A tiring but exciting week...

Well our big week at Hokudai campus has come to an end, and we are immensely thankful to God for all that has happened in it. On Tuesday and Wednesday we arrived at campus at 8.15 (on Thursday and Friday the need for sleep made us slightly later - to arrive at campus at 8.15 meant being up at 5.45! - ouch!) in time to invite people to join us for an English lunch, which we held everyday on the central lawn. Here we chatted with students over free drinks and snacks and invited them to the Wednesday night English Bible study group and also to an `English Tea`, which we held on Friday afternoon. At this tea Will gave a short talk explaining Jesus invitation in Matthew 11:28:
"Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest"

It was very exciting, as around 20 Japanese students came along and heard about the unique offer of Christ to provide rest, a true relationship with the one almighty creator God. We were all able to have chats with those that came, to hear what they had thought of the talk, and many of the team were able to share the reasons why they became Christians and want to live with Him as their Lord.

We also met many students on campus throughout the week, and a couple of members of the team even spent one afternoon enjoying a BBQ with some students (its a hard life!)

After the Wednesday night meeting we went to Karaoke with all those who came along. Unlike in the UK this did not involve a trip to the Dog and Duck to use the battered P.A. kit and singing 'I Will Survive' as loud as possible having consumed large amounts of beer. Instead each group hires a sound proofed room, with large video screen and expensive sound system, before choosing from a vast array songs (both Japanese and English). Goody treated everyone to a plucky, if at times slightly painful rendition of 'When I'm 64' (for him but a distant memory), while Will and Richard went for the highly original choice of 'Yellow Submarine'. Alice and Rachael tunefully sang Daydream Believer, while Mark and Alex crashed and burned attempting 'Stayin' Alive' by the Beegees.

We look forward to next week and the opportunity to meet up with some of the students who came along to our events on Hokudai, as well as other activities on different University Campuses.

Thanks for reading this far,

fmZERO summer team

Comments

• Rosie, Charlie, Lucy & Pete

  Monday 23 July 2007

  Pleased to hear that you are having a good time in Japan, it must be an encouragement for Richard to have you there. Are you taking requests for karaoke? Can we suggest Dire Straits 'Romeo and Juliet' or S-Club 7 'Reach'?
  
  Rachael and Alice, glad to hear that you are using your masterly cooking skills. Have you picked up any tips for Japanese cuisine?
  
  We are all off to camp today. Keep up the good work.

  Daf

  Monday 23 July 2007

  Fantastic to hear how things are going! Hope you have a restful and enjoyable day-off. Thinking of you often and will pray-on for God's blessing on your efforts.
  
  (Must say I was disappointed by the choice of 'yellow submarine' sung by Will & Rach at the Karaoke - can't promise I'll be putting that on the CD for Sep!)
  

  Rosanne

  Sunday 22 July 2007

  Fabulous verse to speak on in exhausted Japan ... one of "my" students in Tokyo saw that on a church noticeboard when struggling with life, realised she needed rest, went in and started reading the Bible with pastor's wife... and soon hooray!! became a Christian... forgiven, resting and enjoying real life in all its fullness. Hope same will be true of those you spoke to.