home and that we continue to be an encouragement to the Christians in Japan. Thank for you for all your support and I'm sorry this blog is long...
Only By Grace,
Cody
The following entry is a recap of the last two days since I have been either too busy or too tired to blog so be prepared for a lot of different activities mentioned. Let me start with a recap of Saturday.
I got up early Saturday morning to play sports with whomever might show up. We tried our best to advocate the sports day but we did not reach too many people or so we thought.. When we arrived at the park there happened to be a large group of guys our age playing soccer which screamed fellowship. Besides the group of guys we didn't know, there were 3 to 4 college students from the church that we invited. As soon we started talking to the guys playing soccer they immediately challenged us to an epic international duel of the soccer titans; US vs. JP... yeah right. Our team was average at best and we lost both games but not before I charged through three of the opposite team to score an amazingly placed goal. Forgive my arrogance but it's not often I play soccer or score a goal so you get the picture :).
After playing the two soccer games with the guys we decided to teach them how to play Ultimate Frisbee. Although the teams were mixed, my team won, which included Michael from our team, who is ridiculously good at Ultimate and competes at a collegiate level. It was a good feeling to actually win something that day. If I didn't mention already the weather was scorching so you can imagine the exhaustion by the time we were done. Once we rested and talked for a few, we exchanged info and hopefully will be hanging out with some of the guys tomorrow and maybe even sharing our purpose for coming to Japan!
When the team got we all seemed kind of pink and when I say kind of pink I mean medium well sunburnt. That was not the end of our day though. As a team we decided to take a guy out who has really helped us out as far as translation and who is a Bible study leader for some karaoke. That's right I said karaoke. Yeah 3 hours of it. I got the pleasure of Rickrollig Japan and we covered anywhere from Backstreet Boys to Journey so you can imagine the beautiful harmonies :S... Once those three hours were up and our voices toasted it was time to go.. We came back and fell asleep almost as soon as we put our heads on our pillows..
Today was another busy Sunday in the life of Kyoto Christian Fellowship.. Cory and I lead worship again which was a great chance to just thank te Lord for what He has done so far in the trip and to fellowship with our Japanese brothers and sisters..After the service we held small prayer groups and shared our concerns for around 45 minutes.. Once that was over it was time for lunch at the Italian joint again. And it was just as tasty as the first time we ate there... Phew it only gets busier... After we finished eating we got a quick rest and then it was off to the international church again. I had the privilege to sing a solo which I hope encouraged some folks. This time I sang "Jesus What A Friend For Sinners!" a Capella. After the church service which was wonderful we ate a small snack and came back to the church..
The last two days have been crazy busy and we have not had much time to rest much but we are pretty much home free now and don't really have anymore official plans until we leave on Wednesday.. Pray for our team that we would have safe travel going home and that we continue to be an encouragement to the Christians in Japan. Thank for you for all your support and I'm sorry this blog is long...
Only By Grace,
Cody
Friday, May 22, 2009
In the Garden...literally
Dear Everyone,
When I say in the garden I mean in the garden. I awoke this morning after a late night and was told we would be doing some gardening. Apparently the Japanese-English translation of that means "breaking one's back to pull weeds in the rain". Once I learned this I was kind of apprehensive about the day, but you know God can even teach you something when its raining on you and you're pulling weeds.
As I labored for two hours and pulled weeds, I had an opportunity to just sing to the Lord and think over the trip thus far. Before I knew it, I was already done with my weeding. I give the Lord praise because we had the rest of the day to catch up on our rest and just relax.
I really enjoyed the afternoon and had it to look forward to sharing my testimony, which went well. Again, I got to sing with Cory and we had a great time of worship and praise to the Lord. As soon as that was over, it was time for me to share my testimony. I really believe the Lord used it to encourage people and it was an interesting experience to say one sentence and then have it translated. But it was well worth the wait. After the service the team and I sat around and fellowshipped for a few hours. I'm fairly tired now but wanted to share with you about today. Continue to pray for Kyoto Christian Fellowship and that their ministry would continue to reap the harvest because the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Thank you for all your support and I look forward to sharing more.
