bunny tales

Cough! Cough! Sneeze! Ugh! I feel terrible! Bunny caught a cold. Haha! At least I know that I am still human, vulnerable to sickness. This is a moment for me to realize that I am no superwoman and do need my rest no matter how busy I may be.

I started to feel under the weather since Monday, sneezing loads while working at the library. Jewel suggested that I should use a face mask while working, but I noticed that my body is feeling all weird then. By Tuesday my body was sending out sirens for help. I thought I felt better in the morning, but after coming back from teaching Asakura-san, my throat was gone. I had to take leave from my voice lesson in the afternoon. By evening, I had a fever rising. My health condition was in a total mess by the time I was done translating for the Women’s Dorm End of Office General Assembly. (Hmm, I think I had spread the virus to those who I was interpreting to. Yikes! Sorry guys!) I went back to my room around 10.30 and slept as soon as possible. My cough became worse this morning. I was coughing out phlegm and maybe, my lungs, while washing up this morning. My nose didn’t run as much… but hey, you get the point… this is one sick bunny!

Being pulled down by the weather of the season, I was starting to feel all sad and sorry for myself that I am all alone here, pitiful and no one to care for me, and yet I have to struggle to work on my assignments… I received a call from my big brother that he will be coming over in a while as I was working on my graduation thesis outline. When he buzzed me, I went out to see him carrying a bowl of hot chicken soup and my latest snack craze. Aww… I feel so loved!

Yup! I have experience things that I have only imagined in the past… someone making me, just for me, chicken soup! And this was done without being asked, with no obligation to do so… Aww… I am savoring every bite of celery, carrot, garlic, cauliflower, onion, and of course… chicken! Ahh… Well, I only get really sick once a year, I guess this kind of pampering is not too much to ask for. (Cheeky smile)

* Thank you God for your kindness and loved shown through the people around me. 

I definitely feel much better now (in my heart… not too sure about my health yet). So, back to work on that graduation thesis outline!

Retrea! Retreat! That is what we all need when things are simply too crazy to handle. Man! up until now, I have been swimming in madness; the assignments and coursework to be done, the semester, wrapping up of various offices and work, etc. The siren is blasting… “RED ALERT! This bunny is going to blow!” (Frantic cackle!)

Anyways, I managed to get a real break last weekend at Tokyo Union Church’s Annual Family Retreat. Pastor Craig and Suresh (Elder) thought that it would be a good idea an opportunity for BoiNu and I to meet the church memebers on a closer level. The church is so big and we are more often than not so busy on Sundays with whatever we are busy with that we hardly have time to meet and know people in the church. Thus, the invitation of the 2 intern students to the retreat that was held at the YMCA Convention Center, Tozanso (name of the resort), Gotemba (name of the town), Shizuoka-Prefecture.

It was simply great. Well, the time took to travel there by trains from Tokyo Station took us close to 3 hours, but it was ok. The only thing Gotemba is famous for (after asking the locals) is Mt. Fuji. The environment was great though, good scenery surronded my mountains and all. BoiNu and I arrived at the place around 7 in the evening, had dinner at a restaurant near the station and made it there by cab. There was no plans for the night, so, I just took the opportunity to rest from the journey and got to know BoiNu better in a relax setting. Haha! Roomies for the weekend!

Well, I caught up with most of my rest and sleep that Friday night. In fact, I totally forgot to set the alarm (which I normally don’t on Saturdays) that I was waken by the sounds of cheerful “retreaters” around 8, breakfast! I broke my personal record at preparing myself for the whole day in 15 minutes (cool, eh?). BoiNu and I went down for breakfast, met some people and both pastors. After that we had a singing session before a short talk by Pastor Bruce. BoiNu and I were asked to help out with the children and we did, almost for the whole day. During the 2nd talk that was led by Pastor Craig, BoiNu and I helped Joy out with the activities for kids. We made name tags, went out for a scavenger hunt for berries, leaves, etc. and used our find to decorate a frame! Yay! Artwork! Just like the good old times. We even had a game of Dodgeball till lunch. After lunch we had a quick photo session and then off to our free time. After various activities, we had dinner and I decided to stay for the talk that evening with the adults while the kids were off somewhere. After that, we had a session of games.

