Letters from Japan

January 26, 2024 – A long overdue prayer update…

Dear friends,

A long overdue prayer update…

Thank you for praying for me in the time that I’ve been gone – they were strengthening sustenance in both good and difficult times. Please continue to pray for God’s work in Japan, the various challenges & millions of people, and in me, that I would be daily transformed & made useful to His work.

In the time I’ve been gone, I’ve missed everyone greatly, and it’s been a great joy being home these past few months – everything so familiar it’s like I never left, and not quite how I remembered it at the same time. Soon I will be off once again.

Please pray with me this time also, through the highs and lows ahead!

Some Prayer Points:

Getting back in the swing of things

• I’ve bought my tickets and God willing, I will be flying on the 19th February.
• Mindset: It’s so easy to feel settled and comfortable at home – begin to be occupied with things here and Japan feels millions of miles away.
• Language Study: haven’t done much in Japanese since being back, so I will be picking it back up. Please pray that this will help me refocus also.

Time left

• As time begins growing short, the reality of it is sinking in more, and already I’m beginning to feel homesickness creep into my mind.
• Please pray that the time left will be well spent.

Time ahead

• If the last time was more of a trial run to see whether or not I would stay long term, this time I will be returning to Japan with the intent of staying.
• Please pray that I will really be able to settle in (especially in the initial few years) – for deep and long term relationships, for good friends, good fellowship – for teachers and role models and to really be able to put roots down.

Thank you for your prayers 🙂

Warmly, 

Tiana

 

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January 16, 2023 – Brace Yourselves! It’s a loooong one!

Dear friends,

Thank you for thinking of me and praying for me 🙂

Goodness! Has it really been 6 months since the landing? And almost 4 months since the last prayer update 😨

Retrospectively, at my own loss, I had been putting off writing the prayer update. I had been ashamed of one of the things in my previous prayer letter falling through, and not particularly eager to write an update detailing my own failures.

You may remember that in the last update, my friend, Mion had suggested that we read the bible together (I even asked for book suggestions!). Rather than leap at the opportunity and swiftly set things into motion, I procrastinated, dragged my feet, and kinda just hoped she’d bring it up. And so, unsurprisingly, it fell through -things got busier for her and it slipped off the priority list, and my belated attempts to follow up on that were of no use.

I am ashamed I let such an opportunity slip me by. (My ‘technical’ occupation right now is ‘missionary’, and it makes me uncomfortable. I do not feel I even come vaguely close to qualifying to attaching my name to the term that those who’ve laboured with blood, sweat and tears for the Kingdom have). And so I put off writing the prayer updates.

Now I see that it was probably not the greatest of ideas.

I will not be doing this in the future. Please pray for me 🙂

Prayer Points (Brace! Brace!):

New Year’s Resolutions 

To read the Bible with purpose every day

In the last year or so of my life, I began feeling that my faith was uncomfortably hollow. Like I was barely through the doorway of Christianity. Like I had merely scratched the surface, and I didn’t yet have the eyes to fully comprehend or see the depths or its treasures.

I believed this was because I did not know God enough, and to do so, the only way would be to read, chew on and digest His word. Yet despite this restless feeling of lacking substance and the nagging answer that kept knocking at my mind, I still found myself still lacking the momentum and drive.

Toward the end of the year, I began listening to John Piper and amidst the great teaching, I was captured by his godly gravitas and how deeply he seemed to know God. I wondered to myself ‘will I be like that?’. (In the back of my mind somewhere, I had associated such a quality with age, and had assumed hopefully, that with age, it would come). But in that moment I had a terrifying realisation: ‘Never, if I don’t read His word’.

I resolve to strive to read God’s word to know Him more.

To grind down pride

I have a bit of a competitive streak, and it surfaces most uglily when I’m playing board games. At the heart of this competitive (sore losery) streak is the fleshly desire to win and prove myself better than others, and so, all fun, good natured socialising begins to sink down the drain as frustration and ire rise, sucking the fun out for everyone else too. In my younger years, this would present itself in cheating, tantrums and maybe outright messing up the board. As I grew older, this unsightly behaviour was reigned in significantly, but the spirit was still there -the need to get victory for myself regardless of the cost.

