Washing the dishes...and realizing my sin

The other day I was washing our dishes and started thinking. It is sometimes frustrating that we don't have a dishwasher. (I realize that some of you may not have a dishwasher either) It is at times therapeutic to wash dishes, and at other times just frustrating. Anyway, I was particularly frustrated because I had to wash a dish twice. I had washed it in the morning, and then noticed that it was still dirty. I became frustrated that I didn't have a dishwasher to blame. I could only blame myself.


Then I realized that this is true about most of life. We want to be able to blame someone else for our own mistakes. This didn't start with us, but all the way back at the beginning of time, with Adam and Eve. What joy there is in admitting our sinfulness and coming to Jesus for forgiveness.

That is what I realized as I was washing dishes one day. God is apart of every aspect of our lives if we take time to wash the dishes and be with Him.

New Prayer Letter & Songs to Download

Here is our most recent prayer letter, mailed out about 2 weeks ago. Click on the image to enlarge:
You can also download it as a PDF file: April07 Pfeil Prayer Letter.
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In other news, I recently posted 4 of my original songs at: www.purevolume.com/jonpfeil

Songs can be listened to at the site, or downloaded as MP3s. Lyrics and song stories also posted. I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments.
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Helping with College Ministry in Chiba

While we were visiting our team in Chiba, we got to jump in and help with the new school year kick-off events for College Ministry (starting April 10.) Here I am with Nagata-san (head of College Ministry for our Team) in front of Kanda University of Foreign Studies. As a private school, we're not allowed on campus, but we got permission to pass out flyers outside the gate for our English outreach party at our nearby church-plant.Olivia was our little charmer, and whoever she stood with always passed out the most flyers! :) Unfortunately, we did not get any new students to to our first event. Please pray that God would remove the physical and spiritual barriers preventing students from coming to check us out.

We passed out flyers to students of Chiba University outside the nearby train station during their new student orientation day. The school has become very sensitive to off campus cult groups as evidenced by this sign above. (Last year serious problems of sexual abuse were exposed.) This warning was posted on the school website, and incoming students are being warned to watch out for off-campus groups. Unfortunately, our ministry has become guilty by association - even though we have had a great reputation on campus for the last 10+ years.

Our Friday IMPACT Night Party went well, and we did have one new student attend in addition to several returning from last year. We all ate together, played some games, and then I sang one of my original songs and gave a little talk on Psalm 23 ... in Japanese!

It was great to have Sarah and the girls there. It helped create a comfortable family atmosphere, along with some of the other Japanese staff's families. We really look forward to God using us as a whole family to reach out to students in the future.

Here I am with 3 Japanese staff, and 2 short-term missionaries, showing off our "best form". Please be praying for Nagata-san, Uchida-san, and Numakami-san and their families. (They are all staff or interns at Japanese churches, and commit part of their time to College Ministry.) In spite of recent challenges on campus, we are blessed to be working with these men and their families.

A Taste of the future (10 days in Chiba)

Here we are in Chiba (just east of Tokyo around the bay) where we will be serving after language school. We came at just the right time to enjoy the peak of the sakura (cherry blossoms). We stood in wonder at God's magnificent creation.
I got to attend a youth-led special worship service on Saturday night at Oyumino Church. It was exciting to see a vibrant community of young Japanese believers.
This photo shows some of the fellowship time after dinner. Pray that these young Christians would continue to grow in their vision for the future of the Church in Japan!

After Worship on Easter Sunday, the girls got to take part in an easter egg hunt with kids from church and the community.

Buddhist & Shinto Lifestyle

We joined our friends Minako-san and Manabu-san for dinner at his parent's house.
It was a traditional Japanese house with tatami mats for flooring and a kotatsu table for eating dinner. In the corner behind Olivia in the photo below, you can see the Butsudan (family Buddhist altar).


The Butsudan contains an image of Buddha, surrounded by photographs and objects commemorating the deceased. It also serves as a repository for the souls of the dead where daily offerings of rice and tea can be made.

Some close-up shots of the golden Buddha and offerings to deceased grandfather (including apples and cigarettes):

Interestingly, in another room in the house was a Shinto Kamidana ("godshelf") - a whole different religious tradition from Buddhism (after centuries of mutual antagonism, they peacefully coexist now).

Japanese live in a world surrounded by Buddhist and Shinto culture and traditions, and see religion not so much as a personal faith but as a collection of rituals. Please pray for our Japanese friends, that they would not just see Christianity as another religion they can "add to their shelf", but as a radical life-saving relationship with their singular, loving, all-powerful Creator!

