My mom and my sis are with me for more than 16 days now. They were
supposed to leave this morning, but because of my own selfishness to
have them with me one more minute, and of my own carelessness in
budgeting the time for check in, they missed the cue.
God must had answered my prayers! It was really sad to send them off
this morning. And now, I have them with me for Christmas!(Poor boy, my
brother would need to stay alone for Christmas...) The next earliest
flight to home is on Dec26. And praise the Lord, we got a special rate
in the peak season!
This morning, as my sis sms me from Macau Airport, informing me that
they had missed the cue, it was very messy. I didn't have friends in
Macau, and I didn't know how to help. At that moment, I found it hard
to be still.
Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely,
who conducts his affairs with justice.
Surely he will never be shaken;
a righteous man will be remembered forever
He will have no fear of bad news;
his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.
His heart is secure, he will have no fear;
in the end he will look in triumph on his foes.
Psalm112:5-8
I prayed, and tried to concentrate to hear His voice and instruction,
for an answer of the situation, and direction on what to do next, but
I was too busy to listen. Contradicting, isn't it? My heart was
secure, but I just could not stand still.
On the way to Macau, I was full with wild thoughts, making all the
possible assumptions, trying to figure out a reason why would this
happen? How could I made such a silly mistake, and cause them into
such troubles? Then, I found myself using all those testimonies that
were once told to figure out a scene, that God had actually permit
this to prevent us from harm. Then, I convinced myself, there must be
someone in the airport that was so lost, and because of the miss, my
mom was preaching to them. Then, I imagine God will send His angel to
give generously to my family. Or maybe the air asia officer felt
sorry that they will change them to the next time without extra
charges! So many thoughts......
There were a serial of challenges and sad moments blending together
with the excitement of Heart4Japan within weeks just recently. My
church is calling me back because they thought it was too harsh for me
to be alone in Hong Kong, the finance needs, the workload of the
course, the unpromising plan to Japan as a public health expert. No
part time job available for about two months now. My landlord had
reduced the rent for me, but because it is difficult to find a nice
flatmate I might need to move to smaller place. In all these decisions
to make, I really need to be very still and listen to Him. "My sheep
recognize my voice." Jesus is my Shepherd! I need to learn to listen
regardless how busy and how noisy the surrounding is.
But then, the ministry was exciting! The pleasant of walking with the
Lord, telling people about Christ, witnessing Christ were amazing! I
am reaching out to some friends, please pray for a several friends of
mine: Bonnie, Nichole, Issa, Silent. Pray that God will work in them.
I found it hard with HM, She must had been hurt badly while she
attended church few years back. She will just shun away from anything
that is related to church. And she had only me as her friend. It is
very hard for me too not to talk about Jesus when I relate situations
to situations.
There are 2 places in Hong Kong now, started to pray for Japan in
group. I'm exploring more. God had given me opportunities to share
with a few churches on my vision about Japan. I believe that God will
raise some of these people to start praying for Japan! A church in
Shenzhen had started to incorporate Japan into their prayer agenda in
their regular prayer meetings. So, it made the numbers to three.
AMAZING! God is good!
I'm taking Hong Kong University and my dissertation in Public Health
as a means to Japan universities is not a secret in my faculty. My
supervisor knows about it, and it frees me from pretending. We have no
confidence on how this could be, but we'll work on it! It's a
challenge! A good one.
There are few things I'm for sure:
1. Even if at the finish of the course, I would not make it to Japan
with my research on Hikikomori or suicide, a well designed and written
dissertation will certainly help the workers on the field to tackle
the question. It would be able to link different experts together to
work towards youth issues. It will also contributes to research.
2. When I started Heart4Japan, it was never about me going to Japan.
It is about getting people to see Japan as a mission field, and get
people have interest in it, to pray, to go.
3. I cannot compare my life here with our field masters in Japan,
there are having much tougher time, much lesser time to sleep than me.
4. God is faithful! Things fall into His plan without us knowing it,
and He is always in control.
5. I had came to Hong Kong by faith, living in His providence even
when my faith was small. These are not only about His mercy on me.
Somehow I sense that this is His will to put me into the subject of
public health. Hong long more I would be able to stay, I have no
clues. If I need to move my tent, I'll move.
6. My Father is moving people for Japan, He is turning hearts of young
and old towards His Kingdom in Japan! "The Church will come in!" This
was His promise.
Merry Christmas! Everybody!
Monday, December 18, 2006
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Praise God Again and Again!
Praise God again and again!
(i) My apartment is alright now. The reason for the flood had been
made clear. The culprits were a shaver and a shoe brush. I have very
clean floor now. Kenneth and his family helped me to clean up the
apartment. And now it is brand new :-) I would need to do some tidy up
tomorrow, things are great! I didn't lost anything. Praise Jesus!
(ii) I finally finished my assignment before time. And I did a great
job in the tutorial discussion this evening, working together with my
dear classmates. Again, I learned that I need to grasp on principles
and have crisp sense of analysing if I wished to make a solid
argument.
(iii) My school fees was able to deferred, but deal to some technical
mistakes, I was automatically deregistered by the school. I was also
asked to bare the cost of surcharge. Though my library card was
expired, but somehow I am still able to access to the school Web to do
my program. God is certainly working, isn't He? I had wrote a letter
to the Overseas Student Administration Department to appeal for
surcharged waived. I wrote about my disappointment in the notifying
system of the school as well as the poor hospitality. I thought I was
being bold. Pray that I don't run ahead God in this :-) But I do have
peace in voicing out my dissatisfaction about the school system. I
hope that they don't take it personally.
(iv) I found many people who had been a blessing to me, and I also
found myself as a blessing to others! :-) I pray that these people
would be drawn to God.
(i) My apartment is alright now. The reason for the flood had been
made clear. The culprits were a shaver and a shoe brush. I have very
clean floor now. Kenneth and his family helped me to clean up the
apartment. And now it is brand new :-) I would need to do some tidy up
tomorrow, things are great! I didn't lost anything. Praise Jesus!
(ii) I finally finished my assignment before time. And I did a great
job in the tutorial discussion this evening, working together with my
dear classmates. Again, I learned that I need to grasp on principles
and have crisp sense of analysing if I wished to make a solid
argument.
(iii) My school fees was able to deferred, but deal to some technical
mistakes, I was automatically deregistered by the school. I was also
asked to bare the cost of surcharge. Though my library card was
expired, but somehow I am still able to access to the school Web to do
my program. God is certainly working, isn't He? I had wrote a letter
to the Overseas Student Administration Department to appeal for
surcharged waived. I wrote about my disappointment in the notifying
system of the school as well as the poor hospitality. I thought I was
being bold. Pray that I don't run ahead God in this :-) But I do have
peace in voicing out my dissatisfaction about the school system. I
hope that they don't take it personally.
(iv) I found many people who had been a blessing to me, and I also
found myself as a blessing to others! :-) I pray that these people
would be drawn to God.
Monday, November 27, 2006
4 Items to thanks God with! Praise Jesus, He's alive!
I want to give thanks to the Lord! For He had been my helper!
1. The University of Hong Kong had stopped my library card (student card) due to unpaid school fees on last Friday.
Reasons: Unknown.
Story: EPF had not released my education funds due to two missing documents. I was surprised as I was informed by the finance department last month. I went to apply for defer payment, and by the help of the Lord, I was able to gain a grace period till end of December.
Excitements:
(i) Without paying, the university accepted me as a student.
(ii) Without paying, I am actually a student, and coming to the end of the semester.
(iii) When my student card was stopped, there was a librarian who helped me to extend it till Monday, so that I could seek help from the Oversea Student Administration (OSA) Department.
I had tried to call the OSA today, but no one attained to me.
2. I was nearly injured today, but God had preserved me!
Reason: The big round mirror in the bus fell on my laps while I was heading to Heart4Japan prayer meeting this afternoon (Monday). There was a big square metal attached to it, 10 inches X 12 inches, the diameter of the mirror was about 12 inches. The driver heard the great noise (I was in the upper deck, first row) that he was so worried, he stopped the bus by the road side and came up to inspect. His action surprised me more than the dropped mirror.