Highlights of Saturday… we had many kid casualties. Kaye, a 7 year old (maybe) had her tooth knocked out by an apple tossed by a rough kid when we were lightly tossing an apple to intorduce ourselves. the next casuality, a minor one was when a bigger kid threw the ball at the face of a five year old, Lynne (Kaye’s sister) during the kids’ Dodgeball in the morning. She cried a little… The next casualty was that a boy got hit by the ball at a game of soft ball. He had to be sent to the hospital as the swelling didn’t go down. Ok, enough of the sad stuff… I had a great time with the kids. Playing with the little ones was tonnes of fun. In the afternoon, during the freetime, I joined the kids at making a whistle out of Japanese Nutmeg. We went to hunt for nuts and then made the whistle on the spot and when we were done, blowing it like mad creating a nuisance for all. Later, we had a game of “pinata” for the kids. I took a swing at it too, when the kids couldn’t get it to open. I broke something, I broke the bat! Haha! Finally, we got the adults to help and the pinata broke open to shower the kids with candy and all. We later went out for a game of Adult/Family Dodgeball.

What I enjoyed most at the retreat was getting to meet new people. I talked to a few and had tonnes of fun playing games after a discussion/bible study session in the evening. I had a blast playing “Taboo” with the adults and did pretty well. Our team won. We later moved on to a card game of “president” (something like “cho dai di”). This was when i get to know a few memebers on a more fun and personal level. All in all, it was tonnes of fun!

Though we had lousy weather on Saturday, just muggy and loads of mist restricting the view of Mt. Fuji, we were blessed by great weather on Sunday (and the entire week!). BoiNu was so excited to see Mt. Fuji that she went almost crazy with excitement. The view was splendid! We managed to see Mt. Fuji in its full glory on Sunday. Due to the great weather, we even got an opportunity to see its many faces of being snow capped at the earlier part of the day and as the snow melts after noon.

Sunday’s schedule was pretty light, just breakfast and the service held at the meeting hall. We even had communion there. We took the same way home and arrived around 6 on campus. I had a great time. I will try to upload the pictures soon. Retreat… what I really needed from the craziness of TCU and getting to know people of TUC better. Yup! Bunny being able to get back to work now… I guess it is true, you have to get rest when you need it. It helps A LOT!

“Digging for sweet potatoes” is the title. Though a little late with the posting, I would like to share with you my very first experience of digging for sweet potatoes!

October 15, I went to visit my OTHER Japanese family, the Fujihara family. I came to know them through the time spent at my assigned church last year, at Oguradai Christ Church in Chiba City. The Fujihara family has always been kind, inviting me over to spend the weekend or holidays with them whenever possible. We shared a lot of good times together with good food and great conversations at the table. They are a really kind and blessed family. I have learned so much about grace and God’s love through them.

The plan for that weekend was to have a night of games with Pastor Craig and the Youths at Tokyo Union Church. However, due to a family emergency of the Youth leader, Pierce, the night’s plans were cancelled the week before, and I called up the Fujihara family for a simple get together. The last time I saw them was before I left for home in summer, thus, this time was supposed to be a time of catching up since then. Suprise, suprise! When I contacted Mrs. Fujihara, aka… also “mom”, she told me that the Sunday School kids have plans to dig up the sweet potatoes in her vegetable patch that week and invited me to join them. I agreed as I didn’t get to do it last year, and I would not miss the opportunity.

That Saturday, I arrived at Tsuga station and mom, picked me up. She told me that the Jr. High School kids are also having a get together during lunch, making stew and said that I should join them. I was more than happy as it was another opportunity to see the kids I used to teach in Sunday School when I was at that church. It was great to see Makoto, Ai, and Sako-chan, enjoying the delicious stew made by them. After that we all went for the dig together.

