Last But Not Least...

Alyssa Winters!

Alyssa Winters is the youngest child of the Winters family! She is 5 years old and loves to do many things! She loves to sing, help with chores, have her nails painted, play at the park, play with her friends, eat peanut butter, and play dollies. 

Alyssa loves to have her picture taken and see the picture, even if I take a picture of something we both are looking at! Alyssa and I have many fun times together! Once in a while, I get to put her to bed and we read a book, sing a song, giggle, and pray before she goes to sleep! 

Just last week, Alyssa started wearing glasses! One of her eyes is "stronger" than the other, so they are trying to even them out, I think. We have all been getting used to her in glasses! I think they fit her personality well! I just hope they stay on while she be-bops around!

I had a little "interview" with Alyssa, and I tried to write exactly what she said, so you could catch her "essence!"

Very Candid Questions: (What she said, is what I typed!)

(Translations and explanations in parenthesis!)

Jordan: Where do you go to school?
At Youchien. (Kindergarten)
I'm learning how to draw stuff at Youchien. We can play outside and color. We have lots of fun.

Jordan: What other things do you do?
Play outside, and ride on the bus, that's how I get at Youchien.

Jordan: Anything else?
I like to play tetsu bo. (A bar kids do flips over).

Jordan: Do you usually bring a lunch to school?
Yes, like obento. (Packed lunch)

Jordan: What do you usually have at lunch at Youchien?
I have onigiris a lot of times. One time I picked flowers and bring it home.

What is onigiri?
It's rice and you make it into a triangle. Sometimes I have furikake in it and sometimes I have plain rice.
(Furikake comes in little packets, and it is seasoning that you mix into your rice. There are many different flavors. Alyssa's favorite flavor is "chicken" which is actually salmon)

Oto-chan is my friend, and Maina-chan is kind of a friend, but sometimes she doesn't want to play with me and she's a little bit, like, mad. Sometimes Oto-chan wants to play with me, but a lot of times she doesn't because she has a lot of friends, like 6 friends or 7 friends, or 10.
My other friend is Uutsuke, he is 5. One time we played at our pool here. We have a blow up pool.

Jordan: What is your favorite food?
Beans, and chicken nuggets! (When she says beans, she means beans that her mom cooks, they are kind of like snap beans, but a little different. She just eats the beans out of the skin.)

Jordan: What do you say when you answer the phone?

Moshi moshi! (This is how you answer the phone in Japanese. I'm not exactly sure how it translates! Just today, Alyssa and I were playing. I was the Doctor and she was the patient, and I called her on my "hand" and she answered, "Moshi moshi." Her mom was laughing and said she knew she would do that! It is very interesting to see that, though Alyssa belongs to an "American" family, she was born and raised in Japan, and therefore, is more familiar with the culture.)

Jordan: Where do you keep your shoes?
In the genkan. (The genkan is the place just inside the front door. This is where all the shoes are kept. To many Japanese it is still considered "outside" so it is common for someone to just walk in and holler into your house.)

Let's go play, that's all I need to say.
A-L-Y-S-S-A, I have lots of fun with my sister!
Good Bye! Sayounara!

Alyssa, displaying a yummy snack nuts and little dried fish! 

Wearing our Ukatas, ready for Natsu-Matsuri! (Summer Festival!)
Alyssa taught me how to do a festival dance, and we did it at her Youchien festival and our town festival!

Here is a video of Alyssa singing a kids church song! Some of the words are not quite the same as what is written in the book, but, it's still amazing how much Alyssa knows! She sings often, and picks up songs very quickly! She is also learning piano from me, and is doing wonderfully! She practices her frog hops, finding all the keys, Chairs, and Katydid! I forgot to mention, that Alyssa is teaching me "Jap-nese" (that's how she says it!). We practice reading Japanese on some flash cards she has and play games in Japanese! She knows so much of the language, and it is so amazing to watch her play and converse easily with her Japanese friends! She is learns most of her Japanese at Youchien. Well, here is the video!

Another Special Guest...

Kayla Winters!

