Posted by: grantmiho | May 20, 2012

Grant’s Second Sermon in Japanese

Yesterday, I was able to give it my second shot. While I still feel unnatural reading my sermon with limited movement, people seem to really appreciate my effort. My Japanese teacher joked that because of my accent, I would be hard to fall asleep 🙂

The message was about death (although equally focused on life). I joked how it is odd to think about death when I turn 31 this Saturday. But, there is a lady whose mom is 92 and dying. I also just finished Billy Graham’s book “Nearing Home” about growing old. Lastly, the Cherry Blossom Viewing Parties in April remind us that life is brief, since the flowers have about a 2-week lifespan. Thus, I preached from 2 Timothy 4:6-8 on Paul’s final words of encouragement to Timothy. “I fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I kept the faith” is part of that passage.

One illustration I used was how our lives are similar to a marathon. Both have endings. But in the Tokyo Marathon, I knew the course. When I passed Ginza, I knew I was halfway done. When I got to Toyosu, the finish line was coming up soon. However, our lives don’t have a visible course. We don’t know if we are nearing the end or just getting started (even with the average lifespan in Japan of 80-something, that is average and some die at 50 and others live to 100). Only God knows the length of our journey.

When we get to the end, what do we want our lives to be remembered by. What is important for us to do or become? When my mom had her stroke and 3rd-degree burns over a year and a half ago, there were a few nights that we were no sure if she would make it. She was in ICU and anything was possible. As a son and a pastor, I remember thinking about what I would possibly want to say at the funeral for the message. With my mom in her 50’s, I had yet to think about her death. This was a scary but powerful moment for me. It made me rummage through the multitude of memories and draw upon the many experiences of her love and faith. I ended by challenging people to think about what they want their friends and families to say about them at the end. With that in mind, how does that impact how we know live and embrace the brief moments we have here?

To listen to my message (obviously in Japanese), you can find it here.

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Posted by: grantmiho | May 16, 2012

Happy Mom on Mother’s Day

Due to the accident a year and a half ago, Grant’s mom continues to be unable to use her left arm and is very weak in her left leg. This has prevented her from doing some of her favorite things in life, such as cross-stitching, go on walks, and riding a bike. Annually, my mom would walk around 20 miles from the south side of Des Moines to the northern suburb of Ankeny, just for the fun of it. I can remember her offering to pay for my golf if I would join her on a 20-mile walk when I was a teen (I never took her up on it).

For Mother’s Day, my sisters and dad found her a great innovative bike. It seemed to be designed with her in mind. It is a trike, which allows her to balance. She can strap her feet in, since on leg is weak and hard to manage. The gears and brake is also on the right side, which is the only hand that functions. My dad sent us a few videos and she has not appeared so happy and smiley in a long time. We are very grateful for her to regain her joy of biking.

Thanks for praying for my family and her. There is still a long way to go for a full recovery. No matter what happens, we trust that God’s grace is sufficient and we hold on to the hope that heaven awaits where there are no paralyzed people or wounds.


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Posted by: grantmiho | May 2, 2012

Understanding Sin among Japanese Teens

Over the past few months, our youth group, Connect, have been following a series we created called “Create.” Through English learning, conversation starters, and games, we have had fun learning the myriad ways that God created us. So far, we have helped these teens who have no grasp of the Bible or God’s story learn about a God who created us good, in His image, unique, for relationships, to love, for work, for rest, and this past Sunday about how we were good but now fallen. For the week on work we talked about what they dream about doing in future jobs. Ironically, two girls have parents who are dentists (which was also the case for two of our first teens back at Highrock). Each week the teens open up more and feel comfortable talking about their lives and thoughts. 

This past week focused on how God created us good but how sin became a reality for each of our lives. Sin in Japan is translated “tsumi” which means a crime. This makes it tough for people here to concede that they are “sinners,” since most average people don’t break the law or commit major crimes. Since people can’t have guns here, violent crime is ridiculously low in Japan compared to other countries. On the surface, it is a safe country with nice people; although this does not mean they are free from sin. We only made it halfway through our material this week due to a great discussion on what is right or wrong. We gave them a list of acts and asked if they think this is good (+), bad (-), neutral (=), or depends on the case (?). Some of our list were things like: lie, steal, disobey parents, get angry, pride, jealousy, etc. We didn’t want a clear cut case of assumed wrongs, but were surprised by their responses. There were various ideas and explanations to go with their answers. For instance, disobeying parents was said to depend on the case since parents are humans and make mistakes too. Observant teen! One teens said getting angry is wrong, while others were not sure. Another said if you keep anger to yourself is fine, but just don’t trouble others with it. In Japan, showing emotions, especially anger, is seen as bad and can reek havoc on relationships. It is rare to see people make loud outbursts or blow up, since they are rather stoic. We plan to continue this conversation next class. May God allow them to understand sin and the reason behind Jesus death on our behalf. 

