Computer Crash and September

Well, I had planned to be writing at least once a week so as to keep everyone up to date on everything that's going on here. Unfortunately as most people know, my computer hard drive crashed a couple weeks ago, so I've been without a computer. That was a really rough couple days originally and it's still difficult because I'm still waiting for my new hard drive to arrive. I completely lost all of my pictures, music, personal documents, fuse videos, fuse powerpoints, and all the information that I'm constantly working on for the Fuse.
But God is good. My music and all the Fuse videos and powerpoints were on the Fuse hard drive that Vanessa had, so I'll be able to get that back. The other Fuse information that I was working on I was always sending to Mark to have him check so we had the latest copies of it all saved with him. Most of my personal documents my parents have (All my support information, addresses, etc). And most of my pictures are on facebook and other friends from here had pictures from those days too so I'll be able to get most of my pictures back as well. Yes it will take a lot of work and a lot of hours to get everything back on my computer again, but like I said God is good. I am able to get the information back for the most part.
At the beginning of September, all the members of the Fuse team went on a retreat. Basically we stayed in a really cheap hotel, but it's run by the government so it was pretty good actually. We stayed right on the beach for three days and the grand total cost per person....$60. (U.S.) It was really nice. We spent the time having team building games, prayer, group Bible studies, meetings, and just some relaxing time. It was so nice! When I get my computer back and running again I'll put up pictures from it. (They're all still on my computer)
The rest of September was actually busy, but also not really. We were constantly doing things and the month went by so quickly, but we didn't really do anything huge.
We did have the first FUSE DAY OUT on the 21st. It was just a day at the park and then karaoke that night. Unfortunately I didn't go. The day before I got really sick with strep throat. I typically get strep a couple times a year, but this time it wiped me out. So Mark, Yuiko, and I figured it would be better if I didnt spend time around everyone (especially the health conscious Japanese) while I was sick. But Praise God! I was only sick 4 days this time. Typically it takes me at least a week to get over strep, but I was able to sing at worship practice on the 25th.
The month of October is quickly approaching and with it comes 4 Fuse team birthdays, new people arriving, a new church starting, and more Fuse events. It also means I have been here 4 months. Sometimes I think "Wow, it's only been 4 months!" and yet other times I think "Ugh, it's only been 4 months!" 1/3 of my year here is done. That's so hard to believe. I feel like very soon it'll be time to come home and yet I also feel like I have so long before the year is done.
God's working here. That I'm 100% sure of. I see our prayers being answered every day. I'm seeing people's lives changing. It's amazing to be part of this. It still constantly, daily amazes me that God picked me to be here working with this new church plant. He could have picked any other person to work here, but no, He picked me. That's an amazing feeling.
Prayer requests for the next month: The Brazilian church here will be starting another church on Sundays at the beginning of the month. Please pray that they will have lots of Brazilians and Japanese come. The Brazilian population here is growing. We get to move into the new church building for the Noborito church this month. Gene and Joyce Galat from Tremont will be coming in the middle of the month to help with the renovations and we already have a couple teams lined up to come help too. Please pray that everything runs smoothly. Please pray for my computer and hard drive. I should be getting my new hard drive by next week and then it'll just take awhile to get everything moved onto there. Please pray for patience and speed while I work on my computer. Please pray that we continue to see more people coming to the Fuse and more people accepting Christ. We have more people coming each week and we have lots of regulars now as well.
Thank you to everyone who constantly followes this. Thank you for all your prayers.

English Camp 2009 (pictures)

The BLUE DOLPHINS!!!...Yea I didn't pick the name, the kids did!

Amy playing "Go Fish" with the girls in our room.

The girls didn't listen to us when we told them to go to bed early because we had to be up early. They stayed up past midnight. They were all a little tired then next morning.

Doing the "Hokey Pokey"

The great bonfire! One kid from each team came up to light it all at the same time.

Andy dressed up as the "Water Ninja" when we all went swimming. The kids loved it!

Swimming. Well, the kids swam. The water was only a foot deep, so the adults just watched. Then later the adults were all given tubes of bubbles....that kept us all entertained for a good hour. haha!

The boys thought it would be fun to put their meal tickets on their foreheads. You have to admit they all look so cute. (By the way the American in the picture is Tim. He's one of the missionaries that arrived a couple weeks ago.)