FINDING YOUR RHYTHM

Sapporo Feb 2010 (Month 11)

Hello, I would like to share with you with great joy an article by my dear friend Steve Manders also an OMFmissionary helping with his family at a Japanese Church in Omagari, about an hour from Sapporo.

He wrote for a Christian magazine in Japan called Japan Harvest, he wrote about the evangelistic event that I helped at Omagari Church in September, we did a dance workshop and I shared how I became a Christian, please read the article. Thanks for your prayers and support! Mega blessings and Sapporo still very vey cold!

FINDING YOUR RHYTHM

Steve Manders (OMF Japan)

To capture the imagination of a different generation of Japanese, the little church plant in Omagari, in the town ofKitahiroshima, wanted to try something different. The English class, craft class and cooking class outreach events were attracting people and making available an opportunity to hear the gospel of Christ, but these events were only attracting the ‘same’ people. What could be done to ignite interest in the many that lived in the area that were not attracted to these kinds of events? This was the main question. What resources did we have to our disposal? Who did we know? What ‘gifts and talents’ were out there?

Young Brazilian missionary, Joao Pedro de Carvalho, or JP to his friends, has a gift; the gift of dance. More specifically, Hip Hop dance. JP’s testimony itself is amazing. JP spent much of his childhood lonely and without friends until he was invited to join a dance class held at a local church. He was hesitant but went and what he found amazed him. He was amazed at the welcome; welcome to class and welcome as the person that he was. He was amazed at all the new friends that he now had. He was amazed at the ‘new life’ that could be his, and amazed by the fact that it was the living and loving God who wanted to give him these things. God gave young JP’s a new rhythm; new friends, new Life a new gift; the gift of dance.

In early 2010, JP joined OMF International and its ministry in Japan, bringing with him this unique gift.

So in September, 45 people, ranging from ages 1 through 65 gathered in response to a flyer promoting the “Brazilian Rhythm Hip Hop Dance Class”. They were gathered and eager to find their rhythm. JP, as instructor, taught the class some Hip Hop moves, culminating, after about an hour, with the class demonstrating to JP their newly acquired rhythm and skills.

The day of the Omagari Hip Hop event, JP was able to share his testimony two times. The first time was in words, sharing of his coming to Christ and of his desire to be an encouragement to those gathered to seek Christ for themselves. The second time was through dance and an incredible visual testimony of what it means to be a part of the ‘army of the Lord’.

In JP’s own words, “I was encouraged to see that I could also use the gift God had given me, that is dance, to make friends with people, and help those that maybe have experienced the same things I had. The help I received I want to give to others according to the gifts God has given me.”

We might not be all fantastic Hip Hop dancers, but God has given each and every one of us a very special gift or talent. Maybe it is musical like dancing, or singing or an instrument. But maybe it’s not any of these. Maybe it’s in craft, art or cooking. Maybe the gift that you can use is being able to make yourself available to others. I don’t know what your gift is, but I do know is that it is God who has given it to you and for that reason alone, it is not either a gift ‘too out of place’, ‘too small’ or ‘too unique for outreach’ that it cannot be shared with others. It is a gift for His purposes.

What gift has God given to you? How can you use it for His Glory? How can you reach out to those people who might have a similar interest as you but have not heard of the Lord Jesus Christ? Pray about it. Think about it. Then use it, so that others might find their rhythm in Christ.

Steve Manders (OMF Japan)