CCBC Okinawa Reunion Western Hemisphere status

This past Wednesday my brother, mom, and I went to Pastor Tommy's home church in Corona to visit and fellowship with Pastor Tommy and the Living Water Church people we also had the opportunity to see some of the few missionaries whom we had met this past year in Okinawa who themselves came back from where ever country the Lord had called them to for a season. It was a good time of fellowship and theworship and the Word and prayer with one another. Truly we walk by faith and we must trust in God and the promises that He made and makes through His Word.

Back in Cali

I wish i could post a picture but I don't have a working camera at hand for the time being. It most definitely has been good seeing old friends and family within these past few days. Being out of a good schedule of studying and ministry now, I know that i may slowly become comfortable and lazy and forget the need to be in an attitude of prayer in my daily life so i know that all the more there is a need for me to continue to hold fast to the Lord and continue in thanksgiving for all that He's given me and not to be sucked into the ideals that whatever culture i am in tries to conform me too but to rely on God and be obedient.

Philippians 4:6 This is such good instruction for the believer and applies to the child of God for almost every frantic moment in life.
It is so good to know the good and one true God who know all even the number of hairs on my head.

taipei layover

God was good to provide for us during our (Anna, Joel, and my) 3 hour layover in the Taipei airport. We were looking fro outlets to plug into to charge computers (at least to charge mine) and we were blessed with this little niche. I think sometimes it's the small things that the Lord provides that is such a blessing because it is like the reassurance of His love that goes even to the details of our lives.

Leaving on a Jetplane [to Cali]

Goodbye Okinawa. God has been so graciously good to me this whole year. I look back now on how much the Lord has grown me and matured me in so many ways and i thank Him for His leading and comforting hand all along the way. I will definitely miss my brothers and sisters that i have grown, prayed, and ministered with. See you later. As children of God we always have the comfort of knowing that we will always see each other later.

Friday Kinser- the last time

my last night being at Kinser Chapel. It was my last time to sign anyone in on base too. The gaurd's name was Goya-san i thought it was pretty appropriate for my last time being in Okinawa being that Goya champuru is a popular Okinawan dish. We had ukulele worship last night because the guitar string broke when i was trying to tune it. but it was a blessed time. It is really our prayer that these kids grow up to love the Lord and learn to be separate from though in the world.

Kurisumasu Pa--ty

This Thursday we had a Christmas party at CC Ginowan this past Thursday Chuck Robb organized the whole lot. It was fun we had a gift exchange and sang Christmas carols, and played groups games and watched a Charlie Brown Christmas dubbed in Japanese which makes the Peanuts gang so much more awesome (if you notice one of the pictures i captured Chuck watching Chuck Brown). It was a good time for everyone to relax and just enjoy the night.
We should remember that the true meaning of Christmas is Christ Himself because as followers of Christ we should find that our whole living is based upon His coming to earth to be born as a man and die for the world. Rejoice! we have been rescued.

dinner at the Robb's

Chuck and Yumi Robb invited a few of us who were leaving Okinawa for awhile. THey made some awesome gioza and we just got to talk and fellowship.

guided tour of yomitan: tamiko murakami style

Coming down from the Newell's Anna, Tamiko, and I were dropped off at Tamiko's house where we got to borrow her parent's car(that they had since Tamiko was 3yrs old). An we went all around Yomitan and Tamiko's favorite spots to visit like the bakery, the cool store, and the pottery neighborhood, and even some castle ruins.It is the best spot to live in Okinawa being that it is not too far away from the north or the sounth. It was a blessing also because Tamiko's parents had us for dinner a dish called "nabe" which is what most Japanese houses eat especially during the winter time. chou oishikata. it was really delicious.

Masaki's バースデイバースデイ

Masaki is the son of Tim and Ayu Newell the couple that moved from Ginowan up north to Nago as missionaries and as a another step of faith as they've started CC Nago up there.
I'm going to miss them and lil Masaki he's the chubby boy everyone wants to hold. Keep the Newells in prayer as they serve the Lord in Nago.

"chillin' like villains": fall semester end

The Saturday after this fall semester of Bible college ended we were invited by Abraham (dude with the Blue shirt in the first picture) to spend the afternoon and evening at his house to eat and just chill. We had an awesome time. Many of the students were grateful (including myself) for Abraham opening up his home to us students to come and relax and fellowship and just enjoy one another's presence in the last few hours that we would all be together. It was definitely a blessing. Pray for Abraham as he will be leaving Okinawa and heading out to the front lines soon (a part of the reason why he wanted to invite us all). It really was a fun time.

MELT Christmas carols

Melt is M English Lunch Time which is a ministry we do on the Japanese University where we have conversational English classes with the college students and present the gospel and just love on the students. the Lord has been using this ministry for the years that it has been started and He is continuing to do so.

Amanda and I had the opportunity to sing some Christmas carols. We hope and pray that each one of these students comes to know the Lord.
(Picture taken by Natsuki Kochi a Melt student who became a believer this past year and has been growing in the Lord as she has been fellowshipping with us at CCGinowan and the students at the Bible College Cafe) Please pray for the MELT students and for Natsuki who is now a light and is surrounded by darkness that she may continue to grow in the faith.

ccbc okinawa banquet fall 2009

Twas another excuse to dress up and pig out. we had a good time of eating delicious Italian food and reminiscing about the semester passed and it was so cool to see what the Lord did and how much fun we had together. it may be a long time till be all see each other all together again but it has been cool being apart of each others' lives for this short fall season. onto greater things the Lord has planned for our lives as we grow more in love with Jesus.

holy matrimony: andrew and the blenders

Ally and Jim got married Friday this past Thanksgiving weekend. Ally really did a great job in planning it with Lea it looked beautiful and though the picture really doesn't do justice to what Ally looked like she was gorgeous. Andrew and i were asked by her and had the privilege to be apart of the wedding ceremony in the procession where Neely played a Steven Curtis Chapman song and when Ally walked i played and sand Somewhere Over the Rainbow to Ally's walk down the aisle.

Then during the reception "Neely and the Blenders" (Cotton, Zach, and I being the 'blenders' as Tommy named us on the spot) we played a few songs that Ally requested and some other songs, Lean on Me, I'm yours and Jazz stuff with Cotton and Piano juice with Neely and a few worship songs. Twas a good night.

thanksgiving CC Ginowan style

the following week after the single marine's thanksgiving party we had thanksgiving again at CC Ginowan. There was also a celebration lunch on Monday for the Japanese since that was their day off. We were piggin' out to say the least that whole week or should i say "turkeyin' " out.
That Thursday we had MELT (My English Lunch Time) before the actual dinner started and we invited some of the college students and about six students came with us.
It was really a blessing.
It was definitely a blessed week and days off for the students and the fellowship was great.

thanksgiving bashes

it has been awhile since, but we helped out on Kinser chapel for a single marines thanksgiving lunch. us students served the food and played worship songs while they were eating. it was really a time to minister to the military people.

it is statistically said that the suicide rate on base rises around the holidays because the troops start thinking about how much they miss home. they say that almost have of the corps is under 19 years of age. so it is understandable why the suicide rate is at it is because they are just kids away from home.

so keep the troops in your prayers as they are struggling with things too.
(photos taken by Tamiko Murakami)