A Day with Kaio

Now that we're done getting our newsletter sent, I can finally get around to finishing up blogging about our trip to Brazil. Actually, this probably won't be the last. It was an important trip. So, on to day 2 of visiting our Compassion International sponsored children!

The day after we met with Stefanny, we visited with Kaio at his project and in his family's home in Fortaleza. This was my second time to meet Kaio. I met him briefly on my previous trip to Brazil in 2002, when he was 3 years old. Now he's 11.

When we arrived at the project, we met Kaio and his mom, and Kaio gave us a tour of the project. We got to see many of the different classes and services available to the students who attend.

Young children's class

Music class

In the Bible classroom, Kaio explains the Bible study curriculum to Keith.

We saw a demonstration of Capoeira, a dance-like Brazilian martial art which took as its inspiration the movements of escaping slaves. It is accompanied by singing and berimbau. Keith got to try it too!

Keith played soccer with the kids too--here is his team. The game stopped when Keith got blisters on the bottom of his feet... they were playing barefoot!

We visited the kitchen. Good stuff coming from in there...

While we waited for lunch, we had ice cream from Kaio's family's new business.

We enjoyed a delicious lunch with Kaio, his mom, and the project staff.

After lunch, we took a short walk to Kaio's house. Quick digression: after spending the last several days not leaving the tourist areas because to do so would be "dangerous," it was refreshing and a bit of a thrill to go where real people live, in this case, a dangerous slum. We felt honored to be able to walk with our friends and to watch as they greeted their neighbors. Most American tourists in Brazil don't get to do this--out of necessity they stay in the safe places and miss out on real life. The neighborhood was dirty and the houses were small and poorly constructed. The poverty in which these people live is truly dreadful. (Thankfully we didn't see anything dangerous, although we were instructed to be cautious and to hide our cameras.) However, we were blessed to meet some of the wonderful people who live in Kaio's neighborhood, and to enjoy the hospitality of Kaio's family and the project. I'm so glad I get to be a part of the work that Compassion is doing in Brazil... and I'm so glad I get to be a part of the lives of Kaio and his family! Okay, end digression. Enough gushing.

As I was saying, we visited Kaio's house. The project staff explained that Kaio's parents have started their own ice cream business, and thus they were able to improve their living situation--they now have a larger house (by the standards of their neighborhood) and a small car which they use for making deliveries. It's possible that Kaio will not be eligible for sponsorship much longer. This worries his parents--they want to make sure he gets the best education possible, and they want him to stay out of trouble--as I mentioned, their neighborhood is dangerous--gangs, drugs, etc. The project workers have assured them that Kaio will still be welcome in some of the project activities, even if he is no longer officially sponsored.

Kaio and his parents pose with their ice cream freezer!

We had coffee together, looked at pictures, talked, and prayed.

As we showed Kaio our photo book, he frequently recognized pictures which we had sent to him with our letters.

This is the one and only time you will ever see Keith with a coffee cup in his hand.

Keith's gift to Kaio: a frisbee, of course!

It was really hard to go home that night...

Shameless plug: I'm totally sold on Compassion's ministry, having visited my sponsored kids 3 times and talked to kids, staff, parents, pastors, etc. This is a great program on so many levels. I'd be happy to tell you more about our visit, whether you are already a sponsor, or if you're thinking about sponsoring a child. If you are ready to sponsor a child right now, follow this link. :)

August Newsletter

Seasons
Newsletter #6, August 20, 2010

Dear friends and family,

We got off the plane from Brazil on August 18 and thus have finally come to the end of 4½ months of living out of suitcases and traveling upon traveling. In case you were wondering, these are the places we have stayed since we left Sapporo on April 6: Tokyo, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Unzen, Fukuoka, Kyoto, Hakone, Inuyama, Tokyo, Vancouver, Seattle, Fort Dodge (Iowa), Orlando, Fort Dodge (and a few places between Fort Dodge and Orlando), Grand Forks (North Dakota), Seattle, Vancouver, 2 places in Colorado, Seattle, Portland, Seattle, Belo Horizonte (Brazil), Fortaleza (Brazil), and finally back to Seattle again. We’re glad to be home. (Keith hates planes.)

