Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Just for Fun

Miyako, the Asian elephant of the now-famous poop?

For those who have, on occasion, lovingly suggested that I lighten up, today I’m writing just for fun. Even I have realized that recently I’ve shared random thoughts on a number of quite serious topics, so maybe I can balance it a bit today, even as I pick up my last topic related to entrance examinations and carry it further (in fun, of course).

Monday and Tuesday, February 2 and 3, Tamagawa Seigakuin will conduct entrance examinations for approximately 750 current sixth grade girls who will begin their junior high school careers in April. (80 percent of those registered for Monday are also registered for the second day.) About 50 percent of them will pass the exam. Of these, Tama Sei expects to welcome 168 new first year junior high girls. (Many students take exams at several schools and, if they succeed in more than one, will enter their first choice.)

This weekend will be a time of great pressure in many homes as Monday and Tuesday approach. Actually, the stress has been building for some time. Some of these girls have been studying intensely for months in preparation (we hope)—if not by their own choice, then by the will of their parents. One father of a sixth grader who will take Monday’s exam told me late last fall that he and his wife had lowered the boom: no more special events and outings on weekends from then until exam time. “Weekends have become your study time,” they announced to their daughter who apparently hadn’t been taking her studying very seriously. They also were threatening to take her cell phone away, if necessary, in order to keep her on track. This would be, according to the daughter, the worst possible thing they could do--a fate nearly worse than death.

So where’s the fun in this blog? In case you’re wondering, I offer another solution to the entrance examination dilemma in Japan—a “mucky charm.” I read about these special amulets for passing school entrance or employment examinations in the Daily Yoimuri newspaper. Handmade from the dung of an Asian elephant named Miyako, the charms are an opportunity to attract luck (un in Japanese) and are a pun on the word unchi, which means feces. I was happy to hear that the staff of Utsunomiya Zoo, in Tochigi Prefecture, first sterilizes the poop before dealing with it. Then they boil it to produce fibers that can make paper. This paper is then stamped with some words of good luck and slipped into clear plastic pouches for free distribution during the examination season, December to March.

So there you have it: elephant poop charms, the latest is new products in Japan. Which reminds me of another new product I read about in the paper this month—brassieres for men. While the vast majority of Japanese men are not built like sumo wrestlers who possibly could benefit from a bra, the developer says that wearing these will help men get in touch with their feminine side to enable them to respond to the world more kindly and gently. Even though this blog is just for fun, I promise you I’m not kidding! What will they think of next?

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Why Do They Do It?

Atop the chapel at Tamagawa Seigakuin

“Why do they do it?” I thought to myself as I read a Daily Yoimuri article earlier this week (January 20). The headline, “Parents rush to submit kids’ entrance exams” and the photo of a long queue of parents (mostly mothers) waiting to turn in admission applications for a private elementary school in Tokyo grabbed my attention because Bernie had gotten up early that very morning in order to be at Tamagawa Seigakuin before 6 o’clock. His eagerness to get to school so early was because the school staff would begin accepting applications for the upcoming junior high entrance examinations from 6 o’clock that morning. (Later, I was surprised to learn that the first parent had arrived at 4:30 a.m., besting both the staff and Bernie.)

I could understand why Bernie wanted to show appreciation and encourage the school office staff in their sometimes thankless work, but I was confused about why parents would brave the cold and dark morning (and not just at Tamagawa Seigakuin, but all over Tokyo—indeed, all over Japan) to turn in applications that are, mind you, only to take entrance exams.

“Aren’t all applications accepted that are submitted within the specified application days?” I asked Bernie, to which he responded affirmatively. “And do they affect their test scores at all? Like, the first so many parents get extra points added to their daughters’ scores so they have a better chance of getting into the school?” I queried further.

“Not at all. There’s no lottery and the order applications are submitted means nothing at all,” he assured me.

“So why do they do it?” I was back to my original question.

“Standing in line means absolutely nothing,” he answered, then paused and added, “Unless it shows a child her parents’ love and support.”

In fact, that’s exactly what the newspaper reporter had concluded after interviewing several principals. They, like Bernie, had declared that there is no advantage for a parent to stand in line and that application order has no effect whatsoever on the results of entrance exams. “Parents form such lines at schools … because they are indicative of the love they feel for their children …” the reporter wrote, wrapping up the article.

