Cardboard City!!

I know it has been far to long since my last post!  This one will be mostly pictures but I'm working on a more substantial post to go up sometime this weekend. 

Last Saturday we had a children's event at the youth center.  We filled up an entire room full of cardboard and let the kids make whatever they wanted.  It was so much fun and the forts and things that the kids made were so creative!  This event was part of a program called the children's channel.  Six times a year the center runs events for children where they can come and do different events.  Each one has been fun!  It's also a good way to build community because many of the children and leaders come again and again.  This year we've made Udon noodles, played soccer and tag, and made Christmas crafts in addition to last weekends cardboard extravaganza!  Because space is limited in Nagoya, children don't often get a chance to play outside with other kids outside of school.  The purpose of these events is to give them the space to do that.  It's also wonderful because children of all ages come to play together with leaders who are mostly in their late teens and early twenties.
I hope you enjoy the pictures!  It was exactly as chaotic and fun as the pictures make it look!

The night before...

This one was build around the playground slide!

This is the kitchen in a cafe

In case you were wondering, yes, this is a cardboard toilet.

The aftermath

   

"Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother." Mark 3:35

Occasionally I am asked to write articles for various newsletters that the center publishes.  Here is one I wrote last month about how I communicate with the children in the Mitsuba classes that I help with.  Mitsuba is a Christian nursery school that's run through the center.  The children are all 2 or 3 years old.  The children are so cute and I love being able to help out either two or three mornings a week.

3/10/11

One of the things that I was most anxious about when I first came to Japan last August was how I was going to be able to communicate without knowing any Japanese. I didn’t know how I would be able to interact with the children in Mitsuba without being able to talk to them!



It turns out that I didn’t have to be nervous. From the start the children in Mitsuba were incredibly welcoming to me. Even without being able to talk in Japanese, I was able to play with the children and communicate in ways without language. Throughout the fall as I learned more and more Japanese each week, I was able to talk to the children and it was wonderful being able to begin to have conversations with them.


The children understand that I don’t speak Japanese and when I don’t understand what they are saying they have been great at finding creative ways of communicating with me. I’ve had children point to what they are talking about, take my hand and bring me to what they wanted to tell me about or use different Japanese words that they know I understand to get their point across.


Over the past few weeks the Mitsuba teachers and I have given the children a few mini “English lessons” where we learned a song with the numbers 1-7 and introduced them to several animal names in English. I love being able to teach the children English because it introduces them to the English language and it helps them to understand that not only do I not speak Japanese, I speak an entirely different language!


It has been such a great experience to help out with Mitsuba group. The children are such a joy to spend time with in the mornings. Even though we speak two different languages, we’ve been able to communicate well with each other. I’ve enjoyed getting to know the children and I hope that by being a part of their class that they will not be nervous to try to communicate with other foreigners as they grow up- even if they don’t know the language!

"So they set out from the mountain of the LORD and traveled for three days." -Numbers 10:33

Earlier this month Rev. David Copley, the  Mission Personnel Officer for the Episcopal Church, came to Japan.  I met up with him in Tokyo and we spent a whirlwind three days traveling around Japan, visiting placements and meeting different people.  We went sightseeing in Tokyo and met with someone at the Provincial Office for the Nippon Sei Ko Kai.  Then we traveled to Tochigi Prefecture to visit ARI (Asian Rural Institute) and spend the night there.  After ARI we took a train to KEEP (Kiosato Educational Experiment Farm), a dairy farm, hotel and community complex that was founded by American Missionary Paul Rusch just after World War II.  Then we traveled south to Nagoya where David met with my supervisor and got to sit in on an English class that I was helping to teach!  It was a very busy but very fun trip.  I got to meet some incredible people and see some very beautiful places.  I even saw Mt. Fuji!!  Here are some pictures from the trip:


Sakura! Cherry Blossoms




Really Frozen Fish.  They cut them with giant power saws.




"Save Power and Carry On"




Anglican Church in Japan Provincial Offices in Tokyo




Pigs! At ARI!



Fixing the roof after the earthquake.

Earthquake damage



ARI is in a very beautiful part of Japan




Mountains around KEEP




MT. Fuji in the distance!




Music Box from France




At KEEP



Paul Rusch. "Do your Best and It Must Be First Class"

Hong Kong!

I went to Hong Kong!

Bird Market!



Temple of the 10,000 Buddhas




Snoopy World!




Hong Kong from the Peak




Spencer and Me at Cheung Chau Island




There are beautiful flowers in Hong Kong



Spencer's new apartment



Look what I found in Hong Kong! 