Only By Grace,
Cody
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Another Day, Another Prayer Walk
Dear Everyone,
Today was one of the more relaxed days as far as what we had to do but definitely not relaxed int the sense of walking a long way. We started the day with the usual waking up a little later than we were supposed to and hurrying to eat breakfast. By the time the last person was in the shower for the day it was already time to go.. As we all crammed in the same little van we have been for the last week we discussed the places we were to visit. The Golden Temple, which is one of the most famous tourist sites in Japan, was first up.
After paying 400 yen to enter and walking through the ancient entrance, my eyes froze. I came upon a perfectly still lake dotted with several islands that were covered in small bonsai trees that were like hundreds of little arrows pointing at a central object. That central object was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in my entire life. In the middle of the lake and small islands was a three story temple that was almost entirely encased in pure gold. Even though it was a cloudy day, it shone like the sun coming over the ocean's horizon. It was a truly breathtaking experience. Once the team finished taking enough pictures we split into pairs to walk around and pray/talk. The walk was short but the team offered up prayers for the different tourists and school children that were there. After we all finished we had a short rest and headed off to our next destination which was another university.
I can't quite remember the name of the college but it was a very interesting place. We stayed in our pairs and infiltrated the campus to cover it with prayer. As me and my partner were walking we passed hundreds of students all who were busy with their college studies and lives. We prayed that God would pour His Grace into their lives and over their campus. Although the prayer walks can be long and tiring it feels good to pray from a place that typically does not offer up prayer. Once we walked around for an hour or so it was time to eat and head back to the church.
As much as I have eaten it already, I just could no resist getting some more beef curry at a small noodle shop we stopped at for lunch. It was nice to finally sit down and refuel. After finishing our delicious meal we came back to the church to learn how to cook some traditional Japanese food which was a wonderful experience. We sat around and laughed at the table until it was time for our prayer and worship. Once again God brought a few local Christians and we enjoyed a wonderful time of praising the Lord. Continue to pray for our team as exhaustion can become a problem and also that we would be able to minster as our time in Japan starts to come to a close. Thanks for all you do for me and please keep reading!!
Only By Grace,
Cody
Today was one of the more relaxed days as far as what we had to do but definitely not relaxed int the sense of walking a long way. We started the day with the usual waking up a little later than we were supposed to and hurrying to eat breakfast. By the time the last person was in the shower for the day it was already time to go.. As we all crammed in the same little van we have been for the last week we discussed the places we were to visit. The Golden Temple, which is one of the most famous tourist sites in Japan, was first up.
After paying 400 yen to enter and walking through the ancient entrance, my eyes froze. I came upon a perfectly still lake dotted with several islands that were covered in small bonsai trees that were like hundreds of little arrows pointing at a central object. That central object was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in my entire life. In the middle of the lake and small islands was a three story temple that was almost entirely encased in pure gold. Even though it was a cloudy day, it shone like the sun coming over the ocean's horizon. It was a truly breathtaking experience. Once the team finished taking enough pictures we split into pairs to walk around and pray/talk. The walk was short but the team offered up prayers for the different tourists and school children that were there. After we all finished we had a short rest and headed off to our next destination which was another university.
I can't quite remember the name of the college but it was a very interesting place. We stayed in our pairs and infiltrated the campus to cover it with prayer. As me and my partner were walking we passed hundreds of students all who were busy with their college studies and lives. We prayed that God would pour His Grace into their lives and over their campus. Although the prayer walks can be long and tiring it feels good to pray from a place that typically does not offer up prayer. Once we walked around for an hour or so it was time to eat and head back to the church.
As much as I have eaten it already, I just could no resist getting some more beef curry at a small noodle shop we stopped at for lunch. It was nice to finally sit down and refuel. After finishing our delicious meal we came back to the church to learn how to cook some traditional Japanese food which was a wonderful experience. We sat around and laughed at the table until it was time for our prayer and worship. Once again God brought a few local Christians and we enjoyed a wonderful time of praising the Lord. Continue to pray for our team as exhaustion can become a problem and also that we would be able to minster as our time in Japan starts to come to a close. Thanks for all you do for me and please keep reading!!