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Posted by: grantmiho | April 8, 2012

Grant’s First Japanese Sermon

I had the great honor to not only preach for our Easter service, which is a first, but also to challenge myself to preach for the first time in Japanese. After giving 3-minute speeches in class all the time, I knew I was capable of speaking something, even if it is not sophisticated Japanese. Yet, the amount of work that went into writing an entire message was quite overwhelming. With the dedicated help of my Japanese teacher, I was able to deliver something that was good Japanese but still had my voice and level of speech.

I chose to keep the rough draft as a reminder of how far I have come. After doing my study of Matthew 11:28-30, I came up with an outline and then wrote completely in Japanese, with the great help of my dictionary. It seemed every other sentence would require looking up new words. However, it was with my teacher going line by line that we corrected nearly every sentence. Dictionaries are great but can mislead me in how phrases are actually spoken. I was so thankful that he took so much time to help me select which words are more natural in certain contexts. If this was a paper for college, the amount of red ink would have probably made me cry, but here was a moment that I was extremely grateful to be ripped apart only to help piece together something much better.

I am extremely humbled by how God has allowed me to get to this point. I always joke how in 20+ years of school, the only times I received a “C” was in foreign languages (French, Greek). Yet, I have now been able to preach in three languages (English, French, and Japanese).

For my message based on Matthew 11:28-30, my idea was “Because of Jesus, we can unload our burdens.” I shared how we all carry certain burden or worries with us. People handle them in different ways, such as taking them on alone, relying on friends or families, or plunging into work or studies. Each are good but limited from caring for everything in our lives. This then points to Jesus who invites us to come to him to find rest. We can exchange our anxieties for his teaching as we follow. I then link to the great exchange that Jesus offers, by pointing to the cross and what he accomplished on our behalf. In the end, I asked them to write their burdens down on a piece of paper and bring them to the front underneath the cross to symbolize unloading them to Jesus.

It ended up being one of our largest services, since we invited four friends. I am grateful to the opportunity and hope my Japanese continues to improve to the point that I won’t need as much time preparing or correction. Yet, I am also glad that the busy Easter is complete and I can rest a little bit 🙂

I will try to get the recording of the message and post a link to listen or download it. I’ll keep you posted on this.    You can listen to the sermon (without English translation) here: http://soundcloud.com/grant-buchholtz/grant-japanese-sermon. 

 

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Posted by: grantmiho | March 16, 2012

Back in the Saddle

Since coming back to Japan after our month in the States, our energy has been restored. We have figured out new ways to work as a team in ministry, care for each other, and use our time to serve. As our stress levels have decreased, this has renewed us to once again pour our time and energy into planning and ministry activities. As Allie was younger last year, it was difficult for Miho to have significant blocks of time to study and prepare messages. Since I naturally love preaching and feel more comfortable preparing sermons, I filled the regular monthly slot of preaching.

While I would speak every chance I could get, we also realize that both of us are gifted and have unique voices to bring to our church. It feels like a new day, as Miho is ready to preach this upcoming Sunday. Her need for prep time means more effort on my part to watch Allie, but it has created a healthier dynamic for our entire family. Miho even was able to practice on her parents; to which they replied, “Subarashii” (Wonderful).

Our vision this year for the church was laid out recently at a vision meeting. The pastor chose 1 Corinthians 12 as the theme, in which we serve the Body in love. Miho will be preaching from 1 Corinthians 13 on the idea that everything we do needs to be covered in love. It is good to have her hop back in the saddle 🙂 Since coming back from America, life and ministry feels much less stressful and more positive/healthy.

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Posted by: grantmiho | February 26, 2012

Reflections on the Tokyo Marathon

Every marathon is similar and unique from all other races. Tokyo Marathon was no different. It was a fantastic experience. As my fourth race, I discovered subtle Japanese elements that set it apart from others. Here are a few observations about the race.

