Week Two....I am trying to update more than once a week I promise!

Howdy from Japan!

If only I could get someone to say that...that would be awesome! I don't exactly know where I left off last time (I guess I could look below and find out...whatever) But things this week definitely picked up. The first thing I want to tell ya'll about is my English classes. I absolutely love them! They are so much fun but it might be because I'm the new guy and everyone wants to know about me. Even if that passes (which I'm sure it will), I know I'll still love them. I really do enjoy "teaching" and talking with them and answer questions is about all I do. I am not the only one in there. I just help the actually teacher (Miss. Linda Wixon or Mr. Peter Bakelaar depending on the day). But since I'm new and the intern, i think they like it if I come it and allow them to rest alittle because they don't have to plan as much. The classes are all pretty small, ranging from 3 to 6 in a class. I had a total number of 5 classes this week and I'll do that again this upcoming week. English classes are almost done for the quarter and won't start back up until Sept. I've kinda arrived at the tail end and will really miss it but have greatly enjoyed what I've gotten to do already. The Japanese students (I call them "students" but they are all older than me) are mostly women but there are a few men. They love hearing about my family, our farm, the horses, how I was homeschooled, the Iron Bowl, Robyn and Jay's family (my sister and her husband) and why I am in Japan. I had one class where all I talked about was horses!! The elder man in our class wanted to know everything from feed and diet to horseshoes and types of horses. We also talked about how horse meat is a specialty meat here! Gross!! I told them how different that sounds and how nasty that would be to find in the grocery stores.

*Disclaimer: If horse meat is found in hotdogs....Richard does not want to know. Do not tell him.

I have also gotten a pretty good picture of many of the things I will be doing during the summer. I was kinda thrown right into the English classes because they wanted my help with conversations and that they will be ending soon. But I got to sit down with Tom earlier and schedule things out. I got to see some of that go into play when I seat down with Mrs. Amy Newsome! She has put me to work and I've really appreciated the help she's offered to me. She gave me the job of designing the t-shirt we will be using for the Kid's Gospel Week at the church next week. So that was fun, using Microsoft Publisher and getting that sent in. And then helping direct and plan things for the carnival the church is having next weekend. I am basically the handy man which is I think is cool anyways so I'm fine with that. I'll paint signs and organize the booths after buying everything for them. There are other jobs and minister things going on but I'll write about those later.

Today was alot of fun! It technically was my day off but we spent the whole day in downtown Nagoya, seeing some of the sights but mainly because the Nagoya Sumo Wrestling Tournament was at the Nagoya Castle! It was awesome and hilarious at the same time! A life-changing experience! Tom took me, two other missionary kids and a Japanese friend who explained everything to us. It was definitely something I'll remember and it'll be cool that I experienced. Not everyday that an Alabamian gets to go to a Sumo tourney! Hope you like the pictures...haha.

I need to go to bed. Church is tomorrow and I'm getting to play again this week. Later this summer, Tom wants me to play for the whole service which will be fun. But it'll be a huge help for him.

Please PRAY for my English class students - that they will understand the Gospel I tell them and the GOD I love; that I'll be able to continue to form relationships with them and that they will see God through me.

Please PRAY that homesickness doesn't get the best of me. I never experienced jet-lag which was great but I do feel homesick slightly. I do NOT want to wish my time here in Japan away at all!

Please PRAY for the missionary families here (Newsomes, Bakelaars, Miss Linda Wixon, Wilsons and many more) who are VERY busy and tired. They also have summer break coming up soon and will need time to re-energize.

Please PRAY that God will use this tremendously in my life. I don't want to get carried away with they things I get to do or the things I need to get done. This isn't just a job! This is a special ministry that God's has called me too. I want to be here serving HIM and growing towards HIM everyday. Pray that daily time with HIM will be put first and my to-do list will come second.

Please PRAY for my little sister, Rainey, as she is leaving today (17th) for Belize with my home church. I love you sis and will be praying that God's uses you and that you and the team grow in a deeper knowledge and love for HIM!

Thank you for the comments! I don't get on the computer much but when I do I really enjoying hearing from you all. Sorry that i don't respond personally to all of them. Thank you for the prayers!

In Him,

Richard

P.S. Some people have asked so here you go...Tom and Teresa Wilson's address (where I am staying for the next few weeks)

2-9-15 Mitake

Togo-cho, Aichi-gun

Aichi-ken, Japan 470-0156