Costa Rica

Our Resort-Riu Guanacaste

Zip Line through the rain forest

View from our hotel

Aaron searched and searched for the perfect honeymoon destination.  He gets great discounts on resorts with his job at Delta Airlines, and he finally landed on Costa Rica.  It had everything I was hoping for: beaches, mountains, and warm weather!!  Aaron's parents gave it to us for a wedding present.

Being a missionary who just got done with grad school, I typically spend most of my travel money on missions trips.  I really didn't think I would ever be able to go to one of those fancy resorts you see on TV and in magazines, but our loving heavenly Father and my loving husband had other plans!

The resort was gorgeous, and we enjoyed snorkeling, a zip-line tour through the rainforest, walks a long the beach, kayaking, the Asian restaurant in our resort, the hot tub, and non-alchoholic fruit slushes that were out of this world!

Our Wedding Day: Oct. 23

Aaron and Rach, my little sis in Christ, and wedding planner extraordinaire!

My niece Annie, the beautiful flower girl!

Mr. and Mrs. Addicks

The night before our wedding, I will never forget my quiet time with the Lord.  I had checked the weather forecast and we had a 70% chance of rain on our big day.  We had hoped and planned for a beautiful outdoor wedding, so as you can guess, my bride heart was somewhat sad.

However, as I spent time praying to the Lord and reading my Bible, I kept going back to my greatest prayer for our wedding, which was that that people would see the Lord in our wedding service.  Some people coming weren't Christians, and others had been turned off to the church or Christianity, and we were hoping God would use our wedding service to touch their hearts.  As I was praying and reading the Bible, I felt God letting me know in a soft, loving manner that He would accomplish His plans His way.

The morning of the wedding, I was getting my hair done, and we had a major down-pour.  Aaron was at the mansion already to set up chairs, when he suggested a wedding on the porch of the mansion.  I loved this idea, considering the tables on the inside of the mansion had already been set up, and we were going to pack the inside of the place.

We had a dreamy wedding day.  The rain helped get everyone together to chat and create a quaint atmosphere both inside the house and on the porch.  The minister said it the best, that it was definitely a missionary wedding, as the Lord changed our plans but couldn't stop our joy or love for Him and each other!

After the lunch, we were able to go outside and get some great shots from our photographer, who didn't let the rain stop him from getting some awesome shots of our porch wedding.  Two of my favorite moments were leading 2 worship songs with Aaron and serving everyone communion.  God blessed our day, and continues to bless our lives and carry out His plans His way....I'm so thankful He always has the best plan for children as a loving Father would.

Looking Back

Having a tea party with my Saturday class

My last 2 weeks in Japan were filled with awesome memories!  Aaron came down with Bryan for my last week to help me through the goodbyes and bring me home.  On Saturday, Aaron helped make tacos for my Saturday classes.  They had blessed me with many things, and I wanted to do something special for them!  Tacos got mixed reviews as their taste is different from Japanese food, but I think the students were happy for the gesture.

Our church had a going away party for us on Sunday, and all of the people said a fond memory of us, or something they liked about us.  During the church service, we presented the church with a plaque, saying thanks for your love to internationals!  The church people were so loving and kind to both me, Aaron, and Bryan, who worked my job before me, that we wanted to honor them.  I was happy to see the proud looks on the minister's faces:)

I was showered with gifts from my students, and got to eat dinner at one of my private student's houses.  She made an amazing meal, and I was so thankful to get to the end of a study with her on teaching internationals some Christian basics.  I am confident she will continue to use her English for God's kingdom, and I am so thankful for the time I had with her!  My Saturday classes also took me to an Italian restaurant because they know how much I love pizza, and it was great to be able to spend time with all of them one last time!

Saying goodbye to my friends was the hardest, but I knew the Lord had used me during the time I spent with them to encourage them in their faith, pray for them, and grow in the Lord through Bible study!  I had absolutely amazing friends there that helped me so much and were such wonderful friends!  Thanks Lord!

The highlight of my last couple of weeks was doing a lesson about baptism for my last English Kids Service.  All the kids that came said they wanted to be baptized someday, including the son I worked with, Kent.  I had spent a lot of one-on-one time with Kent, and it was such a joy to hear his desire to be baptized!  He goes to a Christian school and loves learning about the Bible and talking about spiritual things.  I believe God has a special plan for him!

One week after I returned, I learned a friend of mine who was working in a different area of Japan when I left got baptized!  Hooray for this awesome commitment to want to follow the Lord your whole life!

