2011 March 12 - From the Hills of Japan

***THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS!***

First, we are safe and uninjured.

Second, we have never experienced anything of this magnitude in our 26 years here.

I am writing a quick note to cover a wide scope of those wondering about us.  I will try to answer the many emails soon, which were sent to us while we tried to sleep last night.  (Cheryl thinks that the writer of "Shake, Rattle and Roll" must have been in an earthquake and aftershocks like these.)

We have had minor damage (minor breakage inside, some roof repair will be needed) compared to many others in the north.  We are in the greater Tokyo area albeit the northeast side.  Abi is an hour north and they were without electricity.  Good friends (and missionaries) north by an hour and a half from us have had life changing events there.  They and their house are safe though much on the inside is broken, but, all of their neighbors have had to locate in a shelter for now.  Their houses are no longer viable.

Further north yet, (4 – 6 hours) our friends have been unreachable by us and we like you watch the news and see the terrible scenes.

Unlike many others we have heat, electricity, and gas.  But no water.  It stopped during the night.  Buckets are at the ready for the toilets.  Aftershocks continue.

I (Leon) was at a seminary graduation ceremony at which a young man I have known and participated in his discipleship since he was in high school, was graduating.  The earthquake hit in the middle of the ceremony and at first everybody tried to ignore it, but it would not let up and we first ducked for cover under the benches, but quickly everyone left the building.  We waited around in a large open space watching to see which way the bell tower might fall.  I and my missionary friend, Paul Sadler, who came by train soon decided to try and get to our homes in my car.  That trip distinguished itself only by the swaying bridge over the largest river in the area.

Cheryl and Jeffrey had taken cover under the kitchen table watching the bookshelves empty themselves.

Tears fill our eyes as we read the multitude of FB & email messages speaking of your prayers.  We believe these prayers continue to effect protection for us and the others here.

This is not over yet and we will continue to crave your prayers for us.

Well so much for short.  I will now try to send this out.  The other tragedy this week centered on the collapse of my computer.

Thanks so much for your faithful prayers!!  We are DESPERATE for your prayers!

Remember, Cling to the LORD your God! (cp. Deuteronomy 13:4) --- and hold on for the ride of your life!

Family With You In Christ,

Abi, Jeffrey, Cheryl & Leon

OUR SUPPORT NEED: $1871/month.  Falling $ strikes again.
To contribute or make support commitments go to:
www.worldventure.com
Find our name under the "FIND A MISSIONARY".
Than look for the "make a donation" or "make a commitment" near the top of the page.

Or send to:
WorldVenture
1501 W Mineral Ave.
Littleton, CO
80120-5612.

Thanks!!

 *** *** *** *** ***
FROM:  Leon & Cheryl Hill
ADDRESS:  3-6-14 Matsuba
            Ryugasaki Shi, Ibaraki Ken
            Japan  301-0043
 *** *** *** *** ***

Goals! Goals! Goals!

A new year!  I have thought about setting goals, but not sure what.  I, for sure, will finish school.  I want to write more. I want to improve my communication skills.   I want to improve my walking and running skills.  I want to improve my social skills.  Those are good goals, and I need to work on them, but what are my goals that will match with Kingdom values?  These are harder because they involve heart changes.  I need to be prayerful in these goals, and then be earnest about the follow through.  One goal I have pondered is to live my life so every aspect of it points to Jesus, the King.  I can be more intimate with Jesus this year.  I can certainly be a greater light than I was last year.  I can more fully embrace kingdom values.  Now maybe I need to concentrate this year on learning what those kingdom values are.  I need to more fully understand the King.  I need to keep maturing is my walk with Jesus.  That is a task I will not complete in one year, but I can move closer to it in the coming year.  It is in some ways an impossible array of goals.  Then again, I draw from the King’s well.  His specialty is strength in weakness.  I will be resting in the hands of Jesus, and let Him be in control.  When I am tempted to jump out of those hands I will remember the cross. So I am going out this year to do the impossible in the name of Jesus.

