2 Months!!

   Well I can hardly believe it's been 2 months now. So many activities, places, and things have happen that it feels like I've been here for longer.  I thought Christmas was not celebrated with such a big enthusiasm here, since Japan has less then 1% Christianity. Guess what??...I was proved wrong.  Japanese people love decorations and lights etc.  Even if the are not a Christian culture, they had Christmas decorations all over the city and Christmas music playing at the stores. I think that listening to songs like Joy to the World, Oh Holy Night and more its a good beginning. During these holidays, the Church plans activities to reach out to the community.  Since the last weekend of November we had kids' special activities.  The first Saturday we had over 50 kids! It was a great time where they heard the story of real Christmas and played games. The fact that their parents allowed them at church was a big step.  We also had a dinner- concert for the church's youth group and visitors. We had a good time and ate international food :D (I made quesadillas)


   Raymon Academy (the school where I work), started their break Dec 15, but things were so busy until the end, since it was also going to be the end of the quarter. Us teachers got a relaxing day at the Yunessun (Hot Spring Pools & Relaxing Spa) as Christmas present from school. It was a real blessing!


   I learn new things about Japan everyday and makes me pray for them even more. Japanese are such hard- working people, but because of it, depression and stress is very common among them.  Specially in teenagers and males of about 40-60 years old. Suicide rates are so high about 15,000 every year.  It's so sad and really burdens my heart. People's hearts are hard and close to the Gospel. They have everything they might need so God is not important or so necessary for the.


   During this time here, God had been so great to me. He had taken care of my spiritual, physical, financial, and emotional needs.  I'm learning to be closer to Him since He's the only one who is with me no matter where I am, what I'm doing or what time it is. He's really my best friend and unconditional loving Savior.  He's been faithful in taking care of me like I asked Him to. I prayed that if He was sending me here to such a far away place from everybody and everything I knew, He had to watch over me closely.  I'm so amazed of His care.  How whenever I have a little cultural difference or struggle, I pour it all to Him and He answers so quick and in such an amazing way.
He's blessed me and even pamper (consentido) me so much.

  Christmas time was very nice.  I did miss all the old family traditions and food, but really enjoyed it here. I'm doing much better then I ever thought I would be.  I'm doing what He sent me here to do and enjoying of the new culture experience, beautiful places, and delicious food.
I'm so blesses and happy to be here. I know that all along He was preparing me to come here for a while.
So please pray for Japan and Japanese hearts to be more sensible to God.



Praying for my people and remembering you all with love!

Yokohama Bay

Thanksgiving!

God is so faithful to me! I'm so thankful with Him for meeting with me in a very special way today...It's been so busy, but when I take time to meet with Him, He's always there to meet me!

Thank You for who You are...

Thank You for teaching me patience...

Thank You for teaching me over and over to trust

 in You with everything...

Thank You for being my Best Friend...

Thank You for Your unconditional Love....

Thank you for taking care of my 

Spiritual, Emotional, and Financial Needs...

Thank You for being My Savior and Lord...

Little Over a Week has Passed...

So a week and five days in Japan now, I can't hardly believe it! Things have been going great! This first week has been full of activities at the school and at church. Still a lot to get use to, but God is really helping and taking care of me. Let me tell you more about the school and church. 


   A school day starts at 8 am - 3:30pm Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and from 8am - 4:15 Tuesdays and Thursdays. Since its an ACE school, I have to run around all day. We do have small breaks, but mostly it gets really busy. There are 27 students in my classroom from 2nd grade to high school. I know teachers shouldn't have favorite students, but there are two 4th graders who just are so cute! A very smart, short girl her name is Nana; also a very smart and funny boy named Tayro.  So many different subjects that make me be happy to have graduated hehe:) From Physical Science, Geometry, and Economics to English grammar, Polygons, Africa's biggest river, and even how to explain Fractions. I've enjoyed a lot though! I have English class with kindergartens everyday. They are so cute and funny too. I admire these kids, they have all the regular subjects we take in "America" as they call it, and besides that they take Japanese Class, Japanese math and counting system, Japanese Music, and Calligraphy.  Their English is pretty good for the most part,  and somehow we do communicate. There is a high-school girl who is very very smart! She only gets A's and is well behaved. She is half American and half Japanese.  She always looks smiling, but when she gets home she gets depressed and sad. She has talked about committing suicide so we are really trying to encourage her. She is translating for me in Chapel this week, since I'm going to share with the kids this week. 

