news- reachingtokyo.com

Hana Mi- the arrival of spring is marked by the cherry blossom viewing. Imagine 45 million people rushing to Tokyo parks to see this temporary phenomenon. The falling blossoms and their temporary beauty symbolize the frailty of life and everything else that is beautiful. Usually the viewing is best for only one weekend a year. We live close to one of the best spots in Tokyo to view and it is still a good secret. Click the link below to view the "flash" photo slide show. (you must have flash 6)

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One year- It's been one year since our arrival in Tokyo. Its been a difficult but rewarding year. I don't feel closer to the Lord but I know I am because He promised He would draw me closer, its just different than what I had expected, no hype, just very real. We want to thank all of you for your love, prayer, financial support even if our "ministry" is hard to understand or looks nonexistent at times. If you are still asking yourselves "what are they really doing over there?" We are too at times. In short we have been asked by God to move to Japan and influence the Japanese Creative's for Him and that the details would be explained as necessary. When we know more you will also. Please don't trust us! Trust the Lord ( that word Lord is an old english word- "hlafweard" meaning loaf keeper-). We are asking people to not support us unless it is clear that the Lord has asked you to! Our Ultimate goal is to help facilitate whatever God wants to accomplish here in Tokyo and Japan.

We struggle with one major thing that I want to emphasize, that is the unwritten expectation that all ministers or missionaries may feel. It is not the pressures of this world, although we have to deal with those just as anyone else. It is the pressure to earn one's keep, to show you are worth someone's money and prayers. What is the measuring stick? Ministry is not a job or an occupation and therefore we don't believe it should be treated the same. It is a calling, a prompting by the Lord to be available, set apart and ready to do what he asks even if its unconventional or not what other Christians find to be appropriate. I believe everyone is called to some degree in this way.I do believe an occupation can also be a calling and that it should be. I believe God is "Provider". We do not work for our keep if we are Christians, just like our friends do not work for our friendship. They are entitled to it based on the relationship. Of course we are eternally grateful. We often fall into the trap of doing "ministry" rather than being a minister. We create programs, studies, ministries, fill up our time, etc. In my experience we desire to do something, anything. This is how we measure our progress even though we say His ways are not like ours. We seem to become discouraged if there aren't so many events, or even people we can name and list prayers for. I feel uneasy about listing names of people I talk to everyday and revealing things we have discussed however well meaning I might be. I feel as though I am betraying a trust. So I am not going to do that on this site. Please pray as the Spirit leads for the people we meet everyday and the struggle we have to prove ourselves to the Church or family or whoever. If it would have helped us to not be independent and be an official missionary with any denomination we would have, and still will do this. So far there is no place for us in that system and it would actually hinder what God wants us to do.

This struggle has made me realize that everyone experiences the pressures of expectation of others. In response we want to be people who offer whatever we can to people with no strings attached. This is how we desire to operate. Whether people help us, support us, or join us in our efforts in return or not. We are trying to remain free to follow Him alone. I believe this is Paul's spirit as he did tent making ministry. Financially we are part tent maker part church supported, but 100% Provided for by God.

Kaoruko has found favor at work. I cannot go into too many details but please email her or send her a note from the contact page . She has continued to meet with friends when possible and I see real fellowship happening. It is not a ministry, they are just her friends and I think it should stay that way. She hasn't found much time to write for this site so for now I will do the reporting.

SITE CONTENT:
Please click on the small photos to the left to reveal the info and media.

I am still working through all the experiences, opportunities, thoughts, and feelings. I have been struggled to find an easy way to explain our vision. I realized I have been doing this in bits and pieces in emails to some of you. I tried to tie some of these thoughts together in the "One strong current of thought" section.

The last time I updated the site I was just about to start working as an "actor" (i use this term loosely). I have included a slide show with some pictures and a brief explanation.

We found a small art town in the mountains called Fujino and have included a brief explanation.The name of the website is a little funny.

We also attended the biannual Design Festa event. we have included some media from that event.

There are some prayer requests, lots of pictures and a few movie clips. enjoy.

Design Fest- www.designfesta.com
This is a art festival held twice a year. It features performance art stages, a music stage, a film room, food stands, installations,and booths where artists set up to sell, display or perform their art. The event is international in scope and is held in the Tokyo Big Site. It should be called the Tokyo Huge site because it is. We just wanted to see what was out there. I wasn't going expecting much actually. Usually these things are hyped up. About 2/3rds of the event space is the booths. I saw allot of small objects that the artists created to sell basically. It wasn't really a showcase of their works really. Its necessary to survive. I see allot of potential but I don't think too many serious artists set up at more than one festival. I can imagine bringing in a collaborative group from the States to rent a booth for an installation. There is also a gallery permanently located where people can exhibit and just hang out in. Its located near Harajuku/ Omotosando area.

CLICK PLAY to view 2 creatives from design festa.		Click the photo on right to view flash movie of design festa music scene.
		Click photo on right to view Design Festa slide show

Fujino- This is a city a little over an hour outside Tokyo in the mountains. They are trying to establish an area where the arts can thrive outside the concrete jungle. Some people call it the Tibet of Kanangawa (the actual prefecture or state its in). We live on the Chuo line which goes directly to the town. We visited The Fujino Workshop For Art and saw several children doing different activities like wood crafts, pottery etc. The workshop is open to anyone. There are also Music studios to rent and even lodge style accommodations and tent sites (about $30 for a tent site without the tent). The Town itself only has about 11,000 people. There are lots of hiking trails and along some of the trails they feature sculpture works. I am not sure how we might be connected to this town in the future but it definitely has potential.