 Last weekend I flew to Hong Kong to visit my friend and fellow YASC-er Spencer.  Spencer is doing an amazing job working with Filipino mmigrant workers in Hong Kong.  Specifically she provides legal advice and support to women who are domestic workers and who are encountering difficulties with their previous or current employers.  Here is her blog if you want to check it out! Spencer's Blog

 I was only in Hong Kong for a short while, but during that time we did so much!  We hit all the major Hong Kong sight-seeing spots, went shopping in the markets and ate huge amounts of seafood. Hong Kong is such a cool city and it was so great to see where Spencer lives and works.  I wish I had had more time to explore the city but hopefully one day I'll be able to go back!

Last Week-Part 2



At Ise Jingu Shrine

 It has been a little over one week since the earthquake in Miyagi Prefecture. Things in Nagoya have settled down a little bit now. Since my last blog posting was little more than an assurance of my safety and update on what’s been going on here, I though that’s I’d post about what it’s been like to be in Japan over the past few days and share a few experiences I’ve had during that time.


After the earthquake on March 11th, people in Nagoya were worried and anxious for family, friends and everyone who was affected up north. This anxiety soon manifested itself into worry for a large earthquake that Nagoya is expecting and has been expecting for years now

On the Monday after the earthquake, while helping at the Mitsuba nursery school class, I’m fairly certain that I found two 3 year old boys “playing tsunami” in the sand box. People of all ages in Nagoya are trying to deal with the enormity of what has been happening up north. This is especially true for the children. They all know what is going on and are definitely picking up on the anxiety around them. Also on Monday, my friend and fellow missionary Steven Hart arrived in Nagoya. His placement was too close to the nuclear reactors and he came to Nagoya until he figured out what to do next. It was great to be able to hang out with him this past week and I really appreciated being able to process what was going on with him. His blog is here: Steven's Blog
On Tuesday, there was an earthquake in Nagoya. It was very small but enough to shake people up a bit. I was in a busy restaurant at the time and missed this one as well. The next day, all most people could talk about was the expected earthquake in Nagoya.

On Thursday I went to the Immigration Office to pick up a re-entry visa for my trip to Hong Kong this week. It was extremely busy there and I was told that the line was hours long because of the earthquake and nuclear problems. Some foreigners who can are trying to leave for a while.

On Friday I went to a department store to pick up some things that I needed. There has been a little panic buying here and the store was running low on flashlights, large bottles of water and some canned foods. The Youth Center where I work has updated and re-distributed their earthquake evacuation plan.

Things today seem calmer now. Nagoya is EXACTLY as safe a place to be as the day I first arrived and I keep telling myself that when I feel myself getting anxious. I don’t like to use this comparison, but it’s the closest one I have to put what’s going on in Nagoya in perspective: The atmosphere in Nagoya feels very similar to the atmosphere in Massachusetts after September 11th, 2001. While the events are completely different and not really comparable, the anxiety and fear of the unknown is remarkably similar. While life continues on in Nagoya, everyone is aware that it could have just as easily happened here and that Nagoya will get earthquakes in the future. These thoughts have shaken people up a bit and caused some anxiety.

Many people at home keep asking how they can help Japan in this situation. Right now all I can tell you is to keep Japan in your prayers, especially the relief and rebuilding efforts. Please pray for the children who are having a hard time processing what is going on and please pray that the nuclear problems will soon settle down and not cause any damage or widespread panic. If you want to do something tangible, please consider donating money. Yahoo news has put together a list of organizations that are collecting donations including the Red Cross.  The list is here: Yahoo News Donation List Meanwhile, the Anglican Church in Nagoya has sent a group up north to see how they can best minister to the communities that were most effected. I will keep posting all the current information on my blog in case there is a need for anything more specific.

Also, Steven and I were interviewed by Episcopal New Service. Here is the link: Episcopal News Service Article

Please don’t worry about me in Nagoya! I am safe, happy and healthy. I was anxious for a few days after the earthquake but now as things are calming down here I am much more calm and relaxed. Life has continued on as normal and now things are beginning to feel normal again as the atmosphere is less tense. I thank all my family, friends and communities back home for their prayers and continued support through the last week. Please continue to hold Japan in your prayers. It’s going to be a long road to recovery.


At Ise Jingu Shrine


Peace in Christ,

Christen

"Though the mountains fall, Though the earth should shake, Though the seas should roar with all the heartache"

"Though the mountains fall,
Though the earth should shake,
Though the seas should roar with all the heartache
Though our hearts should pound,
Though our throats be dry,
We will lift Your Name on high"

-"To Every Generation" Bill Batstone

When I woke up on Friday morning, my only concern was making sure I got to work on time.  Like the rest of the world I had no idea that the country that I've called home for the past 7 months would be in the midst of a natural disaster and devastating tragedy. 

