CCBC Oki Graduation!

On Wednesday night, Calvary Chapel Bible College, Okinawa Extension Campus had its semi-annual graduation service. This semester (the 7th that the campus has been in existence, I might add) saw a new record being set for most graduates - a whopping 4! It was so awesome to see Tom Cotton, Bryce, Amanda and Christina graduate, faces beaming and messages anointed. I was blessed to be asked to translate for Bryce. And I was also blessed to have the funnest translation gig, because Bryce brought a lot of energy and action into his message, and wouldn't let me just say it in a drab monotone voice!

Anyways, the pervading message was this: God loves you no matter what, and His grace extends beyond your imagination. Be encouraged, everyone, for His love endures forever and His grace never ends!

この前の水曜日の礼拝は特別だった。なぜなら、カルバリーチャペルバイブルカレッジ沖縄の卒業式があったからです。今回はなんと、新記録の４人が卒業することができました！トムコットン君、ブライス君、アマンダさん、そしてクリスティーナさん、４人ともステージの上で輝いていた。一人一人が短いデボーション（証）をしてくれて、僕はブライス兄弟の証の通訳をお願いされたから喜んでやりました！ブライスは身振りしたり、声を変えたりして通訳が難しかったけどめっちゃ楽しかった！

４人のメッセージの共通点は、神様の尽きることのない愛、そして恵みの深さだった。
「絶え間なく恵みを注いでくださる神様に感謝しなさい。」詩篇１３６：１

I am still running

This is the longest I have ever continued doing any kind of regular exercise in all my years here in Okinawa. I started running on June 28th, and have gone 3 times a week, every week, except when I was sick for a week or so. I'm so proud of myself! Slowly I am buying myself better gear, as I start to realize how serious I am about getting (and eventually staying) in shape. Here's me after my run today (about 20 minutes ago). This is the last you'll see of the MO, as it is now the month of DE.

MO - Compare

This is me at the end of Week 1...



And me on Movember 30th.



Clearly, it's come in full and thick.

But now what to do? Shave it? Keep it? Change it? Trim it? Got any ideas??? I'm open to suggestions... for about the next 14 hours, at which point a decision may be made before I head to work for the beginning of (*sniffle*) December.

OLD SCHOOL - 再会！

今年の８月からティム牧師は家族を連れて名護に引っ越ししました。そこで、カルバリーチャペル名護を始めた。そのときからあんまり連絡とってないけど、２週間前に、「棚原しゅうへい覚えてる？」というメールが来た。写メ付きで、しゅうへいの顔を見たら思い出した。伊江島の時の小学校英会話クラブに入った子だった！ティムは彼と一緒にブレークダンスしてるから、「今度の土曜日に修平の誕生日を祝うから名護に来ない？」と誘ってくれた。

名護に行って、ティム、あゆ、マサキくん、修平、そして５人の友達と食事をしました。あゆがおいしいスパゲティーを作ってくれて、僕はガーリックブレッドを作って持っていった。おいしい食事を食べた後、みんなでwiiで遊んだ。最高に楽しかった！しかも修平（上左）は相変わらず英語話せないけど心が伊江島人（いいしまんちゅ）らしくて温かい！礼儀正しくていつも笑顔で、彼と久しぶりに話せてうれしかった！しかも大人になってる！もう２２歳だ！っていうことは、オレもかなり年とってるね！（苦笑）

そして、翌朝、礼拝に参加することができました。始めたばっかりなので、まだいつも来てる人はいないけど、今回はなんと、４人のブレークダンサーが来てくれた！真剣にメッセージを聞いて、イエスキリストを受け入れてないけど、種が蒔かれたのは間違いない！そして、神様のタイミングに収穫があると思います！ハレルヤ！

引き続き、ティム牧師、あゆ、誠希くんのために祈りましょう！そして、棚原修平と彼の友達（ゆうき、ゆういちろう、しゅうさく、まさき、たいいち）のためにも祈ろう！

This time you English readers get ripped off. Here's a summary: Tim moved up to Nago, happened to breakdance with one of my former students from the Iejima days (we're talking 10 years ago)... he invites the guy over for a birthday dinner last Saturday (14th) and had me come up as a surprise guest. It was awesome to see Shuhei again! He's grown up but is still the same! Anyways, he and 3 of his friends even came to church the next day for the first time! Pray that they keep coming and continue to hear about Jesus! Thanks, Tim, for the invitation! Let's also continue to keep Pastor Tim and his family in prayer as well!

In Korea

I wish I had taken more photos while I was in Korea... but then I ask myself, "Pictures of what? It's not like you got out and SAW much!" Oh, but I did learn a lot, and met a lot of wonderful people - my classmates and professors! Still, I was pretty mellow in the evenings... only venturing out with the classmates on my last night. The rest of the time I tried to lay low and get a lot of rest. (Some nights, this was easier than others - but that's another story.)

So I attended a 3-day (supposed to be 4 but I had to leave early) conference at which I met some world-renowned professors in the field of TESOL - namely, Professors Nunan, Bailey, and Ellis. I have had the pleasure of taking a class with Professor Bailey, and I've also chatted with Prof Nunan online in some of my other classes. It was very different meeting them in person, and I was floored by how much knowledge they were able to impart/share within such a short time frame!

And my classmates... wow, I was in awe of the wisdom of some, the kindness of some, the personalities of others... all in all, I would say it was a huge blessing to get to know them all! I wish I had had even more time to talk to them, though.

