1 Timothy 1:12-16

Super Summer Global is coming this Tuesday which is very exciting! There are about 103 high school students. They will be an encouragement because our time here is winding down, and I know that everyone is getting a little tired.

Hachioji has been great recently! I have talked to so many people during 5ME who are very interested in the news that we are bringing them!


Friday was our last campus ministry day at Soka and it was so great! Kat and I got to eat lunch with the 3 girls that we have been meeting with since the beginning of the summer, and it was so much fun!


The previous week, Kat and I shared the whole gospel with them and both of our testimonies! They were very very interested, and it helped so much more because we had spent so much time with them building a friendship. The next time we went, they even brought Father up into our conversation. Incredible! While we were PR walking the campus, Father really laid this on our hearts: 2 Corinthians 4:4-10 and 2 Corinthians 6:3-13
That explains the stuff that goes on here in Japan and in Soka exactly!! Incredible stuff right there!
The two that we are really close with, R-san and N-san, skipped class so they could spend more time with us since it was our last day on campus. I started to help R-san with her English homework and then it transitioned to slag words. This pretty much made my summer. Kat and I taught them words like, "legit", "Girl shut yo big head up!", "I got your back", "tight"... the list goes on haha! The funniest one was when they asked me if I knew what "Break the window" meant... I had no idea. Then R-san said, "You know, poo." I started to hysterically laugh and responded, "POOP?!" Both of the girls turned to red and started to laugh in embarrassment. R-san was like, "No! Air... poof" and did a little flick/poof hand gesture. Then it clicked. "Oh! You mean toot?" They looked clueless. "Poot?" Then Kat says, "Fart!" and all of us crack up!! I felt like I was 8 haha... it was great! The girls then told us that their teacher from Ireland told them that "break the window" means to toot (I hate the word fart). Later that night, kat and I realized that they meant break the wind hahahah! I love those girls!

My women's B Study on Tuesdays gets more and more amazing each week. Last Tuesday, I was able to present the whole gospel the whole time of B Study, and by Father's grace, they understood every word. The language barrier has been a problem in the beginning, but today it totally clicked with all of them because they were asking me all kinds of questions left and right. Normally during the B study, I just pick out simple scripture and explain it, and then just talk with them to build that friendship and trust. Father's timing is so perfect!

PR requests:

• Hachioji area
• Super Summer Global volunteers (they will be here July 21-29)
• Japanese strongholds
• Hearts of our contacts- that they will continue to spend time with us and open their hearts to Father.
• Divine appointments!
  

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:8-9

Romans 8:26-27

I am so sorry that it has almost been a month since the last time I have posted something on here! Father has been doing crazy amazing things, so I am sorry if I seem short because it has been really hard to put everything that He has done into words. Here I go...

The high school interns are now here (GT's) and 2 of them are put on each team. Hachioji (my team) has 6 people now! The more the merrier! Our 2 GT's are Hannah and Shannon. They were such a light to the group too. I know that all of the GT's are. They are all so excited and ready to do Dad's work... it was just what we all needed. Last week before they got here, us college interns went on a retreat to one of the 5 lakes around Mt. Fuji. It was so beautiful and peaceful! Father moved through us and rejuvenated all of us during that time. We are now half way done with this summer. So weird.

Ministry at Hachioji is getting better and better as the days go on. It is definitely apparent that Hachioji hasn't ever been PRed over because the ground was very tough when we first started. As we PR and seek Father, we are able to share and see His work more. One thing that has been really apparent is that no matter how weak and useless I am, Father still does His work anyways. He is so good because I know that I am those things a lot of the time if not always. One thing that my team has discovered, and yes it took us a while to figure this out because we are ridiculous haha, is when 2 people PR while the other 4 are doing 5 Minute English, people come flooding in to talk with us which leads to sharing the Good News bookoos of times! Praise Him!! PR is so powerful!! If you ask, he will deliver. BAM! haha.

GREAT NEWS!! O-San was baptized and we also have around 35 new believers! Speechless...

