What a week!!

Dear all,

The weekend is still ahead and it has already been an awesome week. I love that I serve a great God. A God that reveals Himself in wondrous ways...ways that I never saw thought Him working with. At times, I am so doubtful. At other times, I can not believe I doubted. I feel like I sometimes live in a constant cycle of "belief and unbelief". It actually really irritates me. I am like the Israelites all over again! And I know how all that turned out for them. But it is encouraging and HOPEful to know that my Father in Heaven looks down with loving care and has grace on me. I don't know how people live without it. I realized that today. In the midst of chaos, life problems, world uproar and disfunctional lives, I can rest and be assured that everything is fine because I trust that God is in control. It puts everything in perspective!! He knows what's going on. He planned it all out anyways. He's sovereign! Most importantly, He loves me and TRULY wants what is best for me even more than I do! I can rest because of my faith in Him. What peace we Christians have! What unrest unbelievers have! Thank you God for transforming my life, calling me, changing me and adopting me as Your son. Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow! I really do serve a MIGHTY God...one who knows my thoughts and desires (even if they are silly and small.)

Saying "good-bye" is never really fun. Saying "good-bye" every day for a week....well it sucks! I never really thought about it until I was in the middle of it but having to go through all my English classes, friends that I've made & teachers and say "sayonara" is hard! And...I'm not done with this week yet as well. But that's what this week has mainly been. English classes have gone great (they always do...I love them) and conversations have been even better. It is interesting to see how talks, relationships and communities change, evolve from surface to something more over time. I've been here 3 months and yet I could see myself still learning about and from these amazing people for years. They love sharing with me about their weeks, families, Japanese culture, jobs, etc. They want to hear my opinion on things or my "different" perspective on world issues (which is funny because I NEVER know what is going on and still don't.) EC has been where I've received the most Japanese one-on-one interaction and I'll definitely miss it.

I have one funny, slightly awkward and horrible, story from this week. On Monday, I went to Darlene's EC (one that I had never gone too.) Don't ask me why I've waited until the LAST week to actually go to this class but I did. I've noticed one lady in particular even week that I'm there. She looked SO familiar and I never knew why. Well....turns out she was in Darlene's class. I met her when we introduced ourselves. I introduced myself and talked about my BIG, honky family. She stops me and says "I know. I was your host-family mother when you came to Japan 4 years ago!" You can imagine my expression when I finally understood what she said. Pure embarrassment! How could I have done something so humiliating and awkward as that!?! I tried to recover but I'm not sure I did. She was so gracious and understanding and we laughed about it with the other the rest of the class. But I still felt HORRIBLE! That was Monday and today (Thursday) I had the opportunity to re-unite with my homestay family for the day. We visited a local historical place and eat together. It was great to see them again and get re-aqquianted. God knew that I had been wondering about them and had us in the right place at the right time to be re-united. It really was wonderful even though I still don't think that I'll recover from such embarrassment.

I don't want this to be my last post so it won't. I am flying home on October 5th (this Tuesday) so I plan on writing before them. Even with that known, I have a very busy weekend which I need much prayer.

• On Saturday, Nisshin Christ Church is hosting a gospel concert featuring John Lucas (originally from Jamaica who now leaves in Tokyo.) Pray that people will come to both concerts and that they will have open hearts to hear and accept the Gospel. Pray for those that are singing backup and still haven't practiced (me, Tom and several other!)
• On Sunday, I and the Watanabe family will be leading a seminar/discussion on homeschooling. This will be after church and I'll be giving the student perspective on what it was like to receive that education and the Watanabe will give the Japanese perspective on how it works and how it is legal. Pray for people to show up as well and that my nerves will be put to rest about what I will say.
• Pray for the choirs that meet tomorrow and Saturday and that they will run smoothly. Pray that Tom can direct efficiently and more importantly teach the Gospel through Word and song.
• Pray that God will continue to teach me, to mold me, to reveal Himself to me in these last several days. Pray that my desire would be to serve and honor my God and that I will find complete JOY in obey Him. Pray that I will be open to whatever He would have me to learn in the next few days

Thank you for the continual support!

May God Bless,

Richardo

"You are good" is the theme song of this trip

Dear everyone that follows this blog,

I have really stunk at keeping up with this blog the last month or so. And I don't really know why. I was moving around a little bit during that time but still no excuse so sorry if that has annoyed people. I sometimes just get busy and forget that I hadn't wrote anything in awhile. Anyways....I'm back to writing.