Haha… here comes the funny part. Ok, feel free to laugh, but it was the first time ever I have seen a sweet potato plant. It was also the first time for me to get myself dirty, into the activity of finding where the sweet potatoes are after clearing the leaves above the ground, start digging around the patch, with shovels and spades, and right down to uncovering those sweet roots with my hands! It was tedious work as I didn’t want to break them… but nonetheless, lots of such damage were done. I was being a total city kid and such activity just gave me a certain facination and joy that the people who were there simply found it interesting!

After that, I moved on to digging for yams. I had a blast with this activity as I only had to use a shovel. It was much easier done that digging for sweet potatoes. At the end of the day, the entire group had tonnes of fun and the harvest was good. Fujihara-san said that the size of the sweet potatoes were small this year, as mentioned by the neighbors too. However, the harvest of the yams were great. They also teased that I should go help them out every year since I enjoyed digging them out. I thought it was a great way to release built up tension… however, I suffered the effects the next day with a severe back ache, not being able to get out of bed in the morning. (Laughs!)

Yup! Suemae and her farming expereience. I have some pictures on the subject and hope to get them uploaded soon. Do enjoy!

Hmm, I think I am spending too much time on this blogging business… I just spent one and a half hours on my photo albums, etc. Well, on the bright side, at least I have finally sorted out my uploaded pictures and all. I think it would be nice for you to have a look at what has been happening over here. Visual aid do help! So, do check out my photo albums and enjoy!

This is the link of Yanagisawa-Sensei with a short explaination that she has given (October 10). Yanagisawa-sensei is my Japanese teacher. She is very passionate towards the ACTS-es Students, always tending to our needs, feeding us, taking our pictures at any occasions at all (and giving us prints of it in the past), ensuring that we are always updated and feel like a part of TCU.

This year, she bought a digital camera, and recently, learned how to upload pictures taken to a site. So, do sit back relax and enjoy!

"1] I organized my photo web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/miwakoy/), including those contributed by Matthias. Everything is now in chronological order.

The events (sets) from Semtember 2005 include; (1) 1st chapel (2) ACTS-es welcome party (3) Student coucil welcome party (4) Mission party (5) Dinner fellowship (at my place)
(6) School retreat (7) Miscellaneous (including Ben’s BD, Pastor John on campus)

The events before Semtember 2005 include; (1) Ross’ & Joey’s BD celebratioan
(2) Wednesday prayer meeting (3) Graduation (4) Miscellaneous (including felllowship with Jewel’s dad, Ross & Seth at Karaoke).

Please refer to "sets," which is easier to find what you want.

[2] Also, please allow me to keep Joey’s pictures on the front page for a while.  His mother is viewing them.  I assume that connection over there is not too good.  Thank you for your understanding. "

PS: Please use the site with care… try not to get me into trouble, ok?

PPS: There might not be that many pictures of me… hehe, you know me… I am not a big fan of getting my picture taken. There might be a few strange ones of me… but, nonetheless, do enjoy!

I think it is wise for me to finish this topic soon, otherwise, I might just procrastinate some more and forget about it altogther! So, where were we?

Well, the last time I mentioned about how the church service is like; I wish to talk about the congregtion now. The attendees of Tokyo Union Church are generally foreigners. The church was set up in the early 20th century to cater for the growing needs of expatriates, missionaries, military personel, academics, business men, etc. Everyone is so "foreign" over here. Every little detailed is run almost like a church in the West, especially like those in America. I totally don’t feel like I am in Japan at all. Mostly, there are a lot of Caucasians and Eurasians. Even the pastor preaches in an attractive accent! I think it is so cool.

There are loads of good looking people around. I know it is inappropriate, but I get my share of eye candy every week now. (cheeky smile) Moreover, some of them have very prestigious line of work too: embassadors, military personnel, models, big-buck-making-businessmen, etc. 2 Sundays ago, we even had a professional magician coming up to present the message for the kids that day! (now, now… stop drooling)

Talking about kids… the children here are so cute. Yep! Mixed marrigaes… the way to inhibit this world with a beautiful future generation. Seriously, the kids here are SO cute! BoiNu, one of the freshmen, is also assigned to this church with me. She is assigned to help out with the Worship Daycare and Sunday School… lucky her! She get to play with them almost all the time!