明けましておめでとうございます！目標を立てようと思っているんですけど、どんなのを立てればいいかわかりません。もちろん、学校は卒業します。そして、もっと詩とか書きたいし、コミュニケーションのスキルも磨きたいです。もっと上手に歩いたり、走ったりできるようになりたいし、もっと社交的になりたいと思っています。こういうのも良い目標だし、もちろんそのために努力しなければいけないけど、神様に喜ばれる木曜はなんでしょう。これは、心も変えなければいけないから難しいです。そのためにはもっと祈らなきゃいけないし、そして、実際に行動もしなきゃいけない。ひとつ考えているのは、自分の人生がすべての面で王であるイエスに向くこと。今年はもっとイエスさまに近づける。僕はもちろん去年よりもっと輝こうと思います。完全に御国の価値観を受け入れようと思います。だから、今年はその価値観が何なのか学ばなきゃいけないと思います。これからもイエス様にあって成長をしなきゃいけません。これは、１年で完成できることではないけど、この１年を通してその目標に近づきたいです。ある意味では無理な目標です。でも、僕は神様の井戸から飲みます。神様は弱わい時にこそ働いてくださいます。僕はイエス様の御手の中にいて、すべてを委ねます。その手から飛び降りようとするとき、十字架を思い出します。なので、今年はイエスの御名によって無理を可能にします！

Away We Go

I am back.  The time in America was far different than I was anticipating.  It was hard, and often sad.  One spectacular experience was flying in a hot air balloon.  In Albuquerque, almost every morning you can see these balloons.  They seem to lumber across the sky in a variegated color display.  You can also see a tiny basket hanging at the bottom.  I enjoyed seeing them, but my imagination could not encompass riding in one.  Not so my dad!  He wanted to ride.  He did. He enjoyed it.  He was doing it again.  All of a sudden I was going to ride.  Should I give in to joy or give in to fear?  I decided joy felt better so why not.  I watched the inflation of the balloon, and even helped from time to time.  This was a fascinating process.  Then it was get-in-the-little-basket time.  From the ground the basket looked big, as did the balloon.  I climbed in with my parents and listened carefully to the instructions.  That seemed a wise move.  As we chatted and looked about I felt movement.  We were ascending!!!  It was more of a floating experience.  I was fascinated by looking down on the landscape below.  Houses looked different from this venue.  I saw a bigger picture of things, and it helped me see beauty I had not seen before.  Then I realized I was seeing a little more like God sees things.  The perspective was different.  I was reminded visually that God sees the big picture encompassing so much more than my narrow view.  I cannot rely on my wisdom which sees only a slice of the picture.  I need to trust God’s plan.  He sees the whole big picture.  It was one of most exhilarating experiences I had.  It was a very uplifting learning experience.  I will do it again.  Want to come along?

ただいま。アメリカ旅行は予想していたものと全然違いました。難しい、そして、時には悲しかったです。でも、その中での素晴らしい経験を話したいと思います。それは、熱気球に乗れたことです。私がいたアルバカーキー州では毎朝この熱気球が飛んでいるのがみられます。鮮やかな色で地上の上をプカプカ浮いていきます。下には小さなカゴがついています。見るのは楽しかったです、でも、それに乗るなんて想像もできませんでした。しかし、父は違いました。彼は乗りたがっていました。そして、ついに乗りました。楽しみました。また乗ることになりました。今度は私も乗ることになりました。恐れるべきなのか喜ぶべきなのかわかりませんでした。喜ぶほうが気持ち良いので喜ぶことにしました。熱気球を膨らます段階から見て、そして、たまには手伝いました。これはとても面白い作業でした。そして、ついに「小さなカゴ」に乗り込む時がきました。地上で見るととても大きく見えました。両親と共に乗り込んで、指導員さんの説明を聞きました。おしゃべりをしながら周りを見ていると、動きをかんじました。離陸です！浮いてる感覚が印象に残っています。下の景色はとても素晴らしかったです、地上で見る家はと空から見る家は全然違いますね。そして、気づきました、神様が見ているようなものを見ているのかもしれないと。神様は私たちには見えない全体が見えています。ほんの少ししか見えてない自分の知恵に頼ることはできませんね。神様の計画に信頼しなくては。神様は全体が見えています。

今まで体験した中で一番素晴らしい経験でした。またやりたいと思います。一緒に来ませんか？

Who is Translating What?

