Support Update

Hello Everyone,

Once again, sorry it has been a while since my last update. The youth group and I here at South Yukon just recently came back from a mission trip in Houston, Texas. We worked at an inner city church in downtown Houston known as the Impact Church of Christ and did a VBS for about 150 kids. While we were exhausted by the end, it was both rewarding for the kids there and our kids here in Yukon. Anyways, I just thought I would give you a quick update on where I am now at with my trip for Japan. Time is beginning to get very close and yet there is still a lot of things to be done before I leave. I am still currently waiting on my certificate of eligibility to come in so that I can apply for my Visa here in the states through the Japanese Embassy. It is required that I do both things in order to receive a visa. I am also now in the triple digits on the amount of money I need. If I can receive $900, I will have reached the goal I need in order to make this trip possible. Once again, I am asking you to really consider donating to this cause. If you are considering giving to the cause, please send a tax deductible check to

South Yukon Church of Christ
11700 NW 10th Street
Yukon, OK 73099

If you also have any questions once again, please don't hesitate to call me at (918)269-7662 or email me at jared.scism@alumni.oc.edu

I really appreciate the work and thoughts and prayers people have been offering for me. Without you, this would not be possible. Thank you and may God bless you all.

Fundraising Update

Well I was finally able to go on a family vacation one last time last week before I head to the Land of Rising Sun. It was a great way to spend some time with my family and get away for a little while. On our vacation we spent a couple of days in San Antonio and then went down to the beach at South Padre Island. There is one place that I feel closer to God more than any other place and that place is the beach. I was able to make it to see a couple of sunrises while I was there which reminded me of the times I woke up in the early morning to go walking sensing God's presence all around me. On the way back, we went to a Rangers game which was the one with the man who fell over the wall and ended up dying. Our family was in the section right next to him. While we did not see it, it was still hard to hear that such a man lost his life only trying to get a foul ball for his son. I really have felt for that boys son and thought about him and prayed for him a lot this week.

Well as far as my fundraising goes, I am continuing to be on a great and upward path. I am now only $1,025 away from reaching my goal. I pray that if any of you have not contributed to this that you pray about it and consider giving to this great cause. Last time I heard, my paperwork will be going through the immigration office in Japan sometime today or tomorrow and hopefully I will receive my certificate of eligibility soon so that I can apply for my Visa through the American Japanese embassy here. I have also been reading lots of missions books and other books on making my relationship with God stronger. I am very anxious to see the things God will be having in store to teach me here in the next 10 days as I am doing an in depth study on making my relationship with God more intimate.

Well that is about all that is going on with me right now. I have a very busy week because of VBS and preparing to go with the South Yukon Juniors and Seniors on our mission trip to Houston. I am going to stop here for now but I will be sure to give you another update in the coming week or two about things for my Japan trip. May God bless all of you. If you need to contact me with any more questions or anything, don't hesitate to call me at (918)269-7662 or email me at jared.scism@alumni.oc.edu Thank you all for everything you do.

Support Update

Hello Brothers and Sisters,

It has been a couple weeks since we were last able to visit and I apologize for that. I was at church camp last week, therefore I was unable to give you an update. Since we last talked, God has done incredible things in preparation for my trip. This last week at church, we had a special missions contribution. Due to that contribution, I have now raised $12,810 and only need to raise $2,190 more. While I only have $2,190 left, if I receive more it will not be a problem because it will allow me to do more kinds of ministry. However I am happy that God has been doing some amazing things and because of these great things, I truly feel as if I have been called to go oversees into the mission field. Each and every day I am becoming more excited for this great opportunity and work that I am going to be able to do. Besides raising $2,190, the only thing I have left is to receive my certificate of eligibility from Japan and apply for my visa here and get a plane ticket. Once these are taken care of, I will be ready to leave on a Jet Plane.

I have been continuing my studies in Japanese as well as reading books about people who were missionaries in Japan before World War II. These stories have me extremely pumped for the work I will be doing there also.

I want to thank all of you who have decided to partner with me in this effort. You have truly been a huge blessing to help me be able to do this. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call me at (918)269-7662 or email me at jared.scism@alumni.oc.edu If any of you would also like to help donate to this cause, but have not had the chance yet to do so, please send your tax-deductible check to:

South Yukon Church 0f Christ

11700 NW 10th Street
Yukon, OK 73099

Please make all checks out to South Yukon Church of Christ with Jared's Japan Mission in the memo. If you can not support, I ask that you continue to pray for the people I will be reaching in Japan and that I finish my fundraising soon. May God bless you all.

