It’s warming up in Okinawa, we got our shorts and sandals out the
other day. It’s time to start packing away the winter clothes, and start
checking our shoes for mold!
We are now in the 4th month of the pregnancy now, waiting for our monthly visit this coming weekend. Recently, there has been such a peace in both of our hearts about the baby and everything that comes along with it. Sometimes we wonder if we are being too relaxed about it, but then we realized that we are really just trusting and resting in the Lord as we’re waiting for the little one to form inside.
Something we did struggle with, and not that long ago, was the interesting experience of having a child in a foreign country. This was something we meant to post in an earlier blog post, but never got around to actually posting it (please forgive the delays!):
“We feel overwhelmed at times, from all the things we need to do to have our baby abroad. We had a stressful moment at the City Office a few weeks ago, receiving a lot of papers and information about our unborn baby, and not understanding hardly any of the Japanese we were hearing.
Even though it is a scary and new experience, and has the spin of being in a foreign country where we don’t fully understand the language, we find ourselves very blessed and at peace.
The head doctor at the hospital we are going to speaks English very well, and we are able to ask questions we have, and even hear the familiar medical terms we understand.
Whenever we feel doubtful of having our child here, or I feel down from morning sickness, we are showered with encouragements. So many people are praying for us, and giving us advice and reassurance. God keeps showing us how He is providing for this, and how much His hand is on the forming of this beautiful person being created inside.”
We are now in the 4th month of the pregnancy now, waiting for our monthly visit this coming weekend. Recently, there has been such a peace in both of our hearts about the baby and everything that comes along with it. Sometimes we wonder if we are being too relaxed about it, but then we realized that we are really just trusting and resting in the Lord as we’re waiting for the little one to form inside.
Something we did struggle with, and not that long ago, was the interesting experience of having a child in a foreign country. This was something we meant to post in an earlier blog post, but never got around to actually posting it (please forgive the delays!):
“We feel overwhelmed at times, from all the things we need to do to have our baby abroad. We had a stressful moment at the City Office a few weeks ago, receiving a lot of papers and information about our unborn baby, and not understanding hardly any of the Japanese we were hearing.
Even though it is a scary and new experience, and has the spin of being in a foreign country where we don’t fully understand the language, we find ourselves very blessed and at peace.
The head doctor at the hospital we are going to speaks English very well, and we are able to ask questions we have, and even hear the familiar medical terms we understand.
Whenever we feel doubtful of having our child here, or I feel down from morning sickness, we are showered with encouragements. So many people are praying for us, and giving us advice and reassurance. God keeps showing us how He is providing for this, and how much His hand is on the forming of this beautiful person being created inside.”
Here was a verse God encouraged us with:
Psalm 139:13-18
“For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.
My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You.”
Psalm 139:13-18
“For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.
My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You.”
We have been so blessed by this whole thing. We are really excited for the baby to be born! And the doctor informed us of the possibility of knowing the baby’s gender in May. We are really excited for that!
Like the Lord has promised us, He has continued to provide for us out here. Eder has more classes that started this month to teach English for, for a kids school, and also at the church. Tim and Eder are always trying to improve the classes they teach to give the students the best possible teaching they can give. It’s really neat to see how it is changing and improving. They started a new children’s class, and a new Home-School-Study class, teaching English History, Math, and other subjects, to improve their English and help them to learn in English.
Some other updates, was the awesome Easter we celebrated together. We both planned some fun crafts and told the story of the cross with the kids, and in the service a young lady gave her heart to Christ, visiting for the first time!! Afterward, we shared a small potluck with the two ladies who came, it rocked! (Shoyu chicken, Mexican rice, pasta salad, an awesome veggie soup, and some other Japanese dishes, along with deviled eggs, how can you not have those at a potluck!).
After chilling for the rest of the day with the Newell’s, we had another event at night, starting with a 2nd potluck, and then Bible study time and English time and games after! (with snacks of course). Two sisters came for the potluck, but later a few more joined us for the study and the games. It was a really blessed Easter, I think one of our favorites.
The rest of the month is pretty normal, aside from Golden Week starting at the end of this month (Golden Week is one of the only times for Japanese people when they get a whole week off from work/school. It’s a really big thing, so everyone goes on vacation).
We are going to a surfing/beach/hang-out day on the 29th (start of Golden Week), where a group from the Ginowan church are coming up with a Christian surf group, and everyone can try paddle-boarding, and get a chance to all chill together. They are even bringing tents if anyone wants to stay the night on the beach! (boy tens and girl tens! Oh yea!).
The next holiday were looking forward to is Cinco De Mayo!! They are having a Mexican dinner night down in Ginowan, so we are hoping it works out to head down and visit for the event.
Our prayer requests we have at the moment are these if you'd like to pray:
-Eder's driver's license to come in the mail
-Being able to afford a car in our budget
-Vision and direction for it from God
-Prayer for talking with the people at the old-folks home next door
-outreach through athletics to kids/anyone
-Baby's health, Amanda's health, provision for the child
Newest ultra-sound picture of Baby (about 13 weeks).
Yummy new dish we tried at Saboten Tacos Restaurant.
Picnic day at the park on a free day~
Teaching students how to play instruments.
Our Easter morning Potluck! (girl on top left gave her heart to Jesus that morning!)
The baby-bump: week 15.
We played at a church event with Hakugaijin, and these were some of the other performers (beautiful hula).
Hanging at the game center in the mall with kids after church(giant bus driving game).
After hanging out at the mall, there was a family performing traditional music. So cute ^_^
Joel and Eder at the taco restaurant.
Chilled at the park after a huge lunch.
Bad-mitten with a giant birdie and rackets.
Beautiful sunset~
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