I feel like I'm way behind on things that are going on and don't even know where to start. The first things that comes to mind is that back home in ALABAMA....I'm missing family time. Which is totally fine because God has me here in JAPAN for a reason during this time. But the family is all together for several reasons this past week and one of them is a huge praise to our Heavenly Father because Seaborn Joseph Ketcham was born on Tuesday, Sept 21st to proud parents, Capt. Samuel and Dorsey Ketcham of Savannah, GA!! I can't believe that my brother is a father....so weird. But it is so encouraging to see how God works, how he changes hearts and lives and that He really can do what we think is impossible. Sam was in Afghanistan not be a few days ago and made it back to see his son born. Praise God!! Sam and Dorsey...miss ya'll a lot and can't wait to see the new little guy. I'm an uncle (for the 14th time.)

Back to Japan, things are definitely back into the swing of things. I have a full schedule of things going on every day. Like I posted about earlier, August was vacation time and September brought everything back to normal with busy schedules, classes, choirs, bible studies and full church services...and school started back. On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, I either have one or two English classes (EC) that I go too. They all range from teachers (Amy, Peter, Linda or Darlene) and difficulty (beginners to free conversation). I know I've also said this before...but I really love my EC! I love that I can get to know the people in there and hear about their week, share things about mine, build a smaller community for them to feel apart of and share the love that God has shown to us. I've made a lot of my friends through the EC and will be sad to see everyone the last time this next week. Since I leave on Oct 5th (a Tuesday), this next week will be my last full week of seeing everyone and "teaching" the classes.

Choirs are also in full swing. Tom and Teresa have 4 choirs going on. Three Gospel choirs in three different cities around Nagoya (Togo, Nisshin and Shiga) and one Christmas Classical choir that meets in Togo. This dominates their time. Well....actually what has mostly dominated their time is making the CD's for these choirs. I moved back in with them last week and they have been working on these CD's non-stop. I think that we all will finish them tomorrow. These CD's are used to help the Japanese learn the music better and to share the music with others. That last point is just a bonus because it's cool to see that the Wilson's might make like 50 CD's but about 300 people will end up listening to them (spouses, children, family, friends, etc). So that is another way that they share the Gospel is through these CD's that they actually just use to help the choirs learn the music. But the Japanese are hearing the Gospel proclaimed while listening!! The choirs are a lot of fun. I haven't got to sing a whole bunch because I am best used as a babysitting during those times so that Tom and Teresa can actually direct, talk and share during practices. Right now, the choirs need men though so I have been singing with the Christmas choir. Let me tell you...it's hard for a man who will not listen to Christmas music until AFTER Thanksgiving to sing Christmas music in September! I've also been helping make the CD's via copying them. We have to make almost 600 (i think) because Tom and Teresa have gotten so good at them that different choirs in Tokyo and around other parts of Japan want them too. A lot of copying and writing to do in the next 12 days.

Other than classes and choirs, I've been helping with music on Sunday mornings. Since being here, I've played with the praise and worship team by playing the piano. It's a lot of fun and I've been glad to help Tom out with some of the music on Sunday. I'm really glad his let me continue to play! I've also helped Amy Newsome and Michiyo Sakai (a very sweet lady in the church) run the Mom's and Kid's club that meets on Friday morning. I laugh while writing this because it's a bunch on young mothers and young children (ages 0 - 4) that come...and I'm the only dude in the building. haha but I help out by playing with the little boys and keeping them busy so that Amy and Sakai san can minister to the families.

I've sincerely enjoyed getting to know all the missionaries and their families better as my time has gone by. I feel like I'm apart of some of their families and it'll be so weird to leave my Japan family when that happens. I'm trying not to think about it but it's hard not too when the end is coming so fast. The team here in Nagoya had one of the short-term couples that are raising support to join the team come and visit for one week this past week. Jake and Anna Claire Gee are from GA and are hoping to be join the team in less then a year. Jake has been working in a church in VA as the youth pastor for the last two years and they have been married for a little over two years as well. These guys are AWESOME! Hilarious and will be a huge help to the team because they bring so much energy and excitement. It was cool to see them interact with Japanese and how the Japanese just gravitated to this couple. I got to hang out with them a lot and we actually went to Kyoto (about 2 1/2 hours Southwest of Nagoya by bus) on Tuesday for a sightseeing day. Kyoto use to be one of the old capitals. It's also known as "the city with thousands of temple." And they aren't lying....there's 1000's! We spent all day there and saw 4 but the whole city is full of castles, palaces, museums and temples, temples, temples. It's actually really sad because people will make pilgrimages to come to these temples and burn incense for their families or prayer or pay for different good luck charms that will bring them _____ (you fill in the blank). I'm there to see Japanese architecture and experience Japanese culture but these are places of worship for many. Very sad to see people offering fruit and flowers to statues! It makes me think how glad I am that I have a Father that loves me....that has mercy on me...and that is ALIVE and ACTIVE in my life. Great lessons learned and appreciation gained by getting to experience that.