1. Positive Differences- a. Japanese organizational skills. With over 10,000 volunteers, they made this event run so smooth. One example was the baggage trucks at the start of the race. You could load your clothes, phones, etc. and find it at the end of the race. Within seconds of approaching your area, the people could read your bib number and hand you your bag. Amazing!

b. Cosplay (dressing up in costumes) is not just for kids or nerds. While most businessmen were suits and all look alike on weekdays, this was one venue for them to show some creativity and silliness. My next door neighbor ran as a watermelon. Some other costumes were samarai, Pac-Man, Spiderman, a wedding dress, and even a Suntory whisky bottle. An older Japanese man ran as Jesus, complete with no shoes or shirt, but only a loin cloth and a giant cross on his back. Crazy!　(See some photos: http://matome.naver.jp/odai/2133023271594908701/2133025863195756103)

c. Cultural Performances- All throughout the race, groups performed music or dance. I saw women in kimono dancing or playing the shamisen (traditional Japanese instrument similar to a banjo). There were drummers, kids dance groups, hulu dancers, and even a gospel choir. Paris and Barcelona did not have these same levels of cultural groups. It was a great window into Japan.

2. Negative Aspects- a. What the other two European cities had were charm and architectural beauty (especially all the Gaudi buildings in Barcelona). Tokyo was all the same for 26 miles. It was glass and steel skyscrapers with businesses, restaurants, and convenient stores with a few shrines and the Imperial Palace mixed in. What lacked in aesthetic beauty was made up in the enthusiastic crowds and performances.

b. The food along the race was very Japanese, which typically I would love. They had over 100,000 bananas, which were great. I had so many of them and raisins. But, in the last part of the race, they added pickled plums, M&Ms, and anpan (cake with sweet bean paste). This did not mix well in my stomach. Up until 30km, I was on pace to finish under 4 hours. The last 10 km’s were rough, though on my stomach and not my legs. I ended up finishing at 4:23.

3. Final Observations

This race has become a cultural phenomenon. It is broadcast on tv and has a number of interviews and shows afterwards. One man they highlighted was a man from the tsunami-affected area. He ended up proposing to his girlfriend at the end of the race. I am so grateful to have been able to participate in this cultural moment.

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Posted by: grantmiho | February 22, 2012

Renewed Focus

We are now back from our time in America. During our month there, we had radiation tests that came back negative, along with great counseling sessions to process all that we went through this past year. Last night we met with the pastor and his wife that we work with to discuss the vision for this year. It feels great to be back here and have a peace about living and serving in Japan.

Since our 2-year term ends this Fall, we have begun thinking deeply and wisely about what we can do in this season to best help our church. We are looking forward to some new plans to connect with teens, while also coordinating the home stay program in the summer. We also began talking about how to equip and train the church members, since we will not be here forever. So many things to look forward to 🙂

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Posted by: grantmiho | January 6, 2012

Overwhelmed by Hospitality

On Wednesday afternoon, we arrived in Boston for the next couple weeks. After nearly a year and a half away, we have felt so blessed and loved by the hospitality expressed through our home church and support team. Even though it was only been a day, we have already be blessed by….

a. Lodging Hospitality- a church family has a split level home in Medford and allowed us to stay in the furnished 2-bedroom first floor during our time in Boston. Allie is already enjoying roaming around the open space and playing with their children’s old toys (their kids are a few years older than Allie).

b. Transportation Hospitality- not only were we picked up at the airport by the mission’s pastor, but were offered a car with child seat to use during our time here. So far, no mistakes with the switch from left to right driving (except trying to put on the turn signal, only to realize there is nothing on the ride side of the steering wheel!).

c. Food Hospitality- we came home to a fridge stocked with the basics, including steaks (not sure how many people consider that a “staple” ingredient, but we felt loved by this gesture; especially for an Iowan boy who loves his red meat). It is a great feeling giving Allie anything she wants without worrying about where it is from. We are thankful for our support team who organized these groceries, while one member brought us dinner our first night. Such simple things can go a long way to express care for others. This sense of community and hospitality has always been a high mark of Highrock, in our opinion.

We also found out that we will be visiting the children’s church one week, since they learned about us and prayed for us a few months ago. These little kids even took up an offering and want to present it to Allie 🙂 That really touched our hearts. Getting children passionate about how God is working around the world and how their little contribution can make a difference is a beautiful thing!

We are still overcoming our jetlag, but already are enjoying our time back. Looking forward to all that God will do through this brief break back in the States.