I am assigned to help out with the Youth Ministry for now. So far, I have yet to really get my hands into anything yet as I am still looking for those persons in charge. I was initially asked to help out with ministering to the Japanese converts (a minority in this church). Well, how can I put it? Dr. Franklin asked me to help out with explaining Christianity in Japanese to converts who were attracted to come to the church and may not fully comprehend all as everything is done a in English.

I discussed this with Pastor Bruce and he said that all will take time to settle. He is a very cool guy: sporting and fun! He is from a Baptist/Southern Baptist background, who preaches really clear cut sermons. Pastor Craig, the associate pastor is also very kind and caring too. I will get to know more of them at the upcoming Family Retreat the church invited BoiNu and I to attend on Friday the 21st.

There is a lot to learn at TUC. I have to admit it is a huge change from the Japanese churches I have attended in the past 3 years. It definately is weird not using Japanese or going through the usual Japanese formalities in church which I have picked up the past 3 years. Everything is a learnng process and I am looking forward to learn and serve in my year at TUC.

That’s all I have to say about church for now. I will let you guys know more in the future.

Ok. I have procrastinated long enough. Today I will share with you about the church I am assigned to for the year 2005/6- Tokyo Union Church!

How should I start? "Man! I am attending this really cool church!" Okie, that might be over doing it; but… Tokyo Union Church (TUC) is located on Omotesando, right in the heart of downtown Tokyo, 15 minutes walk to the every famous and busy Shibuya Station, and on the other side Harajuku! It is the fashion street of Japan! Ok, how does this sound? "My church, TUC is sandwiched between Emporio Armani on the right and Louis Vuitton on the left. The entire street we are on are branded stores with Hanae Mori and other big brands. Omotesando is actually the main street that leads up to MeiJi Shrine. A law was passed that no businesses of vice: drinking pubs and parlors, pachinko places are allowed on this street. Apart from the shopping temptations, the sights around this area are a blast too! We can see the high fashion of Tokyo being paraded around this area with scouts hanging out to take pictures of fashionable people for the leading magazines of Japan, young people in their weekend "cos-play" outfits, and the occasional festive portable shrines being carried up and down the street leading to the MeiJi Shrine. Isn’t that cool?

Ok, enough of that. Let us talk about matters that should be focused on. Tokyo Union Church is an International-Interdenominational Church. To be a member, there are technically, 2 criterias, you have to be a Christian (of any denomination- Evangelical, Anglican, Presbyterian, Baptist, etc. even Catholic) and you have to speak English. It is a church founded to cater for the needs of foreigners in Japan. So, technically, when I attend church on Sunday, it definately doesn’t feel like I am in Japan at all. The church is filled with foriegners. There are new people every week. Those who are on assignment, just moved in, etc.

The church is run, basically, in a Presbyterian kind of way. The service reflects it most. This is what happens at the 11am service which I have attended so far.

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Prelude    (A piece played on the organ)

Introit      (This is when the pastors, in their robes, and people on duty proceeds to the stage. The Sanctuary choir sings here)

Call to Worship  (It is a dialogue between the leader and the congregation to begin the session)

Opening Hymn

Prayer of Confession   (This is printed on the bulletien, read aloud by everyone just as the "Call to Worship)

Declaration of Forgiveness   (After the "Prayer of Confession" the pastor, by authority of God, declares that our sins are fogiven and the congregation responds "Praise be to God, Amen.")

Sharing of the Peace   (It is a moment where we extend welcome to all and greet each other in the peace of God. The pastor will go "Peace be with you" and the congregation replies, " and also with you," then goes around shaking hands and saying "may the peace of God be with you," or "Peace of God/Christ," or just "peace")

The First Scripture Reading  (Everytime the Bible is read, the person who reads will start of with "Listen for the Word of God" and ends with "Thus says the Word of God" and the congregation will reply "Praise be to God.")