Our big news is that we have moved to Seattle and will now live with Celia’s parents until we return to Japan. We praise God for leading us to Seattle and keeping us safe during our move. Keith drove a 24 foot rental truck through the narrow streets of Vancouver, B.C. and then to Seattle. Many things could have gone very wrong, including the time Keith was stuck mid-turn in a busy intersection, but there was no major damage to our stuff, the truck, or our bodies.

Celebrating our 5th anniversary in July near Mt. Rainier

Now we are looking for ministry work; we are following up on one possibility. We hope to find a position that will give us good experience and allow us to develop more contacts with people interested in our ministry in Japan.
***

One More Part of the Body of Christ

Among the many places we traveled in the last four months, one highlight was our trip to Brazil. Our school friend, Carla, invited us to come to her wedding and be witnesses, which is the Brazilian equivalent of being in the wedding party. While we were there, we enjoyed spending time with Carla and her husband, Arnaldo, with Carla’s family, and with Connie and Rebecca, who also went to Regent with us. The wedding was beautiful, and we enjoyed fellowship and food at Carla’s home.

We also decided to visit our Compassion International sponsored children in Brazil, Kaio and Stefanny, and our sponsored college student, Grasiele. The five days of visits taught us how to pray more effectively for the children living in Brazil’s slums. We had the privilege of visiting Kaio and Grasiele at home and receiving the hospitality of their families, and we also had the opportunity to attend church with Grasiele.

Worshiping at El Shaddai Assembly of God in Fortaleza, Brazil with Grasiele (next to Celia) and several of her friends

When we worship together with the people in the various places we have traveled, we are always amazed at the beauty and diversity of the Body of Christ. It is Christ who makes us into one Church, despite barriers of language, race, and social status. We were prayed for and loved by the Body of Christ in Brazil, and we praised God for their passion for the Gospel and their love for one another.

A word about charities and missionary work: while our gifts and acts of service are important, it is perhaps more important that through the experience of giving and traveling and serving, we learn how to pray. We also build relationships with people whom, apart from our mutual love for Christ, we would probably never meet. Our brothers and sisters in Christ in far-off places, from uneducated slum-dwellers to wealthy business people, have important things to teach us which we cannot learn if we simply stay at home and spend time with people who are just like us. We learn to be more like Christ through the witness of those whom we are serving, and simply because we obey God’s call to serve.

(Finally, a shameless plug: come visit us when we go back to Japan, because you will learn how to pray for the needs of the Japanese! You will be blessed by fellowship with the believers there. And you will probably eat some really good food.)

We've posted several times about this trip... so check out the last several posts too! I still have a couple more to do yet, so if you're interested, check back in a week or so.
***

Why Japan?

Since we came back to North America, when meeting with friends, we repeatedly hear the same question: “Why Japan?” The short answer: God gave us love for the Japanese people. There have been many little everyday confirmations of our calling which we received before, during, and after our time in Japan, but here are a couple of stories which we would consider most significant in God’s confirmation of our work in Japan.

Celia’s Story: My confirmation came on a Saturday last September, about a month after we arrived in Japan. Keith was teaching English, so I had the day to myself. I decided to ride my bike to Satorando Park to visit the farmer’s market. My heart was filled with inexplicable joy as I rode past people working in their gardens and admired the fields of onions for which our region is famous. I thanked God for blessing the people of Sapporo with good soil and delicious vegetables; I wept that most of these people don’t know this loving God who has graciously provided for their needs when he made their island. I prayed for each person I saw to know their creator and provider. After shopping at the market, I rode my bike home, thanking God for bringing me to such a good place and for calling me to serve him and make him known among the Japanese people.

Riding Home from the Farmer's Market with 20 kg of potatoes (they cost about $2!!). This was at a different time from the aforementioned story--probably in November.

