The Nursery.

Kombanwa!!! / Good evening my friends!!!

Well, finally found time to update this page a bit. So much has been going on lately. Dont even know what to begin with. Well, things in the nursery have been going very well, we have a new little girl. Her name is Sara - i think her mom is not Japanese. Sara is the cutest girl (i'm afraid i say that about all girls in the nursery ). Though most of kids cry during the first week or two, she was pretty good the third day. It was funny to watch her during snack time. She stopped crying and was just grabbing any food she could find. She ate twice as many French fries as even the older kids did. We, the teacher, were amazed. Oh, how funny it is that such little things, like a baby eating well, not crying, make me happy. I am happy to see them play and enjoy the time in our nursery. Also  funny to see them sometimes unwilling to go home when parents come to pick them up.

It s been a blessing to be able to communicate with some of the parents, either in English (oh, they always say "sumimasen, broken English"), or with Jill's help (the American missionary who is here with the C&MA).

There is a girl named Ayano, such a cutie. Her mom once told me that the previous night, her daughter before going to bed, told her that she likes me. She said we are good friends. Oh, i cried, what happiness to know this!

Ayano-chan

It's already November and every month children learn a new Bible verse.

August verse: ...Knock and the door will be opened to you. (Matthew 7:7b)

September verse: ...Let the little children come to me... (Mark 10:14)

October verse: May your unfailing love be my comfort (Pslam 119:76a) - русский перевод - Псалом 118:76

November verse: Nothing is too hard for you. (Jer 32:17)

They learn the verses in both languages and at the end of the month recite either in one or both languages in fron of everyone. As you probably noticed, the first letters of the first words in the verses go in alphabetical order.

Jill helps Airi-chan and Ayako-chan to recite the October verse.

Jill helps Shunsuke-kun and Taiga-kun to recite the October verse.

to be continued...

  Konnichiwa!

Well, some more on my life in Japan.

Since now I know I am going back to Russia on November 20, and not sure I will get to come back, I try to enjoy every single moment of my time here.

Might be funny to those who have been to Japan or lives in Japan, but last Saturday I ent to Tokyo. Funny because I wanted to see if I can do it - to go there all by myself, and not get lost. Well, I did get there, though took me twce as long as it is supposed to take LOL. Well, the second part about not getting lost is not absolutely true...I didnt really get lost, but couldnt find Tokyo railway station to get on the train back to Narita...Oups!  Since I was walking for just a few hours I didnt think I went too far...well, at 8 p m it was too late to look for Tokyo st. God sent me two Japanese girls, they were so friendly and they spoke perfect English!!! Noriko and Akiko. They actually showed me the way to a different station from which i took a direct train to Narita..

Hey, I am afraid I started doing the peace sign the way all Japanese do it...hm...

Well...anyway...it was a nice experience to make that trip. Next time I will feel much better in the huge city. I really felt like Scarlett Johansson from Lost in Translation... only without Bill Murrey...

Hi again!

More on the nursery...I guess i have so much to share! Well, every day in the mornings we have Chapel Time. During this time we sing praise ans worship songs and also children listen to a Bible story. It is the greatest blessing to here them sing for Jesus: "Jesus loves the little ones like me", "Jesus loves me", "I'm in the Lord's army", etc.

But I want to share with you their favorite song. The children sing it sometimes even during the day, just when they play. I also love this song, and it is one of the first ones i was able to sing in Japanese!!! It is the song "The Nails in Your Hands" by Richard Cimino (Te no kugi, ashi no kugi... - in Japanese)

CHORUS A
The nails in your hands
The nail in your feet,
they tell me how much you love me
The thorns in your brow,
they tell me how, you bore so much pain to love me.

CHORUS B
And when the heavens pass away,
all your scars will still remain,
and forever they will say,
how much you love me.
Forever my love, Forever my heart
Forever my life, it's yours, it's yours.

Well. more about siging. It is interting that in the nursery they have a special prayer song to ask God to bless food. We always sing it before lunch and dinner. Wanna learn???

Hibi no kate oh  atae ta mo oh

(Daily food you give us)

Megumi no mikami wa  homu beki kana

(Our blessed God  the One worthy of praise)

Amen.

It might seem funny, but I never tasted sweet potatoes before I came to Japan. I like them. In fact, i liked them so much i ll try to find them in Russia, I m sure we have them somewhere.

My family also has potatoes in the garden, regular ones, but I used to hate the time in the fall when we had to dig them out. So it was funny to me to find out that such activity can be so much fun...even for the kids! Well, anyway, one day in September all the kids and teachers from our Halleluiah Hoikuen (Japanese for Nursery) went to a potato field.

It had been raining a few days before and was supposed to rain that day too. We went anyway. It is somthing this Hoikuen does every year at this time. The kids love to pick the potatoes. I guess they feel proud taking them home, showing to parents what a great job they have done. Unfortunately this year the kids didnt have time to have as much fun. It started raining and the teachers had to do the job very quickly. As soon as we finished and got in the cars it started pouring! Was it fun anyway? Certainly, it was. What I do and where I am doesn't mean as much as the people around me.

Hello everyone!

I'm pretty bad about blogging. But it's my second one - quite an achievement!

Well, some news from Japan. Last Saturday, that is a week ago, we had a Field Day at the nursery. Well, it actually took place in a local park, very nice place. We have been looking forward to it and preparing for about a month. I believe the kids and their parents had a great time. I just hope the parents will see how much we care about their children, pray for them, how much we love each one of them.

My Giraffes danced to the song "It's a Small World", they also learnt the lyrics. They were so cute, i ll post the pictures later.

Interesting that in Japan they pay much attention to the beginning and the end of any event. So they have special word and activity for both. It is pretty much like a ceremony of opening and ending, and even our Field Day had to include these parts. The Girrafe (the oldest kids) boys opened the event and the Giraffe girls closed it.

At the beginning we also sang the nursery song: "Children Row Your Boat Ashore" (we sing children instead of Michael ).

It is a blessing to be with these children and also being able to communicate with their parents. I thank God for all the kids that come to the nursery. I am especially happy if their parents speak English - that means I can talk to them!!! And it is so exciting when someone can understand you! I especially pray for the parents of two kids. They have been to the US and speak very good English. I have the desire to invite them to church. So i pray for the opportunity before i go back to Russia. Please, pray along with me!

To be continued...