Today was such a gorgeous day, so I thought I would share some highlights. It's been unusually cold and rainy ever since we arrived in Okinawa, so I'm appreciating the sunshine more than ever, and today was simply wonderful. I'm planning on trying to finish 'getting settled' in our place this week while Brian's gone, so hopefully I will be posting pictures of our apartment soon... but here are a few from today.
The view from our apartment balcony... yes, that's the ocean. :)
a very happy Justin on his tricycle
After our naps this afternoon, Justin and I went on a little adventure. There is a marvelous bakery not far from our house that sells scones... we've heard how wonderful they are, and today we experienced the deliciousness for ourselves. :)
Justin showing off his scone - oishi!
One thing (among many) that we LOVE about Japan is that you can find wonderful parks everywhere! We are constantly amazed at how often we see little and big parks just everywhere. These are some pics from a park that Justin and I discovered today right next to the amazing scone bakery... did I mention this is in walking distance from our house?! :)
Justin patiently waiting his turn to slide :) Justin exploring at the top of another slide
Brian was privileged today to join 12 others from our church on a mission trip to Manila, Philippines! They will be there for one week working in a squatter community across the street from the seminary where we lived and were students the last 3 1/2 years. It is so exciting that our church is doing this and that Brian got to go... this was something God led some our laypeople to do, and we're just blessed to be part of it. God provided in phenomenal ways for our team to go, so please keep them in your prayers as they begin what will be a life-changing experience!
This is a picture of them with their families before we went to the airport this morning. And of course, I'm just extremely jealous that Brian gets to 'go home' for a week... but I'm sure Justin and I will find many things to do to keep ourselves busy while he's gone. Thanks always for your prayers! :) J
Yes, it is now the end of March and our last blog was in September... well, life has changed drastically since September, and I think the fact that I'm blogging is a good sign... life is starting to settle down. :) So, for those of you who have waited so patiently for an update to see what next crazy adventure the Woolery family is on now, here it is...
Brian finished the coursework for his Master of Divinity degree in October and we said goodbye to the Philippines in November. We knew we were only in the Philippines for 3 1/2 years of school, but God blessed us with SO many friends and wonderful experiences, it was, of course, difficult to say goodbye. But our God is so amazing in how he is keeping us in the Asia-Pacific area, so thankfully, we're not that far away. :)
Before we left the Philippines, we were talking and praying with our church leaders about where we would go next and what we would do. To make a long story short, we flew to Okinawa, Japan, in October to be interviewed for the Senior Pastor position at Keystone Church of the Nazarene. Okinawa is unique because a LOT of American military are stationed on the island. Keystone church is made up mainly of American military with a few Japanese and other local residents. While we have always loved Japan and island life, we never in our wildest dreams thought of pastoring and/or thought of pastoring a church full of Americans ;) ... but God always exceeds our wildest dreams, and it was clear from the beginning that Okinawa was the next place for us. So, we interviewed with the church leadership team, the church voted and asked us to come, we spent the holidays in the states with family, and we've now been in Okinawa for 2 months!!!
And life couldn't be better... oh yeah, and if you haven't heard, we're expecting Baby boy #2 in June... cause we didn't have enough going on in our lives right now. :) So, we are LOVING being back on an island (even though it's WAY bigger than Guam) and living in Japan. God has helped us and guided us every step of the way... we have an awesome apartment only 5 minutes away from the church and about a 3 minute walk to the ocean, we have a car, we have work visas, we have Japanese national health insurance, the list goes on and on. We are also LOVING joining God's work at Keystone church. Keystone is a vibrant congregation with lots of lay involvement and lots of transitions... 1/3 of the congregation will change every year because of the nature of the military, so we're learning to trust God in new ways as we minister to military families and seek God's guidance about how to use Keystone to reach the people of Okinawa.
So, as we continue to settle in, our next big steps are starting formal Japanese language training, getting our Japanese driver's licenses (I'm sure there will be many funny stories about this in the future), and having another baby. :) And many dear friends have asked how Justin is doing in our new home, and I can honestly say that I've never seen him happier! He has just been thrilled to be here... it's like he also senses this is where God wants us to be. He is loving being surrounded by so many new friends his age at church, and he is quickly falling in love with island life almost as much as his parents. Of course, in a few months, he will come to the harsh realization that the world doesn't revolve around him, but we have no doubt that he is going to be a pretty cool big brother.
