Departure!

Last evening there was many goodbyes, good conversations and packing. After a late night of fellowship, we caught a train early this morning we caught a train to Tokyo and then to the airport.

A beautiful view of Tokyo morning

The Japan team with Josiah Henderson and his brother Zephaniah, at the airport train station in Tokyo

In Tokyo we took a few minutes for one last walk around by a train station, then said our goodbyes to Josiah. Currently we are waiting to board our plane to Washington DC

Its hard to believe that our time in Japan has come to an end! We are thankful for what the LORD has done during our time here - we’re thankful for a great english camp, the fellowship we had with the folks at Little Light church and the many good meals we shared and relationships we were able to build

~Nathan Herr on behalf of the Japan Team

Last full day in Japan!

What a shock! Today was our last day here in Takasaki serving with the church and Japan team!

This morning we had a slow start consisting of packing our suitcases (big sad!) and last activities with our host families. Matthew and I went with my host family for brunch, visiting a grocery store, and the Japanese version of a Dollar Tree. Meanwhile, Caleb and “The Sam’s” walked 30 minutes to Shabu Shabu where they enjoyed all you can eat meat-which was delivered by a robot. (See picture of “happy Sams”). During this time Shari’s host family took her to an animal cafe. This consisted of 15 live owls, bunny rabbits, a hedgehog, turtles, geckos, and snakes. These animals they could hold and pet. Our highly esteemed team leader Nathan joined Josiah for a steaming bowl of savory ramen! 

Sam Vine and Sam Katon at a Shabu Shabu restraunt

After our different starts to the morning, we all met up at the church to pack up and prep for our VBS presentation and worship service at the conference center. 

We had a total of 29 kids show up for the service! Praise the Lord! The pastry chef Kat shared that 90% of the kids there were kiddos that are NOT a part of Little Light Church! Such a great opportunity to share the Gospel! Our worship service together consisted of prayer and worship songs. Then the kids who attended the English camp came up in their different age groups for their English presentations. Caleb’s 4-6 year olds said their bible verse and sang Jesus Loves Me. Matthew’s 7-9 year olds said they’re bible verses. Then Nathan’s 10-12 year olds explained their gospel bracelets, and quoted their 2 Bible verses. Then all three groups of kids came up together and sang their camp song: Rock of Ages. Matthew and I were then able to share our testimonies at the worship service with Totti translating. After our testimonies, Totti shared the message with Josiah translating it into English. We then sang a few more worship songs (in both English and Japanese). After the worship service we had a great time talking with the families and passing out flyers sharing about Little Light Church.

Matthew sharing his testimony with Totti translating

Camp children, Little Light Church camp volunteers and Japan team

After the service we came back and spent time at the coffee house and the community center for the local summer festival. We saw a lot of the families from our English camp there and we were able to eat with them and spend time with them. A lot of the church people were there as well as our host families. There were certain dances we didn’t participate in because it is linked to idol worship. However, we did participate in a rock, paper, scissors tournament; and after three devastating losses, “the Sams” survived against all odds and returned victorious with the spoils of their conquest. You’ll have to ask them in person what their prizes were! Here we said some tearful goodbyes with lots of hugs!

Community Festival

Shari and Nathan with community leaders - these men were crucial in securing the facilities that were used for English camp

After a long day, we went with our sweet missionaries to get ice cream and debrief about the mission trip as a whole. Cannot believe we leave for America so soon! Glory be to God for the whole trip! 

~Abby Smith on behalf of the Japan Team

Day 10 - Last Day of Summer Camp

With a short time remaining, we all tried to squeeze in as many experiences as possible. I was able to spend some more time with my host family.  Rio, wanted to show me and the "two Sams" around Takasaki.  She took us to a bakery where we bought some amazing chocolate swirl bread, rice bread, and cheese bread.  Then, we only ended up with a little time at another shrine.  It, like all shrines, had a very large, old tree that Japanese people will pray to and write wishes and hang in front of the tree.  After spending a short time with the Day family, Ryan drove us back to Little Light church to prepare for VBS.  Sam Katon and I made pretzel rods dipped in white chocolate with sprinkles.

