Tokyo has been the most incredible experience I have ever had in my life. God is so good to bring me to this place to do his ministry. I feel blessed. I know that I am blessed because of what God has done for me here. Because of God's goodness, Oka became a believer on the Sunday following the Thursday that he didn't show up. I'm sorry that I haven't kept up with this blog, but I do have a journal that I write in constantly and I use that a lot more. Plus I do have the e-mails that I send out to people, but I feel that it is important for me to write in any form possible, so I will tell what happened.

Oka was supposed to show up on Thursday, but then he came Sunday night, and we met at McDonalds and with the other interns, we led him to the Lord. I don't specifically make it a habit to eat McDonalds, but I can say, it was the best McDonalds I ever had in my life. Because of what happened that night, a new life in Christ had started. Oka was supposed to meet me at Tachikawa station the other day to go to church, but he got delayed because someone had committed suicide on the tracks and the workers were cleaning up the body.

Please pray that God will do something incredible as he already is saving lots of people here in Japan. We need his help in this effort, it is only by the blood of Jesus that people in this giant city will ever know the truth about what was done for their souls.

PEACE!

So you had a bad day....

I must admit that after being out all day today doing ministry, I am so exhausted from it. I was at Hachioji Station in West Tokyo doing distrubution of order forms for a Christian DVD series in Japanese, going from mailbox to mailbox placing the forms for the people so they'd take it. Well after that, we did our "Five Minute English" lessons in the main square, with very limited success. Not to mention the fact that I had invited this man Oka to come to my Bible Study tonight, hoping that he would be here, and then he doesn't show? I mean, I understand that there are cultural differences here, but a little advance warning would have been good. I am upset about it, but God is always in control and never lets anything happen without a good reason, so I will wait and see how things work out.

I'm sorry I don't have more time to write in this blog, but it is incredibly late here in Japan and I have to be up super early tomorrow to start my day. Good night.

PEACE!

3 days in Tokyo

Okay, here I am. This is Shibuya. This is going to be our home for the whole summer. I am absolutely amazed by how things are going here in the city. I got here safely, and the people I am working with are absolutely wonderful. I got to meet the missionaries and hear their hearts about why they do what they do. We were out today on the campus of Asia University talking with a bunch of college-aged Japanese kids just getting to know them. We all ate dinner together, and I am currently trying to plan a "Friendship Party" with a group of people to go see the Lion King here in Tokyo. Me and a few of the interns are probably going to go to the theater to find out about Tickets. I will write more again soon. I have to go to bed soon.

PEACE!!!!!

The Eve of Japan

Okay devout readers:

I am officially leaving for Japan in just under 12 hours, so now I am just getting packed and everything ready for lift off at 8:20 am. This is the incredible journey that i have been praying to go on for the past 6 years and now it's finally going to happen. You all have played such a big part in praying for me, and God is going to use you, just as he is using me. Thanks for all your prayers, and continue to read in the days to come, once I arrive.

PEACE!

-Joel

T Minus 4 days and counting...

Okay, so I'm at Panera (yet again), writing on this blog that I've barely had the chance to sit down and do since I got this computer. Well, that's only because our cleaning people are at the house taking care of things today. I don't even know if I'll go home and see that they haven't come yet. I am hopeful that they will have been there once I go home. Thankfully, I am close by to the Wellington Mall, so it's not a bad idea to stop by there and just go browsing for the time being. It makes me wonder what the term "browsing" might be like on my days off while I'm in Tokyo.

I cannot believe for a moment that this trip is really going to happen. I just found out about 3 days ago that I will be on a plane with 2 other IMB interns whom I will meet at the airport in Dallas on Monday. So that's a fun thing. We are even having company at the house and going out for this big dinner on saturday, plus me, my dad, brother, and family friend will be going to the movies to go see the new Terminator movie on Friday night. So the next few days are going to be very full.

I will write more in the days to come. Everyone who reads this blog, please check all the updates on here while I'm on the field.

God Bless You all.

PEACE!

Panera

This is the 3rd day in a row of having to go to a Panera to use the internet. my house has been down during that time, so here I sit. At least there's great food here. I just had a crazy thought of how much time there is left before I actually head over to Japan. I leave in 13 days! That's just insane to me. I have been preparing for this for an entire year, and now I'm leaving. My older sister and her husband got re-married this past Saturday, so now they are on their honeymoon in Key West, while me and my family babysit their 2 boys. It has been an adventure. I am actually going to pick up my nephew from school. I'm sorry to change the subject, but i am just so frustrated with myself. I haven't been sticking to any diet plan since i've been home. I actually cancelled my Weight Watchers membership, and i will just be carefully watching what i eat while i'm in Japan. The minute i get back however, I'll have to start it all over again. Oh well.

School is going to be a whole lot easier for me once i get home. 4 classes a semester, not to mention also having 2 days off during the week.

I'll write again soon.

PEACE!

The final piece of Tokyo

Hey everybody!

I sit in a Panera Cafe in South Florida, writing this entry from a MacBook. I am so happy that God was faithful to me. This computer is an example of what happens if you trust in God's goodness. I will update more in the days to come.

Peace!