Keith’s Story: Similar to Celia’s story, my specific confirmation came in everyday life—instances that would otherwise not be special had I not felt God’s overwhelming presence. On several occasions, at the subway station or the park or outside a school, God tapped me on the shoulder and said, “Look around at these people.” I stood motionless. I saw men in business suits, women in tall boots, or children pouring out of school buses, and then I felt an incredible love for them. God was showing me a drop of his love for the Japanese, and it broke me when I coupled it with the knowledge that 99% of these people had no idea how much they are loved or who the Lover is. As much as I wanted to, I knew that running up to those Japanese children and trying to tell them about Jesus would be ineffective, even if I could manage it in Japanese. Showing the love of God to the Japanese will take time, and out of moments like those, God was preparing me to be willing for a lifetime of such service.
***

Prayer Points

• We are thankful for a “new” home in Seattle with Celia’s parents and for safety in our move here. Please pray for all of us as we adjust to living together. Please also pray for new and renewed friendships here, especially for Keith.
• We are looking for partners to faithfully pray for us. In order to do that, we are seeking opportunities to share about our work in Japan with churches, small groups, and individuals. Please pray that we would know who to ask and which opportunities to pursue.
• We have our first pledge, so we have 1% of our monthly support! We’re very thankful. Please pray that God will continue to provide for us financially for our life and ministry in Japan, and for our return there in God’s timing.
• We are looking for work: we would like to serve in a church, and by so doing, gain experience which will help us in our missionary work.

***

Nuts and Bolts

Just a few miscellaneous items which fit nowhere else:

• We moved, but our mailing address in the US didn’t change, in case you were wondering.
• There have been some major updates on the blog, including a “get involved” page and a prayer page. We will be updating these pages frequently.
• We need 30 people to sign up for a paper copy of our newsletter before OMF will start sending it out for us. If you are reading this on your computer but would prefer a paper copy of our newsletter, don’t be shy: please follow this link and sign up! You do not need to make a donation to receive our prayer letter. Go to this link then type “Keith and Celia Olson” in the box marked “Name of person/family to whom you are pledging your support,” check the box marked “prayer commitment,” enter your address information, and click “submit.” Send us an email if you are confused.
• One more item for the email list crowd: we have prayer cards now! This is a simple, tangible reminder to pray for us. You can put it on your fridge or bulletin board. If you would like one, please send us your mailing address.

***

Money Jar: We have 1%!

We need 100% pledged monthly support for our first term (5 years) before returning to Japan.  Please  keep praying!
***

That’s it for this month! We’re glad to be settling down. Thanks for your prayers; please let us know how we can be praying for you.

Love in Christ,
Keith and Celia

A Day with Stefanny

Since we were already going to Brazil for Carla and Arnaldo's wedding, we decided that it would be a good opportunity to visit our Compassion International sponsored children. We have 3 in Brazil. This was Keith's first time to visit a sponsored child, but my third time. You can read about my visit to Sindy in Peru here and here. I also visited Tayrinne and Kaio in Brazil in 2002... long before I had a blog! You'll hear more about Kaio later, but here's a picture of Tayrinne.

We flew to Fortaleza, where Kaio and Grasiele live, the morning after Carla and Arnaldo's wedding. (That was rough--only 2 hours of sleep!) Luckily we had a couple of days to recover before we met Stefanny on Wednesday.

Sunset in Fortaleza

Stefanny lives in Recife, which is relatively close, but far enough so she had to come by plane... the first time for her and her two companions!

After we met Stefanny, her aunt (Marimercia), and her project director (Elisiane) at the airport, we went to the beach. This was a good ice-breaker, since Stefanny is very shy. Swimming and playing on the beach were the things to do.

After lunch, we did some origami together.

Then we asked if she wanted to swim again? No. Play on the beach? No. Bury you in the sand? No. Bury Keith in the sand? She giggled. We took that as a yes.