This week hasn't been a totally full week because in Japan there has been two national holidays. Monday was "Respect the Elderly" day! Isn't that awesome!!?!? And Thursday is something that I can't pronounce but it's like Equinox day or something. So on Monday...a group of men from the church went on a hike in some mountains in Nagano ken (Nagano prefecture = where the Olympics were held in 1998). It was beautiful and I got to see a area of Japan I hadn't experienced yet....the mountains. From the top, we could see the Southern, Northern Alps and on a clear day (which is wasn't) Mt. Fuji. It really was gorgeous! I looked out and couldn't help but think how GREAT OUR GOD is! He made such beauty and allows us to enjoy it. What a Master that can paint such a beautiful picture! I hope to post some pictures so that ya'll can have a glimpse of it.

Please be in prayer for me as I only have 12 more days in Japan. :( I still feel like I have a lot that I want to get accomplished and not sure that I will get everything done. Pray that I'll stay focus and not be worried about what is going on at home. If it is God's will that everything be done...it will be accomplished.

Please pray for the church in Nisshin right now. Many people in the church are sick or recovering from surgeries and things. Lift them up and ask that God will work through this time to reach others that do not know Him.

Please pray for Tom and Teresa as they finish up the CD's and hope to get all that done so that they can move on to other things. This task has been over their heads for awhile and they would love to have it completed.

Pray for my family back in the U.S. this week. Many things happened and I know that they are all very stressed and overwhelmed right now. Pray that I'll be able to focus on things here in Japan and not feel bad for missing out on family time back home.

Pray that God will continue to reveal His plan for my life. I'll be going back and still not very sure about where the path leads. Pray that God will be gracious to me as I ask for His direction and that His wonderful truths will continually be revealed to me as I SEEK Him thought the Word!

I greatly appreciate all the prayers and support. Love you all and will talk to ya'll later.

-Mr. Richard

I'm still here...sorry I haven't written

Ok,

So it's been a little while since I've written. Actually, a long time so I'm sorry about that. But I've found it difficult to write a lot. The pictures below are random but I thought that I'd show ya'll some of the people have been with and places I've been. The pictures above are from the past couple of weeks. Josh Newsome is "eating" a praying mantis, a picture of me at one of Japan's awesome parks and some pretty Japanese scenery.

I don't even know where to start telling ya'll what I've been up too and what's been going on. This week the English classes started back up. There are 5 classes I go to regularly but I taught one this week on Monday by myself. Well...got to tell you that that was fun because it was a beginners classes. What do you get when you have Japanese people who know little English in a room with a teacher that knows very little Japanese? A group of people staring at each other!! Ok...it wasn't that bad. It actually went really well and I had a lot fun. Fortunately, I have really enjoyed all the English classes. I get to know them and learn about what's going on in their lives. They get to know me and they love hearing about my life in America. I have really liked learning from Linda and Peter as they teach the classes. Seeing them intertwine the Gospel into teaching English and the care they have for their students is something that I've loved and have learned while being with them. One of the most important things about the English classes is that they are creating a community for people to feel loved, cared for and able to build relationships. There might not be many people that come to know Christ (specifically) through an English class but for people to know that there is a place to come to feel loved and welcome in a culture that is huge, busy and where people can feel lost or insignificant.

Choirs have started up or will start this week. Tom and Teresa are very excited about that and have been working REALLY hard to get prepared for them. There are three Gospel choirs that meet every other week. And there is a Christmas choir that meets every week. Tom is really excited about that one! But it's kinda weird to start singing Christmas music in September...haha. I go to be another male voice or to babysit for the Wilsons so that they can concentrate on talking and getting to know those in the choir.

The Newsome's house is complete (well for the most part.) It looks completely different and it's been cool to know that I've helped them in some way. The whole interior of their house is for the most part re-painted. Amy has been busy getting it re-decorated and back to normal. It's been fun living with the Newsomes. There's always things going on. The Wilson's had a great time on vacation and, I think, are glad to be back. I finish the rest of time here in Japan at both of their houses.

Anyways....I know that this is short but it's taken me a whole movie to concentrate to get this much down. Please continue to pray that I'll have the mindset to SERVE. I'm staying until October 5th (which is an answer to prayer...thanks.) Pray for the church ministries I mentioned above (English classes and choirs) and that people would come to know our Father through these outreaches and will speak through the people that lead them. Again, I am sorry that this is short and that it has been a long time since I've written. Thanks for reading the post...can't wait to see ya'll when I get home.

In Christ,

Richard

Here are some pictures from the past two weeks...

I've had a hard time figuring out the computer so finally here are some pictures to go with the last two posts. Thanks!

-Richard