2 days

I have to be honest, I'm slightly terrified. Not of the travel part, the foreign environment part, or the unknown schedule part, but I'm terrified of the airport customs officials part. I have a case of medicine and first aid supplies that has to get through customs in Tokyo....where I don't understand all of the laws and I don't speak Japanese. That makes me nervous. The law I do understand is the one that says they can lock me up in holding for up to 21 days if my paperwork isn't correct or something isn't correctly labeled. I should be fine but I would appreciate every prayer.

Something else that, for those interested, would be wonderfully appreciated this summer is if you have any pictures of friends and family from church or around town and you feel like sending me a card the address for Asian Rural Institute is

Asian Rural Institute
442-1 Tsukinokizawa,Nasushiobara,
Tochigi 329-2703 JAPAN

15 days

It's Thursday, May 17, and I'm both extremely relieved and a little anxious. I received news this morning from the UMW that my entire fundraising goal has been completed and surpassed. That was a HUGE relief to me. After doing research and getting in contact with ARI and GBGM most of my questions have been answered so my only anxiety is hoping I won't get sick while I am away.

Devotion that I discovered for today:
My Utmost For His Highest
written by Oswald Chambers

. . . they went forth for His name’s sake . . . —3 John 7

Our Lord told us how our love for Him is to exhibit itself when He asked, “Do you love Me?” (John 21:17). And then He said, “Feed My sheep.” In effect, He said, “Identify yourself with Myinterests in other people,” not, “Identify Me with your interests in other people.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 shows us the characteristics of this love— it is actually the love of God expressing itself. The true test of my love for Jesus is a very practical one, and all the rest is sentimental talk.

Faithfulness to Jesus Christ is the supernatural work of redemption that has been performed in me by the Holy Spirit— “the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit . . .” (Romans 5:5). And it is that love in me that effectively works through me and comes in contact with everyone I meet. I remain faithful to His name, even though the commonsense view of my life may seemingly deny that, and may appear to be declaring that He has no more power than the morning mist.

The key to the missionary’s devotion is that he is attached to nothing and to no one except our Lord Himself. It does not mean simply being detached from the external things surrounding us. Our Lord was amazingly in touch with the ordinary things of life, but He had an inner detachment except toward God. External detachment is often an actual indication of a secret, growing, inner attachment to the things we stay away from externally.

The duty of a faithful missionary is to concentrate on keeping his soul completely and continually open to the nature of the Lord Jesus Christ. The men and women our Lord sends out on His endeavors are ordinary human people, but people who are controlled by their devotion to Him, which has been brought about through the work of the Holy Spirit.

23 Days

Today is Tuesday, May 8th and I officially have just 23 days until I leave. The last few weeks have been a cyclone of paperwork, medical appointments, and dozens of phone calls about the final details of my trip. When I first heard about the opportunity to serve a summer mission it was from Kurt Cooper, my campus minister, who forwarded me an email he had gotten from General Board of Global Ministries. I never thought I would get into a foreign service program but I figured the application was worth doing to gain connections to the general board office for the future in case I was looking for a job or mission experience after seminary.
  -That was back in January. By the time February 1st arrived I had my application completed and sent in even though it wasn't due until March 15th. Two months later I received a congratulatory email from GBGM on April 5 along with a very large packet of information and forms to read and complete. With less than 8 weeks until our departure I was anxious about how everything would get done on time but God had a hand in it the entire way because today I am vaccinated, educated, and first aided.
I want to thank Amber and the Medicine Shoppe family for donating all of my first aid supplies. The case of bandages, medicines, and preventative care materials is greatly appreciated! I wasn't sure how I was going to complete such a long list but you filled the tall order and it is such a blessing to me and my mission team!
A huge thanks goes out to the United Methodist Women, United Methodist Men, ESU Campus Ministry, and Paula Sauder for donating to my mission fund. It brought tears to my eyes to realize how much everyone stepped up to take care of the financial and technical aspect of my trip. My home church of Emporia First has had one of the biggest influences in my life and I wouldn't be the person I am without everyone there.
Without much time left until I leave I will be posting thoughts/prayers/devotions intermittently as I prepare.