After that, we buried her in the sand AND went swimming. Everything needs to be in the proper order, I guess.

We went to the mall to sit, enjoy the air conditioning, have coffee and ice cream, and talk. Stefanny fell asleep (having left home at 5:00 a.m.), so we talked to Marimercia and Elisiane about Stefanny's family and the project.

Keith decided to do some origami too.

Then we went to the airport, prayed for Stefanny, and said goodbye. It was a very good, very long day.

Carla and Arnaldo's Wedding

The day of the wedding. Carla was at the salon being pampered. Meanwhile...

Carla's daddy was warming up and choosing a perfect reed for the wedding.

Celia was making a last-minute effort to finish the wedding present (still not done).

Arnaldo was being very helpful by doing the dishes after lunch.

Fast-forward a few hours...

Celia and Rebecca and Connie went to the salon too for hair and makeup. (I don't think I've ever worn so much makeup, but everyone said it was appropriate for a Brazilian wedding!) By the way, that is my high school prom dress from 11 years ago. Feeling proud of myself. I was also feeling proud of myself since I helped assemble all the little favor boxes on the table there.

Then the wedding ceremony happened, but I was busy watching, so I didn't take any pictures. Afterwards...

Carla and her family

Angelica and Carla

Here's our little group from Vancouver. Connie (next to me) was also a witness and Rebecca (on the end) translated for us. It was her first time doing simultaneous translation, and she did a great job!

When's dinner? It's almost midnight! (note: this is normal.)

Tossing the bouquet...

After most of the guests have left, Carla sits down for the first time in several hours at the "English Table."

It's been fun! Now we're ready to go home and sleep... for 2 hours before we need to get up and catch our flight to Fortaleza!

Ouro Preto

Last Thursday, Carla and Arnaldo took us on an outing to Ouro Preto, an old colonial town which was at one point the capital of Brazil. (If I heard that right. I think it was.) Lovely place, good company, delicious food. Enjoy some pictures!

I think they like each other!

Ouro Preto is famous for things carved out of soapstone, including cooking pots and delicious things which are cooked in them. I picked up a much smaller one of these pots at a market. :) I love buffet restaurants in Brazil...

Brazilian BBQ

Greetings from Brazil!

Keith and I have been enjoying the hospitality of our friend, Carla and her family. We are in Brazil to witness Carla and Arnaldo's wedding, which happened last Saturday. But first things first...

As soon as we got to Brazil, we celebrated by having homemade Brazilian BBQ! Carla's dad, José was eager to show us how to make it, starting with the proper preparation of the coals. Of course we don't have an awesome grill-oven in our backyard, so it won't be the same. I have never had such perfectly grilled meat! This kind of oven would be great for pizza or bread, too. (Hint hint, Dad! Want to make one? :)

Okay, so I'm using Keith's ancient mac, and I can't quite figure out how to rotate the picture. So, everyone tilt your heads to the left... sorry!

More posts coming soon. I might actually post some recipes later, as this trip has been full of culinary delights, especially the ones we have enjoyed at Carla's house. :)

A Housewarming Soup

Well... we've decided. Over the next several days, we are moving our stuff out of storage in Vancouver and into the third floor of my parents' house in Seattle. I thought I would celebrate with a recipe. There's plenty to celebrate, since we just had our 5th anniversary last Friday! We went out for a fancy "sunset dinner" at the Crystal Mountain Summit House (see above picture)!

Anyway, on to the previously mentioned recipe. I thought it would be appropriate as a "housewarming" post to write about something we harvested out of our yard...

Revenge Soup
Yes, you read that right. Let me explain. This is a soup made with stinging nettles. I cannot tell you how many times I was stung by them as a child. It really does the nasty little things justice to turn them into a nutritious soup. BWA HA HA HA HA!!!!!

A couple days ago, Keith and I decided on a whim to make nettle soup. I started by searching the internet for ideas. To my amusement, I discovered that people actually pay good money for nettles at farmer's markets. We, on the other hand, put on heavy gloves and walked down to the end of my parents' driveway to harvest ours.