Rio (Shari’s host), Shari, Sam Vine and Sam Katon

Sam Vine and Sam Katon with their hosts, the Day family

The rest of the team arrived back from a shopping trip just in time to finish our prep for our last day of VBS.  VBS was again full of laughter and learning. The kids enjoyed our "movie theatre" skit.  The kids really enjoyed the craft time, this day they colored, cut and glued a page that said,  "Jesus is the light of the world."  For game time, the kids really enjoyed playing tug-of-war. 

Tug-of-war at camp

Camp crafts

It's been so encouraging to see our two churches work together for this English Summer Camp!  We have had an abundance of volunteers to help with the abundance of children.  I've really enjoyed getting to know the believers here as we served along side of them.  Also, we are really praying the relationship with the men who run the community center will open doors for Little Light to use their building more in the future!  Observing the children having so much fun this week, they have seen that the Christian church, and Little Light Church in particular, can have a positive impact on their community.  The common misconception in Japan is the opposite.  

After VBS I had a great opportunity to share the gospel with a lady who has been at the church off and on over the years as I gave her and her sons the gospel bracelets.  I also encouraged her to come to Little Light on a regular basis.  Then, I had a great opportunity to speak to another saved church member who is struggling because her husband is not saved.  This is a common struggle in Japan as many women are being saved, but the Japanese man's heart is very entrenched in Japanese culture.  This is something for us to continually pray for, that God will save and raise up more men who can help serve and lead their families and the church!

After VBS we had our debrief meeting and prayer times as normal.  Pastor Totti shared how thankful he was that we all came to Japan to  share the gospel with these children.  He has been very encouraged and is hopeful that these children will remember this time for the rest of their lives.

Then, the American team went to a church members house where we were served a spicy curry and rice.  It was very yummy and a sweet time to be together as a team.  I know for me, the time has gone too fast.  Although I am incredibly excited to be home, I am very sad to leave.  I also finally got a little time to talk to Noel and encourage her as she bears most of the weight of women's ministry here at Little Light.  Please pray for older women to join her in teaching and encouraging biblical principles for womanhood.

A couple ladies from the church picked me up there to take me to my host family.  I had talked with these two ladies during our time here, but not gotten the opportunity to really talk with them. I really enjoyed hearing their stories of how God has worked in their lives!  

My day always ends with spending time with my host family, playing with their kids, and visiting with Rio and her husband, Hiroaki (although he doesn't say much, he is always listening).  This family has been very kind and generous and I have really enjoyed my time with them.  Please pray for their salvation.

This time in Japan has been such a humbling time as I have seen God's amazing, loving providential care in giving us these "good works to walk in" (Eph 2).  I have seen His good hand in so many ways!  I am also so incredibly proud of everyone on our team. They have done an amazing job faithfully proclaiming the gospel and sharing God's love!  It has been so encouraging to see God work through them as they obediently did whatever was asked of them!  All glory be to God!!!

~Shari Vine on behalf of the Japan team

Day 9 - Third Day of Camp

Today, all the men of the group piled into the back of a mini van with Josiah and Ryan to drive to the 1,300 year old Haruna-jinja Shrine. It was around a 40 minute drive, so on the way we discussed and watched a video about idol worship and how easily that culture can be created and how it can become so important to a culture. We hiked about 30 minutes to the shrine and the path ran by a river and around super old massive trees. It was so beautiful being surrounded by forest and cutting around huge boulders on our way up the mountain. The shrine and statues along the path had incredible craftsmanship and were so visually impressive as well, but many people came there just hoping for good luck or fortune and to be blessed by the "gods". 

Shinto shrine

Woodwork at shine

Pagoda by the shrine

We prayed for Japan and for those coming to the shrine looking for something more as we drove back. We stopped to get Japanese fast food bowls. And, while it was a little slower than American fast food, it could be ordered with a fresh egg along side to crack open and eat raw on your meal of beef and rice. 

Abby and Shari spent the morning with a church member, Tomoka, who lives about an hour from the church near Mt. Myiago. She shared some of her art which included hand painted silk kimonos. 

Shari, Tomoka and Abby

One of Tomoka’s hand painted kimonos

We arrived back at the church all together just an hour before VBS was to start and had to rush to get everything together, but thankfully as it was the third day, we were more prepared to jump in. I taught my group of 4-6 year olds how to play duck duck goose for the first time and they really seemed to enjoy it. The kids had pop-tarts and Pringles for a snack and painted little notebooks with crosses on them as their craft. 