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Posted by: grantmiho | December 9, 2011

Interesting Development in Radiation Concerns for Babies

This past week, a major Japanese brand, Meiji, just recalled 400,000 cans of formula, due to radiation concerns. These are the same cans that we have on our shelf (though we stopped using formula months ago). They were made in the northwest part of Tokyo. The main news, from my perspective, is not that these items were recalled, but why it seems to make news headlines.

Up until last month, the government continued to keep the same levels for everyone, kids and adults, for radiation (500 bq per kilo). Now, they set infant products at 200 bq/kilo. Much lower, but may not comfort too many parents. The recalled formula only had 15 bq of one type of cesium and 16 of another type. Together, this is a fraction of the legal limit. They have no obligation to pull such amounts from stores. However, it seems that parents are causing concern. Though it is lower than government-set limits, would you want to knowingly buy the main nutrition for your infant that has radiation in it? Thus, Meiji pulled the products.

This highlights the ongoing concern we have been wrestling with over the past few months. Just because things are sold in stores does not make them necessarily safe. Just because they are under the legal limit does not seem to provide total relief. It seems as though we are not alone in these feelings for young children. While these small amounts do not seem to pose high danger, it is still unforeseen what exposure to it over long periods of time can do. Though small, these parents do not seem to want to run that risk. Pray for us as we continue to wrestle through our desire to remain here along with our desire to protect and care for Allie.

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Posted by: grantmiho | October 17, 2011

Disaster Relief- Part One

Seven months after the tragic earthquake and tsunami, relief efforts continue in the north of Japan. While Miho was able to head up and serve in July, I (Grant) finally was able to spend a week serving with a fellow missionary and other Japanese. We were privileged to serve with Michio, who moved up for the year weeks after the event in March. He has been building relationships with these people and hosting teams weekly. Our group consisted of several people from Hokkaido (the northern island), Chiba (east of Tokyo), Saitama (northern Tokyo), and Osaka (west Japan).

Our first day was spent driving up along the coast and witnessing the devastation that we had only seen in photos and videos. I will share more about this in the next post. For now, I will just say that seeing it up close and personal was surreal and heavy. Also, photos are coming.

1. Overview of Our Work

We visited two temporary housing sites, which are basically glorified trailers that extend row after row with hundreds of people living at each site. Through our continual presence, they have welcomed us into their community center. We were able to host a “Mobile Cafe,” where we demonstrated making soba noodles and “takoyaki” (octopus balls that look like hushpuppies). People could come and go, enjoying good food, drinks, and conversation. At one point, we brought out blankets for them to pick up, as winter is coming soon. We also had a table with free Christian books, Bibles, and children’s books. As there are few foreigners in that area, they seemed very surprised to see Americans. By the end of our time, we all became experts at making takoyaki. Over the months of meeting with these people and serving, we have heard from Michio that several of them have come to faith! This is incredible, given that for hundreds of miles of coastline in that area there are only seven Evangelical churches! It is the least populated area of Japan, with many small fishing villages. They are cautious of outsiders and religious groups. Yet, I sensed a warmness, humility, and appreciation of our presence and care.

We also were able to distribute food to homes in several neighborhoods. Just a few hundred yards in front of these homes were barren foundations of homes washed away and destroyed. Most of these people were elderly. Nobody turned down any food we offered. There was no shame in accepting food. With all the stores destroyed in their area, we heard that some would have to wait for a bus and ride 45 minutes to another town to get groceries.

2. Impressions of People There

Japanese people in general are very resilient. The town we were in, Taro, had experienced tsunamis in the late 1800s and 1930s. They built a wall over 30 feet tall. Yet, at some points, the wave measured around 100 foot tall! On the town hall, which was just up the hill from a completely destroyed area, was a sign that said “We are a tsunami-ready town.” How do you pick up the pieces of a town that lost most everything? One lady said that she might be living in that temporary home for the next two years. The fishing industry is now 10% what it had been. For most older men, it seems overwhelming to think about a career change and finding work in that area. The physical needs are being cared for now, with homes in place, food supplies slowing coming in, and gas stations and convenience stores being reconstructed. Yet, it is unknown what these communities will become. We also pray that these events will open them to their spiritual needs. How do you find hope for a new day and life?

With the mass media moving on from this story, please keep these people in mind. This is just the beginning for their lives and society to be rebuilt. Much has been done already, but there is so much that remains to be done. Pray for those working up there and for these affected families.

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