June 10, 2012

Packing for the last bit of my trip home is very difficult. I am really going to miss the people I have met here. There have been so many blessings--I want to cry but I am too happy at the same time I am sad so I cannot cry. I think I am feeling too many emotions at the moment. God is so incredible. 

Church was amazing today-- Eric taught an amazing lesson on 1 Corinthians 10:23-33 about Freedom, and how we as Christians live a life where everything is permissible, but not everything is constructive. It was so great to focus on the motives our relationship with God and the freedoms rather than rules, rules, rules. Ino came back to church today and I just praise God so much for that. I hope he continues to stay plugged into Be One and become a Christian. He wrote me an incredible letter which said, 

"Dear Marisa, 

Thank you very much for coming to Japan and teach English to me. I don't have any English words to tell you my pleaser heart. So I made a photo case (?). Maiby you made many memory in Ishinomaki. The memory in a photo case. Please change photos. I am not a Christian. But if God makes me meet you. I pleaser for your God. Thank you very much. your kindess heart and singing a song. You are very important for me like a foundation! Next time I meet you I send foundation and perfume! Thanks x1,000,000!! I hope you come back to Japan and talk with you. 

Masahire Ino   2012/6/10" 

Not all the English is correct. And the reference to the foundation was from the study of Luke when Jesus tells the story about the wise man and the foolish man. When I asked him if he knew what foundation was, he patted his face for makeup. It was very funny because he was correct in one sense, but then I described to him a house foundation. He is really accepting the Bible. He also referenced the perfume because of the story about the sinful woman washing Jesus' feet with the perfume in the alabaster jar. Please keep him in your prayers. 

So many people have been touched here, and so have I. This place shows so much destruction and heartbreak, yet God is shining His love here, and hope is spreading. Today God gave me several last gifts, but something is weighing heavily on my heart: Tomoko and her family took me to a local town (I do not know the spelling) and she showed me much of the destruction of the tsunami that is still not even close to being rebuilt. Hundreds of houses and buildings were completely washed away-- the few that remained were on their sides, tipped over (pictures to come once they will actually upload). It was very heartbreaking to think about all the lives and homes destroyed. However, as we drove away, a rainbow formed over the town we had visited... It struck me so beautifully. It is my last day in Ishinomaki. I came to a place full of brokenness and heartbreak and destruction-- but as powerful as those things are, God's promise of hope, joy and love shines so much more beautifully, even over the most broken places. God is doing amazing things here and there is so much talk about the good things CHRISTIANS are doing here-- and the price they are paying to come here: their time, resources, money and talents. It is not just a bunch of people coming because of free time-- it is because they are coming here for a calling from their God. And their, our, God is very powerful and loving--bringing people joy, a hope and a future. 

This trip has changed my life in so many ways, and I am so grateful for this opportunity. I cannot wait to share all the stories that are too long to type, or too much for my mind to handle at the time. 

Saying goodbye is extremely difficult for me, as the Hawaiians leave and I need to pack up and leave my readers and all the wonderful people I have met here. I thought that I was coming on a trip to check off Japan from my bucket list, and now it is on to new places. And maybe and hopefully I will travel many places in this world to go and make disciples like Christ calls us to do-- however, Ishinomaki, Japan is not a place I can just check off to never return. There is something very special about this place and something just CRYING out for God here. I definitely feel God is calling me to return someday, and I praise Him for that. But regardless of how long that takes to happen, we as Christians are united in a common bond and a common love for each other. Which I treasure so, so dearly. 

Ephesians 4:3

New International Version (NIV)

3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

June 9, 2012

Sorry for not posting the last few days-- the times I have been available to get online have been overloaded with everyone here trying to use the internet so it has been very difficult trying to actually get it to work. The last few days have been pretty busy: lots of readers, and new readers signing up,the children's English thing we hosted teaching about the 7 days of creation, the luncheon international party we hosted, and a BBQ last night hosted by Yuko Sasaki, one of Amber's readers. Things have been really fun and really crazy. Oh, and I was sick for a couple days-- that was no fun-- but praise God I am feeling much better. Yuko (my reader) also spoiled me yesterday for her goodbye to me: she took me to a very fancy restaurant overlooking Matsushima--it was a seven course meal. One of the most incredible experiences ever. And her other gifts to me are just so amazing-- God blessed me so much on this trip both with the generosity of so many people but also with just learning and experiencing so much I never have before. I am sad to leave the people I have fallen in love with here this Monday. However, I am ready to go back and get done what I need to back in the States. God has huge plans for me there too. It is very good though that Amber and Austin can continue the work here a little longer-- so please pray for my safe travels and for the good work that Amber and Austin are continuing here.



