Tsugaru Short term
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
Tsugaru Short Term Report 2009
August - September 2009
Background
Mission
Monday, January 18, 2010
Debriefing Short termers
As a couple, we always enjoy having short termers come. We enjoy getting to know them, and love seeing what God has in store for them while here. Sometimes the very gifted are sent to use their gifts, and others are sent to learn humility and servanthood. Sometimes the less gifted are used in amazing ways in their humble transparent way. And still other times people are sent so that we leaders learn. Its amazing that God can dream up so many different opportunities for his children to be put in situations where they need to go to their knees and trust and beg.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Snow in Japan
Snow. By Nuala
Before I came to
Tsugaru Short Term Report 2009
Tsugaru Short Term Report
August - September 2009
Background
Mission
Friday, December 4, 2009
Wind the bobbin up and snowmen’s body parts
Hello. We are the Gelsthorpes from Newbury in
On our first full day here we went to Harvest Chapel, a church which they are physically building themselves. It is here that we are starting a new English conversation class for adults. Despite our preparation of interesting games and the finer points of English grammar our first week was a relaxed chat about English and Japanese culture. This included a comparison of our opposing snowman styles (for example 2 or 3 segments). The last five minutes of the lesson is an opportunity to give a testimony or to share our thoughts on a bible verse. This week we had an encouraging discussion on prayer. Despite the impression one gets that the Japanese are very closed to the gospel there is a real interest in some people to discuss what really matters.
We have also started a Saturday morning parent and child group which our 2 children, Grace and Isaac, love. The idea is to teach some English songs, play games and do some craft activities. This week we made “English” crowns and sang such classics as “wind the bobbin up” and “listen to the music and clap your hands”. Understandably, our single young Japanese punter had no idea what she was singing but she seemed to catch some of the enthusiasm of our children. Sometimes you wonder what something like that is really bringing to the table but then this is what it is all about; coming along side people and befriending them hoping to share with them what is most important. Please pray for the contacts we have made in these groups – that we will be good friends and good witnesses to them all.