Only By Grace,
Cody
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
God is truly good
Dear Everyone,
I just got back from a wonderful day filled with fellowship, juicy teryaki burgers, and more English Bible (hope you're satisfied clay) studies. I felt much better today than I have been and I thank all of you who prayed for my well being. We started the day a bit later than usual due to a busy schedule yesterday which went without a nap that we have been accustomed to getting. After having the usual cereal and leftovers for breakfast we headed out for a KGK Bible study at Kyoto University.
As is the college custom, no one is ever one time and so we started a bit later than we anticipated and ended up just fellowshipping/praying for each others needs. After that Bible study it was right on to another which was about a mile down the street. We arrived to our second English Bible study a bit early. Just to remind you, these Bible studies are advertised all over the college campuses as a way to attract people to work on and their English while also educating them on Christianity. Today's lesson was even more powerful than the first.
We had three adults who attended, two of which were not Christian. Me and teammate got a chance to share our testimonies which was really enlightening to the two non-Christians and very encouraging to the only Christian lady. We studied the story of the paralyzed man whose friends lowered him thru the roof to Jesus. The Bible study was only supposed to run around an hour but ended up close to two and a half. I really sensed the Lord there as He spoke from His Word and thru His servants to the non-believers. It was an encouragement to me seeing as how afterwards all the adults intently desired to attend again not only for English practice but for spiritual education. The pastor from the church service we went to earlier in the week was present and asked me to share with the church again thru song. So I will be singing another a cappella song which I am very excited about. I look forward to not only praising the Lord but hopefully encouraging my fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord. Pray that the Lord will reveal the right song to me and that it will touch someones life.
After leaving that wonderful Bible study, it was time to eat and come home. We ate a place called Mos Burgers which was really delicious and satisfying. One of my favorite aspects about Japan right now is the food no matter whether I have had it or not. I am quite tired and looking forward to resting and getting up for a new day tommorrow. Continue to pray for the English Bible studies that the Lord would draw people to Himself thru an interest in language...
Only By Grace,
Cody
I just got back from a wonderful day filled with fellowship, juicy teryaki burgers, and more English Bible (hope you're satisfied clay) studies. I felt much better today than I have been and I thank all of you who prayed for my well being. We started the day a bit later than usual due to a busy schedule yesterday which went without a nap that we have been accustomed to getting. After having the usual cereal and leftovers for breakfast we headed out for a KGK Bible study at Kyoto University.
As is the college custom, no one is ever one time and so we started a bit later than we anticipated and ended up just fellowshipping/praying for each others needs. After that Bible study it was right on to another which was about a mile down the street. We arrived to our second English Bible study a bit early. Just to remind you, these Bible studies are advertised all over the college campuses as a way to attract people to work on and their English while also educating them on Christianity. Today's lesson was even more powerful than the first.
We had three adults who attended, two of which were not Christian. Me and teammate got a chance to share our testimonies which was really enlightening to the two non-Christians and very encouraging to the only Christian lady. We studied the story of the paralyzed man whose friends lowered him thru the roof to Jesus. The Bible study was only supposed to run around an hour but ended up close to two and a half. I really sensed the Lord there as He spoke from His Word and thru His servants to the non-believers. It was an encouragement to me seeing as how afterwards all the adults intently desired to attend again not only for English practice but for spiritual education. The pastor from the church service we went to earlier in the week was present and asked me to share with the church again thru song. So I will be singing another a cappella song which I am very excited about. I look forward to not only praising the Lord but hopefully encouraging my fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord. Pray that the Lord will reveal the right song to me and that it will touch someones life.
After leaving that wonderful Bible study, it was time to eat and come home. We ate a place called Mos Burgers which was really delicious and satisfying. One of my favorite aspects about Japan right now is the food no matter whether I have had it or not. I am quite tired and looking forward to resting and getting up for a new day tommorrow. Continue to pray for the English Bible studies that the Lord would draw people to Himself thru an interest in language...
Only By Grace,
Cody
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
No More Training Wheels
Dear Everyone,
To start off today's blog, I wanted to let you know I am feeling a little better. A few members of the team have several different types of medicine that I have been taking and I'm starting to get well again.
Our team started the day with a few local moms and their adorable children. Although there were only 3 children, we had a wonderful time. I sang Japanese nursery rhymes that I could hardly pronounce and played the part of King Saul in our team's rendition of David vs. Goliath. After the story, my leader presented the gospel in a very simple way to the mothers who were not Christians. We can only have faith that seeds fell on good ground and that the Lord will bless our labor.