I am so thankful that God used me to help expand His Kingdom and encourage His workers in a land that is only 1% Christian!  Thanks so much for being a part of God's awesome adventure in my life!

Here we come America!

2 Spectacular Ministry Days

Aaron and my student Koji preparing to lead worship

Aaron just left for the final short visit here until he comes to take me home next month. What a blessing to have a job with Delta that he can easily come see me and not have to pay a fortune, and be able to spend some quality time with him!


Here are a couple of amazing ministry days I would like to share with you:


On Sunday, Aaron played guitar for worship. Doing ministry with him is one of the greatest joys of my life! One of my Japanese students and friends coordinates a contemporary service once a month, and was in need of a guitar player for this one. Aaron played and my friend sang in Japanese. Aaron wanted me to sing too, so we had some English background vocals with worship. Words cannot express the joy I felt as I stood before the congregation and saw my Japanese brothers and sisters in Christ pour their hearts out to the Lord in worship. We concluded the evening with my church family here with an engagement party and snacks. What a blessing my church family here is to us both! They have truly embraced both Aaron and I and shared their hearts and their lives with us. I was so thankful to have a time to encourage them and thank them for their love for internationals. I enjoy being with them very much!


A few weeks ago, we had a new student come to our Saturday classes. He knows some English and is interested in learning more about God and the Bible. Since he started coming four weeks ago, he has been to church twice. Our last class during Bible time, he talked about how he can't feel God's existence. We did not have our Japanese translator that day, so my students patiently waited as I spoke to him in English, and my class spoke to him in Japanese to help him understand the Bible lesson for the day. I was amazed and impressed to watch my entire class help and minister to the new student, and give him a Japanese Bible. This class contains three strong Christians who understand God's heart for us to share His message with others, and look at their class as not only a time to learn English, but also a time to reach out to others! I know God will continue His work there after I go home!


As I enter my last month here, I have strong mixed emotions. I can't wait to be Aaron's wife, but I am sad to leave all of my friends and students here. One of God's greatest blessings is to love and be loved, and I have experienced much of the love of Christ through others while I've been here. Thanks for your prayers! My experiences happen when God's people pray:) I'm looking forward to seeing everyone stateside again soon!

Praise! praise! PRAISE!!

A day of contrasts. In the same day and on the same mountain, I visited a large Buddhist temple where many monks live, and a small Bible college. The majority of the people here are Buddhist.

Many of you have been praying for my non-Christian students, and I want to say thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU!! Here's a couple of great stories that happened within the last few weeks.

On Saturdays, I have the opportunity to teach about the Bible. We are studying the book of Luke in my adult classes. I have 4 students in those classes who are all Buddhist. I thought I was picking up a vibe from one of them that he really didn't like Bible time, but every week I would do my best to share God's word and His message. The student I didn't think enjoyed the time recently had to move to Tokyo for his job. On his last day of class, he said he really enjoyed reading about the Bible, and he plans to continue doing it! What a blessing from the Lord! Thanks for praying for them! God is working through your prayers!!!

I am also thankful for one of my new students. Her name is Fumiko, and she is strongly involved in her church. She knows a lot of English, and recently came to the school and asked if we could help her learn more so she could translate to the internationals at her church! We are going through a Bible study I used with international students about some core Christian beliefs, which she might use someday to teach at church! She always wants to pray before class, and I am sooo excited to have the opportunity to share with her what I know to help the Kingdom!!!! Thanks Lord!

Thanks for you! It is somewhat of a difficult time as I try to prepare for a lot of transitions and work on wedding plans overseas. Thanks for praying for me and for the many encouraging words! Prayers and love, Steph

Cotton Candy and 80's Music

Just a dirty creek? All those bumps are turtles! One day, there were hundreds of turtles in that creek!!



Rice fields are flooded before planting.



Please pray for this family from my church. The mom has several blood clots on her brain and they make her feel sick.


Not so Ordinary

What's some not so ordinary sites, tastes, and smells I come across everyday in Japan? Last week, we ate at a buffet, and they have cotton candy machines there! So fun! People here eat a lot of noodles, vegetables, and rice. Some days, I come across restaurants that play American 80s music, definitely not something you'd expect to hear in Japan! Leaving a restaurant, you'll here a chorus of thank you very much from all of the workers!!!

On trains, you'll see people texting, sleeping, listening to music, or reading. People typically keep to themselves on public transportation, and it's very quiet ride.

