Just a few weeks ago Pierce and I had mild concern that the spread of Covid19 in Japan may delay our hopes of moving to Japan this summer. Little did we know we would be social distancing in the U.S where cases have far surpassed that of Japan and put life as we know it on hold indefinitely. Here at the retreat where Pierce and I work in the food service department, several guest groups have cancelled and all staff members hours have been cut significantly due to the lack of work and funds available. Our situation at this time is not unique and many are facing hardship due to this global pandemic. News reports have been nothing but bleak as of late and projected to get worse before it gets better. A constant update of people contracting disease and a running tally of those who did not survive it, while the stock market takes a roller coaster ride and unemployment skyrockets, is no doubt heavy stuff. I’ve just been thinking over and over again how I can’t imagine going through trials like these without Jesus. Just listening to David Muir these days would be enough to give me a panic attack but despite the seemingly dark circumstances, as believers we can trust that God is in control and working all things together for our good even if we don’t understand it. This is our hope in a seemingly hopeless situation and we need to find outlets for that hope to overflow and bring light to those around us. Despite the obvious obstacles of social distancing, creative opportunities arise to share the light of Christ. For Pierce and I the uncertainty of our future has the potential to bring discouragement but we stand strong in our calling to share the hope that we have, in Japan. My heart aches for the United States which has quickly become the epicenter and I am interceding daily for those who are struggling through this pandemic in fear, some even facing death, without the assurance of salvation. But my heart aches even more for Japan, because when something like this happens, churches are far and few between, Bibles are harder to find (few would even think to look for one), and bodies of believers are an extremely small minority in heavily populated cities like Tokyo. Though we trust that God has us here in the states to be a light at this time, we are also anxious to get to Japan and be a light in a spiritually dark culture. This pandemic is affecting the whole world in a variety of ways and some are even talking about these events being the end times. I can’t say that for sure, no one can. However, I do believe that regardless of whether this is really IT or not, he is preparing hearts to receive the gospel by stripping people all over the globe of their routines and their faith in the things of the world. I also believe that this strange season we are experiencing, though it seems in some ways an obstacle is instead going to act as a trajectory for new avenues of ministry. We are believing this for our calling to Japan and still hope to be there this year. Social distancing certainly creates a challenge for raising support but we are already seeing God at work and we are moving forward as best as we can, and trusting God with the rest.
0 Comments
Last January, the now famous series “Tidying up with Marie Kondo” was released on Netflix. If you’re not familiar, this series is a reality tv show that follows Japanese organizing consultant, Marie Kondo to families homes where she helps them to declutter and eliminate any items that do not “spark joy” in their lives. Pierce and I, with our interest in all things Japanese culture watched this series all the way through and shortly thereafter began applying her method to our own home. It turned out to be rather timely because shortly thereafter we felt God calling us to mission work in Japan. This series started us on the ongoing process of downsizing in preparation for the much smaller living of Tokyo Japan. “Marie Kondo-ing,” meaning pulling everything out of a closet, drawer, or shelves to eliminate the things you no longer need or want, has become a verb in our home that’s resulted in several trips to goodwill, ebay listings, and trash runs. Also my dresser drawers have never been neater. There are certainly a lot of practical tips to be gleaned from the Marie Kondo method. However, if you’ve seen the series or read her book you may have noticed some “odd” motions and ideas. Marie begins her visits by leading the families in greeting their homes and expressing gratitude for it’s shelter and warmth. She also encourages people to honor the things that spark joy by keeping them cleaned, neatly stored and organized and to eliminate the things that do not “spark joy” after thanking them for their service. These things are a direct result of Marie Kondo’s Shinto upbringing. Shintoism is the indigenous “religion” of Japan and is foundational in the traditions and culture of the entire country. In the article “What White, Western Audiences Don’t Understand About Marie Kondo’s ‘Tidying Up’”by Margaret Dilloway for HuffPost explains the story behind the Marie Kondo method from personal experience. Dilloway, granddaughter of a Shinto Priest explains, “Kami are Shinto spirits present everywhere — in humans, in nature, even in inanimate objects. At an early age, I understood this to mean that all creations were miracles of a sort. I could consider a spatula used to cook my eggs with the wonder and mindful appreciation.” Understanding this concept of Kami is key to understanding many aspects of Japanese culture and the attraction of the Marie Kondo method. Marie Kondo was the inspiration for my now neatly organized and significantly less full walk-in closet but I assure you there is nothing in that closet that sparks joy. There are plenty of things that spark gratitude and appreciation for God’s provision and happy memories but our goal in “Marie Kondo-ing” at our house is to remove the items that will impede our ability to invite people into our lives so they can witness the joy that only knowing Jesus can give. |