Since the 5 weeks are up, Kat and I are now in the apartment with the other college interns. The homestay was the best experience! I will remember that for the rest of my life. S-San, our host mom, is the most gracious and giving person I have ever met. Father taught me so much through her and how she perseveres with her faith through this dark country. She is for sure a beacon of light. I was on skype with my mom one night at the house and I brought S-San in the room so she could also talk with my mom. S-San thought that was the coolest thing haha. I love her so much!! Words can't describe how thankful and blessed I am so have stayed with that family. Wow.

Dad has really been teaching me to not be mediocre anymore. That might sound really simple and elementary but it He has presented it so profoundly. I am just sitting in awe of Him and His greatness. I am so excited to see what He has planned because His hints sound ridiculously good. He is moving here without a doubt and... I just can't say enough. I am in awe.

PR requests:

• Send people who are searching for Him our direction.
• Interns' strength
• Strongholds that Satan has on the Japanese
• Soka University (our campus that we go to, to find friends and share) This campus is 99% Buddhist and those 99% are very devout. Satan thinks that he has won these students over, but PR for that to change.
• 1 and 2 week volunteer teams that come

I will update next week :)

News of Praise!

Funny of the day:
Kat and I were at the park making flower necklaces for little girls, so that way we could give the Gospel of John to the parents as a "presento." Anyways... Kelley (our other team member) came up and asked us what we were doing. We showed her our necklaces and then Kat says, "Watch this" all smug and everything. She walks over to this adorable 2ish year old Japanese baby and says, "Presento" and puts the necklace over the little girls head. The little girl then starts hysterically crying!! hahaha! Oh, it was priceless.

We had our first salvation in Hachioji today!!! Praise Him!! The guy's name is O-San. The coolest thing is that Michael called me to tell me to meet our new brother when me and a group were praying over a shrine in Hachioji. When Michael told me, I was able to yell, "O-San became a believer!!" in the Shinto shrine!! Take that Satan :)
Please be PRing for O-San while he shares what happened with his parents. He might possibly be shunned from his family, so please PR that his family will be accepting and want to learn more as well. Also PR that he joins us in 5ME and becomes a strong leader. He is also without a job right now. Michael and Joel taught him how to pray, and his first prayer was that Father would give him a job. PR that he does, and when he does, make sure that O-San knows that is was Father who did all of that.

Father told us to PR unceasingly. Please be doing this for O-San and our area, Hachioji, so we can see more people accept our amazing Father!

Listening to:

"I'm Singing" -Kari Jobe

Oh Tokyo...

Here are a few funnies...

• Since Kat and I are at the homestay, you have to eat everything that is in front of you or else they think that you hate it. On that note... S-San made us try some Japanese dessert. Harmless right? FALSE! We had to force down this clear, jelly ball with fake chocolate syrup on top. I tried to hide that I didn't like it but she figured it out and handed me some water to wash it down haha. She called them rice cakes. So not accurate!


• S-San also gave us some grape soda. Again, harmless right? FALSE FALSE FALSE!!! She started to pour the soda into our two glasses, and instead of it running/dripping out of the can... it plops! Yes, it plops! There was clear gew coming out of it. Right as I saw this, I looked at Kat and she had the funniest/most horrified look on her face! We started to giggle and then it turned into uncontrollable laughing... all while S-San was pouring out the goopy grape soda. We told S-San that we loved it. We fibbed.


• Today, while doing 5ME, Kat and I experienced a drunken Japanese man... at 4 in the afternoon. He came up to us... long story short... he tried to pay us because he thought we were prostitutes. I have never felt to violated but now it's just really humorous. Come on, Kat and I? Really? Way too innocent looking I think.


• Kat saw S-San's cat while we were eating and gagged. Yes, a legit gag. She loves cats.
• Riding the train, a man fell asleep on Kat's shoulder. A normal occurrence.
• While walking down the streets of Tokyo, it randomly smells like rotten eggs. At this moment you must say, "Tokyo threw up" or "Tokyo tooted."

