Hello everyone!
It’s been roughly four months since I (April) arrived in Japan, so we thought now would be a good time for an update. A lot has happened, but I’ll do my best not to bore you with too many details.
Upon arriving in Japan, I hit the ground running, learning the ropes at the kindergarten, preparing for the coming school semester, and just getting used to a new country and the feeling of being in charge of a class. The first month and a half is honestly a bit of a blur as my two co-teachers and I--all of us painfully inexperienced--were like chickens running around with our heads cut off as we attempted to corral a class of 34 3-4 year-olds with very little direction or instruction to go on Once our bosses realized that our class was a disaster in the making, they sent someone to advise us at the beginning of each day on ways to improve and then eventually put a seasoned teacher in the class so we could learn more directly from her, which was such a relief and a huge praise!
During that time a couple other things happened that we are extremely thankful for. First, Audra and I spent a few days moving to a new apartment, which helped us sleep better and feels more like a home. Second, I was able to change my travel visa to a work visa, which meant that I was an official employee (hurray payday!) and that Audra could cut down on some of her hours with me taking over a few of her afternoon classes.
And as usual, we went to MICF on Sundays and participated in their monthly events. The first MICF event that I experienced was particularly special for me because three amazing people from International CSF at UNK were visiting. Jayne Heimer, the director of ICSF, was a huge part of all of our time at university and was my mentor during my brief internship at ICSF before I came to Japan. Along with two college students and brothers, Lane and Matt, Jayne gave the gospel in Japanese through a skit to the group who had gathered for MICF that Sunday. Since I had been part of ICSF for four years, I had seen that skit numerous times. But hearing Jayne speak with so much sincerity in a language that wasn’t her own and seeing the Japanese people around me, many of whom were not believers, listening to the good news in their heart language was a beautiful experience. My mind immediately went to Romans 10:15 ‘How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!’”
And this brings me to some of the things I was struggling with, and some things that I am still struggling with. Because seeing them live out that verse made me wonder. Was I bringing the gospel to the people around me? That’s what I had the great opportunity to do at Kearney through CSF, and that’s why I had come to Japan, but was I doing enough? My weekdays are spent, from 9:00-6:00, in child-care mode, in a constant English environment with barely enough downtime to get to know my coworkers. The joy and determination that I had in the first month and a half, despite how hectic and difficult it was, started to fade. Work began to feel like a road block to studying and learning Japanese, and my co-teachers and I rarely had a moment when we could talk to each other about something other than work. I still worked hard, but my heart wasn’t in it, and it felt like God wasn’t either.
But, as always, God was faithful. First, He reached out through the messages on Sunday nights at MICF. Then, even more so through Anna who was still in Nagoya at the time. She told us about how she had chosen a Bible verse about being gracious to the people around her and how she wanted to grow as a gracious person. Instead of a verse on grace, however, God put Colossians 3:17, 23 at the front of my mind: "Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father...Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men.”
The next work week I read those verses (and the entire chapter because it’s just too good not to!) over and over and over again. It really is amazing how God works, how He waits for us to give up and reminds us that, yes, we may be weak, but that’s exactly what we need to be. Because being weak makes us dependent on Him who is all powerful and all goodness.
God not only helped me in my struggles at work, but He also brought Anna back to Miyazaki, which has made studying and practicing Japanese easier, more consistent, and less discouraging. He gave me opportunities to form connections with Japanese people. Through different MICF events and Sunday nights, we met a few high school girls (including Lydia Toshimosu whom many of you would know as the Japanese girl who attended Nebraska Christian last year and who has such a big, tender heart for God and for the lost) who seem excited about MICF and who we hope to spend time with through more of these events and outside of MICF as well.
The things I was struggling with haven’t completely dissipated. I still feel frustrated sometimes that my Japanese doesn’t seem to be improving, and I will admit there have been one or two particularly rough weeks where I silently hoped my cold would worsen just enough to warrant a sick day. But, writing this update and looking back over the last few months has made me thankful all over again for our good, good Father and the many ways He has blessed us here in Japan. And one of those blessings is all of you. Knowing that a number of you are across the world lifting us and Japan up in your thoughts and prayers is truly encouraging, and we are so thankful for you who do that!
Praises
- My working visa was processed, and I’m now a legal resident of Japan.
- Audra was able to cut down hours to focus more on studying Japanese.
- Anna is back in Miyazaki!
Prayer Requests
- For Audra’s working visa renewal process
- For Anna’s job searching
- For our Japanese studies
- For connecting even more with the Japanese people around us
- For continuing to fellowship with believers and to spend time with God
As always, for those of you who are part of the Facebook group Things Hoped For, you can find a more detailed list of prayer requests there. Thank you again for all of your thoughts and prayers, and look forward to hearing from Audra in the next update!
In Christ, April Faeh
Things Hoped For