So, I'm feeling settled and that means more consistent blogging! We've done a very pitiful job of taking pictures of our new life here, so that's my goal for the next few weeks. Thanks ALWAYS for your prayers... they are needed every day! And remember, visitors are ALWAYS welcome! Sayonara! :)
Yes, we're still in the middle of rainy season in Manila, but Justin is loving the great outdoor space at our last home in the Philippines. We were so blessed to rent a house not far from campus and friends for our last few months in Manila - and Justin is having so much fun playing outside, no matter if it's raining or the sun is shining. It's so hard to realize that our time in the Philippines is almost over. We came here for graduate school, so as soon as Brian finishes his last classes in October, we will be leaving. We are still praying about where in Asia we will be next, but we will be in the states for the holidays, so we are looking forward to spending lots of time with friends and family! Please pray with us as we seek God's guidance for our next adventure. :) And, we're still here for 2 more months, so feel free to come visit and play with Justin in the rain! :)
"I have come to find that God leads, moves, and works everywhere so why can't I?" said one of the delegates to the 2009 NYI Convention in Manila. "I am ready to go and make disciples in my community, and whether its at youth group, at work or school, I know God is with me and I'm ready for anything. The convention helped me to be better equipped in every way and understand what is needed for understanding and as I continue to live for God and learn more things along the way, may I be
used in a better and greater way with purpose that makes a difference in peoples lives."
After months of planning, after months of
preparations the Global NYI Convention finally came! In Manila we had seventy participants come from fifteen countries! They came from Australia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, East Timor, Singapore, Taiwan, Philippines, Japan, Korea, Chuuk, Guam, Thailand, Myanmar, and two creative access countries. This is more than twice the number of delegates who were able to come to the 2005 NYI convention in Indianapolis. This was the largest representation of youth leaders that has ever come together in the Asia-Pacific region where we serve. So many for the first time saw their brothers
and sisters in Christ from across the region,
and then through the videoconference, across the world... for the first time! It was so exciting!
Before the official NYI convention started we spent a few days with our regional
delegates and participants in Manila to spend time discussing what it means to be a disciple of Jesus and to talk about Jesus' call for us to also make disciples. We talked about how God was calling us to new encounters with him as young people through prayer, through spending time in scripture together, and through worship. We discussed the tremendous possibilities for youth to impact
their communities through loving and investing in children. We also felt God leading us to make a difference in our communities through getting involved with the social issues that are affecting the community; thingslike domestic abuse, child trafficking, lack of clean drinking water, lack of educational opportunities, drug and alcohol abuse and the many reasons that cause it, and more. And we feel God leading us to, as young people, to begin planting churches. All of this points to our
central goal and desire to "Make Christlike Disciples Among Youth." So for three days we prayed together, we worshipped together, we ate together, we played together, and we had
workshops together. And God met and challenged us in powerful ways to return to our homes with His heart for the people who live around us.
Halfway through the event, we transitioned to the Global business meetings and worship. This meant that we also transitioned to staying up all night long, since the meetings were held exactly 12 hours away in Orlando. To have fun with this the theme for the event was 'Up All Night' and we bought hundreds of packs of instant coffee to prepare us for this and designed tshirts with coffee and a moon on the front! I was a little worried how well we would do staying up all night for
three nights, especially during some of the less-than-exciting business meetings, but everyone was energetic and engaged. They were excited to be able to participate in this and everyone from the official delegates to the visitors were ready to fight sleepiness! In our meetings we elected new leadership and made changes to our ministry plan to help us be more reflective of the global church that we are, and not just a church that centers in North America. It was such an honor to be a part of these decisions. And at the end we shared in communion together. Hundreds of youth and
youth workers literally across the world, remembered
the broken body and shed blood of our Lord, together.
One delegate shared why this event was so significant for him. "This convention is important to me for this is a dream come true for Nazarenes to experience what it really means to be a global church. Imagine for the first time
we're able to share our lives together through videoconferencing though we are apart
geographically!This i the reason why it is important to me. It changes our view of our church towards being a true global community. We are one family."
I am more and more convinced that an event by itself is nothing, unless it is a
chance for participants to encounter God and to return to their homes changed and with a different perspective. The most rewarding part of the entire event was to read some of the comments of how God touched their lives during this very long week. Let me share a few comments:
"For me personally this convention has been a mind and
eye opener. I always thought that I was the only one struggling... but hearing the testimonies from the other brothers and sisters in Christ around the world I understand now that we are the same and it is only Christ that can carry us through. I am going home a different person."
"I know that I will be a different person
altogether and I'm so proud. God has renewed my mindset, placing a more loving and caring mind in me."
"I will bring home this passionate heart, more passionate than ever. This won't be easy but if I will not start it, then who will?
"I am learning to listen and let God speak to
me in various ways and I am excited to share this excitement that I have right now."
"I have been really touched and challenged through the workshops, speakers, prayers, and worship. God has challenged
me to be intentional in my conversations and to be more involved
in my community."
This is what it was all about, God touching the lives of people and their desire to share this with others!
Please check out our event highlights video and other videos of our services and worship at apnyi.org.
Thank you all for your prayers and support for this life-changing event!