Painting journals for crafts

The message of Jesus's death and resurrection was the focus of the lesson. My group got in front at the close to sing Jesus Loves Me with the motions and did a great job. I have been so impressed with how fast these kids pick up the songs, motions, and even the Bible verses. Many parents had very good feedback for the day again. One of the workers at the community center we are using even said he was so glad to hear children laughing and that our group had brought the community together. 

When everything was done, our group was all pretty exhausted, but a lady from the church wanted to treat us to pizza delivered from Dominos. Pizza is a lot more expensive here than it is in America, so it was a special treat. Many of us got to try potato pizza for the first time and it was surprisingly good. 

Pizza! 

At 7:00 we had the English Cafe and I was sat with two younger students who were looking at universities overseas and wanted to learn English to prepare for that. I was able to share how Christianity changed my life and how important it was to me while they talked about what was most important to them and their personalities. I really enjoyed getting to hear their perspectives and was very encouraged by some of the questions they asked about how I became a Christian. I invited both of them to church Sunday to see our VBS closing ceremony and am hopeful they could attend. 

I really love the English Cafe ministry and was so glad to have the opportunity to share my faith and learn about the culture here as well. It lasted about 2 hours long and I left very encouraged. Tomorrow we will be teaching the last day of VBS before the closing ceremony on Sunday. Pray that the children would be receptive and listen well as we try to share the gospel clearly. That we would have the energy to finish well and that God would be glorified in everything. 

~ Caleb Dingus on behalf of the Japan Team

Day 8 - Second Day of Camp

Our morning started at the local middle school. We introduced ourselves to the girls tennis team and split up into groups to talk about differences between schools in America and schools in Japan. Then we proceeded to play a game called traffic jams which was just another way to help them learn conversational english. We gave the students of both the boys and girls tennis teams Cedarville drawstring bags and lanyards. The kids were shy, but very thankful for us being there and for the gifts we brought them, I saw a kid try to fit his racquet into the draw string bag and then rode his bike home with a huge smile on his face. We also gave the principal a big box of goldfish which he seemed to not really know what to do with and it was very funny watching him walk around with it under his arm. 

The school principal (left) with goldfish and one of the tennis club girls

The team with the girls tennis club

We returned to Little Light Coffee shop where we started preparations for VBS Day 2. Everyone was running around grabbing last minute supplies that they needed to try to practice quickly so they were ready for when we started. However, I had math homework so I sat down, tried to block out the noise, and learned about conic sections. I finished around lunch time when Ryan Day returned with Karaage which was like the best little chicken nuggets you have ever had. 

VBS itself went well. The skit we performed is called The Middle School Play, and the kids seemed to think it was very funny. It required some very intense acting by everyone, but especially Caleb Dingus who played the part of the Plumber. The kids played tag where everyone was "it", they had apples with caramel, made personalized bandanas and most importantly learned more about Jesus Christ.

Camp craft time

Sam Katon, Shari Vine, and I went to dinner with Shari's host family who also showed us around the Aeon Super Mall. We helped stimulate the Japanese economy through our natural tourist curiosity.

I am currently writing this in the back middle seat of a minivan as we drive up into the mountains to visit a shinto shrine, but that's a story for another day! Each day has brought with it amazing experiences and memorable moments, I'm glad we are able to share some of this trip with all of you. I would ask that you continue to pray for the kids that are coming to VBS and the families in general. Most topics that are common and we take for granted like sin, don't make sense to Japanese people, with that and the language difference communicating biblical truths can be difficult so I just pray that the Holy Spirit would work through us and allow the kids to understand and come to Christ. Thank you all! To God be the Glory!

- Sam Vine on behalf of the Japan Team

Day 7 - First Day of Summer Camp/VBS

Hello everyone! We pray everyone is doing well back home. Here’s another quick update: on Wednesday, during our mission trip, we had a great experience as we visited a local Japanese school to engage with the children and aid them in learning a bit of English. The day started with meeting the principle of the school. We had the opportunity to talk to him about the various activities the kids at the school participate in. Next, we got to meet the boys’ tennis team. We introduced ourselves, and discussed with the students the differences between America and Japan. We then played a game with the students which aided their English learning skills. The kids were receptive and very grateful to have us there at the school.