Okay so Father has been so faithful! Michael, Kat and I met with two Japanese girls our age tonight for B-study and they were so responsive to His word. I can't even begin to tell you how amazing that conversation was. At the end, you could really tell that they understood and wanted to know more. We are going to meet with them again. I was so overjoyed that I was on the verge of weeping. I have only known these girls for about an hour and I had a love for them and only God can give. Imagine, Father loves us like that but a billion times more. I can't even begin to fathom that. If I were him, I would be weeping ALL of the time. haha. Those 2 girls, M-San and S-San, will unfortunately be leaving for school in Washington. PR that they encounter a strong disciple that will pour into them when they get there. Also PR that they become our sisters before they leave... Lord willing. That would be amazing! Please be PRing for these girls. They are so close!!! PR that he makes himself known in a powerful way!

Goodnight all!

Finally Here!

Hey y'all! Well... it is my 5th day to be in Tokyo and it has been great! It seemed like I had never left. Through these past 5 days, my JSI team has been doing orientation everyday with our head "M" Buddy. He has been walking us through and preparing us for what we will be doing through out the next 10 weeks. Father has really opened my eyes to see that this has NOTHING to do with me and must surrender myself completely to Him for His glory. Please continue to PR for my team and the people of Japan. We are starting to fast daily and continue to be in PR so that the strongholds of Japan will be broken. I really hope that you would join us in a weekly fast on Tuesdays and PR for Japan. If anything works... it is this! Father has really put that on our hearts.
The homestay family is great! I have never met such a kind hearted woman as S-San (we can't put full names on the Internet). We are staying with a family of three: mom, dad, and daughter J-San who is my age. Please PR for this family! They have become really dear to my heart already and S-San (the mother) is the only one who has Father in her heart. I know that the mother and father are having marital problems so please be PRing for that also. I can see that Kat and I are here in this house for a reason, and I am PRing that this will bring praise and glory to his name!
Exciting news! Michael, Kat, and I are all in the same focus group! That means that we will be with each other everyday in a specific spot in Tokyo. Father has something amazing planned for that!
Kat and I met 3 girls and we PR that they will accept Dad's Word and become our sisters!!

Please be focusing on those few things that our Father has presented to us! I will be on here in a few days to update some more. Remember to fast on Tuesdays!!! :)

Japanese Homestay‏ Here I Come!

9 more days until I am in Japan!

I got an e-mail from our "M" saying that there will be 4 available spots for girls in 2 Japanese homes for 5 weeks out of the 10 weeks that we will be there. It was a first come first serve kind of thing, so without knowing much about it, Kat and I immediately jumped on it knowing that it would be a pretty incredible opportunity. Normally as JSI's, we all stay at an apartment in Tokyo for the whole ten weeks, but this was just a special kind of thing. Once I replied that I wanted to be considered, I got really nervous and had a ton of doubts just because I had no idea what I was getting myself into.
Anywho... Kat called me early this morning to tell me that we both we chosen for a family together!!! At that moment, I could have cared less about my lack of sleep haha. I ran to my computer to read about the details and I couldn't be more excited!! I am so blessed to have this kind of opportunity with my best friend! There were two other girls chosen and put with another family. How crazy is it that Kat and I were chosen to be together! Buddy, our M, did know that we were friends... I think? But still! Amazing!
We will still be doing all of the same work and stuff in Tokyo with the rest of the JSI's, but instead of going back to the apartment, we will be going to our homestay. Another way cool thing is that the Hamada family lives in Yokohama! Our train rides will be a little longer than others because we will be traveling to Tokyo and they will already be there... but who cares! What a great time to spend with our Father before our day officially starts.

I am so excited to get to experience real Japan and be totally engrossed in the Japanese culture! I know that there will be challenges, but I am more than ready to face those with Father's guidance. I am so pumped to leave for this journey! The days could not go any slower!

With love,
Cara

Getting Ready

Hey guys! I am so sorry that it has been so long since I have been on here.
So I am going to give a short update:

• Fundraising was amazing! I met my money goal right on time. Thank you all for helping support this journey that God has panned! I can't stress that enough.


• Thank you for your prayers! Father is so faithful!


• Kat and I sold our t-shirts and made a really great profit off of that which also contributed to our money goals.