Cities are crowded! I know think of American cities as crowded, but Japan has a large population in a very small area-it's really packed! If it's raining, everyone has an umbrella, even people on bikes. It's currently rainy season, which means, as you guessed, a month of rain. Cities look like a typical American city, with many modern buildings, stores, and restaurants. People are very busy in Japan and often move quite quickly.

A Typical Day
So what is a typical day in my life like in Japan? My day usually starts talking to my fiance, friends, or family over skype. Yes, relationships overseas can be a challenge, but skype is a wonderful tool because I can both see and hear loved ones! In the mornings, I spend time with the Lord, walk, wedding plan, and get ready for my day. On a typical walk, I might come across many turtles, or flooded rice fields, as they are getting ready to plant. Look out Japan! Here comes the mosquitos!

Sometimes on my walk, I will stop at one of my favorite coffee shops/restaurants. The Nagoya area is famous for cheap and yummy cafe breakfasts. A typical one might include a small salad, eggs, and toast.

I usually go to the school between 1 and 2:30 and teach until around 8 or 9, depending on my teaching schedule for the day. Then I'm off lessoning planning, prepping for class, and teaching English! I teach various ages, and no 2 classes are the same. One class I teach consists of 3 little boys. They are VERY active and love physical activities. I try to taylor their class to fit them. In another class, I have a man in his 40s for a private lesson. He is very good at English and loves to chat. We are reading from Time magazine, the "100 Most Influential People." Last week, we talked about the singer Prince. It's always interesting to hear the Japanese perspective on American entertainment!

I love seeing my students improve in their English, but my favorite moments of teaching are when I get to teach about the Lord. In my church classes on Saturday, we are studying the book of Luke. I love to see my non-Christian students answering questions! I also have a Bible cartoon DVD my kids enjoy watching, and I am studying with a jr. high class. I continue to pray God will use all the seeds planted to further His kingdom.

Seeing God in the Ordinary
As I get somewhat settled in an everyday routine of adult life and teaching, I have learned to see God in the ordinary. I spend time praying over my classes, and even praying for the time I prepare for classes. I often get new ideas, or come across new, much-needed energy and patience for the Japanese kids I teach! I see God answering my prayers for friends and family both locally and abroad, as we pray for different life situations, and God working in the lives of the Non-Christian students I teach. I see God bless my day with little things, like hundreds of turtles in the creek on my walking trail, some new pretty flowers, or the dog I live with come love on me when I'm having a tough day. If you're going through a discouraging time, I would like to encourage you:)! God is working through our prayers in big and small things all around us! Thanks for praying!

A New Season!

We're engaged!



My Ring



Cherry Blossoms, a popular spring attraction in Japan



Nagoya Castle

Aaron and Bryan, Aaron's best friend, came for a week in early March. Surprise, I'm engaged! Aaron and I met shortly before I left for Japan, and we kept in touch through email and skype. We became a couple about 2 months after I got here, and fell in love. Aaron proposed at a French restaurant that was divine, with a wonderful atmosphere! It felt like we were at an outdoor cafe in France. I loved having both AA and Bryan here for a week! We ate meals together, spent time in Nagoya, walked and talked. Bryan got to see many former students and church people he did ministry with here last year and encourage them, and AA got introduced to my life in Japan, friends, and students. Bryan and Aaron shared the love of Jesus to many, but probably most of all to me! The 2 weeks that followed were difficult, as AA and I got used to living our relationship on skype again. All in all, we see God's grace in action as we try to make future plans and get to know each other better during the early hours of the day and the late hours of the night due to the time difference.

A new school semester has begun! Thankfully, my schedule has not changed significantly. My new classes are one's I had taught a little while ago, including 2 classes at our new branch school at Oharu. God has allowed me to build significant relationships with my students and Oharu, and I am very thankful to continue to spend time with them and teach them! I will be continuing a Bible study with my jr. high girls class and I am excited for how God will use this time!

We had our second kids English service at Oharu church, and while it was less attended, I was very excited to be able to teach about creation to the kids, 2 of which were my students from my Oharu classes and aren't Christians. In Japan, evolution is taught everywhere, so being able to plant the seed of creation is a big blessing! The kids drew what God created on different days, and we went outside for a nature scavenger hunt. I was going to play a creation game with them at the park next to the church, but there were other kids playing there. The church kids joined the other kids, and wanted to share their prizes with them, which was my favorite moment of the service! The kids that came for the service stayed for an extra half hour to play, and then wanted to go back inside and color upstairs while church was going on!! About this time, we gained a few more kids. They colored more pictures of what God created through the entire church service. I am excited to get on a fixed schedule starting in May-the 2nd Sunday of every month. The consistency will help with promoting the event and getting more students there.

