Where were you? Ashiya, Japan. In the Osaka/Kyoto/Kobe region.
How did you get there? 5-hour flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Osaka, Japan.
What did you do there? We helped in a Christian preschool, did a lot of “Ask The Lord” ministry in the area and surrounding universities, and lived as an example of Christ in the homes of non–Christians.
Accommodations? My team was split up into pairs to live with different host families. In Japanese culture, it is a big deal to invite someone into your home, so Linley and I actually stayed with three different host families, spending a week at each house. These people pampered and spoiled us like crazy. I was super blessed to be loved so well by each of the families. You can read more about each family in Linley’s blogs here.
Currency? Yen. $1 USD = ¥ 104
Anything you miss from America? Friends, family, and my cat… it’s starting to hit me that life back home really does continue when I’m gone.
What was the best moment? Do I have to pick just one? Visiting downtown Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe, making home-made sushi, pounding rice into mochi, participating in a traditional tea ceremony, visiting a public bathhouse, becoming a ninja for a day… I’ve been blown away by the rich culture, kindness, generosity, and everything else that Japan and its people have to offer!
What was the hardest moment? Since we were split up into different homestays for the month, it made communication and unity within our team difficult.
Top 3 foods? Japanese food is by far my favorite thus far on the race. Sushi (especially salmon or tuna with lots of wasabi), udon noodles, or yakiniku are just a few of the many amazing delicacies of this country.
Bottom 3 foods? Like I said, I loved most everything I ate. There are a few weird things they eat here, such as natto (sticky, fermented beans), fish eggs are common, but at the top of the list was a fish skewer we ordered at one restaurant, not knowing it would be a whole fish on a stick that they would place near the fire while it was still alive, and we had to watch it try to flop around on the stick as it cooked and died… let’s pause for a moment to mourn the loss of any innocence I had left.
Language(s) spoken/learned? At the beginning of the month we had a 3-day intensive course where we learned about the Japanese culture and learned basic conversational Japanese. I can greet people, ask for directions, ask to pray for people, make simple small–talk, and be generally polite.
Biggest time you saw God show up? About halfway into the month we had a “Harvest Seminar” which is their version of a “church service” as the primary focus of their church group is missional living. The whole church body gathered in a sort of meeting place, where there was a lot of worship and intercession. The whole service was thick with the presence of the Holy Spirit, and at the end they offered to pray over the racers. I had three or four people pray over me, encourage me, and fill me up with the joy of the Lord. It was just a really amazing time to spend with amazing brothers and sisters in Christ.
Anything else? This was the first timethe World Race sent people to Japan, and it was really cool to pioneer the country and explore its beautiful culture, beautiful people, and amazing food. This was our last month in Asia, and I am so incredibly sad to leave, but super excited to see what God has in store for Europe!
