From homeless to work. I love this day.

I just realized how long it's been since I put an actual update on here.  For that, I apologize.  I have like 4 drafts that I never published for various reasons, but I'm going to do my best to put this one up, no matter how short it is.

Let me start with a brief analysis of what my day to day looks like, just for the curious.

I started working on January 18th as a full time private instructor for English.  I love this job because I have the opportunity to meet so many people, and while the focus of our time is on studying English, the format of the lesson allows me to get to know people and for them to get to know me.  I've worked every day, with the exception of an unexpected day off last Friday, since the 18th.  I know it sounds strange, but I actually enjoy working every day.  Because I'm working so much, though, I've been able to meet around 100 new people in the last few weeks, just through work, and while I'm not able to explicitly express my faith (through strict company rules) almost every new client I have asks the same question: "why do you came to Japan?" or some other variation of mixed up grammar. 

I think that this blog entry will be on that question.  Why did I come to Japan?

Recently, I was talking to one of my best friends, who's heart has also been incredibly moved for Japan, and we talked briefly on the subjects of love and joy.  The conversation actually went like this:

Robert: From homeless (we'll get to that later) to work.  I love today.
Robert: Who am I kidding, I love EVERY day.
Friend: You're so Genki* all the time!
Robert: How could I not be!? I feel the favor of the Lord, I feel like I'm walking in his will.
Robert: Do you know what kind of joy that produces?
Friend: Yes.

*Genki is a Japanese word often used to mean energetic or enthusiastic

It's been a strange month (I've been in Japan for 1 month and 3 days now), but I can't shake this joy.  Every day on my walk home from work (at like 11 pm) I look around the streets I live on and I can't help but smile.  I feel so blessed that God has brought me here, and I have faith (read: hope) that he's already using me in ways I'll never understand.

So, the first answer to the question "why did I come to Japan?" is, simply put, to walk in God's will, and by doing so, to walk in joy.  I'm not talking about a small measure of joy here, either, i mean, crazy awesome, peace-bringing, not even earthquakes shake me, joy.  I mean, the kind that people not only notice, but notice enough to have to comment on.

I have more to say on this, but it's getting too late to post more about it right now.  Because I promised earlier, though, I'll quickly mention what I meant when I said, "from homeless to work".

There's a church that meets down the street from my house.  The only church in like 3 square kilometers is a one minute walk from my house.  God does amazing things.  Anyway, I NEVER see people at this church, probably because I walk past at like 11 pm at night, but last night there just happened to be some lights on and I noticed some people inside, so, like a creepy foreigner I searched for the door so I could knock, but all the doors looked like windows, so I had to just stand outside the window where I saw people moving inside and while I was trying to figure out if i should knock on the window or just go home they noticed me standing there, all creepy like.  So, caught off guard a little I sort of waved my hands frantically as if it silently say, "I'm not creepy! I swear!" Somehow, I guess it worked, because after a few seconds I saw this little woman walk away from the window, and a few seconds after that I heard one of the door/windows opening.  I went over to the door and the first thing I asked was, "do you speak English?".  They did not, and the first thing they asked me was "Kurisutan desu?" which means "Are you a Christian?"  Somehow, with my shady Japanese and their less than elementary English (and I believe much assistance from the Holy Spirit) I found out that the church was started by Korean missionaries and that the next day at 12 20 they would be going to a nearby neighborhood to feed the homeless.  So, today at 12:20 I walked the one minute walk over to the church and we went to Ueno to feed the homeless before I had to go to work.

I sang a song last week that I haven't thought about since I lived in Memphis and went to Raleigh Christian Church, later named New Hope Christian Church.  The song was Step by Step and I had completely forgotten about it, so while I was singing it at church I got so caught up with reminiscing about the days I used to sing that song that I didn't really pay attention to the words, but now I can't get them out of my head.

I will seek you in the morning, and I will learn to walk in your ways.  And step by step you'll lead me and I will follow you all of my days.

I'm walking one step at a time right now, so while I can't totally answer the question of why I came to Japan I can say in confidence that this is where I'm supposed to be, and I'm so excited to see what the next step will be.

I feel the blessing of the Lord, and recently I've been reminded of the power of prayer, so thank you for your prayers to this point.  I have been blessed.  Thank you.