  The church is not very big, but then again Christianity is less then 1% of the population here. They have all been so nice to me! There is a lady who every time she sees me she gives me a hug, which is great since I love hugs and really need one once in a while! There are about 50 members and many kids! 
These past Tuesday and Wednesday we had a Teachers' Seminar and had teachers from others Christian School from different parts of Japan. Even when that made this week full of activities all day long, I really enjoyed. 


  As I said before, I live in the same building where the church and school are. Church 3rd floor and school 2nd and 1st. Things are going good with my roommate and the other Japanese girl , Namiky, (she's 29 getting married in April) who also live here in the house. Dim (Indian roommate who looks Philippine, she's 24) has helped me a lot with all the culture things I need to know and do or not do. I'm very thankful that she is here too. 


  Food food..how is the food?? good so far so good! Nothing weird or strange. Actually I have liked everything I have had. I need to start eating less or I''ll be in trouble. :P This weekend I even had pizza twice. Yes they do have Pizza Hot, Domino's, and MC Donal's. Lol...but the best of all they have Starbucks! :D:D:D:D I did bring my own too, but its good to know they have coffee here too and not only tea (which I also like)
Oh and guess what??I started to learn Japanese, well one of their 4 alphabets! The cool thing is that one of them is what Chinese use, so at the end I will know some Chinese too :D:D I'm starting to understand some basic expressions too, but i need to be patient and not get discouraged 'cuz i only have a week here and many to go.


  I'm having a very good time and learning a lot! I know that God has a plan for me and I only ask Him to take care of my needs specially my heart. Even when I have been so busy and had anytime to get so homesick, I do miss my family and friends a lot! I know that life goes on and that my time in Cincinnati was done (for now, tell you more about it later ) I do pray for you all and hope you remember me in prayers and heart too. I have some many pictures here that makes me feel closer too.  Please write me back when you can I really enjoy reading about your life and things that go on there. 
Well, I have to go now , I'll try to write as soon as possible... 

                                                 Mayu, Dim(roomate), and Me

Landed in Japan!!!

  I made it!! Made is safe!!!...After 11 hours and 55 minutes or 5458 miles I landed in Tokyo, Japan :D
My trip went good it was long, but good.  I got to Tokyo Friday Oct 22 and the pastor's wife, Miho was waiting for me. We had an hour and 45 minutes drive.  During the ride back, we talked about the school and church on the way. She is a very sweet lady. As soon as we got to Yokohama, she took me to a restaurant and I had a soup (nothing weird yet hehe).  After that we headed to the church which is in the same building as the school and the apartment. I thought things were small in Spain, but they are small here too. 


  The school and church have been growing so they had to make some modifications to the building. I'm sharing the apartment with 2 other girls.  One of them is Indian and the other japanese. They are both nice and will be easy to get along. They were so excited to meet me and really happy I came. My jetlag was not as bad as i thought. I stayed up since I got here at 5pm and went to bed kind of early that night. I had gotten some pills and that helped me so I slept all night till 9:30 Saturday.


There are english classes going on from 10 - 12 and 1-2 and 4-5. Dim (the indian girl) is teaching all of them now, but Ill be taking over some of them. 


Most of the church members eat together on Sundays and they cook on Saturdays. The Pastor's mom was here cooking Saturday.  She is a very sweet lady who knows a little bit of English. It's funny to try to talk to her since she doesn't know a lot of English and I don't know any Japanese... lol you can imagine!!... The kids are so cute! Two of them already had made pictures for me that said welcome to Japan. They are all so excited to meet me, I felt so special. 
I have been tired and busy meeting people, but its so nice that they are all so excited. I hope I can learn their names soon!