The team with the boys tennis club at a local school

The first day of our English summer camp (VBS) was a success. Everything went well and we were encouraged at the end of the day. We are still learning the best ways to approach the way we teach the kids since there are many cultural differences. We had a fair amount of people volunteer along with the seven of us from Ohio, including our translators, who did a wonderful job translating English into Japanese! Many children expressed their excitement to return the following day, eager to continue learning more about the Gospel.

The team leading music

Craft time

Witnessing their enthusiasm was immensely encouraging to all of us. Please pray for us as we continue to teach these kids the Gospel and that we would have wisdom in everything from VBS prep to the interactions that we have. Pray that despite cultural differences, that the kids would understand and come to a saving faith, and that they would take this good news and spread it to their families, schools, and their communities. Thank you all! To God be the glory!

~ Sam Katon on behalf of the Japan Team

Totti (one of the Pastors of Little Light Church) translating for the children

Days 5 & 6 - Preparation

After a several busy days of travel, sightseeing in Tokyo and a full Sunday at Little Light Church, we had some time to rest on Monday morning. Each of the team members was with their hosts for the morning and so each of us did various things. For myself that was biking around Takasaki with Josiah Henderson and getting to see what the areas outside of Tokyo look like.

A view of Takasaki and the Karasu River

Shari walking with her host family

In the afternoon the team met to prepare the songs that we would lead for the VBS (or camp as they are calling it here). We worked on getting the motions and music right so that we will be ready for the first day of VBS on Wednesday!

Little Light Coffee (front right) and the building where Little Light Church currently meets

On Tuesday we continued to prepare for the VBS and for a music night hosted by the Little Light coffee shop. We praticticed the VBS songs and prepared a other songs for the music night.

Sam Vine and Caleb singing during the music night

CBC team members and musicians from the Little Light church performed at the the music night. There were about 20 people who attended, in addition to the CBC team and those that performed. Because of the number of those that came we had to move the event from the coffee shop to the hall next door where Little Light Church meets.

After the musical performances were finished, Shari shared her testimony in the coffee shop

Shari sharing her testimony - and yes she’s wearing a traditional Japanese dress

Thank you for your prayers, they are greatly appreciated, particularly as we begin VBS today (Wednesday).

~ Nathan Herr on behalf of the Japan Team

Day 4 - Sunday at Little Light Church

What an amazing day from the Lord! So much happened so I will try to be brief! Since we had all split up to our different host families our mornings are probably drastically different.

My host family is Taka and Yuka! Taka went to work very early so most of my morning was spent with Yuka! Lol she is adorable and you all would love her! We did our devos together and you would be amazed! For only being a Christian for a short time-she is pretty diligent and studies just like us! (Prayer, Japanese bible, Japanese app with dictionary for word studies and commentaries!) Her testimony and growth God has done in her is beautiful! Although it was definitely different doing our devotions at the table with her husband’s shrine behind us. (Pictured on wall). Other highlights with Yuko are singing together, talking about family, sharing testimonies, eating ramen, fish, and some slimy, fancy dish, teaching each other Japanese and English words, and tons of laughter.

Household Shinto shrine

After time with our host families, most of the team was able to attend the prayer meeting at church! After some lunch we all we came back together at Little Light Coffee house to assist with their English cafe. We were split into different small groups and were given the prompt “Personalities” with questions to guide our English discussions (see picture). This time was so encouraging as it was very easy to have spiritual conversations and share our testimonies. Be praying for “Leah”! She is “searching” for her religion and is considering being a Buddhist, Muslim, or Christian. We were able to invite her to the church service happening right after and she came!

English Cafe questions

Our time in worship at the church was amazing. Josiah led singing where we would alternate verses singing in English and Japanese. Worshiping our God together in a bilingual service was very humbling and unifying. We are worshiping the same almighty God who understands all languages, knows all thoughts/hearts, is with us both here worshiping in Japan and back with you all at Cornerstone! The sermon was preached by Pastor Ryan on John 15 with Pastor Totti translating to Japanese throughout. I was very encouraged afterwards as the Pastors were protective over their sheep and cautioned them not to participate in the upcoming local festival as it is grounded in idol worship. After this word of caution we split up into small groups for discussion. We talked about sacrificial love and how we are able/can show this towards others. This was a sweet time to reflect on the message, and edify one another, and hear from the members of the Japanese church. Our groups gradually finished and we had a time of fellowship with the Japanese believers and was encouraged hearing many different testimonies. It was amazing seeing everyone God brought to the church that day. We had a group of young American artists who had been touring West Side Story the past 9 months attend, Hawaiian, Korean, an independent missionary, our Ohio team, and visitors like “Leah”. 