Taking Sarah's Sister to Tokyo

Sarah's sister Emily has come to Japan on a 2-month "mission trip" to serve us (and her cute nieces!) She Has been such a blessing to have with us. You can read a little about here life here in Karuizawa on her blog: EmilyLovesSushi. We took Emily into to Tokyo on a fun adventure. We visited several places including historic Asakusa.
This is a the famous 5 story pagoda of Sensoji Temple.

Beautiful Exterior, but Spiritual Darkness ...

We were impressed by the stunning architecture of Sensoji Temple, but were also brought close to tears as we watched person after person coming forward - some to pray, some to worship, and some to just do their "Japanese duty" and pay their respects. Most Japanese would not claim to be very religious, yet when they face pain, struggles, and uncertainty, they have nowhere to turn but these idols of gold, and patterns of superstitious rituals. Here is the view walking up to the Sesoji Temple (dedicated to the bodhisattva Kannon - a being dedicated to assist those in attaining Buddhahood).
Purifying self with incense smoke before entering Temple (above). Throwing coins and praying for ...?

Building Relationships

I had a great opportunity to get to know 3 guys in a deeper way this week. About a week and a half ago, we all attended a kick-off party for the new year of the Kodomo Sodate Shien Center, where we take the girls to play. It was one of the infrequent times where Sarah and I were able to interact with couples together. (Japanese businessmen are usually never home!)

Just last Saturday one of the guys, Manabu-san who we've written about before (far left in photo above) invited me to go out for "a guys night" with 3 others (one not pictured above). It was a great opportunity for relationship building, language learning, and for cultural learning. Over the course of the evening, while eating sashimi and such, I had several opportunities to explain why I had come to Japan, and ways that I see God's character reflected in Japanese culture. My explanations were quite simple (since they were in Japanese), yet opened the door for further conversation.

As for language learning: When I introduced a topic, I could follow ~60% of the conversation, but when someone else introduced a topic I knew nothing about, I was pretty much reduced to minimal comprehension ... and lots of smiling. That's language learning for you! :)

Please pray that God would continue to provide opportunities for me to get to know these guys, and also to improve my conversation and comprehension skills as we prepare for future ministry.

Download Jon's Song from Psalm 67

Trying something new here ... On the BLOG sidebar (on left side, scroll down a bit) there is a new section called "Pfeil Downloads: Original Songs". Click on an individual song title and it will download the MP3 file. I'll add songs one at a time. I'd love to hear your comments on the songs and/or the downloading process.

TODAY'S SONG: (1) "May the Peoples Praise You"
The words come straight from Psalm 67 - a great missions text. I wrote the song right after returning from Japan as a 2-year missionary in 2001.

Notice the "s" at the end of the word "peoples". Our team leader, Dan Iverson, speaks of the importance of the Church's call to reach ALL peoples - meaning people groups. It can be easy for us as the Church to be so busy with local ministry opportunities and challenges, that we often neglect the call to reach the world's "unreached people groups". Let us pray and seek for how God will use us to bring His Joy to the nations!

May the Peoples Praise You
(Music by Jon Pfeil, 2001)

May God be gracious to us and bless us
And make His face shine upon us (2x)

That Your ways may be known on earth,
Your salvation among all the nations (2x)


May the peoples praise You, Oh God
May all the peoples praise You
May the nations be glad and sing for joy
May all the peoples praise You

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Please Pray for our Friends

I wanted to let you all know of some recent praises as well as some prayer requests. Today the girls (including my sister Emily) and I, went to one of my friend Miho-san's houses for lunch. Another friend, Minako-san, came for lunch as well (you all have been praying for her.) God is so good to allow these relationships to grow.

Today, we were able to talk more about spiritual things. They were very curious about why Emily is home schooled. It was a natural time to share some of what my parents and I believe, and what we want to pass on to our children. I was so encouraged by our conversation! God is so good to use broken vessels for His purposes! With my limited Japanese ability, my brokenness is always before me.


Miho-san is on the left and Minako-san is on the right



This is Minako-san, her husband, Manabu-san and daughter Sawa-chan

Please continue to pray for these ladies. They were also very eager to start studying the Bible with me. I will try to see if a lady from our church would be willing to help with this, as I can't quite lead a Bible study on my own. Please pray for Miho-san, Minako-san, as well as her husband, Manabu-san. It is quite unusual for a husband and wife to be interested in spiritual things at the same time here in Japan. Minako-san said that they have both seen a thankful spirit in Jon and I and that they want to be like us. Praise God with us as we can see that He is shining His light through us, despite our lack of Japanese ability! God is so good! Thank you for all of your prayers...I will keep you posted!