Many kids had spring break last week, so our classes were smaller, and we had a few extra days off due to national holidays. I got to go skiing in the mountains with a couple of brothers in Christ from church, and see the cherry blossoms and Nagoya castle with one of my Saturday classes! Both were great memories I will treasure always!

Snow in Nagoya

Kurt and Akane's son, Kent, greeted me with snowballs when I went to work in the morning:)



The room for our branch school at Oharu Church, where I attend! I'm so excited to have many supplies and a special room for the kids at church!


The downstairs of Oharu, where we used to have English class and where church service is held.


Snow in Nagoya only happens about once a year. It's a random event that keeps you on your toes because people in Japan don't often drive in snow. It snowed on a Saturday morning, which meant I would have to drive to work amongst the craziness. Thankfully, God cleared the roads with the sun before I left for work.

The snow in Japan reminds me of what's going on with life in Japan right now- a time of transition with random surprises. Aaron and I are seeking God's plan for our lives together, and we are planning to live in Bloomington, IL when my term here is up. While I'm confident this is the best plan for our lives right now, it's not what I expected for us to be doing. However, some time in the states will give us an opportunity to get adjusted to married life and probably prepared for our next overseas adventure. Like me, Aaron would like to work overseas for at least a year.

In addition to this life transition, Saban English School is also transitioning to a new term at the school and opening the branch school at Oharu church. I have been helping paint, decorate, and assist with trial lessons where kids can come in and have a free lesson to check out the school. It's somewhat of a stressful time, as we see new students come in, new schedules formed, and some students leave. I am looking forward to a change, and to see more students coming to our new branch school!

I also have had the opportunity to put together our first English kids service at Oharu Church. An attendance high for us at church is 29 people, and we had over 15 kids attend our first one! 7 were from our school and non-Christians. We had a Valentine's party and our theme was God's love, with songs in English, a Bible story about Jesus love for kids, and a craft and game to go with. It was such a blessing to be able to teach non-Christian kids about Jesus and God's love for them! One group wanted to sing "Celebrate Jesus" after the service was over! This was definitely something only God could do. We are planning to do this service once a month, and I am planning our next one for March 14th!

In the midst all the activity going on here, God is faithful. Just like He melted the snow for me to drive to work on clean roads, His steadfast love and faithfulness remains the same. I am so thankful for His intense love for me, and His constant and consistent provision!

Holidays

Konnichiwa!! These 2 gals attended our Japanese banquet:) My lil sis in Christ Rachel (left) hopes to visit Japan and the other hopes to be a missionary to Japan some day!


Aaron, my boyfriend, and I at the state park near my house. Please pray for him! He hopes to come serve in Japan!


My dad and my niece Annie making a snowman! Hooray for being able to play in snow!


Christmas at home came and went and what a fun, whirlwind adventure it was!! I had a student travel with me to experience American culture with a family from Eastview Christian Church. He's 11 years old and did and was a super traveler! The weekend we got home, we had a support raising Japan banquet. We were greeted by many American friends and family who were interested in our work in Japan, a huge blessing!

I spent a lot of time with my family, friends, dog, and my boyfriend Aaron. I'm attaching some pictures in case you'd like to see! My brother also helped me create a Christmas video to show my friends in Japan in case you're interested:

http://web.me.com/mcthomas22/StephChristmas/Movie.html.

This Christmas, Jesus' example of coming as a baby in a whole new land to serve gave me great comfort. He went through many of the same trials and difficulties I have, but kept his focus on his task and His father! I am so thankful for a God whose love for me never changes despite my circumstances, and who helps me adjust to a new life in Japan! Thanks God, and thanks for my wonderful support team!

As we start a new year at the school, many changes are in the air which will be implemented in March. Please pray for a big enrollment for our new branch school at Oharu Church, which will open in March. I will continue to teach at the school I'm at and my boss Kurt will be teaching classes at the new school. We need about 50 students to create a job for my boyfriend Aaron to be able to teach here! We are praying that God will bring Aaron and my path together for His glory! Regarding ministry, my co-workers and I are starting a once-a-month children's english class at the 2 churches we work with. I am leading the planning for this service. Please keep this in your prayers. Thanks and God bless!