Little Light Church worship service

After this precious time of fellowship, the kids were having a nerf wars to celebrate one of the pastors son’s birthday! We brought our luggage upstairs to organize and prep materials for our upcoming vbs. Here we had a rare moment of our Cornerstone team being all together and alone-we definitely have grown closer as a team! Then the guys went to nerf wars while Shari and I continued organizing, counting, and dealing with melted, crushed, and spilled supplies. Thankful for God’s sovereignty in having the VBS at the end of our time here to allow us to problem solve some of these minor things! We then had a time of packing up, resetting the church for the next group that rents it, chasing around cute little Shinji, before we went with our missionaries and some hosts families for a Chinese dinner. Here we talked team logistics and enjoyed a meal seated on the ground with pillows. Continue to pray for the rest of the time God has us in Japan for!

~Abby Smith on behalf of the Cornerstone Bible Church

Fellowship at Little Light Church after the service

Day 3 - Tokyo and Takasaki

Having just half a day left in Tokyo, we tried to fit in as much as we could. With a couple of us barely making it down to the lobby in time to join the group because our alarms did not go off (myself included), we headed out at 7:30 am to the Tsukiji Nippon Fish Port Market. Here we tried different breakfast foods, from an egg omelette on a stick to cooked eel, purchased more souvenirs, and enjoyed walking around to see all that the vendors were selling. Getting to walk through these tight, crowded streets and see all the various food options was a very fun experience!

Abby and others at Tsukiji Outer Market, a open-air seafood and street food market

 After we were finished at the market, we rushed back to the hotel to check out on time. Thankfully, we were able to leave all of our luggage at the hotel, so we didn't have to carry it all around Tokyo as we finished our sightseeing. We then went to visit the Tokyo National Museum. This would be our last stop before leaving for Takasaki.

The large museum had many large, winding rooms that would be easy to get lost in for hours. It was so cool to see a part of Japanese history. There were all kinds of different pottery, writings, weapons, samurai armor, jewelry, clothing, and a couple of interesting palanquins. Getting to see the relics from different time periods really showed how much history there is here!

Waiting for a train at a Tokyo Metro station

After the museum, we headed back to the hotel to pick up our bags and catch the train to Takasaki. Running around Tokyo with all of our large suitcases was a sight to see! But we made it to the train station with all our suitcases intact. With train tickets purchased, we headed to the platform to take the bullet train to Takasaki. After arriving in Takasaki, we were met by a few of our homestay hosts, and most of us went our separate ways to have meals with them and get settled in where we will be staying for the remainder of our time in Japan. I am blessed to be able to stay with one of the co-pastors in the church here (Totti). Getting to know him and his wife just a little bit has been very encouraging so far.

Outside the train station in Takasaki. Matthew and the team in the background with the pastors of Little Light Church (Totti, near right; Josiah, far center ; Ryan Day center)

 I'm looking forward to getting to see the Little Light Coffee Shop here and spending time worshipping together at the church!

~Matthew Somers on behalf of the Japan Team

Day 2 - First full day in Japan

Wow!  What a fantastic first day we had touring Tokyo!  No time was left for napping or resting which was exactly what we needed to get on the Japan time zone.  It has been an incredible first few days, and as for me, I have fallen in love with a people and culture I knew little about.  From the time we stepped foot onto the Japanese airline, I have been blown away with their kindness and respect!

Our day began as we walked to a small cafe for breakfast and enjoyed sandwiches and coffee!  Then we took the subway, following our trusted leader Nathan, to a Buddhist temple/large outdoor market.  There we got to meet up with our beloved missionaries, Josiah, Noel, Shinzo, and meet their new little one, Reina (Queen Esther).  After seeing the beautiful architecture, we tried our best to find the perfect gifts to bring home to our loved ones in less than an hour.

The team at a Senso-Ji, a popular Buddhist Shine

The next site was the Tokyo Skytree and it also blew away any expectations!  350 meters above Tokyo, we could see for miles and miles, house upon house.  I’m sure the picture doesn’t even begin to capture this incredible site.

