This trip has been an amazing experience for all of us (well, I can't really speak for Niko, but he's grown a lot bigger in the last month and plays new games, etc... that would have happened at home too, but now he's got baby bragging rights and a passport to prove it!) For the rest of us though, it definitely has made an impact on our lives.
The biggest change can be seen in Kai. I've been so proud of him and his sense of adventure throughout this whole trip. He's willing to taste different Japanese foods and has found some favorites... and some not-so-favorites! He likes the crunchy part of shrimp tails for some reason (I guess it's good calcium, so I don't protest too much), but doesn't like umeboshi (pickled apricots - and neither Dan or I can blame him for that at all!) He's learned a handful of simple Japanese phrases (which never ceases to elicit gushing praise from the Japanese recipient!) And just yesterday, without any prompting or teaching, he bowed to one of the guests at the center! Dan and I were amazed at his adaption in such a short time; he really did well, considering the enormous change we created for him! It seems a shame to uproot again... we're just getting adjusted now!
On an emotional level we've seen change in him too. This afternoon, Dan sat down an "interviewed" Kai (some of the footage will be used in a video to be post up here in a few days, hopefully!) He can articulate why we came to Japan (to help others), why people need help (the 'big wave' took their homes), and what we're doing to help them (giving them quilts). His world has begun to expand beyond himself... the ability to put the needs of others first is a skill he is beginning to develop.
More importantly, though, he has begun to grasp the concept that not everyone is a Christian.
Yesterday Kai and I went for a walk together. We ended up walking up over 100 stone steps to the top of a hill where a shrine was situated, overlooking parts of the city. He and I walked the grounds, looking at the different elements of the shrine (the ornately decorated buildings, the bells and gongs, the purification water, the statues). Just like when I first moved to Japan, I can see the amazement and wonder in his eyes as he discovers these new, foreign concepts. There's no denying it; everything here seeps ancient beauty. So many of Japan's cultural aspects are so very different than anything we find in America. It feels so old, so deep, so strong. A sense of the 'old world' is found around every corner in Japan.
As we travel with the boys (now and in the future), I want them to learn that it is OK to accept the beauty of a culture, even when many of its roots are in its religious traditions. As an artist, I find so much to respect in Japanese culture. Ranging from simple eloquence to ornate artistry, Japan has harvested many art forms over hundreds of years and the way they intertwine is like an ever-evolving dance. I believe it is possible to step aside and observe culture objectively, appreciating the intricacies as art, separate from the religion. I want the boys to learn to embrace culture, while still striving to bring people the Truth they so desperately need to hear. It can be a difficult balance, but I hope to teach them well.
Yesterday, as Kai and I wondered about and took in this part of Japanese culture, it became overwhelmingly clear to me that I had been given a teaching moment. Up to this point in his life, Kai has been primarily surrounded by Christians. He has several friends that are unchurched, but he attends the preschool at our church and our family is very active and supportive in raising our boys to know Christ. In the last year, Kai has really begun to learn about Jesus through his young eyes and mind (and in turn, reteaches Dan and I how to think like children). Preschool has worked wonders and my heart swells with pride and joy whenever he relates the "Jesus Time" story of the day back to me as I buckle him into his car seat. This trip to Japan, however, marks a turning point in his faith life - a realization that there are many people who don't know Jesus and won't be in heaven with us - and it's OUR job to tell them the Good News.
This trip we've been given the chance to teach Kai in a very hands-on way about how urgently we need to share the Gospel with others. He and I watched lost souls come to the shrine for the New Year; we saw the stone and wooden statues to which prayers and offerings were given; we listened to the coins clink, bells ring, and hands clap as our Japanese brothers and sisters pleaded for blessings from non-living gods. Residing in Japan has always helped me identify with the Old Testament Israelites. And this trip, perhaps more than our time living here, has opened my eyes to how tied to these traditions Japanese people are. The mission field here is a difficult one, but so very important.
This all is a lot for a three-year-old to grasp. I have no doubt that this trip will lead to many conversations down the road (usually when I least anticipate it!) For now, the gravity of the situation hasn't really sunk in for Kai, but I pray he continues to learn from this trip as he walks with Jesus, even at home.
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