As a mother, I certainly made many mistakes as I helped raise our two children (and I’m not immune from mistakes today). But as often as possible I did whatever I could to show my love to Benjamin and Stephanie and to encourage them. Looking in from the outside, someone might have concluded on occasion that my attempts were foolish and meaningless. But I’d rather be guilty of such silliness than of even once allowing my children to doubt my love.

So now I know why these parents do it—for love. And I say, go ahead and stand in those lines. Just be sure to bundle up, please.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

On Doing Good

A small shrine in the snowy mountains of Gunma Prefecture

Our family celebrating Christmas together

Taking every opportunity
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Galatians 6:9-10, NIV).

Paul encouraged the Galatian Christians to take every opportunity to do good—and not just to some people, but to all. But let’s be honest. Sometimes this is downright difficult to obey, especially when it seems that no matter what you do, nothing ever changes. The overwhelming challenges and needs seem to defy any efforts to encourage change and promote forward momentum, no matter how earnestly you try. At times, it seems easier just to give up. That’s the weariness Paul was referring to. But he was determined not to give in to this weariness. Instead, he said we should believe that the harvest will come eventually, because IT WILL. So take every opportunity and expect God to do his part because HE WILL.

The above verses have been a life jacket for us during our nearly 30 years of ministry in Japan. As such, it was easy for Bernie to speak from this text on January 8 during opening ceremonies for the third trimester at Tamagawa Seigakuin. He wanted to remind students that even one person CAN make a difference for good in the world. It was a good reminder for us, too, as it is sometimes easier to believe what we see (small, weak churches that struggle for survival, new leadership, and vision) than to believe what God promises. Please pray for us and the nearly 1,100 junior and senior high school girls that they will be inspired by Christian faculty and staff to make our world a better place.

Rejoicing in the harvest
Needless to say, it is encouraging when we do see some harvest for faithful labors. One example is Keiko Hanawa, a woman baptized on November 30 at Hagiyama Church in Tokyo. Seventeen years ago, she was working in a boutique where Mrs. Namerikawa enjoyed shopping. As they became acquainted, Namerikawa-san invited her to attend the monthly evangelistic outreach held in her own home. Curious, Hanawa-san soon became a regular participant. Still, it was many years after that before she accepted the invitation to join in worship services at Hagiyama Church. What if Namerikawa-san had given up and stopped expecting a harvest?

As is the custom in Japan, new Christians share a testimony with the congregation just prior to following the Lord in baptism. Typically, these tell the journey of the young Christian from first learning of Christ to finally being able to be baptized. Often years pass between the two, which was the case with Hanawa-san. Now in her 70s, she first learned of Christ as a Sunday school child! In fact, her testimony was to sing a song she had learned years before in Sunday school. What if faithful Sunday school teachers had given up on praying for the children in their care when they didn’t see any response from their efforts? As Paul said, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Praise the Lord!

Reporting on prayer requests
Thanks for your prayers for Bernie as he spoke on Christmas Day at a small church in the mountains of Gunma Prefecture. Attendance exceeded expectations and included a number of first timers, and reports are that many people were blessed by the message. We will not likely see this harvest since we are not nearby, but we believe that God as at work, and we are grateful. (And, for those who prayed, we had a great visit with our family as well as a WHITE Christmas night. In fact, we had almost a blizzard of snow on December 26. It was Little Ben’s first snow and we all enjoyed playing in it together. It seems Little Ben, who turns one on January 30, especially loves eating it!)

With regard to the “Immediate and Continuing Prayer Concerns,” dated November 2008 (but not posted on this blog), please pray especially for P in his studies in the Philippines. Apparently his English isn’t advancing as quickly as he’d hoped. Please pray that the Lord will bless him with language ability and keep him from becoming discouraged in this time of preparation for eventual ministry among Tibetan Buddhists.

We were happy to visit Tarumi Church in Kobe in early December after an absence of nearly six months. It is obvious that the Sakatas are a very loving pastoral couple and that a good relationship between pastor and people is being built. However, attendance continues to be very low—the result of five years without pastoral leadership. Please pray that the Sakatas and Tarumi Church can remember the truths of Galatians 6:9-10.

Finally, please pray for Cheryl as she tries to make up for lost time to meet two book deadlines. Pray also that Into All the World: A Century of Church of God Missions and Rivers of Delight will glorify God and encourage missions efforts around the world.