Excitements:
(i) The mirror could had fell on my head.
(ii) The mirror could had fell on the floor, and the broken glass would injured me.
(iii) I was not hurt at all.
(iv) Blessed is the one who is persecuted because of Christ! :-)
I was suffered from some spiritual attack at about 10am in the morning, the Lord had reminded me to kneel down before Him to pray.
3. My flat was flooded at about 10pm, and I had someone to receive me to his home for overnight.
Reason: Unknown.
Story: I contacted Kenneth, my landlord's son. He came and help. Many came and help, but all in vain. The house ended up with more water. Praise God that Jesus is in control. I pray that we would witness a miracle in the morning! I pray that God will preserve my rooms! I pray that God will help me to clean up the whole apartment!
Four sisters are coming to visit me on Friday. They need place to stay.
Excitements:
(i) I was in peace, and I believe that leaves a good testimony. The president of the block told me most people yelled at him.
(ii) I had people to be with me while I tried to clean it up.
(iii) I had Kenneth to take me in to his place so that I can continue to do my assignments.
(iv) I had place to go when the smell is bad.
(v) Kenneth agreed to help me to clean the house.
The first incident was the burnt mark on my bed sheet due to the "flying cigarettes". The Lord had taken care of that. The second was the mysterious leaking in the kitchen, 5 days before Mag and Esther came over to stay. Now, the flood, 4 days before another sisters come.
Good, blessed is the one who is persecuted!
4. My friend sent me a copy of assignment so that I could have some rest.
Reason: I was not able to do my assignment because of the long weekend conference. And because my student card was not active, I cannot access the school web and do my assignments. And now because of the flood, I lost time.
Excitements:
(i) I have caring friends.
(ii) I have loving friends.
(iii) God is certainly watching!
I need to finish my assignment now! I am chairing this evening. I need to come out with presentation files, and structured plans for the tutorial discussions tonight! My life is exciting! I had many good encouragements from the Lord, and if the devil is trying to defeat me by all these, he is nothing but a looser! Your prayers will uphold me! The Lord is my helper, whom should I afraid!
Japan is coming to life!!!
1. The University of Hong Kong had stopped my library card (student card) due to unpaid school fees on last Friday.
Reasons: Unknown.
Story: EPF had not released my education funds due to two missing documents. I was surprised as I was informed by the finance department last month. I went to apply for defer payment, and by the help of the Lord, I was able to gain a grace period till end of December.
Excitements:
(i) Without paying, the university accepted me as a student.
(ii) Without paying, I am actually a student, and coming to the end of the semester.
(iii) When my student card was stopped, there was a librarian who helped me to extend it till Monday, so that I could seek help from the Oversea Student Administration (OSA) Department.
I had tried to call the OSA today, but no one attained to me.
2. I was nearly injured today, but God had preserved me!
Reason: The big round mirror in the bus fell on my laps while I was heading to Heart4Japan prayer meeting this afternoon (Monday). There was a big square metal attached to it, 10 inches X 12 inches, the diameter of the mirror was about 12 inches. The driver heard the great noise (I was in the upper deck, first row) that he was so worried, he stopped the bus by the road side and came up to inspect. His action surprised me more than the dropped mirror.
Excitements:
(i) The mirror could had fell on my head.
(ii) The mirror could had fell on the floor, and the broken glass would injured me.
(iii) I was not hurt at all.
(iv) Blessed is the one who is persecuted because of Christ! :-)
I was suffered from some spiritual attack at about 10am in the morning, the Lord had reminded me to kneel down before Him to pray.
3. My flat was flooded at about 10pm, and I had someone to receive me to his home for overnight.
Reason: Unknown.
Story: I contacted Kenneth, my landlord's son. He came and help. Many came and help, but all in vain. The house ended up with more water. Praise God that Jesus is in control. I pray that we would witness a miracle in the morning! I pray that God will preserve my rooms! I pray that God will help me to clean up the whole apartment!
Four sisters are coming to visit me on Friday. They need place to stay.
Excitements:
(i) I was in peace, and I believe that leaves a good testimony. The president of the block told me most people yelled at him.
(ii) I had people to be with me while I tried to clean it up.
(iii) I had Kenneth to take me in to his place so that I can continue to do my assignments.
(iv) I had place to go when the smell is bad.
(v) Kenneth agreed to help me to clean the house.
The first incident was the burnt mark on my bed sheet due to the "flying cigarettes". The Lord had taken care of that. The second was the mysterious leaking in the kitchen, 5 days before Mag and Esther came over to stay. Now, the flood, 4 days before another sisters come.
Good, blessed is the one who is persecuted!
4. My friend sent me a copy of assignment so that I could have some rest.
Reason: I was not able to do my assignment because of the long weekend conference. And because my student card was not active, I cannot access the school web and do my assignments. And now because of the flood, I lost time.
Excitements:
(i) I have caring friends.
(ii) I have loving friends.
(iii) God is certainly watching!
I need to finish my assignment now! I am chairing this evening. I need to come out with presentation files, and structured plans for the tutorial discussions tonight! My life is exciting! I had many good encouragements from the Lord, and if the devil is trying to defeat me by all these, he is nothing but a looser! Your prayers will uphold me! The Lord is my helper, whom should I afraid!
Japan is coming to life!!!
Friday, November 24, 2006
Another Prayer Group Praying For Japan
Praise Jesus, I found a church that is earnestly praying for Japan in
Hong Kong. Hallelujah! I went to the prayer meeting this evening, it
was amazing!
These people, they are Chinese, they pray for Japan because the church
has a vision for Japan. They love the church, and they love God,
although they don't understand why, no facts, no reason except for
knowing it is the desire of God to see Japan saved. And after praying
for many months, now they have a Japanese pastor, talently gifted,
charismatic and spiritual, joined them 2 months back, and started to
lead the team.
There are people praying for Japan. Japanese and non-Japanese. I found
Mayumi Sensei with her J-Chapel, I found Rev. Joseph Ozawa who has
this hippopotamus ministry,and now I found Kazawa Sensei. And of
course, us! Heart4Japan prayer warriors! In fact, all of us are
Heart4Japan warriors!
God reminded me one thing today, there is no founder for Heart4Japan.
He is the founder! The ministry is not about people, but His heart,
His desire! Any one, who is on the field, who pray for Japan, that is
because a heart for Japan! I pray that God will join all of us
together in short, and we will together see a BREAKTHROUGH in Japan!
The power of PRAYERS brings forth forgiveness, reconciliation, Salvation!
There is a promise for Japanese, we are obligated to help them to get
there when we had crossed Jordan, because we are FAMILY!
I heard some people cried out to God, "Many people are praying for
Japan, so Japan will have Jesus!" Japan will have Jesus! But I hear
the field crying, "we need more workers, we need more warriors!" May
God bless you!
Hong Kong. Hallelujah! I went to the prayer meeting this evening, it
was amazing!
These people, they are Chinese, they pray for Japan because the church
has a vision for Japan. They love the church, and they love God,
although they don't understand why, no facts, no reason except for
knowing it is the desire of God to see Japan saved. And after praying
for many months, now they have a Japanese pastor, talently gifted,
charismatic and spiritual, joined them 2 months back, and started to
lead the team.
There are people praying for Japan. Japanese and non-Japanese. I found
Mayumi Sensei with her J-Chapel, I found Rev. Joseph Ozawa who has
this hippopotamus ministry,and now I found Kazawa Sensei. And of
course, us! Heart4Japan prayer warriors! In fact, all of us are
Heart4Japan warriors!
God reminded me one thing today, there is no founder for Heart4Japan.
He is the founder! The ministry is not about people, but His heart,
His desire! Any one, who is on the field, who pray for Japan, that is
because a heart for Japan! I pray that God will join all of us
together in short, and we will together see a BREAKTHROUGH in Japan!
The power of PRAYERS brings forth forgiveness, reconciliation, Salvation!
There is a promise for Japanese, we are obligated to help them to get
there when we had crossed Jordan, because we are FAMILY!