A view of Tokyo from the Tokyo Skytree, a massive broadcast and lookout tower

From there, we did more walking/subway/trains to the Meiji Jingu which is one of the Shinto (the other major religions in Japan) shrines.  To get there we walked ¾ mile down a wide gravel road bordered by full, towering trees.  This was quite a site!  Amongst the hustle and bustle of megacity Tokyo, we found ourselves surrounded by thick forest and in a traditional Japanese scene.

Meiji Jingu, a Shinto shine

Our last stop was to Shibiyu Scramble Crossing, the world’s busiest pedestrian crossing, with  as many as 3000 people crossing at a time.  Vehicles stop in all directions to allow pedestrians to inundate the entire intersection.  There is also a famous statue of a dog, called Hachiko if you want to read about more.

The team, with Josiah and Noeru Henderson at the SHibuya Scramble Crossing

In all, we were on our feet for 14 hours and walked just under 12 miles, the perfect first day in Japan.

Please pray for us today as we finish up sightseeing in Tokyo by noonish and then take the train to Takasaki where we will meet our host families and settle in.  Some host families speak little English and some are not believers. Some families and some single folks.  Please be praying that we would be a testimony for Christ and blessing to them as they open up their home to us.

Please also be praying for our preparation for VBS…  That God would be glorified, the gospel proclaimed, and the work God is doing in Takasaki expanded!  Thank you all for partnering with us in this incredible opportunity! 

Love you all,  Shari

Day 2 Morning - We've Arrived in Tokyo

The Xenia group on arrival in Tokyo

Unfortunately, Sam was not able to make it onto our plane as his was delayed just long enough to barely miss us. He arrived and left the plane as we started taxiing out of the terminal. We had tried to hold the flight off as long as we could and spent a long time walking between terminals to see if there was anything we could do to get him on our plane. In the end, they switched him to another similar flight and he arrived about 8 hours after we did. Thankfully everyone is here in Tokyo now safely. We are so thankful it worked out without a larger delay. The rest of the time for the Xenia team was spent waiting and flying. The long layover found us all going a little stir crazy and doing a lot of walking in an airport we now know every detail of. When we did finally fly out, we had an 11½ hour flight over the pacific.

We all tried and failed desperately to stay awake for most of the trip as we wanted to get our sleep schedule switched to Tokyo time. We received two meals that were very good and practiced using our chopsticks. When we landed, we went through customs, grabbed our bags, changed some money to yen, and grabbed a train ride to our hotel. Everything went very smoothly and we all got booked into our tiny separate rooms.

Nathan and I got a 4 hour nap and are taking the train back to pick up Sam from the airport. The rest of the team is hopefully getting some well earned rest from the incredibly long time without a bed. Today we plan on sightseeing and exploring Tokyo with Josiah the pastor here. 

~ Caleb Dingus on behalf of the Japan Team

Sam Katon on arrival in Tokyo, with Nathan and Caleb

~ Caleb Dingus on behalf of the Japan Team

Day 1 - Travel Update

The Xenia group at Cleveland Airport

The Xenia group (Abby Smith, Caleb Dingus, Matthew Somers, Nathan Herr, Sam Vine, and Shari Vine) left Cornerstone Bible Church at 6:30 pm. After a 3 hour drive that pastor Bill graciously handled to Cleveland, we spent a very short night in a hotel and woke up at 4:00 in the morning to grab our flight. Pastor Bill dropped the team off with all the bags and snacks we could carry and we boarded our first flight to Los Angeles. The whole crew minus Sam Katon were together on one row of the plane. One side of the row slept the whole way and the other side watched out the window at the mountains, farmland, and desert we flew over. The four hour flight was smooth and uneventful. It felt long, but the far longer 11 hour flight ahead of us put it into perspective. Sam Katon had a more eventful flight and is currently delayed in Denver after leaving from Kansas City. We hope to have him arrive and meet us right before boarding. We are waiting on our 7 hour layover in LA praying for safety, brushing up on our Japanese, doing math homework, planning our day of sightseeing, and continuing work on the VBS material. 

~ Caleb Dingus on behalf of the Japan Team

Does the Tokyo sign mean we’re there? The Xenia group on our way through the LAX airport