On New Year’s eve, I was playing Catan (a board game) with Lindsay and one of the field leader (Daniel)’s kids. This was not the first time we’d played together, and throughout the game Lindsay would make groaning comments that I never traded with her. At one point, when I was trying to increase the distance between us (in the game) for a more certain victory, she exclaimed with great exasperation something along the lines of ‘I hate playing games with you! You’re always like this! You’re picking on me even when you’re winning!’.

She exclaimed this all in a joking manner and it was intended to be a lighthearted and (not uncommon between us) exasperated quip. But it struck me to heart, because I heard the truth in it. I knew it was not fun to play board games with me, and I saw how detrimental and hindering this love for self-exaltation behind this desire for victory would be in my service to God would be -how terrible it would be if I invited people over to play a board game, and they had a uncomfortable time as I ignored them and pushed for my own victory. In that moment I resolved henceforth no longer to strive for victory for myself apart from God.

Theme: Fight

Listening to John Piper, speak on fighting sin has been utterly enlightening. Perhaps I’ve heard it preached numerous times before and it had gone over my head all this time -that sin is to be battled, fought desperately in prayer.

The thought that the sourness of being told someone is better at something, or that the seething bitterness of some perceived injustice or slight can and ought to be fought back tooth and nail on my knees was a revolutionary thought to me. And I realised that I had been fighting sin like a soldier who swings the sword a few times, takes a few blows and lets the enemy push past, as opposed to the one who will not let the enemy pass unless it’s over his dead body.

Having come to this understanding, I refuse to be the flimsy soldier but will strive to fight to be holy. So, this year, I would like to sharpen my sword, my mind and fight.

Mion

Mion has recently been baptised. Through the internal struggles leading up to it, she has come to desire a strengthening of her own faith. We have made plans to read Luke together weekly once I am back in Tokyo. Please pray for her, and for this.

Tachikawa 

I will be starting a children’s thing at Tachikawa church in the afternoon. It will be about 30 mins, beginning in Genesis hoping to give them a grounded understanding of the Bible. Please pray that it would be useful. Please pray for wisdom, and for help in the language. 

Kodaira English Class

The covid restrictions in Japan, imposed by the government and by individuals upon themselves have taken a toll on these elderly ladies, who have scarcely seen their friends in the last 3 years. In this time, for some of them, friends (in one’s case, a very very close friend) have passed away. It’s been a wake up call that life is short. With that in mind, please pray that the Lord would be merciful and soften their hearts for the gospel.

• Regarding the above, Tomoko-san and Kimiko-san in particular.
• Kamioka-san went on a shrine/temple pilgrimage thing around Japan last year. When I spoke to them in the chapel time for a Christmas special, she seemed the most visibly closed off, cold (almost offended) by it. Please pray for her heart.

OMS English Class

• Emiko-san and her husband have recently joined the English class. Our meeting with her singing at the station was almost fateful. She has requested private lessons also with her husband. Please pray for opportunities, and for God’s work.
• There seem to be some others interested in private lessons. I’m open to anything so long as it would be an opportunity.

Kids on Campus

Had a really good conversation with one of the kids on campus. Was able to get a good picture of where they were at and they asked me about my testimony.

The Wilkins (Chris and Yuko-san) have gone to Cambodia/Thailand. The Sextons (minus their son Timothy) will be heading to Thailand on Tuesday. Please pray for the boys as they stay by themselves on campus (not entirely alone, there is one Japanese couple that is now living here.).

Upcoming Trips

Lindsay and I will be flying for Thailand on the 17th around 8pm JST. We will arrive in Thailand around midnight and hang around until they pick us up at 8am. Hopefully this time will either be spent sleeping or poring over Luke. I will also be speaking to people about my future during the retreat, so please also pray for that.

We will return from Thailand on the 25th. On the 27th, I will leave in the morning for Osaka to meet my friends who will be here on holiday. Will be with them until Feb 8th. Please pray for that time. They are not believers, but one is close.

