by Whitey | May 17, 2010 | Ministry News
OK, so I’m not lost. But being on the road is really going mess up my Lost-watching schedule, which is sad, this being the last week of the show… Nobody tell me what happens!
Seriously, though, I’m in Ontario for some speaking engagements and team building at various churches, and it’s going really well so far. Over the weekend, I was in the greater Toronto area, where I spoke to two different groups at Milliken Wesleyan on Saturday. Yesterday I visited the Wesleyan church in Orangeville in the morning and then in Oshawa in the evening. It made for a full and tiring weekend, but it went really well. I received some great hospitality, ate some great food, and had some great conversations. It’s been really fun and fulfilling to re-connect with these churches. I love God’s family.
I’m in Ontario for the rest of the month, connecting with five different congregations and catching up with friends. I’d appreciate your continued prayers for safe travel, effective ministry, and more supporters.
by Whitey | Apr 30, 2010 | Ministry News
Hi everyone,
Thank you for your prayers over the past month of home ministries. After a really busy March, April was a bit more quiet, though I still had the opportunity to share my testimony and vision at 3 different churches in the area. When not on the road, I’ve been trying to spend more time studying Japanese and preparing for the months ahead.
This weekend I’m visiting the Wesleyan churches in Perth-Andover and Bristol, New Brunswick. Then, in May, I’ll be spending almost 3 weeks in Ontario, connecting with several churches in the province. I’d appreciate your continuing prayers for safe travel and effective ministry. Please also pray for my Japanese studies and financial support.
Financial support update: Currently my Faith Promise (financial commitment) total is at about 63%. As you can see, things are going OK, but I still have a way to go if I’m going to meet my goal of returning to Japan in August.
How you can help: If you were supporting me during my first term, please consider continuing your financial partnership. You may have already decided to do this. However, unless informed of your intentions, Global Partners will consider your commitment to have ended with the conclusion of my first term. If you could simply send me an email letting me know how much & how often you intend to give, that would help me move towards 100%.
NEW financial partners can sign up by using the form at the following link:
http://www.wesleyan.org/gp/makefaithpromise/WM04-0316/missionaries
GP will count your commitment towards my support in advance of your actual giving. So the sooner you can let me know, the better, as GP will let me return to Japan when my commitments are at 100%.
If you have any questions, please let me know. And whether you can pray or give or both, thank you for being a part of my team! I couldn’t do what I do without all of you!
– Robin
by Whitey | Apr 25, 2010 | Weekly Re-Cap
I’m writing today from Halifax, Nova Scotia, where I’m staying for the weekend on my way to Kentville, where I’ll be going tomorrow for some ministry and support raising. I like Halifax. I think I could live here if I got “stuck” in Canada and couldn’t go back to Japan. It doesn’t hurt that I have friends here.
Last weekend’s missions weekend at KV Wesleyan was a good time. I got to re-connect with some old friends and also heard my boss, GP director HC Wilson, speak.
Other than that, it was a pretty average week, other than taking off a little early for the weekend to hang out here in Halifax. Looking forward to one last evening here and a full day of travel and ministry tomorrow.
Week, wrapped.
by Whitey | Apr 16, 2010 | Weekly Re-Cap
This past Sunday I had a great time at Saint John First Wesleyan. It was good to see so many familiar faces. I did a short presentation about my ministry in Japan, and had some good conversations with interested folks after the service. It was also great to get a sense of how well things are going there after almost a year with their new pastor. Given that it’s one of my former “home” churches, I like to see good stuff happening there, and I believe it is. Greg seems like a good fit, and it’s good to have him back on the district as well.
The rest of the week was spent working on the usual behind-the-scenes stuff: bookings, budgeting, trip planning and so on. I started my Japanese new study routine, and though I haven’t gotten a full two hours in every day, I did some days and I’m closer to making it a habit. And that’s a good thing.
Another good thing is that I’m also making progress on my webcomic, not only staying on schedule but also working ahead. This will be important when I’m on the road and too busy to work on it. One of these days I’m going to have to write up a blog post about how this comic and comics in general fit into my over all life and ministry vision. For now, let me just say that it’s good to get the ball rolling.
This weekend I’ll be taking part in a missions conference at King’s Valley Wesleyan Church in Quispamsis, NB. If you’re in the area, why not drop by to say hi?
And… that’s a wrap.
by Whitey | Apr 13, 2010 | Etc.
Living in Japan was the best way to learn Japanese. The pressure of language school, with its daily homework and at-least-weekly tests; the daily need and opportunity to use what I was learning in class — these things helped me stay motivated and focused on the task.
Since returning to Canada in December, I’ve been wanting to keep up with my Japanese studies but finding it hard to stay motivated. But some recent events and conversations have reminded me of the importance of continuing to work at my Japanese, even — or perhaps especially — while I’m away from Japan.
Now, I could go out and invest in some expensive new study materials. I even had a church offer to buy me a fairly expensive software-based course. But I decided I would be better off to actually use the stuff I already have, rather than wasting loads of money on yet another study aid that is probably intended for absolute beginners (which I am not) anyway.
I’ve come to realize that the thing I’ve been missing is a routine. It’s amazing how a lack of productivity in any area can often be solved by simply making specific tasks a regular routine.
I’m just getting started with my new study routine, but having a plan and making it public are also helpful keys to success. So here’s a rundown of my new routine for studying Japanese. Five days a week, at least 2 hours a day, I’m using what I’ve got and focusing on four main areas:
1. Vocabulary — using my iPod touch and Japanese Flip.
2. Kanji — using my Nintendo DS and this kanji-practice game (which I’d only recommend if you already have some basic reading/writing skills, as it’s actually intended for Japanese people and therefore has no English at all).
3. Reading — using Japanese manga (comics). Right now I’m reading a kids comic, Doraemon, but I have some others that are geared towards a teen / young adult audience. I’m working my way up to them.
Along with the reading and kanji studies, I make use of a great — and free — Japanese dictionary app for my iPod touch, called Kotoba.
4. Listening — Using podcasts like this one, and CDs like these.
5. Real-life — I’ve been keeping in touch with Japanese friends via email and Facebook, and that’s been super helpful. I’ve also got a couple of Japanese friends right here in my own hometown. I’m hoping to make better use of the local connections, and continue to keep in touch with those back in Japan.
Routines: Super important. Super helpful. Super hard to get into. But now that’s public, I guess I should get to it. Wish me luck.