Highlights included sharing a little testimony with Roxanne and hearing hers, doing Indian accents with Jerek, chatting with Melissa outside a karaoke bar until 1 am, speaking French avec Tony, hearing Jeff excel in every session we were in, getting to know all the newbies in person before having really formed an impression of them online, and hearing all sorts of stories from Elizabeth. Oh, and of course being blessed with the tour guide abilities of Ken, without whom I would have spent more money and had less fun!

I can't wait until next year's residential, especially when I heard where it might be: TOKYO! Time for me to be a guide/interpreter for others! Looking forward to seeing y'all in 11 months!

Fukuoka - one great city!

I haven't traveled extensively outside of Okinawa for awhile... I used to make as many trips up to mainland as I could, but in recent years that has not been the case. Anyways, I have to say that probably my two favourite cities outside of Okinawa are Sapporo and Fukuoka. I have yet to see the entire country so I don't know how they would hold up against all the rest... but so far they rank highly!


Anyhow, on my way to Korea for my grad school conference, I got to spend around 8 hours in Fukuoka. So I went back to my favourite park (Ohori Park) and walked around it twice, stopping here and there to take pictures or just enjoy the views. SO many people go there just to jog - they have a nice track around the lake that measures exactly 2 km, so I can imagine if I lived there, I would probably head out there to run as much as I could!

Then I walked back to the main part of the city (Tenjin) and had Hakata Ramen for lunch, and then walked to Canal City, a huge shopping mall. There, I realized I shoulda held out a bit longer and eaten at the Ramen Stadium - a museum/hall of ramen where there were 8 different shops, each with several types of ramen, to choose from! Ah well, next time!

I settled for Cold Stone Creamery instead. Not a bad consolation prize! Korea, here I come!

Mini-Class Reunion

Just over a month ago, one of my former students from OCSI came back from the States for a visit. She used good ol' Facebook to arrange a little class reunion of sorts - the people who are/were on Okinawa came out to Cappriciosa's for dinner. From the Class of 2002, there were about 8 people represented: Ally, Teresa, Jennifer, Sera, Naomi, Hazel, Haruna, Miho. A couple of others joined from the upperclasses: Tiffany and Sheryl. Other than spouses, I was the lone male representative... and I'm not even in the class!

I was so blessed to have been invited, and to have had the chance to catch up with some of my favourite students of all time! (You really are! But for those of you who are former students of mine and are reading this, you are also in my select group of all-time favourites! I promise!)

Teresa, Sera, Haruna and Tiffany are married and have child(ren). Ally's also married. Sheryl's engaged. Wow, they're not "high school kids" anymore! Thanks for inviting me out, Sera! Be sure to let me know when you come back to visit again! Or you can just move back here with your family!

Bowling BOB

Another back-log entry... sorry it's taken me awhile to post news, everyone. I'm hoping that today I can get caught up completely and then go back to updating regularly once or twice a week.

Anyways, back in September we had our regular "fellowship BOB" meeting, but instead of just eating a lot of food at my house, as we had the previous 3 months, we decided to hit the lanes. On this particular night, Tokito was "king of the lanes" - throwing down a TURKEY in Game 2! Awesome! I think he finished with a 180 or something.

The turnout was pretty good, and don't worry... we managed to eat a lot of food here, too! The lanes have their own Pizza Hut and A & W! Good times had by all!

Post-Hokkaido Blessing

On my way from Hokkaido, I had to transfer in Tokyo. Well, it just so happened that I had about 5 hours to spare, and also two students from the OCSI class of 2002 living in the Tokyo area. It was also a day off all across Japan, so neither of them was working. Anyways, it worked out well for us to meet at Tokyo Station and have dinner together,and that's exactly what we did. I hadn't met Jennifer since their graduation, perhaps! Aki has spent time in Okinawa and Tokyo, but comes back to visit whenever she can, so I have seen her a few times since then... including my trip up to Tokyo in January with Joe.

It was such a blessing to catch up on old times, and it's always wonderful to hear that the students you shared the gospel with are walking with the Lord! Thanks, ladies, for a wonderful stopover in Tokyo!

Hokkaido, at last!

Well, 2 months after my computer broke (almost to the exact day), I am finally going to post a few pictures of my trip to Hokkaido (September 18-23). Let me begin with a quick summary of how God worked. I got there and took a bus to Maruyama Koen Bus Terminal (about an hour). I got picked up by a man named Steve, who was with his wife, Michiyo. They took me to their place, where I stayed for 5 nights (none of this was my plan, mind you). I got to know the family (children Christina, 11, Tetsuo and Tetsuharu, 7, and Shion, 2 months) well, partook in worship services with them (including perhaps the first Calvary Chapel service in Hokkaido - though it was not under the name Calvary), prayed with them, sightsaw with them, dined with them, struggled with them, laughed with them... they became "my family" for 5 days, and I will never forget their kindness, or how the Lord brought us together and kept us together for 5 days! It was definitely neither my plan nor theirs, but no doubt the Lord's! If you want to hear more about my trip, ask me! I love talking about my time there! Also, pray for me... who knows if the Lord wants to send me up there permanently???

My first food in Hokkaido was homemade curry and then a fresh half-melon. OHHHHH, sooooo good!

Sunday after morning service, me and the kids went hiking together. Here we are at the top of Mt. Sankake. It was SO fun! Perhaps the highlight of my trip!

Steve preaches in Hungarian and his lovely wife Michiyo translates into Japanese for the people. He is truly an anointed teacher of the Word!

This is the front entrance area to Shiroi Koibito Factory. It is very famous in Sapporo. Me and the kids had a blast!

The final farewell at the bus terminal. It was such a huge blessing to meet this loving, godly family! Thank you, Lorinczes, for your hospitality! The Lord will provide for all your needs, according to His riches!