My JSI retreat for iWitness was this last weekend, and I finally got to meet the rest of my team for the summer. I fell in love with each and every one of them! Our missionary ("M") was also there, so we got to visit with him about this summer. He told us the plans for each of us this summer and I felt my stomach fill with the same excitement that I had last summer! I am so unbelievably excited to see what Father has in store for Japan. I know it's going to be huge!! Praise Him for being our sovereign king! It brings me so much joy whenever I think about how much he loves us and the lost in Japan. He never ceases to stop searching for them. I have so much more to learn about Him which is so so so exciting! I can't wait to tell of his great works because they will be GREAT without a doubt!

Much needed prayer requests:

• Constant unity within my team this summer. We have to be able to depend on each other for accountability because we are going to be fighting Satan and his doings. That is one way that he will try to hinder us.


• Our strength! Satan and his spiritual darkness are going to try to tear us down emotionally, physically, and spiritually, so we have to stand firm in our Father for strength.


• We need to stay humble because this has absolutely nothing to do with us. This is for our Father's glory... not ours.

I am so nervous and excited to be with the Japanese and share of His great works! YAY!!! I will for sure be on here a lot more when I am in Tokyo giving y'all the 411. Keep on praying!

In Him,
Cara :)


"Worthy is the man who was slain. Holy, holy is He! We sing a new song to Him who sits on Heaven's mercy seat. With all creation I sing praise to the king of kings. You are my everything and I will adore you!!!"

Praise Him, Praise Him, Praise Him!!

Father has really been telling me to trust in Him completely, and it has been a little hard lately. I just transferred to UMHB, a private school... which means more money on top of my Japan payments. I have had a few trials, but He never leaves me on my own regardless of how much I try to take it on my own without Him. I finally realized that I was saying that I was trusting in Him, but in reality, I was just giving Him some of it.

Today was a pretty challenging day. I got a call from my mom, reminding me to get a few more addresses for support letters because the 2nd deadline is coming up, and we would not be able to pay that ourselves. I then tried to think of all of the things that I could do, but that got me nowhere. I texted my friend Amanda before class and asked her to pray for me. Right after I did that, Steven (my youth minister back at home) called me and left me a voicemail telling me to call him. After class I got the message, and called him back to hear that someone gave me a really really generous amount of money for Japan. I was so overwhelmed that I couldn't help but cry. Father is so good!! Just when I think that things are too much, He intervenes in unbelievable ways!

I look at situations like this, and I wonder why I am so blown away in the first place. He is almighty and faithful every second of the day. There is never a moment when He just feels like He isn't going to be there for us, so why am I so amazed that He would provide like this? Praise Him! His works are so beautiful!

Thank you guys so much for being a part of this. I know I have said this before, but this truly means so much to me! I can't wait to see how He molds and strengthens my heart and the hearts of my fellow JSI's. Thank you so much for being a part of this journey with me!

With love,
Cara

So far...

Hey everyone!
Thank you so much for checking out my blog and wanting to know more about my trip to Tokyo. This post is really just to let you know what I have been doing recently for the trip.
Kathryn is also going to be a JSI in Tokyo this summer as well, so we both decided to design and sell T-shirts for fundraising. We have contacted the T-shirt company, and now we are just waiting for them to send us the official design for the shirt. As soon as I get all of the information from the company, I will be sure to post it on here so y'all can take a look at it.
I have also just finished writing my support letters, so I will be sending those out in about a week.
I am so excited to see what God is going to do throughout this whole fundraising process. $4500 dollars is quite a bit to raise, but I have faith that He will provide that for me. Thank you guys so much for all of the thoughts and prayers! Please keep checking back here for more blogs to come!

Prayer requests:
-Pray for the Japanese.
-Pray for my JSI team.
-Pray that Father will transform the hearts of the Japanese and break the spiritual strongholds that keep them from experiencing the freedom that is found in Christ.
-Pray for the missionaries that are already there in Tokyo.
-Pray for the teams that will be going in and out of Tokyo this summer.
-Pray that we would be equipped for doing His work.