I heard some people cried out to God, "Many people are praying for
Japan, so Japan will have Jesus!" Japan will have Jesus! But I hear
the field crying, "we need more workers, we need more warriors!" May
God bless you!
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
It must have been your unfailing prayers!
Thanks for your unfailing prayers! I believe it is your constant prayers that uphold me in the time when I nearly fall. Allow me to share with you a couple of prayer request:
I'm Adopted
Praise God! I remember He was telling me that the church is coming in. "The Church is coming in," He said. True enough, I recently heard that the Chinese Church in FGA had agreed to adopt me as their adopted missionary. This is a big move for them! It had not been easy to make that decision, it takes a long commitment in terms to pray for me and to fight alongside with me. And God's grace to me, this is like gaining approval from the leaders and the elders of the church on my move, I'm not alone.
Please Pray For:
1. Pray that the Lord will bless the church and move more people to the mission field. Stir up more hearts and souls that will burn for Christ!
2. Pray that the congregation begin to learn to support their missionaries by organizing praying, giving, welcoming and motivating on their own!
3. Pray that the cell groups will come together and seek God's direction in their lives!
4. Pray that at least 2 home cells will adopt me and Japan as their unreached nation.
Torch
I find that my passions in Christ is lighting up many others, but it is still weak to set up a fire. I wish that I'm a torch! Japan is not alone in this fight. There are many more counties that need Christ, many more lives that needs His intervention. Tibet, Mongol, Nepal, Asia and many more. To God, I don't think the number counts ( Although I had always made used the number of Japanese as the biggest unreached in the world). But, really I don't think it is the number of people that He is looking at. But then, what is it?
5. Pray for me wisdom and courageous to continue to move on to seek God in His presence!
6. Pray that God will raise up more warriors for Heart4Japan, and join us together, so that we will be able to partner and learn from each other.
7. Pray that God will raise someone who is gifted in reading and analyzing materials to help in the interpretation of materials. Someone who is willing to seek God for answers.
Challenge of turning false hopes into HOPE
I see many false hopes that were installed in people, and all these false hopes had sustained their dreams and strength to live on for generations in a land that had not heard of Gospel. It is a battle to turn these hopes into real HOPE. I wish to learn from these workers who are in the field, working on with love and kindness and cares and concerns. I believe it is life that impacts life! It is how we live and how we are as a salt and light that turn people to Christ. But then, is that all?
8. Pray for me chances to learn from people, and chances to be on the battle field, to have a taste on what it is.
9. Pray for me strength in discipleship.
Holy Spirit
Some people said that we need Holy Spirit, and in some hard ground, there are great evil forces, and the move of the Holy Spirit had been bound.
I felt a struggle of spirits in Japan, and there was the place that I was convinced that I had to start with prayers, strong prayers and intercessions! Prayer was lacking in Japan. I have no problems with that. But my question is, "Can the evil spirit bound the Holy Spirit?" I don't think that is biblical right!
10. Pray that I will only listen to God and only to Him alone. Not my voice, not others. John10
Fine-tune our hearts
I felt that the reason that God wants us to pray for His work in Japan, it was because He wanted us to be serious in His Kingdom. There was no meaning when we sent a troop to a land just because we needed to fulfill the quota, or we knew that was the right thing to do. The hearts and attitudes were the ones that needed to be fixed before His Kingdom could come! What I felt deeply was that, we, the people of God had not moved together with the Spirit of God, and that's why we were struggling! Unknowingly, we were in the ways of God's plan! And God knew that!
He had put us there. He had called His people to Japan, whether we served willingly or in hesitate. And He so loved us, that He was shaping us to be in-tune with him and witness His wonders and saving grace in Japan! But first, we must be in-tune with Him!
What would make us in tune? That is something that we are seeking.
Addition: Dr. Joseph Ozawa had came out with a good material for Children in Japanese. Please pray for the Hippopotamus ministry and that God will maximize the influence and effectiveness of the materials.
I'm Adopted
Praise God! I remember He was telling me that the church is coming in. "The Church is coming in," He said. True enough, I recently heard that the Chinese Church in FGA had agreed to adopt me as their adopted missionary. This is a big move for them! It had not been easy to make that decision, it takes a long commitment in terms to pray for me and to fight alongside with me. And God's grace to me, this is like gaining approval from the leaders and the elders of the church on my move, I'm not alone.
Please Pray For:
1. Pray that the Lord will bless the church and move more people to the mission field. Stir up more hearts and souls that will burn for Christ!
2. Pray that the congregation begin to learn to support their missionaries by organizing praying, giving, welcoming and motivating on their own!
3. Pray that the cell groups will come together and seek God's direction in their lives!
4. Pray that at least 2 home cells will adopt me and Japan as their unreached nation.
Torch
I find that my passions in Christ is lighting up many others, but it is still weak to set up a fire. I wish that I'm a torch! Japan is not alone in this fight. There are many more counties that need Christ, many more lives that needs His intervention. Tibet, Mongol, Nepal, Asia and many more. To God, I don't think the number counts ( Although I had always made used the number of Japanese as the biggest unreached in the world). But, really I don't think it is the number of people that He is looking at. But then, what is it?
5. Pray for me wisdom and courageous to continue to move on to seek God in His presence!
6. Pray that God will raise up more warriors for Heart4Japan, and join us together, so that we will be able to partner and learn from each other.
7. Pray that God will raise someone who is gifted in reading and analyzing materials to help in the interpretation of materials. Someone who is willing to seek God for answers.
Challenge of turning false hopes into HOPE
I see many false hopes that were installed in people, and all these false hopes had sustained their dreams and strength to live on for generations in a land that had not heard of Gospel. It is a battle to turn these hopes into real HOPE. I wish to learn from these workers who are in the field, working on with love and kindness and cares and concerns. I believe it is life that impacts life! It is how we live and how we are as a salt and light that turn people to Christ. But then, is that all?
8. Pray for me chances to learn from people, and chances to be on the battle field, to have a taste on what it is.
9. Pray for me strength in discipleship.
Holy Spirit
Some people said that we need Holy Spirit, and in some hard ground, there are great evil forces, and the move of the Holy Spirit had been bound.
I felt a struggle of spirits in Japan, and there was the place that I was convinced that I had to start with prayers, strong prayers and intercessions! Prayer was lacking in Japan. I have no problems with that. But my question is, "Can the evil spirit bound the Holy Spirit?" I don't think that is biblical right!
10. Pray that I will only listen to God and only to Him alone. Not my voice, not others. John10
Fine-tune our hearts
I felt that the reason that God wants us to pray for His work in Japan, it was because He wanted us to be serious in His Kingdom. There was no meaning when we sent a troop to a land just because we needed to fulfill the quota, or we knew that was the right thing to do. The hearts and attitudes were the ones that needed to be fixed before His Kingdom could come! What I felt deeply was that, we, the people of God had not moved together with the Spirit of God, and that's why we were struggling! Unknowingly, we were in the ways of God's plan! And God knew that!
He had put us there. He had called His people to Japan, whether we served willingly or in hesitate. And He so loved us, that He was shaping us to be in-tune with him and witness His wonders and saving grace in Japan! But first, we must be in-tune with Him!
What would make us in tune? That is something that we are seeking.
Addition: Dr. Joseph Ozawa had came out with a good material for Children in Japanese. Please pray for the Hippopotamus ministry and that God will maximize the influence and effectiveness of the materials.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
So many...... So huge a field!
Somehow, I'm amazed. Do you know how many out there need God in their lives? How many need an intervention by the Holy Spirit and His holy hand?
Does a huge number counts?
What is God crying out to us?
How much had we seen? How much had we heard? The blind, the deaf, the mental illness. Mongol, Tibet, Afghan, India, China, Japan, Nepal, Europe, Africa, America, the mountains, the valleys, the rivers, how many more had not heard of Gospel? A friend told me, he would never think of Europe when he thinks about missions. He said, they have plenty of opportunities to hear Christ, when others have none. Yes, Indonesia, Brunei, Asia, Russia, North Korea, many more!
In all these cries, I know only one thing. The field needs workers, the harvest needs workers! So many...... so huge a field! Are we catching hold of His word?