Starting Something

I still continue to feel that I am not doing nearly enough and should be doing more. Especially something for the school aged children -we get a lot of them on the basketball court, and it feels like a wasted opportunity. Maybe an English HW help class? Please pray for this.

Language

I continue to believe this is a crucial part. The only reason I can communicate with Mion extensively is because her strong English fills the blanks. A stronger grasp of the language is a strong tool in deeper communication, which I really hope for in all my relationships. I have started reading John in Japanese.

The pains of living and working on a campus where everyone speaks English! When we get back, Lindsay and I are planning on going to the community centre to see if there is anything we can join. If possible, I would also like to attend some classes at the seminary next door.

 

I was listening to Piper earlier tonight and he mentioned those who rejoiced in the Lord and continued even as their houses were being trashed and burned down. O, for such vision! That when all in this life begins to go downhill someday, I rejoice in the Lord from the bottom of my heart.  

Warmly, 

Tiana

September 16, 2022 – 48 Days – A Dip in Morale

Dear Friends,

It’s been about 48 days since my flight, and I’m beginning to feel the slump in fortitude. After one of my first English classes went pretty disastrously last Friday, I’d been in an overdramatically mopey mindset with a slight tinge of doubt and despondency.

The following day, walking past the rubbish collection point, I noticed that my burnable rubbish (mostly compostables) collected Fridays and Tuesdays) had been boycotted by the rubbish collectors (my fault – I had put a plastic jar in instead of emptying out the contents and disposing of the Jar another day). With 2 parts regret and 1 part dread, I miserably dragged my boycotted bag back into the vicinity of my building, and ignoring the flies, re-did the sorting and righted my wrong. This became a source of mild anxiety as I fretted over whether or not my rubbish would be accepted the coming Tuesday -if they found something else wrong with it, who knows if they’d boycott it again, worsening the fly issue.

On Monday, I was mildly stunned (mostly unsure how to react) when one of my neighbours who I have only ever seen humourous and easygoing expressed some mild frustration (at his phone/ and the task – not me) but as I was the one trying to help him with it, I couldn’t help but feel that I had done something wrong and had lost points. (Rationally I know that everyone gets frustrated, he was not upset with me and I probably lost no points).

The culmination of these small factors, has led to some half hearted joking of buying my plane tickets and fleeing back to Sydney.

Feelings aside, all these things are all fixable, and such small setbacks are simply life. However, morale has slipped slightly, please pray for me.

Energy

• Since arriving, I have been pouring a large amount of energy into social interaction -trying to build the foundation for good relationships with people here. I understand that as the Kingdom is people, things like introvertedness, in many ways, need to be overcome. However, I do believe I’ve stretched my introvertedness quite thin, and oftentimes, I find that the moment I walk through the door in the evening I feel incredibly tired and drained. I’m also beginning to doubt myself more, wondering in retrospect if a joke is poorly timed or taken too far.
• While somewhat straining, it has been very rewarding.

English Classes

• One of my main selling points is that I’m supposed to be able to teach English, so if that doesn’t seem to immediately go well, you can imagine my panic.
• TBS Students – My disastrous Friday class – This is a beginners English Class for Bible College Students. I have no idea why they need to learn English (though I suspect it’s so they can communicate with foreign missionaries). To paint a picture of the online class – 4 students, cameras on, unmuted (no response -almost like my screen is frozen). Currently sifting through resources to improve things there.
• Kodaira Advanced Class (Wednesday) – Of the 6 students, one of them is a believer. Some of them have been attending the class for up to 30 years, and at the end of class there is a 10 minute-ish chapel time which the pastor leads.
• OMS Beginners Class & Advanced Class (Thursday) – The students here are ladies from the church. There is also a chapel time for these 2 classes.
• The classes at Kodaira and OMS this week were quite fun and enjoyable. I’m thankful that an easy rapport seems to have been established.
• I’ve been asked to consider doing some of the chapel times (Kodaira & OMS) – I am interested, so I may start thinking on that over the coming months, please pray for it.

