Thank you for your prayers over the past month of home ministries. After a really busy March, April was a bit more quiet, though I still had the opportunity to share my testimony and vision at 3 different churches in the area. When not on the road, I’ve been trying to spend more time studying Japanese and preparing for the months ahead.

This weekend I’m visiting the Wesleyan churches in Perth-Andover and Bristol, New Brunswick. Then, in May, I’ll be spending almost 3 weeks in Ontario, connecting with several churches in the province. I’d appreciate your continuing prayers for safe travel and effective ministry. Please also pray for my Japanese studies and financial support.

Financial support update: Currently my Faith Promise (financial commitment) total is at about 63%. As you can see, things are going OK, but I still have a way to go if I’m going to meet my goal of returning to Japan in August.

How you can help: If you were supporting me during my first term, please consider continuing your financial partnership. You may have already decided to do this. However, unless informed of your intentions, Global Partners will consider your commitment to have ended with the conclusion of my first term. If you could simply send me an email letting me know how much & how often you intend to give, that would help me move towards 100%.

NEW financial partners can sign up by using the form at the following link:

http://www.wesleyan.org/gp/makefaithpromise/WM04-0316/missionaries

GP will count your commitment towards my support in advance of your actual giving. So the sooner you can let me know, the better, as GP will let me return to Japan when my commitments are at 100%.

If you have any questions, please let me know. And whether you can pray or give or both, thank you for being a part of my team! I couldn’t do what I do without all of you!

- Robin

Last weekend’s missions weekend at KV Wesleyan was a good time. I got to re-connect with some old friends and also heard my boss, GP director HC Wilson, speak.

Other than that, it was a pretty average week, other than taking off a little early for the weekend to hang out here in Halifax. Looking forward to one last evening here and a full day of travel and ministry tomorrow.

Week, wrapped.

The rest of the week was spent working on the usual behind-the-scenes stuff: bookings, budgeting, trip planning and so on. I started my Japanese new study routine, and though I haven’t gotten a full two hours in every day, I did some days and I’m closer to making it a habit. And that’s a good thing.

Another good thing is that I’m also making progress on my webcomic, not only staying on schedule but also working ahead. This will be important when I’m on the road and too busy to work on it. One of these days I’m going to have to write up a blog post about how this comic and comics in general fit into my over all life and ministry vision. For now, let me just say that it’s good to get the ball rolling.

This weekend I’ll be taking part in a missions conference at King’s Valley Wesleyan Church in Quispamsis, NB. If you’re in the area, why not drop by to say hi?

And… that’s a wrap.

Since returning to Canada in December, I’ve been wanting to keep up with my Japanese studies but finding it hard to stay motivated. But some recent events and conversations have reminded me of the importance of continuing to work at my Japanese, even — or perhaps especially — while I’m away from Japan.

Now, I could go out and invest in some expensive new study materials. I even had a church offer to buy me a fairly expensive software-based course. But I decided I would be better off to actually use the stuff I already have, rather than wasting loads of money on yet another study aid that is probably intended for absolute beginners (which I am not) anyway.

I’ve come to realize that the thing I’ve been missing is a routine. It’s amazing how a lack of productivity in any area can often be solved by simply making specific tasks a regular routine.

I’m just getting started with my new study routine, but having a plan and making it public are also helpful keys to success. So here’s a rundown of my new routine for studying Japanese. Five days a week, at least 2 hours a day, I’m using what I’ve got and focusing on four main areas:

1. Vocabulary — using my iPod touch and Japanese Flip.

2. Kanji — using my Nintendo DS and this kanji-practice game (which I’d only recommend if you already have some basic reading/writing skills, as it’s actually intended for Japanese people and therefore has no English at all).

3. Reading — using Japanese manga (comics). Right now I’m reading a kids comic, Doraemon, but I have some others that are geared towards a teen / young adult audience. I’m working my way up to them.

Along with the reading and kanji studies, I make use of a great — and free — Japanese dictionary app for my iPod touch, called Kotoba.

4. Listening — Using podcasts like this one, and CDs like these.

5. Real-life — I’ve been keeping in touch with Japanese friends via email and Facebook, and that’s been super helpful. I’ve also got a couple of Japanese friends right here in my own hometown. I’m hoping to make better use of the local connections, and continue to keep in touch with those back in Japan.

Routines: Super important. Super helpful. Super hard to get into. But now that’s public, I guess I should get to it. Wish me luck.

Michael Oh from Urbana 09 on Vimeo.

This video features my fellow Nagoya resident Michael, and was recorded at Urbana ’09. As described on the video site: “Michael Oh uses his own history of anger toward the Japanese to explain that reconciliation begins with a personal conviction of sin. As a Korean-American pastor and missionary to Japan, he has learned that we who are loved undeservedly must love unreservedly.”

Michael Oh and his team are doing good things in Nagoya. Find out more HERE.