Does a huge number counts?
What is God crying out to us?
How much had we seen? How much had we heard? The blind, the deaf, the mental illness. Mongol, Tibet, Afghan, India, China, Japan, Nepal, Europe, Africa, America, the mountains, the valleys, the rivers, how many more had not heard of Gospel? A friend told me, he would never think of Europe when he thinks about missions. He said, they have plenty of opportunities to hear Christ, when others have none. Yes, Indonesia, Brunei, Asia, Russia, North Korea, many more!
In all these cries, I know only one thing. The field needs workers, the harvest needs workers! So many...... so huge a field! Are we catching hold of His word?
Friday, November 17, 2006
Do not mislead
In communication of Gospel, we are not to construct our own understanding about Jesus Christ. Once we do that, the message lost its power and the Kingdom suffer souls lost.
In communication of work, we are not to mislead people with misinterpretation of facts and data. It cost dignity, justice, trust and worthiness when we are caught in misleading people by distorted facts or lies.
When blind leads blind, both falls into the pit. Matthew 15:14
Rebel begins with distrust.
In communication of work, we are not to mislead people with misinterpretation of facts and data. It cost dignity, justice, trust and worthiness when we are caught in misleading people by distorted facts or lies.
When blind leads blind, both falls into the pit. Matthew 15:14
Rebel begins with distrust.
My tears are drying, Lord.
My heart is burnt with desires!
There are so many things to do,
Yet I do not know where to begin.
I cry out my soul to you, Lord.
I need your very guidance,
To walk carefully in your way,
Not to slumber nor sleep,
Before your Kingdom come.
I made your dreams my dreams,
Your desires as my desires.
How I wish I can pursue your will
Full heartedly.
I'm ashame with what I'm lack of,
But I know I'll be make perfect in you!
The Rock, my Salvation, my Refuge,
Jesus Christ!
You are my all and all!
My heart is burnt with desires!
There are so many things to do,
Yet I do not know where to begin.
I cry out my soul to you, Lord.
I need your very guidance,
To walk carefully in your way,
Not to slumber nor sleep,
Before your Kingdom come.
I made your dreams my dreams,
Your desires as my desires.
How I wish I can pursue your will
Full heartedly.
I'm ashame with what I'm lack of,
But I know I'll be make perfect in you!
The Rock, my Salvation, my Refuge,
Jesus Christ!
You are my all and all!
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
It is God who armed me with strength and makes my way perfect
The more busy I am, the more I should cling on to the Lord, and be still before Him. Trusting him will make my way. For it is His way, and I merely a walking vessel. A vessel has no direction of its own. But the master that control the vessel yes. It is the direction that the master set, where a vessel is heading to.
I found myself hardly have time for anything except for the studies in the course. I found it hard for even spending 2 hours in transport. Then, unsatisfy, I asked myself. What I am here for? Course work? Of course. But then, how about bible study? how about fellowship? how about discipling? how about Heart4Japan?
I began to see my limitation in organizing my time. Finally I decided to set everything aside. I began to make time for bible study and discipleship with my prayer group, regardless I had finished my text reading, or my assignment. And of course, I found that I gained but not loose! Again, it proved that the more time that I spend in ministry, in praying with others, the more time I gain.
The point that I want to make is that, I was able to have a clearer understanding about my study and I have more time to spend because it was used efficiently.
May this bless you too!
God is soverign God!
I found myself hardly have time for anything except for the studies in the course. I found it hard for even spending 2 hours in transport. Then, unsatisfy, I asked myself. What I am here for? Course work? Of course. But then, how about bible study? how about fellowship? how about discipling? how about Heart4Japan?
I began to see my limitation in organizing my time. Finally I decided to set everything aside. I began to make time for bible study and discipleship with my prayer group, regardless I had finished my text reading, or my assignment. And of course, I found that I gained but not loose! Again, it proved that the more time that I spend in ministry, in praying with others, the more time I gain.
The point that I want to make is that, I was able to have a clearer understanding about my study and I have more time to spend because it was used efficiently.
May this bless you too!
God is soverign God!
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
无题
天星码头被拆毁了，很多人带着一股依恋到码头绑上一条一条的蓝丝带。新的码头取代了历史，但是却提供了更多的商业契机。
而我，倒不在乎是新旧码头，只要我能够依旧乘渡轮穿梭于繁忙的都市之中，我就已经觉得很写意了。当然，这跟我只属于这个地方的过客有关。没有历史的牵连，幸福变成了很简单。但对那些去系上蓝丝带的市民，我猜被拆毁的该是他们的回忆吧？
在吉隆坡的上空，我们时而会看见盘旋的鹰。在香港城市的上空，常常有“哇！哇！”的一声响，划破长空。它们也不是成群结队的飞，有点像鹰，有时候孤单，有时候两三个凑合着在空中戏耍。
然后，又时候从码头向城市走去，你会看见在一些建筑物的平顶上，有着螺旋桨向上转、上升，再往对岸飞去。好像在戏里头，有很重要的人物有着很重要的事要办，持着很重要的文件，在思绪里弥漫着一股很神秘的气息。
近年来香港的空气污染指数在国际污染地位排行榜上渐渐有名。基本上，从九龙眺望维多利亚港已经逐渐迈向雾里看花的地步。很多时候，望向东涌的方向，你会看见一朵黑色又或者深褐色的云朵在它的上空停留着，很独特。但是游客的热情依然不减，携老带少地在港湾留恋、拍照。每天晚上的“幻彩咏香江”这个节目依然在进行。维多利亚港不愧是世界上著名的旅游点。纵然可见度朦胧一片，依然不减魅力。大家不禁因为具体生活素质的提高而沉醉在自己所编织的幻象里，你可以说他们缺乏危机感，也可以说他们为经济鹏飞说付出的代价执迷不悟。
但，我不过是一个过客。我只对色彩和独特的建筑设计有兴趣。最主要的是漫步在港湾，让我暂时远离嚣张的城市的味道。仅此而已。于是我腾出了时间，可以学习看人世间的浮华和不真实。
而我，倒不在乎是新旧码头，只要我能够依旧乘渡轮穿梭于繁忙的都市之中，我就已经觉得很写意了。当然，这跟我只属于这个地方的过客有关。没有历史的牵连，幸福变成了很简单。但对那些去系上蓝丝带的市民，我猜被拆毁的该是他们的回忆吧？
在吉隆坡的上空，我们时而会看见盘旋的鹰。在香港城市的上空，常常有“哇！哇！”的一声响，划破长空。它们也不是成群结队的飞，有点像鹰，有时候孤单，有时候两三个凑合着在空中戏耍。
然后，又时候从码头向城市走去，你会看见在一些建筑物的平顶上，有着螺旋桨向上转、上升，再往对岸飞去。好像在戏里头，有很重要的人物有着很重要的事要办，持着很重要的文件，在思绪里弥漫着一股很神秘的气息。
近年来香港的空气污染指数在国际污染地位排行榜上渐渐有名。基本上，从九龙眺望维多利亚港已经逐渐迈向雾里看花的地步。很多时候，望向东涌的方向，你会看见一朵黑色又或者深褐色的云朵在它的上空停留着，很独特。但是游客的热情依然不减，携老带少地在港湾留恋、拍照。每天晚上的“幻彩咏香江”这个节目依然在进行。维多利亚港不愧是世界上著名的旅游点。纵然可见度朦胧一片，依然不减魅力。大家不禁因为具体生活素质的提高而沉醉在自己所编织的幻象里，你可以说他们缺乏危机感，也可以说他们为经济鹏飞说付出的代价执迷不悟。
但，我不过是一个过客。我只对色彩和独特的建筑设计有兴趣。最主要的是漫步在港湾，让我暂时远离嚣张的城市的味道。仅此而已。于是我腾出了时间，可以学习看人世间的浮华和不真实。
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Perceptions affects our behavior and most often results in wrong judgments
Learning about my naiveness, I found that I had wronged my late-aunty many times with poor judgment based on my perceived "sound knowledge" about her condition in health and mental being. The "sound knowledge" is base on personal experience, the professionalism in certain area. And so often, I was misled by biases, and perceptions. We need to learn that there is no absolute truth except Jesus Christ. The verse in James 4 turns into a stronger light, and God is leading me to enter another dimention to show me my inequity. I thank God for my aunty's salvation, and I believe that she is now healthy and loved in heaven. The sorrows turned into joy, the bitterness of being wrong (In fact, she had never shown bitterness towards my wrong perceptions towards her). It was love that supported her all the while to love me. And I based on my own perception, took her love in my own view without giving full consideration towards her.
