Random encounter #1

Last Friday I went to Starbucks here which is unusual because I never go to Starbucks. IN fact I have no idea why I even went there, I suddenly had an urge to go. After I had ordered some coffee and sat down I opened the book I was reading. But, not ten seconds later, a young man two tables away made direct eye contact with me and started to show me the book that he was reading. It was a bit odd, but felt totally natural. So then I introduced myself and he introduced himself. After a while we found that we were sitting at the same table and had been talking for almost an hour. His English was very good, having spent eight months in America and attending an English cram school. In fact this was why he was in Fukuoka. His cram school was only a few blocks away. We exchanged numbers and information and planned on meeting again. The young man has stated that he believes God exists for those who believe in Him. Whatever that means. I am to meet him again tonight so if you catch this sooner than later keep our meeting in your prayers. First and foremost I want to remain natural and real. I don't want to seem as if I have some ulterior motive when we meet because I don't. If being a friend is also sharing Jesus with a person than I will share Jesus with them.

Fifth Post

Sorry that it has been so long since I have posted on here. Not much has happened worth noting in the past couple of weeks.
Yesterday was very awesome. The entire time I have been here so far, it has been very difficult to make any friends among the university students. They are nice to me and helpful, but if there is a difference between nice and friendly, then Japanese students are not friendly.
It takes something to be included in any groups.
Since I have been here I have been taking lessons from my Japanese tutor. She is a very sweet middle aged woman and doesn't speak any English. She's given me many things including an old bicycle of her husbands. The bicycle has been very helpful and even fun to go around on. Yesterday, however, my teacher did something very incredible and I don't even think she realizes how incredible it was.
She took me on a school campus that she used to teach at so I could meet some girls that she knows. These girls in turn introduced me to some guys they knew. This was very awesome and an answer to prayer because being introduced by another Japanese person is exactly what I needed. Now they were interested in me as more than just some weird foreigner hanging around.
One of the students even raced back to the train station after I had left to get my phone's e-mail address so he could text me. That has never happened to me before at all! I've never experienced any students so eager to befriend me.
My teacher is very Shinto. Shinto being the Japanese religion. It just goes to show who God can use. The rest is up to Him now.

Thank you

I have been here a month so far. Thank you all very much for your prayers. They have meant a lot to me and I KNOW they have been effective. While I have not made any definite friendships yet God has granted me peace knowing I am in His will. I am going to live victoriously and try my best to not let the situations I'm confronted with, or the cultural differences tear down my faith. As we know, Christ already has the victory and as Romans 8:37 reminds us "...we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." I am going to claim this verse as I go out into this land filled with witchcraft, spirit worship, and despair.
This past weekend the largest festival in Japan was held here in Fukuoka city. Over two million people came. It was very exciting and maybe some of you have seen the pictures from it that I posted on Facebook. We handed out Bibles and tried to talk to people. I tried to make connections with the young working people we met. Some young people can't get into college so they go directly into the work force.
Thank you all again for your prayers. I'll keep you updated as God moves in Fukuoka!