Traditional Japanese arts.
Ceramics.
Tea.
Refined civility
…and infectious laughter.
All ingredients of one of my most memorable days in Japan.
……….
Some of my ministry in Osaka, Japan last month involved assisting the English language lessons of a young women missionary/English teacher named Ghi with whom I became acquainted while there. She teaches out of the home and studio space of a Japanese husband and wife who teach traditional cultural arts of kimono, ceramics, flower arranging and tea ceremony.
One day, Ghi, my teammate Lauren, and I arrived early and the husband of the sensei duo showed us around his ceramics studio and even gifted each of us with some of his work. I love ceramics and studied it in college, so this brought me such joy.
I know how to be cultural sensitive, but I firstly aim to always be Holy Spirit-sensitive. This day, the joy of the Lord overflowed from me, and I couldn’t help but to laugh. A lot. With this stoic and refined Japanese man. However, he laughed, too.
Joy needs no translation.
Following the English lesson, he invited us into his home to have tea. His wife guided Lauren and me in a brief tea-making lesson. I laughed all the way through it. The thought, “I should make sure I’m not being offensive…” definitely crossed my mind during one of my fits of laughter. But, then I would just sip my tea and laugh some more.
Afterwards, wife-sensei said, “You bring me such joy… You make me feel young again!” Her husband laughed and smiled as we ask for pictures with them.
“Hug. Smile. Picture. Hug.” He said as he jested at how I posed for pictures with his wife. Then they posed for a picture together.
So precious.
I found it such an honor to be a vessel of the joy of the Lord in that home with that beautiful couple. After Lauren and I arrived home that night, I received an email from Ghi. For a moment before I opened it I was nervous, thinking that she might have been displeased with my lack of refinement. (You should have seen me, you guys. Cracking up over tea ceremony in Japan…) But no, it merely said – “Today was awesome!!!”
And yes, it truly was. My prayer is that Ghi, as she spends time with this couple every week, will continue to spread the joy of Christ in that place. They deeply need it and clearly appreciate it.
“If you live gladly to make others glad in God, your life will be hard, your risks will be high, and your joy will be full.” —John Piper
Though, on this day,
life was not particularly hard,
nor was it high in risk.
Yet, my joy was exceedingly full.
From my heart,
Erika Venese