It seems justifiable because "we need to think of ourselves". There is always a benchmark of "You had tried your best!", "You done enough!" My late-aunty and I had good relationship, we loved each other and that could be witnessed. Yet, I cannot tell lies. I had certainly wronged her in many ways, many times. With my perceived observation. And these perceived observation and judgment sounded so "valid". The validity could never be 100%, now I learn that even you are quite 99% sure about a hypothesis, you will still have 1% of chance of being wrong. In statistic, the higher the confidence level, the less precise you are!
Doctor could always be wrong in their diagnosis, and healing is often in God's hand even you go through extensive treatments! And life or death, troubles or confidence would not be always be equal to our beliefs nor our faith in God. We should know this by our hearts now, but yet in ministry we always overlook. It is like when we are in deliverance service, a person who is full of tears, we tend to take him or her as confessing or being acknowledge of evil past. Not likely, that could be tears of joy. When someone hold his or her fist tight, it could be a spiritual warfare, it could also be a dedication to strive for the Lord!
I think that is why God wants me to study public health before I enter Japan. He is giving me a new light in the scripture, and challenging me to learn that I had not gave all that I had eventhough I thought so.
Our behavior is a reflection of what we perceive. It is perspective that induce judgment. We can make many repeated mistakes, when we face problems on the field. I.e. Japan. We made judgment before we knew it, beware! Our perspective and biases could be so "biblical" in our eyes. My heart! Rejoice in God, keep Trust! Be guided and guarded by the Holy Spirit!
Lord, help me! I don't want to make such mistakes, because I feel the pain in wronging others, and apologies could be too hard in times. Help me to see through you, and speak through you. For my tongue is uncontrolled, and it speaks evil without me being able to catch it. Ignorance would be the major cause of this. Lord, give me the wisdom and love to love you and to obey you in truth and joy and peace!
It seems justifiable because "we need to think of ourselves". There is always a benchmark of "You had tried your best!", "You done enough!" My late-aunty and I had good relationship, we loved each other and that could be witnessed. Yet, I cannot tell lies. I had certainly wronged her in many ways, many times. With my perceived observation. And these perceived observation and judgment sounded so "valid". The validity could never be 100%, now I learn that even you are quite 99% sure about a hypothesis, you will still have 1% of chance of being wrong. In statistic, the higher the confidence level, the less precise you are!
Doctor could always be wrong in their diagnosis, and healing is often in God's hand even you go through extensive treatments! And life or death, troubles or confidence would not be always be equal to our beliefs nor our faith in God. We should know this by our hearts now, but yet in ministry we always overlook. It is like when we are in deliverance service, a person who is full of tears, we tend to take him or her as confessing or being acknowledge of evil past. Not likely, that could be tears of joy. When someone hold his or her fist tight, it could be a spiritual warfare, it could also be a dedication to strive for the Lord!
I think that is why God wants me to study public health before I enter Japan. He is giving me a new light in the scripture, and challenging me to learn that I had not gave all that I had eventhough I thought so.
Our behavior is a reflection of what we perceive. It is perspective that induce judgment. We can make many repeated mistakes, when we face problems on the field. I.e. Japan. We made judgment before we knew it, beware! Our perspective and biases could be so "biblical" in our eyes. My heart! Rejoice in God, keep Trust! Be guided and guarded by the Holy Spirit!
Lord, help me! I don't want to make such mistakes, because I feel the pain in wronging others, and apologies could be too hard in times. Help me to see through you, and speak through you. For my tongue is uncontrolled, and it speaks evil without me being able to catch it. Ignorance would be the major cause of this. Lord, give me the wisdom and love to love you and to obey you in truth and joy and peace!
Friday, November 10, 2006
Reality of Christ? or the presentation of Christ?
I disagree with Douglos in her opinion of risk in many areas, but I love some of her phrases that she used to depict Risk.
'The reality of danger is not at issue. The dangers are not only too horribly real, in both cases, modern and pre-modern. This argument is not about the reality of dangers, but about how they are politicized. This point cannot be emphasized too much '(1992:29)
I think people on the field could recognize this: it is not about how real is Jesus that the Japanese non-believers are concern about when making a decision to accept Christ. It is often not the reality of Jesus Christ, but about how He was presented and perceived in the social structure. And I see many workers struggle not to emphasize the point too much.
'The reality of danger is not at issue. The dangers are not only too horribly real, in both cases, modern and pre-modern. This argument is not about the reality of dangers, but about how they are politicized. This point cannot be emphasized too much '(1992:29)
I think people on the field could recognize this: it is not about how real is Jesus that the Japanese non-believers are concern about when making a decision to accept Christ. It is often not the reality of Jesus Christ, but about how He was presented and perceived in the social structure. And I see many workers struggle not to emphasize the point too much.
Other concerns that brought to bear in the ways of Salvation
I read this phrase in the book of RISK by Deborah. "The difference that is commonly observed between 'expert' and 'lay' judgments of risk is founded not in the fact that people cannot think in terms of probabilities, as some psychometric risk analysts have contended but rather that other concerns are brought to bear in the ways they judge risk. "
Would it be correct if I import the phrase to our term, "The difference that is commonly observed between Christian and non-Christians judgment of JUDGMENT (heaven and earth) is founded not in the fact that people cannot think in terms of probabilities, but rather that other concerns are brought to bear in the ways they judge heaven and earth."
You are welcome of feedback!
Rewrite the phrase again, it will be: "The difference that is commonly observed between Christian and non-Christians judgment of Salvation is founded not in the fact that people cannot think in terms of probabilities, but rather that other concerns are brought to bear in the ways they judge Salvation."
If this statement carries weight, then what are the other concerns are brought to bear in the ways? It might be useful in knowing them.
These concerns are essentially cultural rather than individual: 'individuals do not try to make independent choices, especially about big political issues. When faced with estimating probability and credibility, they come already primed with culturally learned assumptions and weightings' (Douglas1992:58)
Would it be correct if I import the phrase to our term, "The difference that is commonly observed between Christian and non-Christians judgment of JUDGMENT (heaven and earth) is founded not in the fact that people cannot think in terms of probabilities, but rather that other concerns are brought to bear in the ways they judge heaven and earth."
You are welcome of feedback!
Rewrite the phrase again, it will be: "The difference that is commonly observed between Christian and non-Christians judgment of Salvation is founded not in the fact that people cannot think in terms of probabilities, but rather that other concerns are brought to bear in the ways they judge Salvation."
If this statement carries weight, then what are the other concerns are brought to bear in the ways? It might be useful in knowing them.
These concerns are essentially cultural rather than individual: 'individuals do not try to make independent choices, especially about big political issues. When faced with estimating probability and credibility, they come already primed with culturally learned assumptions and weightings' (Douglas1992:58)
Do not be anxious
Be not anxious, my heart says.
"Fight for a good fight. And trust that God is with you!" that's the voice.
Trust! Do whatever is necessary, and leave the result to Him. Do not be anxious if the rock had not moved, if He had asked you to push the rock. We could be sure what He had asked us to do, but we ain't sure about the whole plan. He might had asked me to push the rock to train my muscles for a tough fight. The door that He had opened, no one can close. The door that He had closed, no one can open.
Trust!
"Fight for a good fight. And trust that God is with you!" that's the voice.
Trust! Do whatever is necessary, and leave the result to Him. Do not be anxious if the rock had not moved, if He had asked you to push the rock. We could be sure what He had asked us to do, but we ain't sure about the whole plan. He might had asked me to push the rock to train my muscles for a tough fight. The door that He had opened, no one can close. The door that He had closed, no one can open.
