We Shall Have Spring Again!
Spring is finally here! The countdown begins. In two short months, I will (Lord-willing!) fly out to Tokyo to serve again with Mission to the World in Japan. That means that fundraising deadlines are staring me straight in the face. In one month, I am required to have all of my funds raised (gasp!), and I still have $6,248 left to raise. Praise the Lord, He has provided so much already. Out of the $14,000 that I had to raise, He has already provided $8088 in two short months. Thank you so, so much for your generosity. I am so humbly grateful for you.
I would love your help in praying that God would (from His infinite abundance) provide the funds for me to go. With one month left to go, we have much work to do. One side note - why is it so expensive? I was asking myself this yesterday on a zoom call with our finance and budget people at MTW. Well, have you ever tried finding housing for foreigners in Tokyo? Not only is Tokyo an expensive place to travel to and live in, but the rental locations available to foreigners are few and far between. This is just one of the reasons that makes it incredibly expensive to serve in Japan. This summer, since we are not able to live in Nagoya for half the summer, we have to spend a bit more money on rent while living in Tokyo for three whole months.
Not only this, but we are helping at some conferences for youth groups around Japan, and will be travelling quite a bit. Part of this support raising is for transportation and housing at these locations so that we can minister to kids in youth groups around Japan!
That being said, I would love your prayers. I have full confidence that the Lord can and will provide if it is His will for me to stay for the whole summer, but I need your help and your prayers!
In the meantime, God has been providing in other ways. I have been sick for the past 6 weeks, but it has truly been another opportunity to trust in the Lord. While my voice has been weak, God has given me a voice for every single show (we're 30 shows in!) and in every line that I have needed to say. While I have been having coughing fits backstage, I have been protected each time onstage by the grace of God! This week, I have started feeling better, and my fever seems to be going away. Praise the Lord. Thank you so much for your prayers!
Also, in preparation for returning to Japan, I have been intensely studying Japanese and working on choreography for upcoming shows. I was worried about not being able to practice my Japanese in D.C. God provided miraculously! When I went to my first ballet class here at the Washington Ballet, I met two girls from Japan who were shocked and delighted that I could speak Japanese. They miss Japan, the Japanese language, and Japanese food. They instantly invited me to come have lunch with them! I couldn't come that day because of rehearsals, but I look forward to meeting them soon for sushi. I almost cried because I was so happy to have people to speak to in Japanese! I missed my monthly trip to Birmingham for Japanese church to practice my Japanese. What a kind gift from the Lord. I invited them to see our show, and I am hoping to keep having good conversations with them.
God has also provided me with several choreographers here in D.C. who are assisting me in creating a series of dances called Women of the Word. These dances tell the stories of Mary, Ruth, Rahab, and "Daughter," the name Jesus called the woman who had a discharge of blood. In working on these dances, I have been learning so much about the ways that God speaks differently to men and women in scripture. He does not treat men and women exactly alike, but provides for us according to what we need and how he He made us. I'm learning so much about how He knows us better than we know ourselves.
These sweet friends came all the way from Alabama to visit me in the Land of Narnia! They came up during their spring break and we had loads of fun exploring D.C. together :)
I'm so grateful for the things that I am learning during this show of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, which I will take with me as I return to Nippon (日本 - Japan). One of my favorite parts of the show is when Aslan comes back to life. He declares that, although the witch knew the Deep Magic, there was a magic deeper still. Her knowledge went back only to the dawn of time. But if she could have looked back further still, she would have known that when a willing victim was killed in a traitor's stead, the Table would crack and Death itself would be overcome.
I do have to share a very sad thing. One of the dancers who I know and love in Japan passed away very suddenly. Her name was Emi. She was one of the kindest people that I have ever met, and I miss her dearly. This news weighed on me heavily for several weeks, and I often thought back to my last few interactions with her. For whatever reason, I felt that that last time I saw her would be my last. Little did I know that she would pass away this year, but because of this feeling I had, I felt a heavy pressure to share the gospel with her. Even though I felt awkward for doing it, I shared the gospel with her on a late night walk after a performance that we had done together. She listened, but said very little. I have no idea if she remembers anything that I said, but it is my hope and prayer that the Lord used those words to comfort her in her last moments and over the last 9 months and that perhaps she accepted the Lord Jesus Christ before she passed.
While our own human knowledge is limited, we can only see part of the Plan. Our great God, however, was there before time itself was made. He created us with a magnificent plan in mind, and choreographed a way for us to be with Him in eternity. As I look towards my own uncertain future, I am confident that He who sent me is faithful, and that He is working all things together for our good. I can't wait to see how He will fulfill His promises.
I hope you are encouraged! God is a sure and steady hope, and an anchor for our souls. - Hebrews 6:19
Pray with me:
I'd really love your prayers that God would open His storehouses and provide!
Please pray for fundraising - $6248 left to raise. Pray also that I would put my trust in God!
Please pray for gospel conversations with my new Japanese friends in D.C.
Please pray for the dance community around Emi, her family and friends. They are very, very sad. In the dance community, suicide is a common Japanese response to loss of a dear friend. May the Lord be their light!
Please pray for our friends in Japan - the weariness felt by Japanese Christians is fueled by loneliness, and so is deeper than any weariness I can ever experience here in the U.S. Pray that they will hold fast to the faith. May the Lord be preparing their hearts even now for the ministry we will be doing this summer.
May God be glorified in our prayers!
Joyfully,
Anna Gardner Herren
"He must increase, but I must decrease."
John 3:30
To give, click here or email me (annagherren@gmail.com) for more information on how to give!
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