Follow up with the previous article "Beginning of 2011", this is an edition about RJC Conference from Feb 17 -19 that will take place in Seattle, Northshore Baptist Church in Bothell, WA.
Considerations......
As you may have be informed that I would be leading a Hikikomori workshop in the coming RJC Conference on Feb 18. In this workshop, I was asked to address the topic of hikikomori so that people could come into assist, as quite a number of Japanese students are located in overseas.
Through these years working on this topic, I see some cases who had developed the symptoms while they were in overseas, or not long after they returned to Japan. In 2009, I had shared about the findings and conclusion from my previous master work in the conference, and with some other missionaries and local churches in Japan. Following that, not only that I began to identify similar trends that occur in the practical field, but with the expansion of my work, I have had opportunities for more fieldworks and experiment interventions through different contacts, where some of these interventions worked and some did not.
As much as I wish to share all these observations with God's workers, and get people to pray about things and seek His wisdom in how to deal with the issue, there are certain limitations, as it takes time and skills to connect scientific findings to practical outreach, and it takes time to travel and exposure in order to spread the idea. At the same time, I do treasure the time that I have in Japan, and hope to reserve more time to the work here and sharpen the edge of research. I am afraid that I may not be able to travel much to in following years. Considering how the participants would get most out of this workshop, I have been thinking and praying these days for a way of conduct that could help the participants to be able to be on their own to start praying/intervention with clear context in mind. This would be meaningful, as the participants are mainly missionaries and Christians, where I believe that their presence in the field would carry lights of Jehovah with them. The outreach to hikikomori would not only be a temporary relief of human efforts, but entering into the eternity rest within God's plan.
Plans for the Hikikomori Workshop, 2011.02.18
What I have decided to do with this workshop would be focusing on these 2 major parts:
Through these years working on this topic, I see some cases who had developed the symptoms while they were in overseas, or not long after they returned to Japan. In 2009, I had shared about the findings and conclusion from my previous master work in the conference, and with some other missionaries and local churches in Japan. Following that, not only that I began to identify similar trends that occur in the practical field, but with the expansion of my work, I have had opportunities for more fieldworks and experiment interventions through different contacts, where some of these interventions worked and some did not.
As much as I wish to share all these observations with God's workers, and get people to pray about things and seek His wisdom in how to deal with the issue, there are certain limitations, as it takes time and skills to connect scientific findings to practical outreach, and it takes time to travel and exposure in order to spread the idea. At the same time, I do treasure the time that I have in Japan, and hope to reserve more time to the work here and sharpen the edge of research. I am afraid that I may not be able to travel much to in following years. Considering how the participants would get most out of this workshop, I have been thinking and praying these days for a way of conduct that could help the participants to be able to be on their own to start praying/intervention with clear context in mind. This would be meaningful, as the participants are mainly missionaries and Christians, where I believe that their presence in the field would carry lights of Jehovah with them. The outreach to hikikomori would not only be a temporary relief of human efforts, but entering into the eternity rest within God's plan.
Plans for the Hikikomori Workshop, 2011.02.18
What I have decided to do with this workshop would be focusing on these 2 major parts:
i.) Use a few case studies to illustrate the phenomenon by exploring the possible mental states, relation to cultural and social structural background, so that the participants would catch a glimpse of the context.
ii.) Then, I will go on in illustrating the current practices in the field, by giving examples of the intervention efforts organized by Christians and non-Christians that experienced by my cases, in terms of their efficacy and sustainability, to spur the participants to challenge and examine the existing interventions in relation with Gospel, what work and what do not work.
There is a major theme in this workshop: LOVE
1 Cor 13:13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love (NASB)
Please Pray......
For this I would love you to pray together with me, for the workshop, and the RJC Conference as a whole (Feb 17-19).
1. Pray that the Lord will prepare the hearts of the people, hikikomori will be set free, and the workers that He calls to this field will rise up and go while continue to seek His heart day and night for Godly intervention.
2. Pray that His words will fill my lips, and it would be His passion and His fire that burns in my chest. Having the RJC conference to begin on Feb 17, is the the most fabulous birthday party that I would have. What more to have such a grand party by meeting many people whom their hearts are for Japan!
3. Please pray that the Lord will give me a gift that I will receive partners that are committed in both partnership and discipleship, whom have the same passion and direction that spur by His will, through this conference!
Please Pray......
For this I would love you to pray together with me, for the workshop, and the RJC Conference as a whole (Feb 17-19).
1. Pray that the Lord will prepare the hearts of the people, hikikomori will be set free, and the workers that He calls to this field will rise up and go while continue to seek His heart day and night for Godly intervention.
2. Pray that His words will fill my lips, and it would be His passion and His fire that burns in my chest. Having the RJC conference to begin on Feb 17, is the the most fabulous birthday party that I would have. What more to have such a grand party by meeting many people whom their hearts are for Japan!
3. Please pray that the Lord will give me a gift that I will receive partners that are committed in both partnership and discipleship, whom have the same passion and direction that spur by His will, through this conference!
Thank you for your prayers! Shalom!