Ideals and Actions

• As you may know, I can be quite the idealist. When I have an idea I think is good, I start building it up in my head to my vision of perfection. However, having the ideal in mind, I’m very reluctant to attempt it in fear of falling short of the ideal and not doing the idea justice. i.e. Not wanting to do things until I know I can do them perfectly.
• Language is something I’m quite caught up on in this regard. I’m reluctant to really step out and pursue projects. Part of this is a strong desire to do things in Japanese and stop propagating the misconception that Christianity is a Western thing. However, it’s also because I’m quite worried that I do not yet have a high enough level of fluency to be able to do the project/idea justice.
• I’m beginning to see that regardless of how badly it may fail it’s probably better to do something rather than nothing. Please pray for me.
• Tachikawa church – The pastor at Tachikawa church would like me to do something with the children there. I have proposed something similar to what we were doing in our Auburn Sunday School class, but also expressed my reluctance due to my inability to do it in Japanese. She has counterproposed doing it with some interpretation to start. Please pray about this.
• This is also why the Youtube idea is not seeing much action.

Mion 

• Update: The trip was cancelled due to COVID restrictions – was changed to a sleepover at her house (2 weeks ago). It was great! 
• Mion came over yesterday afternoon, and we hung out and talked until late evening. We may start reading the Bible together.
• I pray for opportunities and the Lord brings opportunities, but then I worry that it will somehow fail and end up doing more harm than good. Please pray for the nagging reluctance.
• Any ideas which book would be a good place to start?

Testimony

• I’ve been asked to give my Testimony to the youth group at Gakuin church in the first week of October. Please pray for this.

Newsletter

• I should have sent something out ages ago, but between procrastination and feeling tired, I have still yet to.

Language

• It’s so incredibly useful to have the language. And if I could have more of it…
• A random thought: If I manage to master the language, and continue to feel the great need, I don’t see why I would leave. If the end really is as close as it seems, it makes all the more sense to devote my years to this.

While there has been a slight dip in morale, the Lord is good, and has been good to me. The days are really much more up than they are down and the future shimmers with potential. Please pray that I will fix my eyes on the Kingdom, and please pray I will see what the saints which have gone before saw, and what God sees.

Warmly,

Tiana

August 31, 2022 – A little more than a month in…

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your prayers! It’s already been over a month since I landed, and I’m really settling in -my shelves and cupboards are all beginning to fill up and after vacuuming the living room yesterday, I’m beginning to seriously consider inviting people over.

Here in Japan, the weather is starting to cool slightly, and as the seasons start to change, the deafening sound of cicadas is gradually being replaced by the chirping of crickets. Apparently there have already been at least 2 earthquakes, and I’m very disappointed that I haven’t felt either.

How are things where you are?

Please continue to keep me in your prayers 🙂

Praise:

• Before I arrived, they had wanted to send me to Hokkaido. I am so so so grateful for being able to come to Tokyo. The 2 families here on Campus are truly truly a blessing, help and encouragement. I feel I have been incredibly blessed to be able to come here of all places.
  • When people find out I’m living alone, they often ask if I feel lonely. Living so close to everyone and often doing things together, not at all!
• I am very very grateful for my foundation in the language. I often wonder if I’m overexaggerating the benefits, but I really do think it makes a world of difference. It shortens the distance in relationships quickly and smoothly, and opens doors for opportunities.
  • It enabled me to strike up a fun conversation with the kids at Tachikawa church, who seemed kind of scared of me the first time I came. I hope there will be opportunities there too.
  • My language classes are going well, and I’m gaining confidence in speaking. I feel it has also allowed me to bond better with my teacher for which I am very grateful. However, I really hope to reach a higher level of fluency. E.g. I would love to be able to tell a story from the scripture, pray and explain things.
• I started learning to ride a bike yesterday with the most success I’ve ever had. One of the missionary kids that lives across from us offered to help (when I mentioned it offhandedly). He gave great pointers, help and explanations! Very thankful for his kindness and the acquisition of this very useful skill.