Shortly after meeting with the mothers and children, we were on our way to the imperial palace to pray. Only this time on bicycles... I have not ridden a bike in probably 2 years so I was a bit nervous about riding a bike in a city with thousands of other cyclists as well. Three of us rode the bikes and three rode by van. It took us about 20 minutes to get to the palace and it was the most exhilarating thing I have done on the trip thus far. I had to dodge hundreds of people and dash across the street to keep up with the team. By God's grace we made it to the palace and had a great time of prayer.
Once we left the palace we were off to participate in a English bible study. The way some of the local young Christians I met are ministering is by offering free English lessons using the bible to practice. I could definitely sense the Lord's presence as we read and discussed the story of Jesus healing the leper. It was a beautiful thing to hear people practicing their English while talking about Jesus and what He meant to them. Although I have not been feeling well lately, the Lord really lifted me up and I had a wonderful time in the study.
The way back was just as exciting... As we rode down the sidewalks of Kyoto laughing and talking we suddenly saw a mass of people. The three of us riding decided to pass the crowd by merging onto the road with traffic and then returning to the sidewalk after. Immediately after passing the crowd the first of our team went back onto the sidewalk from the street. After him it was my turn to which I gracefully bounced of the curb and fell on my face. As embarassing as it was I popped right up and came back to the church with just a little less dignity :).
Just about an hour or so ago, the team finished up some worship time. Once I am done typing on here I will be off to bed. Continue to pray for the local Christians of Kyoto and that the Lord would use them in amazing ways to reach their peers. I am looking forward to the rest of our time here and will update you later.
Only By Grace,
Cody
To start off today's blog, I wanted to let you know I am feeling a little better. A few members of the team have several different types of medicine that I have been taking and I'm starting to get well again.
Our team started the day with a few local moms and their adorable children. Although there were only 3 children, we had a wonderful time. I sang Japanese nursery rhymes that I could hardly pronounce and played the part of King Saul in our team's rendition of David vs. Goliath. After the story, my leader presented the gospel in a very simple way to the mothers who were not Christians. We can only have faith that seeds fell on good ground and that the Lord will bless our labor.
Shortly after meeting with the mothers and children, we were on our way to the imperial palace to pray. Only this time on bicycles... I have not ridden a bike in probably 2 years so I was a bit nervous about riding a bike in a city with thousands of other cyclists as well. Three of us rode the bikes and three rode by van. It took us about 20 minutes to get to the palace and it was the most exhilarating thing I have done on the trip thus far. I had to dodge hundreds of people and dash across the street to keep up with the team. By God's grace we made it to the palace and had a great time of prayer.
Once we left the palace we were off to participate in a English bible study. The way some of the local young Christians I met are ministering is by offering free English lessons using the bible to practice. I could definitely sense the Lord's presence as we read and discussed the story of Jesus healing the leper. It was a beautiful thing to hear people practicing their English while talking about Jesus and what He meant to them. Although I have not been feeling well lately, the Lord really lifted me up and I had a wonderful time in the study.
The way back was just as exciting... As we rode down the sidewalks of Kyoto laughing and talking we suddenly saw a mass of people. The three of us riding decided to pass the crowd by merging onto the road with traffic and then returning to the sidewalk after. Immediately after passing the crowd the first of our team went back onto the sidewalk from the street. After him it was my turn to which I gracefully bounced of the curb and fell on my face. As embarassing as it was I popped right up and came back to the church with just a little less dignity :).
Just about an hour or so ago, the team finished up some worship time. Once I am done typing on here I will be off to bed. Continue to pray for the local Christians of Kyoto and that the Lord would use them in amazing ways to reach their peers. I am looking forward to the rest of our time here and will update you later.
Only By Grace,
Cody
Monday, May 18, 2009
On Bended Knee
Dear Everyone,
Today was a day that was full of surprises to say the least. I started the day with a team meeting filled with prayer and just talking about different things God has laid on our heart for Japan. After our meeting we headed off to have an italian lunch. That's right I said italian food in Japan. It was no different than any other italian I have eaten except that I ate it in Japan.