Kayla is a sweet, thoughtful, and careful young lady. Patient and caring, she is a great older sister to Alyssa! I have often seen her helping Alyssa and encouraging her to do right. Kayla is also disciplined! I know this because I am teaching her piano, and have given her some practice tools to make her practice times efficient and effective! Kayla has implemented these tools and is reaping the benefits of her diligence because she is able to play a hymn arrangement that is quite challenging for her. Kayla has adorable curly hair, and though she so badly wants it to be long, she is learning to be patient and content with what God has blessed her with now! Kayla is a great help with the laundry, dishes, cleaning, meal prep, and other chores and is well on her way to being a wonderful home-maker! She has many great ideas, and in time, will learn to have more confidence in the gifts and abilities God has given her! I am SO thankful to be her “temporary” big sis! We have such encouraging and delightful times together laughing, talking, biking, baking, and studying God’s Word! I cannot wait to see the godly beautiful woman that Kayla will be and is already becoming! 

Here is what she has to say...

Hello!  My name is Kayla Winters.  I am 12 years old.  I live in Fukuoka, Japan as a missionary kid.  I came when I was 3 years old, so I’m use to living here.  

Since I’ve lived here from when I was little, it’s all I’ve known so I like it.

 One thing I like about Japan is that it’s safe so kids go out all the time on their bikes to different places.  For part of 6^th grade I got the experience to go to Japanese school.  For most of elementary school I was home schooled, but it was nice to see once again what Japanese school was like. I say “once again “because I also went

to Japanese school for kindergarten and the first semester of 1^st  grade. 

Candid Questions:

Jordan: Do you prefer chopsticks or a fork?

Kayla: I can use both and like both

Jordan: What do you do with your futon about once a week?

Kayla: take it out on the balcony and beat it

Jordan: What is the first thing you do when you enter a house?

Kayla: take my shoes off

Jordan: When do Japanese people wear slippers, in what rooms?

Kayla: they take their slippers off when they go in the bathroom

 and tatami mat rooms(tatami=straw mats)

I Always Dreamed of Having a Little Brother...

Until Now! 

Watashi no Ottoto wa Wintersu Esan desu! (My little brother is Ethan Winters!)

Right from the start, Ethan and I have got along great! We have had many laughs together and many good conversations!

He is a very talented young man! Ethan is bilingual (he speaks Japanese and English), he plays violin and guitar, enjoys school, loves airplanes and knows tons about them and is amazing at drawing them, likes to ride his bike, is very good with directions, and laughs often! He is also faithful to read his Bible and memorize scripture! Him, Kayla, and I have had some good Bible devotion times together! There are more great things I could tell you about Ethan, but I want you to hear from him, so here is a bit about him and life for him here in Japan!

Hello my name is Ethan Winters.  I am 13 and a missionary kid to a foreign country.  I live in Japan!  Having the ability to speak two languages is very easy, for I am fluent in Japanese.  A lot of people ask me if I ever think in Japanese, but I don’t.  However, I have been told that I talk in my sleep in Japanese by my mom.  Sometimes my brain is trying to speak in Japanese, and it comes out in the opposite language.  This has happened many times while I’m having a conversation. When that happens it is especially funny when I am having an English conversation and randomly say something in Japanese.

Candid Questions:

Jordan: Do you dream in Japanese or English?

Ethan: I think I dream in both languages.

Jordan: What size mattress do you have?

Ethan: I have a futon. (a Japanese style mattress with no sizes)

Jordan: What side of the road is the “right” side to drive on?

Ethan: The left side is the “right” side of the road in Japan.

Jordan: Which way do you open a book? To the right or to the left?

Ethan: Most Japanese books I read in I open to the right.

As you can see, Ethan is an American who has grown up in Japan. This is the country and culture he knows best, yet his native tongue is English and his parents, though they know the Japanese culture and have adapted their lives to it, are American. Spending time with Ethan and listening and asking questions is always interesting and thought provoking! Trying to place myself in his shoes has been a learning experience! I asked him where he would like to live when he is older, and he said he isn't sure yet. I'm looking forward to seeing the man he grows up to be, and I will be praying for him to be a godly leader wherever God leads him! He is a unique young man, and I am blessed to be his "temporary" big sister, or, his Onechan.

Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Intermission... Sorry!

