Hi all — I’m heading back to NB first thing tomorrow morning — about a 10-hour drive. Please pray for me if you think of it. Now, for example, would be a good time. Probably most of you will be reading this tomorrow while I’m already on the way, anyway.
The trip has been an enjoyable and, I think, productive one. Looking forward to getting home, though, and back into some semblance of a routine. More later. Good night.
Greetings from Ottawa, Ontario! Actually, to be more specific, I’m in Kanata, a suburb of Ottawa, where I’m staying with old friends from back home. It turns out I have a ton of connections up here: friends from my home church; a friend from my neighborhood back home; a cousin and his family; some Bible college connections… Anyway, here’s what I’ve been up to and a bit of what’s to come:
And that’s a wrap.
Instead of a weekly re-cap this week, I’m copying and pasting my latest prayer letter, which I just email out… Please read and pray.
Hi everyone,
Thank you for your ongoing prayers for me and my ministry! I just thought I’d send out a quick note with some prayer points, along with a support update:
1. PRAYER
Please pray for me as I hit the road again this weekend. I’m leaving tomorrow morning (Friday) very early to travel to Shawville, QC, where I speak in two churches on the weekend. Then Monday I go to Ottawa, ON, where I’ll be spending the week, with a meeting on Monday and a speaking engagement next Sunday. Pray that I have a safe, productive, fruitful journey.
2. SUPPORT
Currently I have less than $24,000 left to be raised in Faith Promises. I’ve come a long way, thanks to all of you who are praying and giving! Let’s pray the rest of it in!
I wanted to take a moment to explain some things about Global Partners’ support system. Please read this even if you’re already giving, just in case you’ve missed something:
GP has what is called a Faith Promise system. Basically what that means is that they set a yearly ministry budget for a missionary, and supporters make a faith promise of what they intend to give towards that goal. I need 100% promised (and at least 18% in actual money) before I can leave for Japan.
At $20 a month per person, I need less than 100 people to make a faith promise! That’s so close! If you’re not already giving, please prayerfully consider it.
Here’s how you can help:
1. I would ask that those of you who have committed to giving but have not let Global Partners know of your intentions, please let them know so that they can add your pledge to my total.
2. If you’re already giving, and plan to keep doing so, but haven’t let GP know that it is an ongoing commitment, please let them know, too.
3. If you’re wondering when to begin sending the actual donations in, any time is good. I still hope to be in Japan before the year’s out, and some cash flow will obviously be necessary.
4. If you are a pastor or missions director, please consider adding me to your missions budget, if you haven’t already. If you do (or have already but haven’t told us), please inform GP of your intentions.
You can get more info and/or sign up online through my website (Here). Any questions, don’t hesitate to ask.
Thanks for putting up with such a long email! And thanks for your prayers and support! You are much appreciated!
– robin
Well another week has come and gone (yeah I know it’s only mid-day Friday, but it’s pretty much gone), so it’s time for another wrap-up. Here’s some of what I’ve been up to this week, as well as a look at things to come…
Wow, I had more to say than I thought. ‘Nuff said for now then. See you next week.
Following is another old entry from my former website, written during my first, year-long stay in Japan:
Monday, February 24, 2003: Relaxation, Japanese-style…
Last Monday I had a Japanese-style relaxation experience. I was invited for dinner to a student’s house along with a couple of fellow-teachers. We got there at around 11:30 am and didn’t leave until after 4. So if you ever get invited to a Japanese person’s house for a meal, go hungry, and be prepared to be sitting at the table, eating and chatting, for a good long while. I guess this is a sign of the Japanese being a very hospitable people as well as their abilty to relax.
Today I had the ultimate Japanese relaxation experience: the Onsen. Onsens are hot spring bath houses, with natural spring water that is heated by volcanic activity beneath the earth. Aparently the water is full of minerals and things that are very good for you as well. The custom is to bathe in the nude, with men and women in separate rooms of course (though I have heard there are exceptions).
I had heard of these onsens before, but today was my first visit to one. The real question is: Why did I wait so long? It was great. I highly recommend it to anyone who may plan to visit Japan, as long as you don’t mind being naked in front of strangers. It is very relaxing, and many of these onsens also have places where you can eat, sleep or get a massage. I was so relaxed after spending some time at the onsen today that I just wanted to come home and have a nap; so I did.
Like I said, Japanese people know how to work hard, but – wow – they really know how to relax as well!
UPDATE (March 1): It has been brought to my attention that the public bath we went to that day was probably not an actual onsen. Onsens, like I said, are natural hot springs. In the area of Japan I am living in, bath houses of the onsen variety are pretty rare. So it was artificially heated most likely. The Japanese word for “bathroom” is “ofuro”. Perhaps that would be more appropriate in this case.