In Him,

Jared ジャレッド

Support Update

Brothers and Sisters,

It has been overwhelmingly amazing how much the Lord has blessed me this past week since I wrote you last. While I am extremely still far from my goal, I took a giant step in being closer to my goal since we spoke last. I went from having only 10% of my goal to 33% of my goal. When you put it in fractions, it sounds even greater. Therefore I went from having 1/10 of my goal to having 1/3 of my goal. While I am extremely thankful for the gifts I have been given, I am still far from the goal I have set aside in order to go to Japan. Whether you can give $10,000 or $10 your generosity will be extremely appreciated and helpful. Wouldn't it be great to see another big step taken and try to have 2/3 of my trip taken care of by the 2nd week of July?

As far as preparation over the past week, I have been typing and organizing documents so that I can start applying for certificate of eligibility papers soon as well as continuing in my Japanese language studies. I am hoping that I can send these certificate of eligibility documents to Japan within the next few weeks so that they give me my certificate of eligibility and I can start working on the rest of the process in order to also get my visa.

Once again I want to thank all of your for joining me in this journey as I prepare for this great mission that has been set before me. Continue to pray for me that things go smooth and that I continue to rely on God in everything that happens as I prepare for this trip and also move to the country of Japan. Also, start praying for the people that I am going to come into contact with and that they start becoming prepared for the things I will teach them. Finally, pray that I can reach my goal as quickly as possible. When I was in my daily Bible reading this morning, I came across another verse that made it feel as if God was taking to me. In Romans 8:28 it reads, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." I know that if I stay committed and love God, everything is going to continue to work out and in place just as I learned last week. God is good and I know for a fact that God will provide.

Support Update

I can not believe it has already been a month since I graduated from Oklahoma Christian. It is also crazy to me that adult life has pretty much officially began. As most of you know, I will be going to Japan again this September to serve as a missionary which is why some of you may be checking this website. Therefore, I thought I would give you all an update on my support.

It has been only a couple of weeks since I sent out my letters for support. While I have only received 10% of my goal, I have been amazed at how fast that amount alone has come in. However, as I mentioned, I am only at 10% and really need the help of everyone who can support and donate. Whether it is $10,000, $100, or even $10, your help makes me that much closer to my goal. However, I understand the situation that we are in during this time in age and know that not all of you can help either. Therefore, continue to pray that I reach my goal.

As far as preparation for my trip, I have continued to take Japanese classes once a week as well as trying to study lots of vocabulary on my own time. I have also been preparing things such as my passport and visa so that I can live in the country as well. Doing all of these things has kept me extremely busy along with my job here at South Yukon.

A few days ago I was in my daily Bible reading and I came across this verse in Proverbs 16:3. "Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established." This verse has taught me that if I continue to commit myself to the Lord, then everything is going to work out and will fall into place. I just have to keep on committing myself. I also pray that each of you continue to consider supporting me in this mission. Once again if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me at jared.scism@alumni.oc.edu or call me at (918)269-7662. May God bless each of you!

Japan

It has been officially been about a year since summer break started for me a year ago in Japan. When summer break began, I had so many thoughts about wanting to quit my exchange program and come home early. I now sit before you a year later and all because of a song I hear, and it brings back deep thoughts of Japan. I think of all the beautiful things that I saw there. I begin to think about the start of a daily routine. It's 5:30 and the alarm clock goes off. It is time to go for my daily walk next to the beautiful Pacific Ocean and walk for 2 hours straight, quite unaware of how to hardly speak any Japanese at all. I run into the same faces daily and most of the time in the same spot. They smile at me and just ramble off in Japanese all these things that I do not understand, and then once they finish they smile and bow and go along their way. As I continue to walk, I look East and begin to see another one of the most breathtaking sunrises I have ever seen in my life and become thankful that God has blessed me with another day of seeing his wonderful creation every day. After two hours have passed, I have walked my 10 kilometers and am back in my apartment ready to shower for school in a shower only half my body can stand in because it is so tiny in an apartment the size of a storage room. Now I sit here in an office bigger than my apartment most likely. I get ready and hop on my bicycle. A bicycle I couldn't ride halfway to school on until a month after living there. I ride my bike to school as I listen to my loud headphones playing some sort of Japanese music. Everywhere I look some Japanese is suprised to see some foreigner using a bicycle for transportation and after riding for about a kilometer or two, I arrive at Ibaraki Christian University. I greet may favorite security guard as he smiles and bows as I drive my bike through the gate and continue down the path of the school. I see many of my friends walking left in right and everywhere in front of me. It is great because they are all smiling and just seem so warm and inviting. It is the moment I have been waiting for since I left school the previous day. I am thrilled to see all of my friends and to talk with them and see them smile and laugh once again. I make my way on up to building 5 as I talk to all my friends on the way and prepare for Patrick's class. I park my bike and start walking to building 5. I look to my left before entering the building and see all my friends who smoke sitting in the smoking area, trying to get in one last cig before there 90 minute class. I visit with them and then head into the building. I walk in the building and see so many of my different friends and begin to walk up the stairs as I walk into Patricks classroom. I open the door and see Megumi, Ayaka, Chinami, Wataru and many others as I take a seat and they all greet me with kindness and excitement. A few minutes later, Patrick comes in the front door part of the classroom and begins his class. He asks everyone about their weekend and then we begin the class. After about 30 minutes, Shieri shows up late and Patrick isn't so happy. After all the class has occured, it is time to go to Lindsay's class. We go to Lindsay's class as I sit near the office door and sit by Chinami,Ayaka,Shieri and some others. Mos the time Chinami brought me bread from her workplace. Class begins and Lindsay begins to do her vocab slang words from LOST. All the students fill them out and door vocabulary exercises and then we watch an episode of LOST. Once we finish the episode, it is time for lunch. I walk across the lawn and to the cafeteria. The lawn is filled with real big trees unlike the ones OC has. I walk into the cafetera and begin to see many more of my Japanese friends. I got to the co-op store and buy my usual: 2 Egg Sandwhiches, Water and one Tuna onigiri. If they don't have any of those things, I head into the cafeteria and buy katsu kare. If you are readng this I will continue more later.

