Rapping up the trip

So, I've totally missed the timing of this post.......

here is my excuse:
I have been super busy since the last three days in Sendai. Very hectic time!!

But finally I have sometime to blog now. Here is quick update of my life.

Tohoku Celebration of Hope was totally blessed by our Great God.
First day, the attendance was very small due to heavy snow and the day being normal day. Frankly speaking, it was kinda disappointing. But, we saw people coming to Christ, which gives great excitement regardless of the number.
Saturday morning was so cool. One of our friend, who is on staff of the crusade graciously invited us to their morning devotion. There, Franklin Graham made very good comment on last night. He said something like, "it can be seen as small, but regardless the heavy snow, hundreds of people came and heard message. Moreover, we witnessed people coming to faith in Christ. And it was already second largest Christian event in Sendai, what more can we expect next two days.".
I know Franklin had been on stage before thousands or ten-thousands of people, yet he thanked and gave glory to God for the night. It was very humbling to me.

Franklin Graham greeting attendees 

I also got to meet Bill Batstone, the legend of CCM!!!

God poured great blessing upon the next two days. We had seen hundreds of people responding to the invitation, lives being changed and smiles on their faces.

Oh, what did I do??
We were assigned to security, which means that we made sure no one without permission gets in regulated area and the guests are safe.
That also meant that we don't get to see the show on stage a lot since we are to be in back stage or ailes. But we had fun doing it and most importantly, it was simply blessing to just be albe to serve.

Kirk Franklin being interviewed

 Gospel presentation by Franklin Graham

 The bus driver of the PR bus came to received Christ!!

Our friend Yumi is interviewing him. 

 this is what we did...

this is what we saw....

Over 13,000 people attended the event and more than 400 people committed their lives to Christ over the weekend. WOW!

We had fantastic experience in Sendai. The team from Virginia did great job serving the people there. They represented Christ in the way only God can take its glory.

What I thought after this weekend event was this,

This is just a starting point. I don't think the number is big enough in a sense. 

We will see more and more come to Christ after this. This is just the igniter, the starting fire or the fuse for the larger fire that is about to come to the place. 

Please pray for Tohoku and Japan.

They are planning to hold crusades in other major cities in Japan including Hiroshima and Tokyo. 

I can't help expecting revival to happen in this nation. 

Would you join me in prayer for Japan?

Battery is being charged

I finally missed the blog update yesterday.........
昨日はついにブログ更新が途絶えてしまいましが・・・

It's already late at night. So I'll let the photos and description do the telling.
もう夜も遅いので、写真に語ってもらおうと思います。

Yesterday was preparation day for Hope of Celebration. We got there early in the morning and helped setting things up. The team worked hard and at the end of the day, most of us were wiped out........
昨日は希望の祭典の準備をしました。朝から夜まで、チームのみんなで会場設営を手伝いました。皆、とてもがんばったので、その日の終りには、ほとんどの人がくたくたでした。

started the work with prayer

getting protection for the floor

protection done.

lights and sounds being installed

chairs are done

stage

done!!!

workers!!!

Today, Friday was the first day of the event. We are assigned to do security. So, it was very fun to be in behind the stage(I meant not in terms of location but our situation) . We didn't get to see what was going on in the arena, but we were just happy to be able to serve there.
今日、金曜日はイベント初日でした。私たちは警備の仕事を与えられました。ステージ裏の仕事はとても楽しかったです（ステージ裏は、場所的な意味ではなく、他との兼ね合いの意味でですが）。ですので、アリーナで起こっていたことを見ることは余りできませんでしたが、仕えることができるだけでも、とても幸せでした。

briefing

show time!!!

behind the stage, outside

cars for VIP

Please keep this crusade in prayer that more people will come next two days.
明日と明後日にも、多くの人が来るようにお祈り下さい。

PS: It snowed so hard today that car's battery actually stopped working for a while and needed to be charged as our spiritual energy was being charged.
追伸：あまりにも、今日の雪がひどかったので、車のバッテリーが動かず、ジャンプを使わないといけないということもありました。もちろん、霊のバッテリーもチャージされてます！

slow but fruitful

I feel today went slowly fast. Yep, I am aware of the contradiction of it  but it's how I feel. We didn't do much but I felt the day went so fast.

今日はあっという間でしたが、ゆっくりと時間が過ぎたような気がします。余り多くをこなすことはなかったのですが、あっという間の一日でした。

First we did laundries in the morning. It was just on right timing we needed. But other than putting clothes in the washing machine and drying machine, we didn't have much to do, so we just hang out at McDonalds and Mosburgers.

It was nice fellowship time. (I did not take any pictures during this time...)

まず初めに、洗濯物をしました。タイミング的にも、必要なときだったのでとても助かりました。ですが、洗濯機と乾燥機に服を入れる他には特にやることがないので、モスやマックでそれぞれ交わりの時を持ち、とても良い時間を過ごせました。

After the laundries, we went to Higashimatsushima to pick up a stuff at Robbs. They are a couple who moved there from Okinawa to minister people there. They weren't there but it was nice to see their house and how the area looked like. It was heavily damaged area. We got to pray for the area and Robbs.　Please keep them in your prayer.

洗濯のあとには、東松島市へと行きました。そこでは、ロブ夫妻から物を受け取りにいったのですが、あいにく彼らは家におらず、ものだけとるという形になってしまいました。しかし、そこの地域と、彼らの家を見れたことはとても良かったです。彼らと東松島市のために祈ることもできました。ロブ夫妻は沖縄から引っ越した宣教師です。どうか彼らのためにもお祈り下さい。

Then we headed to Ishinomaki and did some works that was left to be done from yesterday. While guys were working on building, ladies prepared the meal to serve at Bible study at temporary housing. Guys did really nice job and ladies cooked very delicious bean soup.

そして、石巻に向かい、そこでは昨日に残した仕事をしました。その間に、女性の方々は夜に予定されていたバイブルスタディのための食事を準備してくれました。

仕事の方もとても進み、食事もとても美味しく出来ていました。ホントに、みんなすごいとしか言いようのない感じでした。もちろん、すごいのは神様ですけれどね。

one thing I like this team for is that they are putting up with conbini foods everyday.

If I were them, I could have been stressed!!

So, we went to Bible study at temporary housing. This study has been held for half year so far. I think I remember this is the only temporary housing that has consistant Bible study.

We served food and shared music. Pastor Rick taught the word. It was very special night.

そして、仮設住宅でのバイブルスタディへと行きました。そこでは準備した食事を出し、賛美をし、リックさんがみことばを分かち合ってくれました。

実は、記憶が正しければ、継続的なバイブルスタディがある仮設住宅はここだけだということです。

So it was another blessed day. Please keep this group in your prayer that they will come to know Jesus personally and be His disciples. 

どうかここの方々を祈りに覚えてください。彼らがイエス・キリストを個人的に受け入れ、弟子となることろまでいけるようにお祈り下さい。