So, I promised to post pictures of Hell... uhh, of the hot springs (read earlier posts if you don't understand what I mean by "Hell") but when I went to upload the pictures... I had errors! So, instead, I thought I would blog without pictures until it starts working again! Please excuse this slight intermission!

Many of you may be wondering what I'm doing here and why I came, I will give a short account of the why, then answer the what...

Well, it seems like just last week I was driving in the car on the way home from CT with Mrs. Peragallo when we started talking about the prospective but still unplanned mission trip for this summer. I shared with her my desire to be a blessing to a missionary family, to lighten their load somewhat, so that they could better serve the Lord, because I see that as a most effective way for me to do mission work as a single young lady. So, next thing I new, we were talking about the Winters and she was saying three months! Now here I am, a third of the way through those three months!

A typical week looks like this:

Sunday: Japanese service in the morning, lunch, English service, dinner.
Monday: Teach Alyssa and Kayla piano, teach Ethan guitar, help with English class.
Tuesday: Food shopping, other activities, record hymns at the church
Wednesday: English class, Teach Rachal piano, Young Ladies Bible Study (with Kayla, Rachal, and Natsuki)
Thursday: Music lessons again, English class with Mrs. Winters
Friday: Activity as a family, or rest day, or random activities, record music at the church
Saturday: Errands, Activity, or record music at the church

The Winters have 17 different English classes a week, and I am scheduled to help different ones each week, so the English class schedule is always changing.
Other activities we have done include: Going to a summer festival (natsu-matsuri), swim in the river, ride bikes, visit the library, sew, bake, cook, do chores, do laundry, have a Japanese BBQ, light off sparklers, sleep out under the stars, do kid Bible Studies, family devotions, practice music, practice singing in Japanese, practice reading kid books in Japanese, ask "What's this in Japanese?", paint our nails, play at the park, and give massages! :) I'm sure there are other things we have been doing, but that covers most of them!

In a couple weeks we will be having a follow-up VBS, including an evening Jr. High session. The Winters explained to me that it is extremely difficult to get the teens to come to any events or even to church because they are so busy! I can see that they are! They are constantly riding their bikes or walking by our house in uniforms on their way to some sort of sport practice or summer group! Pray that many teens would come to the Jr. High VBS in spite of the conflict with all their activities!

Praise the Lord for the salvation of two ladies within a week! Midori and Nami trusted the Lord Jesus Christ to be their Savior! We are thrilled to see them understand the Gospel and pray that others would soon follow their example and be baptized and added to the church!

The Lord is GOOD and greatly to be praised! Praise ye the Lord!

Killer......MONKEYS?!

Here are some more pictures of our touring days! Monkey Mountain and the jigoku pictures are from our touring day on Friday! The first few pictures are from touring on Tuesday.

The Japan Sea

The youth on the team, all wearing our sunglasses! :)

Jonah - making faces on the bus!

Noah, holding up the Nagasaki statue!

 On Friday, we travelled to visit a Monkey Mountain and Hell... yes, that is what it translates to. Hell's is a group of hot springs called "Jigoku" in Japanese. Jigoku is the Japanese word for hell, and the hot  springs were named that because it is thought that the hot springs are as hot as hell.

I was slightly... concerned at the thoughts of walking in the midst of a bunch of hungry wild monkeys, but everyone reassured me that it was perfectly safe... as long as I didn't look the monkeys in the eye! Oh, what a comforting thought!
It turned out to be perfectly safe, and the monkeys were quite tame as they sat around picking bugs off of each other and lazily relaxing in the shade. All the references to killer monkeys and monkeys attacking are simply a narrative of my imaginations! :) It was a really unique and exciting experience though!

There it is... Monkey Mountain!!!

Roughly translated, this sign says, "Do not make eye contact with the monkeys or they will attack you! They may look cute and cuddly, but don't be fooled by their big eyes and adorable antics, these guys are killers!" :)

Courageously making our way to the monkey area...

I wasn't fooled by their innocent gazes!

AGH! Not the big eyes!!!

Feeding time!

Then it started to rain!

Notice the swastika... they did not originate in World War II, they have roots in Buddhism and other Asian religions.

Well, that's all I have time for now... I will post pictures of the jigoku soon! I still have a lot of catching up to do, but I will catch up soon! :)
God Bless!