Hymn

Good News for Kids (Generally, the associate pastor will preach to the children who were called to the front of the sanctuary, sitting around on the floor together with the pastor. After this, the children of ages 7 and older are given a choice to return to their seats with some activity to do during the sermon, and kids younger than that will be ushered off to "Worship Daycare")

The Second Scripture Reading

Prayers of Intercession   (This is when the congregation leader prays. He/she will also pray for the specific ministry assigned to be prayed for every week and the entire congregation will end with "The Lords Prayer")

Giving of Tithes and Offerings  (The offering bag is passed around. Visitors can drop the "visitor’s card" into the bag too. The congregation will sing when the collection is done and then the pastor will pray over it)

Holy Communion    (This is done on the 1st Sunday at 11am Service. Wafers and grape juice are used. The elders and pastors will hold a chalice of juice and a plate of wafers, the congregation are then to go up one by one/ families to the leaders and take a wafer and dip it into the juice and eat it. Non-Christians/Japanese who has yet to understand the significance of the Lord’s Supper may go in front as well, but placing their arms in the X form on their shoulders, not to have communion but to be prayed for and recieve blessings [pretty cool, huh? I heard that this is done in Anglican churches])

Expressions of Fellowship    (Visitors are welcomed and introduced, those who are leaving are prayed for, announcements are made)

Closing Hymn

Bennediction   (given by the preacher or pastor)

Congregational Response  (Hymn 586 is sung: "Amen, Amen, Amen" as the pastor and leader leaves the hall)

Postlude    (People normally starts to leave here, making their way out of the sanctuary to shake the pastor’s hand at the entrance)

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Oops… I think I should stop at this length before your eyes start bulging. Ok, why don’t I continue this topic another time. In the mean time, if you would like more information about the church, feel free to check out the homepage at http://www.tokyounion.org

(general mail, October 4)
It has been sometime since I last wrote. How have you been? I was away for the annual campus retreat last week and had a ball of a time. We went to this place, Nasu, located in Tochigi-prefecture, slightly northwest of Tokyo. It seems that the emperor has a holiday villa there, and right next to the resort hotel that we were staying at! Fancy that!

I noticed a few things when I was there. Most of the signage and signboards are of a dull tone. It seems that there is a law that all signs put up can only be in brown, white, or black… accented by maybe, only red. All the signs are like such, even the road signs. This is because the area is a forest reserve (so to say) that they didn’t want the signage to clash with the natural beauty.

We spent 3 days 2 nights there. Ruth and I shared a room that was meant for 4. We had a Western and Japanese style room. It was really cool. The resort came with the usual public Hot-Spring. We stayed at the same chain of hotel we did last year in Shizuoka-prefecture, LaForet. Yup! We get to travel the Kanto area with the campus every year.

The food was great. We had buffet style this time. The foreign students were more than happy to have food to their palate of taste, and the rest of the students being able to choose what they want and eat as much as they like. I remember the years where only very Japanese food were served in the usual Japanese events and function portion. Well, no doubt as classy it may be, we always end up hungy soon after.

We had talks by the chairperson of the board of directors of the school, Rev. Akae. He shared with us messages in the theme of "Denying Yourself." It was refreshing… but I skipped the meetings on the 2nd day to catch up with my sleep. I stayed up late chatting with Ruth and Yuka the night before and only had 4 hours sleep before getting up to do translaton for Dr. Ito’s testimony he shared in the Morning prayer meeting on the 2nd day. I also got the opportunity to visit an Art Museum and did some art work myself with some students. Dr. Kikuchi treated us to the entrance fee and we could spend our money on making ourself a souvenir. We were like kids once again painting and all doing glass art. I painted an angel.

Though it was just a short stay, I had tonnes of fun. Hehe… I did something nasty too. Anyways, it is my final campus retreat. I enjoyed the time spent with classmates of the same grade, participating with students of the regular Japanese class in a time of games, etc. I also loved the quiet time spent in the sauna, and jacuzzi, sitting in the hotsprings (indoor and outdoor). Man! I think I spent close to 1 and a half hours there. Ahh… how refreshing!

I hope to share with you some pictures if possible, do check them out at the album on my blog (not so soon… but soon.)

Have a great week ahead. As usual, yours truly will be buried in work till the weekend. Be good to yourselves wherever you are and in whatever you do. Hugs and kisses…   XOXOX