 

Prayer:

• Due to Covid the trip to Nikko has been cancelled. However, I’m going to Mion’s (my new friend) place for a sleepover Fri-Sat this week. I’ll be meeting her cousin as well and am really looking forward to it. Please pray all goes well and it will be a door of opportunity into meeting new people.
• Outreachwise and in other ways, I think a Youtube Channel is a great idea and could really work. Please pray that I will have the time and focus to work on that.
• Missionary kids
  • My heart does go out to these children who are between cultures and sometimes grow up between several different countries. Due to these circumstances, they are often homeschooled (sometimes sent to schools set up for missionary kids) and haven’t been socialised into and hence don’t feel a sense of belonging into either cultures. Some handle it better than others, but in some way they pay a price for their parents’ convictions and choices.
  • Please pray for their future -as they grow up and leave their parents’ homes and their sheltered environments and find their place in society.
• English classes are starting next week at the OMS church here and at the church in Kodaira. I will be taking over these classes gradually, so please pray for me and for these classes. Their current membership is about 5 or so retired women.
  • There is talk of starting one in Tachikawa for school aged children. Please pray for that.
• Keeping in contact with people back home has been hard -while I’m not facing any big challenges settling in, a lot of my energy is being devoted to building my relationship with and getting to know the people here. I’ve found that I often don’t have enough to keep up contact with people back home. If I’ve not replied to messages and emails I’m very sorry! I’ll definitely get around to it!
• Please pray for the Australian family that went up to Hokkaido. They gave up their house in Australia and waited 2 years before finally arriving, but have been struggling recently. They’ve all been sick recently, language learning is quite a frustrating process, and they’re also juggling homeschooling 3 young children.

God be with you all!

Warmly, 

Tiana

Here is a short video from Tiana

August 11, 2022 – Two weeks since landing

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your prayers and forgive me for the late update. I have arrived in Japan, and am settling in great (Will send a more detailed update in the coming weeks). Please keep me in your prayers.

People Here

I thank my God every day for the people here. There are two families living on the compound here. One of them is my field leader and his family, the other is a different missionary and his family. They have been nothing but incredibly kind and generous to me. Please pray that the Lord will encourage them and bless their ministry. From these families there are 5 kids (ages 15-20). Please pray for these children and their walk with the Lord – the work here could benefit greatly from their bilingual ability, and the strengthening of their faith would also encourage their parents.

I also greatly desire people alongside.

Language Study

As part of the requirements set by the organisation, I believe I am required to do 3 hours of language learning every week (my field leader’s Japanese wife has agreed to tutor me). I will mostly be working with things like my testimony, praying, expressing myself etc. Please pray that it goes well.

Generally, upon meeting people here, initially, I’m assumed to be Japanese (the asian exterior really does work in my favour -much more approachable than those who are more obviously foreign). However, when I fail to follow what they’re saying or express myself smoothly, it becomes inevitable that I’m not from here. I’ll say I’m from Australia, and they’ll ask if I’m Japanese.

When people find out I’m Chinese (especially middle aged+ folk), they become rather visibly uncomfortable (probably because our countries don’t have a good history). I don’t really see it as a huge issue -easily moved past as you get to know people, and they get to know you (so long as that opportunity exists). If I spoke the language more fluently, we could probably move past these barriers faster (so please keep the language learning in your prayers!). I also do hope that there will come a day where my Chinese heritage will begin working in my favour.

Upcoming Trips 

I thank God, that on my 3rd day here, I was able to make a friend! My new friend, Mion (19), who I met at the meeting has invited me to join them on a family trip at the beginning of September up to Nikko in Tochigi. My field leader has approved it and encouraged me to go. Please pray for this relationship/connection & the trip (Godwilling). Her and her family are vibrant, humourous, easy going people. She is a believer and will be baptised later this year. I really want Christian friends to walk with. Mion is currently down with covid (though it doesn’t seem severe). Please pray for her recovery.

I attended a youth camp in my first week here. Though I didn’t really get to speak with the highschoolers much, I did get to speak quite a bit with the leaders (pastors and bible college students). It was a great insight into things here on the Christian front. One of the leaders (a young female pastor from Kanagawa), has invited me to a christian camp for uni-young workers. Please pray that Godwilling, I will be able to attend that, and it will be good.

Thank you for your prayers, and please also let me know how I can pray.

Warmly, 

Tiana