A BETTER LOOKING FUTURE

Hello to all. Well it has been one week since I started quarantine. In fact I am able to spell quarantine right after writing it so many times. Well to start out this past week has probably been one of the most boring weeks I have ever had in my entire life. Anywho I have had plenty of time to eat, sleep, repeat and read and kind of just sit and think about things for a while. Although I have hated it for the most part, it has done me some good. It has taught me some patience which I hope will stay with me for a while. I always get patience and then after a while it seems to wear off. Some of you also may be wondering what is the food like. Well to be honest I have had about nothing but cereal and sandwhiches, however I have had a steak dinner whcih is the best steak I have ever had and let me tell you, the milk is so good. I have drank more milk since I have been there then I would in like 3 months in the states. It is so good. Also the sushi and other foods I have had are wonderful. More about taht later. Anyways as far as some good other good things that have happened, here they are:
For one, I have a couple Bibles in my room. I have also had a few visitors in my room that have visited me although I am not supposed to have any. However when these visitors visit me the first thing they see sitting out in my room is my Bible. I don't even have to say anything whatsoever because it is the first thing they see and mention when they come in my room. It is so cool and has brought up many discussions among them. In fact one guy told me that he used to be a Christian but he got in a fight with his mom and thought that if Jesus had anger like his mom did towards him he wanted no part in Christianity because he wanted to live a happy life. Well we got to talking for about an hour and told him that is really not how it is to be a Christian and I have persuaded him to go to church with me on Sunday which is Suogoi which means awesome in Japanese. It is great that I am already starting to do mission work while being qurantined.
For two, I have one of the most generous landlords or people I have ever met. My landlord and his wife makes me dinner every night. He does not expect money or anything in return and he does this for all of the international students that live in his apartment complex. This has been such an amazing blessing to me because it keeps me from having to cook so much. He also has taken me out one time just to have a nice little time outside my apartment and bought me a steak dinner. It was so delicious and the best I have ever eaten in the entire world. I tried to pay but he said he wanted it to be on him. He has really taught me to be more giving with things. I don't know why he is so generous but it blows me away with his way of getting me food all the time and just all the many he things he has done to make me feel welcomed since I have been in qurantine.
Last but not least, I get to leave my apartment out of qurantine Saturday. I also get to start school on Monday. I am so happy and I am looking forward to school once in my life. Most of my classes pretty much occur Monday - Wednesday and tutoring on Thursday and Friday for Japanese. However these classes will be 90 minutes which is a very long time for me. It should become very interesting because 45 minute classes at times are real long for me. However I am really looking forward to it. I will also get to attend church on Sunday and see many people that I have not got to see yet since I have been here. After Friday night, Japan is going to start kicking in gear and rocking so much. I cannot wait.
Well that is about all that is going on right now which is a lot but its not. It is kind of an update on what has been happening in my life since I have been here. I will write more when I am actually free this time becaue I didnt think I would have anything to say until I got out but a lot had happened so I thought it would be good for an update. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers as time goes on with this.

-Jane or (Ja-Nay) which means until later.