Nagoya, the city where I live is safe.  Saturday afternoon the tsunami warning for Nagoya was lifted and there have been no problems with electricity, water or Internet.  Internet was slow on Friday night and cell phone calls haven't always gone through the first try. 

We could feel the earthquake in Nagoya, but believe it or not, I completely missed it.  I was walking to the train station after work and only found out about everything when a friend called to tell me about it.  Of course at that point we had no idea how bad it was. 

Once I got back to my apartment I turned on the news and then spent my evening watching the news and contacting my friends and family back home.

Please keep Japan in your prayers as events continue to unfold.  I went for a walk on Saturday afternoon.  There were far less people out and about than usual and the mood was a very quiet and somber one.  It is clear that everyone is concerned for their family, friends and their country. 

I will continue to post new information when I have it and about what it's been like here the past week as I continue to process everything.

I've been praying with this psalm the last few days.  It's been comforting to me while anxiety levels are high around my community here:

Psalm 62 or Psalm 62:6-14 Page 669, BCP
1 For God alone my soul in silence waits; *
from him comes my salvation.
2He alone is my rock and my salvation, *
my stronghold, so that I shall not be greatly shaken.
3How long will you assail me to crush me,
all of you together, *
as if you were a leaning fence, a toppling wall?
4They seek only to bring me down from my place of honor;
lies are their chief delight.
5They bless with their lips, *
but in their hearts they curse.
6For God alone my soul in silence waits; *
truly, my hope is in him.
7He alone is my rock and my salvation, *
my stronghold, so that I shall not be shaken.
8In God is my safety and my honor; *
God is my strong rock and my refuge.
9Put your trust in him always, O people, *
pour out your hearts before him, for God is our refuge.
10Those of high degree are but a fleeting breath, *
even those of low estate cannot be trusted.
11On the scales they are lighter than a breath, *
all of them together.
12Put no trust in extortion;
in robbery take no empty pride; *
though wealth increase, set not your heart upon it.
13God has spoken once, twice have I heard it, *
that power belongs to God.
14Steadfast love is yours, O Lord, *
for you repay everyone according to his deeds.

Peace,
Christen

"where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry". Luke 4:2

Working with children is one of the most fun parts of my job here.  In the Mitsuba pre-school classes I help with not only are the children adorable, it's so much fun to learn about Japanese culture along with the kids.  Mitsuba is a Christian nursery school but along with teaching the kids songs and stories about God, they also teach them about important Japanese cultural events.  Its great for me because I get to learn about and participate in so many different aspects of Japanese culture that I wouldn't get a chance to experience if I was only working with adults. 

In February for example, we celebrated Setsubun (part of the spring festival) on February 3rd by having our own Mitsuba Mamemaki (bean throwing) ritual!  The premise behind this ritual is to get rid of the devil or bad spirits in your home and life and welcome in luck with the new spring.  Literally, a member of the family (or teacher in your school) dresses up in a devil mask and you throw beans or peanuts at them which drives out the devil and brings you good luck and happiness.  After, you eat one peanut for each year you've been alive.

In Mitsuba we read a story about Mamemaki and then each kid made a devil mask.  At the end of class we took a picture of all the kids in their masks and then there was a surprise visitor!  The devil came in the room and took pictures with the kids and then we all threw peanuts at him.  It was chaotic but a lot of fun!







I love the eyes on these two masks!




The kids did a great job!




Throwing peanuts at the world's cutest devil!



One of the other great things about Mitsuba is that it's a great place to practice my Japanese!  The week I learned how to say "sit down please", "don't do that" and "don't eat yet" in my Japanese class was the most useful one yet!  I've also learned so many animal, vegetable and color names in Japanese as well as a ton of Japanese children's games and songs. 

Everything I say to the kids is in Japanese and I can understand about 40-50% of what they say to me when they ask me a question or when they tell me about something that they are holding.  I get totally lost however when they start babbling to me in 2-year old speak.  I wish I could understand because I'm sure it's adorable!  Some of the kids get the fact that I speak a different language but don't quite know what to do with that.  One little boy doesn't speak to me at all because he doesn't think I can understand.  He likes me though and will play with the trains with me almost every morning.  But he communicates by pointing and taking my hand to drag me places.  Even when I speak to him in Japanese he answers by nodding or using improvised sign language!  Almost all of the kids can understand me when I speak but one little girl yesterday laughed and said "omoshiroi" (interesting) when she couldn't understand what I was saying.  The best though is one of the youngest boys in the group, I think, has a lot of trouble understanding my accent and for a few months no matter what I asked him or said to him he would respond "ni sai" (I'm two)!  It was so cute to ask him if he liked his snack and have him answer "I'm two years old!"