Lamentations 3:19-24 

19 I remember my affliction and my wandering,
    the bitterness and the gall.
20 I well remember them,
    and my soul is downcast within me.
21 Yet this I call to mind
    and therefore I have hope:
22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
    therefore I will wait for him.”

June 6, 2012 

Today was an interesting day. Being overseas is not the easiest thing, as fun and awesome as it is. A new group from Singapore has joined us-- and they are very kind. Turns out they had been missionaries that had taught Michiko, Jonathan's wife, back when she was very young. There have been so many small world moments while on this trip.
Today many of the groups went on prayer walks, so I am excited to see what God does because the prayer of a righteous man is both powerful and effective. 
I had several readers, all a joy to be with of course, but that’s normal… I personally haven’t been feeling well, though that hasn’t stopped God working in me, doing good things. Oh, Amber and I planned our party for tomorrow and started working on next week’s party. Well, nothing super exciting today—just continuing to work hard and to see God’s work here in Ishinomaki. There are countless stories of the lives that are being touched and how the community is being reached. Keep Ishinomaki in your prayers.
Oh, and this evening Beth rescued a kitty she named Olive! In a way, Olive could very well actually be an answer to some of Beth’s prayers.  God is so good and always provides unexpectedly. And Beth just getting back today was a blessing—she was definitely a great dose of humor and wisdom today that I personally really needed. God is so good.


2 Corinthians 4:16-18
New International Version (NIV)

16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

June 5, 2012

Super tired at the moment. Today is back into our rhythm of readers etc. We are starting to fill up our schedule more and more. Some new things include that we got our Japanese flags in today to have all our readers sign. That is pretty fun. And as a group we have really been overcoming some challenges so please keep praying hard for us to grow a lot and be as Christ in every situation.

Not much else to say except I know that I am dying to get some sleep! Sayonara!


1 Thessalonians 5:11

Therefore, encourage each other and strengthen one another as you are doing.

June 4, 2012


Today was our day off this week so we went shopping in Ishinomaki and then down in Aeon Mall. We bought Yukatas (summer kimonos), lots of gifts and even went into a second hand shop that we had a lot of fun in. Today was really fun hanging out with two of the Hawaiians, Kamu and Zach. Definitely played games in an arcade and did the photo booth thing. Haha definitely got some funny looks having 2 boys coming out of the photo booth with me because it is a very girlie thing here haha. Good times.
Well, I’m excited to get back to reading tomorrow! Keep us in your prayers!

1 Timothy 4:12
New International Version (NIV)
12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.

June 3, 2012 

Today was church and there was quite a few people there today because of carious groups here: Hawaii, us, and a group from Sendai and other towns. It was really awesome. And Praise God for this-- My reader Ino came to church!!

After church we then helped Eric and Sue move. We are hanging out waiting for everyone and to leave for dinner and the onsen again!


Luke 4:16-21


New International Version (NIV)
16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
    and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
19     to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”[a]
20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

June 2, 2012 

To all our readers, sorry for not posting in the last couple of days. There are two reasons for this: 1) Internet has not been working 2) We have been super, super busy--which is a good thing! Since the Hawaiians have been here (Wednesday) things have been nuts!  I love it. We have been meeting and working with so many great people.
The last few days Yuko and I have been spending a LOT of time together-- she has taken me out to lunch twice-- once to one of those awesome sushi conveyor belt places. She has also taken me around to the various famous memorials and scenes around Ishinomaki. I have been extremely grateful for her friendship and we have begun to have a lot of conversations about God-- so please keep her in your prayers! She also took me to her Kumon school and I met the cutest little boy named Haru-- he is very good at English for being only 6 years old. We talked about tennis and NBA basketball and he told me his favorite animal is the elephant. He is so sweet! I also met his sister Riku and his mom Tomoko. Tomoko is now signed up to be a reader with me and she came to our Hawaiian BBQ last night. Praise God! Yuko has been an outlet for LST to various areas in the community that may not have otherwise been plugged in with Be One. On the topic of the BBQ-- that went amazing. It took a lot of work to put on, but with 18 people from team Hawaii, plus us, we got it all ready. And it was an incredible success-- so much fun: delicious food, great company, hula, decorations, kids games, free shirts, a welcoming attitude and a testimony added to the awesome environment and brought the joy of the Lord to the neighborhood and community here.

Today we had no readers until the afternoon so Amber and I actually got to help with a project: digging underneath her reader's house to clean out debris from the tsunami. It was nasty and we got down and dirty crawling underneath the house. We were very glad to help! :)

Well things are going great here and God is doing so much. The Hawaiians are definitely great new friends and a huge blessing.

“so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” Hebrews 9:28 NIV