Once we finished our delicious meal we headed off to pray at a tourist attraction that was a replica of an ancient shrine surrounded by beautiful gardens. We split up into groups and began to pray as God lead. For me, God has really laid the Christian youth of Japan on my heart because it is such a struggle to live out the faith here, and I want them to be encouraged in the Lord. So far I have met some incredible youth who desire to see God move in their nation and it has been an encouragement to my faith.
Toward the end of our prayer walk something special happened. Unbeknownst to me, two of the teammates who have been dating for several years now apparently became engaged in the gardens. The proposal occurred on a seven stone path over a beautiful lake covered with lilies and filled with coy. It was an amazing experience to see two people decide to spend the rest of their lives together and is something I will never forget.
After the proposal in the garden we came back to the church to catch up on our rest. It was sorely needed. Over the last day and a half I have fallen ill with a small cold which has been quite a nuisance. Please pray that I can get it over it quickly and regain all my energy to be able to minister to the people here. Once nap time was over we headed out to a bible study at Kyoto University. I had a wonderful time listening to my brothers and sisters in the Lord sharing their stories and singing songs with them. We just got back not to long ago and I took some medicine to make me feel a little better. I am looking forward to getting a good nights rest and feeling better tomorrow.
Only By Grace,
Cody
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Worship on the other side of the world
Dear Everyone,
Yesterday was an amazing day so far on the trip. Sunday worship started around 10:30 a.m. with around 30 people present at the service. At first I was kind of nervous because most of the service was to be in Japanese except for the sermon which would be translated into English. All my anxiety soon fell away as we begin to sing a hymn in Japanese. I had no idea what I was singing but it is an amazing experience to praise the Lord in a different language and culture. As I sang, I looked around at the rest of the congregation which was filled with people giving the Lord the highest praise. I also had the pleasure of leading worship with my team co-leader Cory. I will never forget the worship I saw and experienced in that service.
After the service was over it was time for fellowship. Similar to what I am used to that meant we were going to eat. I had curry (again) which is not to bad but once you have had it several times it can get kind of old. For about an hour the team and I sat around and talked and laughed with different members of the congregation. As people began to slowly filter out, I came back to the house to grab a quick nap before the international church worship service.
Once I woke up from my nap it was time to head out for evening worship. Three of the team stayed back to conduct a service for local youth at the church and the other three went to the international church to join their worship. Little did I know before we got there, that the church was expecting a song item from one of us. So once we got there it was decided that I was to sing an a capella solo for the congregation. As the time came I prayed that the Lord would use me to speak to my brothers and sisters in the Lord... And He did. I sang a couple verses from Come Thou Fount which is one of my favorite hymns which seemed to be appropriate for the occasion. Once I was done it was fun talking to some members afterwards and just talking about what the Lord had done in our lives. I hope that my song encouraged someone and I am looking for more opportunities to share what the Lord has done for me through song.
Only By Grace,
Cody
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Saturday in Japan
Dear Everyone,
Although the weather was not very nice, we had a wonderful day. We did not have a chance to go pray at any hospitals of malls, but we had a team meeting where we voiced our concerns thus far and prayed.
Shortly after our team meeting, two Kyoto university students came over to hang out. We played ping pong (which I went 4-1, so I did pretty well for an American), threw the Frisbee, and just sat around talking about our different lifestyles. After hanging out for a while, we went and ate a traditional Japanese restaurant which was an interesting experience to say the least. They put items in front of me I had never seen, smelled, tasted before, but the Lord was good to my stomach and I was able to eat and enjoy it.
I just got back from making a quick run to the grocery store to get some more cereal and milk. I am very tired but feel as though I am almost over the jet lag. Although we did not accomplish much evangelically speaking, the Lord blessed our fellowship today and gave us a chance to rest and prepare for the coming week. Continue to pray for our team and I appreciate your support. Oh and on a small note.. Reid and Jessica, I am very happy for you and I'm sorry i could not come to the reception. Also, Laura Fletcher could appreciate that the food I had tonight will never compare to that of Food For the Soul, Soul Food!
Only By Grace,
Cody
Friday, May 15, 2009
It's a rainy day in Japan...