Trust!
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Sharing My Thoughts......
It is great to have God to install in Louis for the main points of prayers of Heart4Japan. Again, He reinforced to me that it is not me, but it is His vision to build up an army for Japan. If I get nothing out of this trip, and if I even didn't make it to the professional level that I hope to gain, having to see a life that is drawn out to
light up another would be as good!
I might not be the fire as great as I thought, but at least a candle. If I persist in the things that He called me to do, I shall be content when I give my best strength for it! That's the lesson I learned in last two weeks.
I constantly feel inferior to the subject of Principles in Public Health, because I suddenly realised there are many things that are happening around us and I was totally "unaware", or "ignored", and giving reasons that I'm pursuing "spiritual things" to be excused from it.
The question is: How could I be able to aim on the right target when I'm not even alert at the manifestation of evil deeds and disguised angels of light around me, in my neighborhood, in the nation that I'm praying for, what spiritual things that I'm talking about? To make it plain, I am such NAIVE.
And God is teaching me something today, and I finally found a good scenario to describe what I am to do. Have you read the story of Wizard of Oz? I feel like I am the scarecrow walking the journey to find my brain. People might perceive I have a brain, but I have really straws in my head.
For God had not called us out of the world, but in the world, and to make disciples, to be His light, to be His salt, to live His standard, so people will know that God is alive, and what a true God we serve, an unbeatable truth! It's scary to listen how we human had trade off our environment for our own greed, and isn't it as true as how we human had trade off our souls to the evil for temporal "goodness"? What significant to us the workers, many people trade off eternity for meaningless earthly treasures, and they knew it well. Isaiah 6:9; 48:8.
Do we think fighting tobacco or air pollution is worthless, when we have no control of the issues? Think about obesity and the chips and chocolates and sweets that we enjoy. No one knows the danger or the hidden messages behind all these. What do you think people think about us, these silly people telling people about God, about Jesus when people are tired of it, and why bother about idolatry, why bother
about principles when the king of the world is in control? Foolish, maybe. But I rather be a fool for God. And these fools are going to teach me how they fight in the task that God had put them there.
Foolish, to most people, for fighting tobacco, it's a personal choice.
Foolish, is to tell people stop eating chips, watch out of your weight, no ice-creams, no can food, we don't know what we are eating.
Foolish, is to talk about pollutions when the easiest resolution is to dispose the toxic waste to the nature. The nature can take it.
Are these harmless? Of course we are not aware for the effect was not immediate! How do we fight a good fight when we tell the people that we try to reach out to what they had been doing was wrong? And the true God is only Jesus? There is no immediate effect, no one knows it, shut up! Who do you think you are to tell me the truth?
Foolish, hur? God, help me to be a complete fool in you! So that I'll be able to do your wills without hesitation, without being influence of the smartness in this world.
We are fighting with Mammon. No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon (Mat6:24). Learning about the trade-off secrets, this verse appeared as a new light. The devil tried to tempt Jesus with wealth in the wilderness. We really need to watch our hearts.
The classes are giving me tools and hints in the same time in discovering more about Japan. With the limited strength and wisdom that I have now, I could only develop piece by piece. I know to some people, you would wish to see the whole picture. I'm sorry, I can't give it to you. I'm just not there. But what I will do is that I will
continue to write down piece by piece, even when people are tired about it. And perhaps one day, as I meet God, He will give me the whole picture, or He will give me brain that I would be able to look back at these journals and join the dots together. Be it Japan, or my future, I believe nothing will fall in vain. I am only a tool, I am to do what He calls me to do, and I'm not timeless. But He is Sovereign, He is TIMELESS.
Praise God for all His good deeds!
light up another would be as good!
I might not be the fire as great as I thought, but at least a candle. If I persist in the things that He called me to do, I shall be content when I give my best strength for it! That's the lesson I learned in last two weeks.
I constantly feel inferior to the subject of Principles in Public Health, because I suddenly realised there are many things that are happening around us and I was totally "unaware", or "ignored", and giving reasons that I'm pursuing "spiritual things" to be excused from it.
The question is: How could I be able to aim on the right target when I'm not even alert at the manifestation of evil deeds and disguised angels of light around me, in my neighborhood, in the nation that I'm praying for, what spiritual things that I'm talking about? To make it plain, I am such NAIVE.
And God is teaching me something today, and I finally found a good scenario to describe what I am to do. Have you read the story of Wizard of Oz? I feel like I am the scarecrow walking the journey to find my brain. People might perceive I have a brain, but I have really straws in my head.
For God had not called us out of the world, but in the world, and to make disciples, to be His light, to be His salt, to live His standard, so people will know that God is alive, and what a true God we serve, an unbeatable truth! It's scary to listen how we human had trade off our environment for our own greed, and isn't it as true as how we human had trade off our souls to the evil for temporal "goodness"? What significant to us the workers, many people trade off eternity for meaningless earthly treasures, and they knew it well. Isaiah 6:9; 48:8.
Do we think fighting tobacco or air pollution is worthless, when we have no control of the issues? Think about obesity and the chips and chocolates and sweets that we enjoy. No one knows the danger or the hidden messages behind all these. What do you think people think about us, these silly people telling people about God, about Jesus when people are tired of it, and why bother about idolatry, why bother
about principles when the king of the world is in control? Foolish, maybe. But I rather be a fool for God. And these fools are going to teach me how they fight in the task that God had put them there.
Foolish, to most people, for fighting tobacco, it's a personal choice.
Foolish, is to tell people stop eating chips, watch out of your weight, no ice-creams, no can food, we don't know what we are eating.
Foolish, is to talk about pollutions when the easiest resolution is to dispose the toxic waste to the nature. The nature can take it.
Are these harmless? Of course we are not aware for the effect was not immediate! How do we fight a good fight when we tell the people that we try to reach out to what they had been doing was wrong? And the true God is only Jesus? There is no immediate effect, no one knows it, shut up! Who do you think you are to tell me the truth?
Foolish, hur? God, help me to be a complete fool in you! So that I'll be able to do your wills without hesitation, without being influence of the smartness in this world.
We are fighting with Mammon. No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon (Mat6:24). Learning about the trade-off secrets, this verse appeared as a new light. The devil tried to tempt Jesus with wealth in the wilderness. We really need to watch our hearts.
The classes are giving me tools and hints in the same time in discovering more about Japan. With the limited strength and wisdom that I have now, I could only develop piece by piece. I know to some people, you would wish to see the whole picture. I'm sorry, I can't give it to you. I'm just not there. But what I will do is that I will
continue to write down piece by piece, even when people are tired about it. And perhaps one day, as I meet God, He will give me the whole picture, or He will give me brain that I would be able to look back at these journals and join the dots together. Be it Japan, or my future, I believe nothing will fall in vain. I am only a tool, I am to do what He calls me to do, and I'm not timeless. But He is Sovereign, He is TIMELESS.
Praise God for all His good deeds!
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Hikikomori, tobacco, yakusa, yasukuni. Do these have a link? If there is a spirit behind this, it clearly dominates the "government"
HIkikomori, Ijime and Tokokyohi
When I studied about
hikikomori, I learned that
ijime and
tokokyohi came before hikikomori. Hikikomori is defined as individuals who refuse to leave their parents' house, and isolate themselves away from society and famiy in a single room for a period exceeding six months. Ijime is defined as bullying in school. Tokokyohi is defined as school refusal.
What draw to my interest is the special relationship among these three phenomena. When you look closely, it is a cycle, consistently relating one another. You can read about these phenomena in Newspaper or articles. I would not make any elaboration of the symptoms and behaviors here. But there is something worth mentioning here, do you know this movie by Akira Kurosawa in 1993, Madadayo? This film tells the story of professor Uehida Hyakken-sama (1889-1971). There is a life-long attachment for the students to their professor. It contradicts with the survey today, where a tokokyohi student, said publicly that " we, tokokyohi people, are truly fed up with sucking up to the teachers" (Ishikawa et al. 1993:437). Are teachers to be blamed for tokokyohi, ijime or hikikomori?
