End of Trip, Beginning of New Journey

During the entire month of May, I participated in P2C's digital mission trip. When I signed up for this trip, I thought of it as a way to make up for not being able to go on an in-person short term trip that I had planned for this summer. As I was supposed to go to Tohoku in northern Japan, I naturally chose the Japan region for this trip. I started this trip not knowing what I will learn but I have been enlightened in ways that I have not imagined.

For this trip, we had a hub time where everyone gathered in one big zoom meeting and also area times for different groups (East Asia, International Students, Dessert Rain, and Japan). To be honest, I didn't enjoy the hub times as much until the third week (I didn't attend the second week because I was studying for a music harmony exam), but my region time was always great. For one thing our region time leader was a super cool dude and a future missionary to Japan. Because of his connections we were able to meet all sorts of different missionaries currently on the field and hear about their ministries. What stuck to my mind most was meeting Jessica and being exposed to "market place ministry" in Japan, as this is something that I am preparing for (but I didn't know that's what it was called xD). I can really sense that the missions field is evolving, especially in Japan. It has been said many times but I've finally come to realize that people are not projects and the kingdom isn't only about numbers. Of course I want everyone in Japan to know the one true God but it's really about relationships, that deep desire of wanting to be loved and feeling a connection with others is especially prominent in Japan. Pairing this with what I have been learning over the months and from RJC's Japan 101 course I can see the severity of the situation in Japan. But the quote at the end of the book "Understanding Japan Through the Eyes of Christian Faith" spoke the truth out of us, it said:

You have to love Japan in order to reach Japan.

Beautiful view of the fuji mountain ands some sakura trees~🌸

I think that phrase is so powerful and 100% true because if I didn't love Japan and her people I wouldn't care to study and understand about them.

I do wonder what my future ministry in Japan will look like and what I would be feeling when I am actually living in that environment that I've studied so much.

Now for the hub time, reflecting back I also learned a lot. I learned a really fast way to share your story called the 15 second testimony, and I think it would be so useful when we're living a missional life. I also invested into a prayer liturgy book that I heard some staff and students talk about and I really like it, it does help me to say words and feel the intimacy with God. Some other things that was discussed included: honour/shame culture; the cycle of grace; beloved scripture; see the beauty of God's creation in yourself & others; sabbath and feeling God's presence in your daily life.

I really enjoyed the fun times and seeing others around the same age as I am living for God, it was truly inspirational! But being online it was hard sometimes especially when the wifi drops (this might just be me but it sucked when I got kicked out of the zoom meeting as someone was saying something important). A lot of things were shared and learned but the most important thing was that as the DMT came to an end I became sure of my calling to go to Japan and share God's love with the suffering people❣️

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" Matthew 28:18-19 (NIV)