Yes, we have been at the Manila site for the 2009 Global NYI Convention since last Saturday, and all we can say is.... God is good all the time! The Church of the Nazarene holds a General Assembly every four years; members come to one place from all around the world to worship together and conduct business. But this year, for the first time, NYI (Nazarene Youth International) is holding its convention in 8 different sites all around the world, connecting by video-conference through the internet!
And we have the amazing privilege to be part of this historic event! Brian is the site coordinator for the Asia-Pacific convention site, which is being held here in Manila, Philippines. Many times delegates elected to the General Assembly cannot attend because of finances and the difficulty of obtaining visas. Since it's very difficult for NYI in Asia-Pacific to ever get together, we decided to take advantage of this opportunity and spend extra time together before the General NYI Convention started. So, our 30 delegates and 40 visitors from 14 different countries gathered on Sunday, and we have been enjoying worship services, workshops, and fellowship with each other. Then last night, we held our first meetings with the other Asia-Pacific delegates at the General Assembly site in Orlando.... and everything worked!!! The internet worked, we could see each other, hear each other, and understand enough to elect a new Asia-Pacific Regional NYI council for the next 4 years - God is so good!
We've also enjoyed some of the General Assembly services which can be viewed anytime at the Church of the Nazarene website. You can also view many of our regional activities from the past few days at the Asia-Pacific NYI website. The theme of our regional site has become "Up all night" since daytime meetings in Orlando are in the middle of the night in Manila... but our delegates are so thrilled to be part of this event and have a voice (many countries for the first time!) that no one has missed a meeting yet! :)
So, to our friends and family who are in Orlando now, we miss you, but we wouldn't trade this experience for anything. God is moving in mighty ways among the youth leaders of Asia-Pacific, and we're so blessed to be a part. We'll write more soon, but I need to get some sleep before tonight's meetings... hope to see you on screen at some point! They will be showing a glimpse of our site at the NYI service Friday morning at 10:30 (Orlando time) and Friday afternoon at the 4:00 service, a drama group from a local church in Manila will be performing. Keep praying for our internet and our eyes to stay open! How great is our God!
When Julie's parents and sister were visiting, we took a two day trip to Tagaytay and stayed at Sonya's Garden. Sonya's Garden is an incredibly beautiful Bed and Breakfast that we have been wanting to go to ever since we moved to the Philippines. We had so much fun walking around the beautiful flower gardens, eating huge meals with food fresh from the garden, and enjoying the peace and quiet... If you ever have the opportunity to visit the Philippines, Sonya's Garden is a must! Justin loved the unique shower... he could have stayed in there all day to play with the pebbles. :)
This is a picture taken at Taal Volcano in Tagaytay. I really won't do justice describing this amazing landmark, but I'll try... it's a lake inside a volcano inside a lake inside a volcano... just click on the link to get the amazing story. :)
We moved... down the street. :) Before we came to APNTS, we felt it was really important to live on campus so we could develop relationships with our fellow students. Although living on campus was the ironic reason Julie just finished her Master's degree, we really enjoyed our time and the opportunity to live in such a multi-cultural environment. But since Julie is finished and didn't want to take any more classes, we decided to look for a place to live off campus for our last few months in the Philippines. God worked out some incredible living situations for us as soon as we started praying about it, and we're currently house-sitting for some missionary friends that live less than a 10 minute walk from the APNTS campus. When they return in July we'll rent a small house in the same neighborhood. We're having so much fun living in a new place, but I think Justin is enjoying it even more....
He loved helping pack (and un-pack) boxes before we moved.
Having access to a washer and dryer where we're house-sitting makes Julie so happy she could almost cry, but it was also a great place for Justin and Grandpa Dwayne to chat. :) Aunt Terri has lots of cool things in her house that Justin loves... he was very proud of himself when he learned to get in this rocking chair by himself.
He LOVES having a small yard to play in and a place to use his new swimming pool. :)
He also has space to play on his new tricycle from Grandpa Dwayne.
We're so thankful to see how God continues to provide for all the small details of our lives - please continue to pray the we will have the support for our daily needs. :)
Well, the last few months have been quite exciting, and the next few months will be just as exciting, so it's about time for some blog posts to catch up! In March, I (Julie) successfully defended my thesis and graduated from APNTS with a Master's degree in Religious Education. It's so ironic that I finished before Brian, since I never really wanted to go to seminary in the first place. :) But God has provided some amazing opportunities, and we trust that our experience here will be used to enhance our future, so we continue trusting in God's incredible grace and guidance. We're also not looking forward to saying goodbye to our incredible friends at APNTS and in the Philippines, so we're treasuring our last few months here as Brian finishes his degree. It was a huge blessing to have my parents and sister visit for graduation and spend a few weeks with Justin.... and us. ;) Here are a few pics from the graduation festivities.
The view from our apartment balcony... yes, that's the ocean. :)
a very happy Justin on his tricycle
Justin showing off his scone - oishi!
Justin patiently waiting his turn to slide :)
Justin exploring at the top of another slide
Handsome boy! :)