Dear Everyone,
After receiving the internet last night, most of the team and I were up late emailing, checking grades, and blogging. We all just got up not too long ago and really dont have much planned for today due to some rainy weather. Someone on the team suggested that we go visit some local hospitals and malls to pray over them, which we may do later. The part of the day I am most excited about though, involves a couple college students we met last night coming over and playing ping pong (which hopefully I wont get beaten too bad).
Since being here for a few days and experiencing the culture firsthand, there are a few things I have learned about our trip's purpose. As some of you may not know, the number of Christians in Japan make up less than .05% of the population, which is a shocking statistic. Also, the Japanese culture is one of the most traditional in the world and one where change is not easy accepted. Thinking about that in the context of our trip means that the main objective currently is to encourage the local Christians. The church we are working with has between 50 and 100 attendees at a time which is amazing! There are only 5 to 8 churches in the Kyoto area which only have 10 to 20 members..These Christians need more support and prayer than I ever imagined..So far we have been able to pray with a couple members about their needs and fears as a believer in Japan. God is starting to do amazing things already here and it is only day 5/17!!
Continue to pray for the Christians in Japan. They suffer a cultural persecution that makes it one fo the most difficult places to become and stay a Christian. I appreciate all of your prayers and look forward to telling you more. Oh and I would like to say to my dear friend Clay that I saw a batman finger puppet the other day in a shopping mall. That's right batman has made it to Japan!!
Only By Grace,
Cody
After receiving the internet last night, most of the team and I were up late emailing, checking grades, and blogging. We all just got up not too long ago and really dont have much planned for today due to some rainy weather. Someone on the team suggested that we go visit some local hospitals and malls to pray over them, which we may do later. The part of the day I am most excited about though, involves a couple college students we met last night coming over and playing ping pong (which hopefully I wont get beaten too bad).
Since being here for a few days and experiencing the culture firsthand, there are a few things I have learned about our trip's purpose. As some of you may not know, the number of Christians in Japan make up less than .05% of the population, which is a shocking statistic. Also, the Japanese culture is one of the most traditional in the world and one where change is not easy accepted. Thinking about that in the context of our trip means that the main objective currently is to encourage the local Christians. The church we are working with has between 50 and 100 attendees at a time which is amazing! There are only 5 to 8 churches in the Kyoto area which only have 10 to 20 members..These Christians need more support and prayer than I ever imagined..So far we have been able to pray with a couple members about their needs and fears as a believer in Japan. God is starting to do amazing things already here and it is only day 5/17!!
Continue to pray for the Christians in Japan. They suffer a cultural persecution that makes it one fo the most difficult places to become and stay a Christian. I appreciate all of your prayers and look forward to telling you more. Oh and I would like to say to my dear friend Clay that I saw a batman finger puppet the other day in a shopping mall. That's right batman has made it to Japan!!
Only By Grace,
Cody
I FINALLY HAVE INTERNET!!
Dear Everyone,
I apologize for the long delay in finally getting to the blog but we have not had internet at the church until now..praise the Lord!! The flights over here were very long but the Lord gave us safe travel and even though they lost our luggage, we have everything now.
The missionaries we are working with are Leena and Haioto Fukui who are the most amazing couple! Leena is from South Africa and met Haioto while he did missions in South Africa. They currently work with Rodem House Ministeries here in Kyoto and are serving the Lord in whatever ways possible.
So far I have learned Japan is a much darker place spiritually than i could have imagined.. In the US we are accustomed to seeing beautiful temples and shrines without understanding the full implications of these places. They are symbols of the enemy and a culture who is so enslaved by tradition they have no idea of who the real God is or what He wants from them. Over the last few days we have been meeting various people and praying near shrines that God would break the enemies hold and pour His grace over this city and nation.
Just a few hours ago we conducted a worship service and my teammate John gave his testimony. It is an incredible experience to worship with someone who doesnt speak the same language as you and to see them giving God glory for who He is and what He has done in their lives. Afterwards we had coffee and got to know some of the local college students on a more personal level. Tomorrow we are looking forward to doing some more prayer walks and possibly hanging out with some more college students.
Sorry that this post is so long and general, but from here on out I should be able to post everynight and with more detail. Oh and as a last note, i would like to say to my dear friend Phil that i saw a star trek poster in japanese and im pretty sure it said "live long and prosper'
Thank you for all your prayers and support!!