There are more than the school factors, of course! I would recommend another movie here that give you a precise description about these people, "All About Lily Chou-chou" by Shunji Iwai.
Kobe Killer
The ghastly murder by a 14 year old "school killer" of 11 year old Hase Jun, whose severed head with mutilated eyelids and mouth was found at the schoolgate in Kobe in May 1997. He called him self "Sakakibara Seito", which means 'wine', 'devil', 'rose', 'sacred' and 'fight'. A part of his letter to the school goes:
If I were what I had been when I was born, I would not have dared to leave a severed head at the front gate of a middle school.... But I have dared to draw public attention because I want you to see me as a real person in your imagination, although I have been, and wil remain, invisible. At the same time, I will never forget that it was the compulsory education system and the society that created that system that rendered me invisible, and I will exact revenge. (DY 29 June 1997)
Competing with the devil
If you look carefully what he had called himself, there is a spirit of evil behind that dominated him in doing such. Clearly, the system turned him into an "invisible" person, he traded his soul with the devil to exchange his existence. Guys, we are in competition with the devil today in Japan! They are grabbing the souls of the youths! Do we have enough man power to reach out to them?
In the movie of Shunji Iwai, we see people in search for paradise, New Age sneaked in just like that. If people are looking for eternal, and proof of existence, isn't Christ the best offer that we can give? Where have gone our courageous?
This is another BIG QUESTION that I would like to deal with!
Who is behind the education?
But come back to the education system now. I am writing this not to tell you that we are lack in the field, that is an old rhyme that I will keep playing anyway. But now, I want you to seriously think about this, what had made the value of school, education, teacher and student changed so much? From Madadayo to the Kobe incident? There were more as such that had happened!
The 1947 Fundamental Law of Education declared the principles of the new education of Japan, i.e. that education would no longer be used as the means to promote nationalism, and that it had to be recognised as a constitutionally guaranteed right of the people. "Educational administrators have to respect academic freedom and educational independence" (Horio 1988:256). According to Horio, there was a genuine enthusiasm among teachers who wanted to teach something to children in the poverty-stricken yet liberated social atmosphere of early postwarJapan.
But then, in 1956, things were changed. The 1948 Board of Education Law, which had guaranteed the local self-control of education and the citizen's basic educational rights was repealed by a law which provided for boards of education not elected but appointed by the governors. In 1957, the Teacher Evaluation System (kinmu hyotei) was introduced. Principals were charged with filing an annual personal report on each teacher in their school, including an assessment of "loyalty and love of education" and "how sincere, reliable, and cooperative a teacher had been". The most problematic feature of this system was " the fact that the teacher's rating remained a secret and was generally used to promote only teachers who supported the government 's educational goals". It also provided the means to punish union activists and thereby undermined the union (Horio 1994:234).
Japanese government - liberal Communist?
In the prayer meeting on October 23, Ken suddenly mentioned about the politics in Japan is typical liberal Communist. The government controls all, and only those who agreed with the voice could be promoted.
Then, I read about this when I was working on banning Tobacco issues. "In Japan, for example, the government has an interest in tobacco sales, and NRT is restricted to prescriptions for smokers who are already have smoking related disease" (Saul Shiffman, Joe Gitchell. BMJ Tobacco Control2000;9:228-236).
Blinding an eye, it just doesn't seem as a logical policy
The government seems to have something behind all these heating issues. Do you remember about the legal abortion that took more 30,000 lives a year? Which is more than the total of new borns a year.
The public and aggressive yakusa activities in Shinjuku, the kabuki-cho. The government seems just having an eye close to all these.
The visit to Yasukuni Shrine, did it begin with Junichiro? No, he did it publicly, that's how it created the issue. There is a certain spirit behind this. It gradually comes into picture by putting up piece by piece. Dr. Ozawa had called it spirit of Death.
The declining in population, and the rapid dying because of aging, the "involvement" of the government even in hikikomori, where it began from the education system. We are loosing lives!
When I studied about
hikikomori, I learned that
ijime and
tokokyohi came before hikikomori. Hikikomori is defined as individuals who refuse to leave their parents' house, and isolate themselves away from society and famiy in a single room for a period exceeding six months. Ijime is defined as bullying in school. Tokokyohi is defined as school refusal.
What draw to my interest is the special relationship among these three phenomena. When you look closely, it is a cycle, consistently relating one another. You can read about these phenomena in Newspaper or articles. I would not make any elaboration of the symptoms and behaviors here. But there is something worth mentioning here, do you know this movie by Akira Kurosawa in 1993, Madadayo? This film tells the story of professor Uehida Hyakken-sama (1889-1971). There is a life-long attachment for the students to their professor. It contradicts with the survey today, where a tokokyohi student, said publicly that " we, tokokyohi people, are truly fed up with sucking up to the teachers" (Ishikawa et al. 1993:437). Are teachers to be blamed for tokokyohi, ijime or hikikomori?
There are more than the school factors, of course! I would recommend another movie here that give you a precise description about these people, "All About Lily Chou-chou" by Shunji Iwai.
Kobe Killer
The ghastly murder by a 14 year old "school killer" of 11 year old Hase Jun, whose severed head with mutilated eyelids and mouth was found at the schoolgate in Kobe in May 1997. He called him self "Sakakibara Seito", which means 'wine', 'devil', 'rose', 'sacred' and 'fight'. A part of his letter to the school goes:
If I were what I had been when I was born, I would not have dared to leave a severed head at the front gate of a middle school.... But I have dared to draw public attention because I want you to see me as a real person in your imagination, although I have been, and wil remain, invisible. At the same time, I will never forget that it was the compulsory education system and the society that created that system that rendered me invisible, and I will exact revenge. (DY 29 June 1997)
Competing with the devil
If you look carefully what he had called himself, there is a spirit of evil behind that dominated him in doing such. Clearly, the system turned him into an "invisible" person, he traded his soul with the devil to exchange his existence. Guys, we are in competition with the devil today in Japan! They are grabbing the souls of the youths! Do we have enough man power to reach out to them?
In the movie of Shunji Iwai, we see people in search for paradise, New Age sneaked in just like that. If people are looking for eternal, and proof of existence, isn't Christ the best offer that we can give? Where have gone our courageous?
This is another BIG QUESTION that I would like to deal with!
Who is behind the education?
But come back to the education system now. I am writing this not to tell you that we are lack in the field, that is an old rhyme that I will keep playing anyway. But now, I want you to seriously think about this, what had made the value of school, education, teacher and student changed so much? From Madadayo to the Kobe incident? There were more as such that had happened!
The 1947 Fundamental Law of Education declared the principles of the new education of Japan, i.e. that education would no longer be used as the means to promote nationalism, and that it had to be recognised as a constitutionally guaranteed right of the people. "Educational administrators have to respect academic freedom and educational independence" (Horio 1988:256). According to Horio, there was a genuine enthusiasm among teachers who wanted to teach something to children in the poverty-stricken yet liberated social atmosphere of early postwarJapan.
But then, in 1956, things were changed. The 1948 Board of Education Law, which had guaranteed the local self-control of education and the citizen's basic educational rights was repealed by a law which provided for boards of education not elected but appointed by the governors. In 1957, the Teacher Evaluation System (kinmu hyotei) was introduced. Principals were charged with filing an annual personal report on each teacher in their school, including an assessment of "loyalty and love of education" and "how sincere, reliable, and cooperative a teacher had been". The most problematic feature of this system was " the fact that the teacher's rating remained a secret and was generally used to promote only teachers who supported the government 's educational goals". It also provided the means to punish union activists and thereby undermined the union (Horio 1994:234).
Japanese government - liberal Communist?
In the prayer meeting on October 23, Ken suddenly mentioned about the politics in Japan is typical liberal Communist. The government controls all, and only those who agreed with the voice could be promoted.
Then, I read about this when I was working on banning Tobacco issues. "In Japan, for example, the government has an interest in tobacco sales, and NRT is restricted to prescriptions for smokers who are already have smoking related disease" (Saul Shiffman, Joe Gitchell. BMJ Tobacco Control2000;9:228-236).