The link to the workshop is all in Japanese but you can get a pretty good idea of what its like. If you look at the link name they are not trying to be funny they don't think in English. Fart stands for Fujino Art i believe. www.din.or.jp/~fart

Drama- Mostly I have been doing TV dramas- they are usually historical events or dramas to depict real people's lives. I am the foreign face. It is always comical and I meet the most unusual characters from every nation. It is a rough atmosphere, long hours, and bad "obentos" (Japanese lunch box / fast food), and the pay is really low, but it's easy and I can say yes or no for any job which provides me with the flexibility I need.

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Please pray-
1.) Kaoruko's health- she has had several stress related illnesses.
2.)Kaoruko's Job- God has shown her favor in her job recently and some prayers have been answered (write her for details)
3.)Friends- There are a group of women that kaoruko meets with most are artists. I wouldn't say this is a ministry its just people getting together to encourage one another in their work and life- pray this continues.
4.) Connections- The city can be "cold" at times and its tough to get into people's lives as they scurry around. Pray we would have opportunities to serve artists.
5.)Graphic design - pray for work opportunities. design is a good way for me to stay flexible and available to serve people and still keep us financially safe.
6.) Artists- Japanese society doesn't allow lots of freedom for "individuals" therefore people experience heavy pressure to conform and get a "real job". Pray they would find God in their work and that he would meet them. Pray we would be able to be an encouraging force and be that voice that says "you are not crazy".
7.) "Acting"- If you could call it that. Pray My jobs on tv and commercials would give me opportunity to share Christ with people from all nations, but especially the Japanese production crews.
8.) Nihongo- Japanese- its seems so slow for me to speak. pray for discipline and maybe a japanese guy friend who could help.
9.) Shinya- Shinya is my friend from Kansai. He is looking for a job and feeling really pressured. Pray for him to find a job soon.

Newsletter- July 05

One strong current of thought... In short I wish I had one. What I have gathered here are a few exerts from emails I have sent to some of you. I have tried to coalesce some of those thoughts into something somewhat readable. These are all thoughts relating to why we are here and I guess it is the results or at least the process of God showing us His vision for us.

Discipleship- making sure it happens- making sure people get what they need with no strings attached. Any ministry we have seen that thinks about the arts at all wants to use the arts for church type gatherings- to enhance worship etc. We are kind of thinking in an different stream- Trying to appreciate the Artistic world as it is in the world, and getting into their world, understanding it, using the natural social atmosphere and subculture and watching how God wants to use what is already in place instead of creating a Christian parallel universe. We are trying to see God move in the studio, Art being the artists worship and the arts becoming an influential agent of change for the rest of society. Art has value in itself for communicating God's interaction with man, His character, and His ways, in everyday life circumstances. I see it as a way to tear down the barrier between the sacred and the secular. God can meet us anywhere anytime but we have been taught to treat some events, times, situations as sacred and others as secular. Something is sacred because God is present. Why not invite Him and go with Him into all areas of influence in society (arts, entertainment, education, government etc.)? This is no new idea. It is YWAM philosophy but also Francis Schaeffer (How Then Shall We live?), Chuck Colson (How Now Shall We Live)etc.

Long nights in the studio or the times I have helped people set up for their gallery opening or brought tons of people to help celebrate with them? That is what we are talking about. Tokyo is rough though - its not like art college - people are spread all over the city doing their own things but there is an unwritten understanding and support network. I see that support network or fellowship that the nonbelievers have, actually changing the way the Church operates, instead of the other way around. It's tough for us to get into that network. We just have to keep investing when we see the opportunity.

We have heard it all before, I mean peoples new ideas, training, ministry etc. I have been doing ministry stuff for 15 years. The discipling thing sounds good but as soon as it is a program or has any kind of measuring tool or scheduled regular meetings you've lost me. I have seen real discipleship and it is all very natural looking. "hey why don't we get together for coffee" etc. This generation (20-30 something's) want real friendships with people who are concerned with them as people and not with people who want to get them plugged into a ministry or plan. They want the discipleship to be mutual, a give and take. There is no expectations, no commitments except to right living and taking care of one another. In other words they usually don't want a father or mother, or teacher but a friend. The training people to live Godly comes by example and through natural settings of everyday existence. Still room for leaders though- those people who can see a hiking trip as an opportunity without having to make it awkward with a scheduled Bible study at the top of the mountain etc. Imagine a generation who cares for each other instead of 10% of the church scrambling to care for the 90%. I believe Christ's plan was to mold us all into ministers, spread out in all society, in all the world, to all peoples.

For us there is no stealing sheep, because we have none, people are not ours or theirs. they are free agents. What we want to ensure and facilitate is that people are getting what they need, and do what God has told them to do whether that means to be a teacher, or paint a mural, or do public drama on the street corner. We want our message to be "yes God speaks to you and through you, yes what you are doing is valid and worth doing" (even though most good art does not have a linear "clear Gospel" message).

We feel people can be free to come and go as they please because we are not building an organization nor a ministry really. We are simply investing in people. Whatever helps that happen we are for, whatever doesn't we can say no to and not feel bad.