Only By Grace,
Cody P
I apologize for the long delay in finally getting to the blog but we have not had internet at the church until now..praise the Lord!! The flights over here were very long but the Lord gave us safe travel and even though they lost our luggage, we have everything now.
The missionaries we are working with are Leena and Haioto Fukui who are the most amazing couple! Leena is from South Africa and met Haioto while he did missions in South Africa. They currently work with Rodem House Ministeries here in Kyoto and are serving the Lord in whatever ways possible.
So far I have learned Japan is a much darker place spiritually than i could have imagined.. In the US we are accustomed to seeing beautiful temples and shrines without understanding the full implications of these places. They are symbols of the enemy and a culture who is so enslaved by tradition they have no idea of who the real God is or what He wants from them. Over the last few days we have been meeting various people and praying near shrines that God would break the enemies hold and pour His grace over this city and nation.
Just a few hours ago we conducted a worship service and my teammate John gave his testimony. It is an incredible experience to worship with someone who doesnt speak the same language as you and to see them giving God glory for who He is and what He has done in their lives. Afterwards we had coffee and got to know some of the local college students on a more personal level. Tomorrow we are looking forward to doing some more prayer walks and possibly hanging out with some more college students.
Sorry that this post is so long and general, but from here on out I should be able to post everynight and with more detail. Oh and as a last note, i would like to say to my dear friend Phil that i saw a star trek poster in japanese and im pretty sure it said "live long and prosper'
Thank you for all your prayers and support!!
Only By Grace,
Cody P
Sunday, May 10, 2009
It's Finally Time
Dear Friends and Family,
The trip is finally here. In just a few short hours I will be waking up around 4 a.m. to leave for Hartsfield International. I will be meeting up with the rest of my team once I'm there, whom I'm sure wont be able to sleep due to their excitement!! It is hard for me to believe that after about 6 months of praying and preparing it is actually time to go to Japan! Please pray for our team to have an easy time through the airports tomorrow and for us to have safe flights to Japan. I would also like to wish my Mom a happy mother's day and say how much I love and appreciate all she does for me. The next time you here from me will be when we arrive in Japan and I appreciate all your prayers and support!
Only By Grace,
Cody
The trip is finally here. In just a few short hours I will be waking up around 4 a.m. to leave for Hartsfield International. I will be meeting up with the rest of my team once I'm there, whom I'm sure wont be able to sleep due to their excitement!! It is hard for me to believe that after about 6 months of praying and preparing it is actually time to go to Japan! Please pray for our team to have an easy time through the airports tomorrow and for us to have safe flights to Japan. I would also like to wish my Mom a happy mother's day and say how much I love and appreciate all she does for me. The next time you here from me will be when we arrive in Japan and I appreciate all your prayers and support!
Only By Grace,
Cody
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Only a week away!
Dear Everyone,
I cant believe our trip to Japan is only one week away! Our team has been planning this trip since November and God has worked miracles to allow this trip to happen. Let me start out by saying thank you too all of you who have supported me financially and who are praying for our team as I write. Know that you have been a blessing and that God is using you to further His kingdom and message to the world! We have our final meeting tonight to go over all the logistics and practicalities of the trip which is exciting. Please pray for our team so that everyone will have everything in order including passports, money, etc. Also pray for a safe journey there and that God will use us to share who He is with the Japanese people. I appreciate you time and prayers for our trip. I look forward to posting more blogs and hope that you will continue to follow along and be blessed by what the Lord is going to do :)
Only by grace,
Cody
I cant believe our trip to Japan is only one week away! Our team has been planning this trip since November and God has worked miracles to allow this trip to happen. Let me start out by saying thank you too all of you who have supported me financially and who are praying for our team as I write. Know that you have been a blessing and that God is using you to further His kingdom and message to the world! We have our final meeting tonight to go over all the logistics and practicalities of the trip which is exciting. Please pray for our team so that everyone will have everything in order including passports, money, etc. Also pray for a safe journey there and that God will use us to share who He is with the Japanese people. I appreciate you time and prayers for our trip. I look forward to posting more blogs and hope that you will continue to follow along and be blessed by what the Lord is going to do :)
Only by grace,
Cody
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