Blinding an eye, it just doesn't seem as a logical policy
The government seems to have something behind all these heating issues. Do you remember about the legal abortion that took more 30,000 lives a year? Which is more than the total of new borns a year.
The public and aggressive yakusa activities in Shinjuku, the kabuki-cho. The government seems just having an eye close to all these.
The visit to Yasukuni Shrine, did it begin with Junichiro? No, he did it publicly, that's how it created the issue. There is a certain spirit behind this. It gradually comes into picture by putting up piece by piece. Dr. Ozawa had called it spirit of Death.
The declining in population, and the rapid dying because of aging, the "involvement" of the government even in hikikomori, where it began from the education system. We are loosing lives!
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Mixing external with indigenous elements
History suggested that simple acceptance of foreign models was an unlikely outcome, and that ultimately a creative solution might emerge, mixing external with indigenous elements(Stockwin J.A., Series Editor's Preface. The Japanese Highschool: Silence and resistance. Routledge. 1999).
Anyone who study about Japan find this a truth.
Citing examples: Pure Land Buddhism, Kakure Kirishitan, Kanji etc.
Japanese is just so creative in hunger of new materials, and without "forgoing" the traditional custom, they merge the different origin together and become real "Japanese", a new sect of teaching begin to emerge.
Has the Gospel being presented in its form? Has the Japanese accepted the Gospel in its pure form? I would like to gather a feedback from the scholars and workers on the field.
When Paul and the early disciples presented Gospel in Rome, in Greek, in Darmacus. Although Christians were being persecuted, but the Gospel was free and the message of "Freedom in Christ" was undoubted. People chose to believe in Christ, or follow Him by facing the risk of "alienated" and persecution, to trade-off a bigger FREEDOM in life. Therefore, Gospel is Good News!
But why in Japan, Gospel became a secret? In the highly conform society, is there any different from the Jews society where the Pharisees was greatly exalted and in charged. Of course there are a lot of differences!
My question is how Gospel is perceived today by the general public? Or by the fellow Christians themselves? As Louis boldly confessed himself as a Christian before his clients, they regard this religion is such a "bondage". Why?
Is it the law of our sinful nature that deny the freedom in Christ? Or a tactic of Satan that block people to Christ by putting scales in their eyes? Or we had again, adopted Christ Freedom, and mixing it with our own values and perceptions, turning it into a "bondage" which we were not aware of?
Note: This blog is welcome of discussions and feedbacks which the workers would like to share about their work in the field, and doubts and concerns that would trigger another thought and concern or perhaps solution. I'm a learner, and through learning, I have a lot of questions. I hope that by jotting down the parts and pieces of what I learn will help the next runner to gain. Shalom!
Anyone who study about Japan find this a truth.
Citing examples: Pure Land Buddhism, Kakure Kirishitan, Kanji etc.
Japanese is just so creative in hunger of new materials, and without "forgoing" the traditional custom, they merge the different origin together and become real "Japanese", a new sect of teaching begin to emerge.
Has the Gospel being presented in its form? Has the Japanese accepted the Gospel in its pure form? I would like to gather a feedback from the scholars and workers on the field.
When Paul and the early disciples presented Gospel in Rome, in Greek, in Darmacus. Although Christians were being persecuted, but the Gospel was free and the message of "Freedom in Christ" was undoubted. People chose to believe in Christ, or follow Him by facing the risk of "alienated" and persecution, to trade-off a bigger FREEDOM in life. Therefore, Gospel is Good News!
But why in Japan, Gospel became a secret? In the highly conform society, is there any different from the Jews society where the Pharisees was greatly exalted and in charged. Of course there are a lot of differences!
My question is how Gospel is perceived today by the general public? Or by the fellow Christians themselves? As Louis boldly confessed himself as a Christian before his clients, they regard this religion is such a "bondage". Why?
Is it the law of our sinful nature that deny the freedom in Christ? Or a tactic of Satan that block people to Christ by putting scales in their eyes? Or we had again, adopted Christ Freedom, and mixing it with our own values and perceptions, turning it into a "bondage" which we were not aware of?
Note: This blog is welcome of discussions and feedbacks which the workers would like to share about their work in the field, and doubts and concerns that would trigger another thought and concern or perhaps solution. I'm a learner, and through learning, I have a lot of questions. I hope that by jotting down the parts and pieces of what I learn will help the next runner to gain. Shalom!
Monday, October 23, 2006
A Separate Newsletter... Hmm...
I have great weeks and months ahead!
God had kept me excite with visitors! After the visit of Mag and Esther, I have Ps. Sun Yong and Job to visit me, and now I'm hosting a Singapore girl who just came over for work before she could move to her new place. Indeed, I'm blessed and this house is made into a blessing to others.
Recently I have feedback that I was not writing about myself, it makes people hard to gage what to pray for me. True enough, I tend to blend my wish list with Heart4Japan's, with a desire that you will read about what I discovered about Japan, or what He has to say about Japan. Maybe I have just too much to write or too much to say and i wish to have people who read it ... he he :-)
Well, if this is thecase, maybe I would just keep my newsletter plain with my personal updates and prayer needs. How should we do it? Hmm... maybe ... I
should send 2 newsletter, 1 for the prayer group, another for Rose.
God had kept me excite with visitors! After the visit of Mag and Esther, I have Ps. Sun Yong and Job to visit me, and now I'm hosting a Singapore girl who just came over for work before she could move to her new place. Indeed, I'm blessed and this house is made into a blessing to others.
Recently I have feedback that I was not writing about myself, it makes people hard to gage what to pray for me. True enough, I tend to blend my wish list with Heart4Japan's, with a desire that you will read about what I discovered about Japan, or what He has to say about Japan. Maybe I have just too much to write or too much to say and i wish to have people who read it ... he he :-)
Well, if this is thecase, maybe I would just keep my newsletter plain with my personal updates and prayer needs. How should we do it? Hmm... maybe ... I
should send 2 newsletter, 1 for the prayer group, another for Rose.
Saturday, October 07, 2006
China Again Raise Anti-Japan Climate - Can Christian Makes A Different?
With referring to this news:
http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/
asiapcf/10/06/china.japan.ap/index.html
Every now and then, the Chinese Central government will try to raise Anti-Japan climate. First of all, it is a tool to keep the citizen busy, as well as to dilute the anger towards the government on several internal issues. Would the anti-Japan emotional crisis ever be resolved? Are we able to get our dear brothers and sisters in Christ in China to begin to see their "POVERTY" ? Indeed, they need Christ to intervene their lives?
And of course, introducing Christ to the Japanese, is giving them a chance to Heaven. Are we willing to bless the people who had once hurt us? Are we able to be a true disciple of Christ?
Well, they need to repent for the crime of the nation, I agree! But that would not give them credit for salvation. Salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ alone! We need to be very aware of that.
Besides, general Japanese suffer a lot during the war, after the war, and now. There are one Japanese who suicide every 15 minutes each day! People are disillusion, and they see no meanings in lives, this is nation that needs CHRIST! May we pray that the LORD will guard our hearts and lead us into prayers. Amen.
http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/
asiapcf/10/06/china.japan.ap/index.html
Every now and then, the Chinese Central government will try to raise Anti-Japan climate. First of all, it is a tool to keep the citizen busy, as well as to dilute the anger towards the government on several internal issues. Would the anti-Japan emotional crisis ever be resolved? Are we able to get our dear brothers and sisters in Christ in China to begin to see their "POVERTY" ? Indeed, they need Christ to intervene their lives?
And of course, introducing Christ to the Japanese, is giving them a chance to Heaven. Are we willing to bless the people who had once hurt us? Are we able to be a true disciple of Christ?
Well, they need to repent for the crime of the nation, I agree! But that would not give them credit for salvation. Salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ alone! We need to be very aware of that.
Besides, general Japanese suffer a lot during the war, after the war, and now. There are one Japanese who suicide every 15 minutes each day! People are disillusion, and they see no meanings in lives, this is nation that needs CHRIST! May we pray that the LORD will guard our hearts and lead us into prayers. Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)