Last Sunday I had a great opportunity and a first.  I was invited to share a testimony at the church where Abi works.  I wrote it all out and was prepared but nervous.  When we talked to Abi, it became clear this was to be an extemporaneous speech.  The idea was not for me to have Abi read what I wrote, but for me to use my writing as my notes, and compose in front of everyone.  My mom would then pass on my written word to Abi who would translate it into beautiful Japanese.  Now I was really scared. Could I do this?  Well, since my testimony involved God ministering in miraculous ways through me, it did not seem I had much room to fret.  When the time came for me to “speak” I was nervous.  To increase the drama Abi’s dog was so glad to see to see me, she barked outside the window the entire time I was presenting.  However, it began to flow. And in the end Mama was simultaneously translating my words to Abi who simultaneously translated them into Japanese.  I think it went well, and I can see more of this in the future.  As I look back on it I am chagrinned that I expended energy worrying about it.  God always is there translating my life into a manifestation of His glory.  It also works better when I do not get in His way.  When I am fretting, I am focused on Jeffrey, not God.  That does not accomplish the goal.  So, I better put Jeffrey in the back, and God in the front.  I think it works better that way.

Change? Are you sure, God?

I must confess I am a person who detests change.  I think much of this is influenced by my autism, but I suspect some of it is just my nature – who I am.  I do like the changing seasons, but I also find discomfort in this as I must adjust my dress and sleep habits to suit.  It heightens my stress.  Changing furniture arrangements in the house makes me uncomfortable. Changing daily routines makes me irritable. Understanding this, you can only imagine my feelings at this time of change in my life.  My beautiful, exquisite, “tiny”, baby sister has grown up.  She has been led by Jesus to step into a ministry of helping a very small church for the next year.  These are exciting things.  I am happy for her!  I am proud of her!  I am devastated.  You see this wonderful event in her life means she had to move out of our house and lives about an hour away.  Now when I go to bed, the room across the hall is dark and quiet, and stays dark and quiet all night.  My dear soul mate is not here.  I know in my head this is a good step for Abi.  It is the next step in her growth.  She needs this.  But alas, my heart hurts at her vacant place in our home.  I prayed for her to come to our family when we were little.  I did not pray she would move away.

 

As I have thought about this I have come to see that not only is this the next step God has designed for Abi, but it is the next step God has designed for me.  Rather than rebelling against this maybe I would do better to trust my Creator.  He knew this day in my life would come.  He also knows my weakness.  However, I can say today, “Praise the Lord.”  Why?  I can say that because I can trust in the mighty strength of God who allows me to leap a wall.  Yes, even the wall of change.  And, in the bargain Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. So bring on the change; I am armed and ready.

My Personal Object Lesson

Yesterday while sitting in family devotions we were reading in Isaiah 51 how God was the one who stretched the sky like a canopy and laid the foundations of the earth.  We were about to comment about that when God gave us an object lesson.  There was a low rumble, and then the earth shook and so did we.  It was an earthquake, not an unusual occurrence here.  The timing was exactly right to make us see and feel for ourselves that God was in charge of the foundations of the earth.  I could only be amazed at a God who could give us a personal object lesson to illustrate His Word.  It underscored the fact that the Scripture is living, an extension of the living God.  I was reminded again that God is intimately involved in our daily life.  He wants to make the words on the page of Scripture jump off the page (or shake off as the case may be), and become part of our lives.  I think sometimes I need an earthquake to waken me to that fact.  Sorry for those of you who had to endure any inconvenience my personal object lesson may have caused.

God's Word - My Joy

God’s Word- My Joy 

Oh the joy God’s Word to read;

Diamonds and pearls I daily find,

Stopping there, my soul to feed.

In my heart His truth to bind.

 

Oh the joy God’s Word to hear,

My ear His wondrous Truth to grasp.

Oh spoken word you seem so clear,

And to my heart this Word I clasp.

 

Oh the joy God’s Word to sing!

You bid me come to your embrace;

You shelter me beneath your wing,

Wells up in me a song of grace.

 

Oh the joy God’s Word to live!

And so each day Your Light to shine

And so to those around me give

A chance to see this Savior mine.

   

February 22, 2010

Jeffrey Hill