Ingredients

• Olive oil or butter
• 2 large onions, coarsely chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, or more if you like, minced
• A couple sprigs of rosemary and lemon thyme, leaves removed from stems and minced
• A large pot of young nettles, perhaps 3-4 pounds, coarsely chopped
• 12 c vegetable stock
• 3/4 c uncooked basmati rice
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Corn starch to thicken (optional)

Seasoning options

• Lemon juice
• Balsamic vinegar
• Cooking sake
• Soy sauce
• Shichimi tougarashi (or another hot pepper blend)

Heat the oil or butter in a frying pan over low heat. Add the onions and cook them over low heat for at least 15 minutes, or as much as an hour, until they have caramelized. Add the garlic and herbs, and cook for a few more minutes.

Meanwhile, put the nettles and vegetable stock in a large pot, and bring to a boil. (I didn't chop the nettles, but you may want to do so, since otherwise you get lots of fibrous clumps which get stuck in the blender. Just make sure you wear heavy gloves!)

When the nettles cook down so there is room in the pot, add the onion mixture and rice. Cook for about 15 minutes until the rice is tender.

Using an immersion blender, puree the soup.

If the soup is not as thick as you want it, make a slurry of cornstarch and water, and add it to the soup. Season to taste with some or all of the suggestions I listed above. Serve plain or top with yogurt, pan-fried tofu chunks, or halloumi cheese.

June Newsletter

Seasons
Keith and Celia Olson
Newsletter #5, June 30, 2010


Dear friends and family,

Praise God, we’ve been appointed as members of OMF International! We just finished Candidate Course, an intensive 2-week training and interview session… it was “the job interview that never ends.” Towards the end of the second week, we felt a bit like we did at Regent College during finals week. Despite exhaustion, we are very relieved that we have been appointed and thankful for the times of fellowship we have had with the other missionary candidates and staff.

We have tentatively expressed interest in attending Orientation Course in Singapore in February 2011 and then arriving in Sapporo, where we will resume language school, in March. We will need to have medical and financial clearance before we can go, and while we wait, we will continue to gain experience and training which will help us when we return to Japan.

Unfortunately, we still have no news regarding new home and work at present, though we may be coming close to a decision. Please continue to pray with us for discernment!

Celebrating the completion of candidate course

***

Communication Update

Being full members of OMF International comes with some perks: among other things, the nice people in the OMF office will edit, print, and mail our prayer letters for us. While we were short-term missionaries, Celia’s mother printed and mailed our newsletters for us, bless her. I’m
sure she’s glad that someone else is going to take on that role now! However, since we will no longer be handling the print copies ourselves, we need your help to get things started on the new system.

If you are interested in partnering with us (specifically, receiving our newsletter and praying for us), we would like to ask you to do one of three things:

1. For a paper copy of our prayer letters, you can sign up by visiting the OMF International website.
2. If want to receive prayer letters by email, and you are not currently on our list, please email us directly, and we will add you to the list. Likewise, if you are currently receiving a paper copy, please let us know if you would like to only receive an email copy.
3. If you are already receiving our prayer letters by email and you want to continue as you currently are, you don’t need to do anything. We will continue to send you our letters by email unless you tell us to stop. We love to hear from you, though, so you can email us if you want, too.

(If you need a reason to sign up to receive our newsletter rather than simply reading it on the blog, there are actually some things I left out in this version, since I didn't think it was appropriate to publish them on the internet.)

***


Prayer Points

• Satsunae Lighthouse, our church in Japan, called a pastor! Praise God! Please continue to pray for their transition, and for Tony and Pat Schmidt, the current pastors, as they prepare for retirement in Vancouver. We have mixed feelings, as we had hoped to work with Tony and Pat again!
• We’re very thankful to be done with candidate course and appointed!
• The next step for us is personal preparation and partnership development. We will need people to pray for us and to support us financially. We need 100% pledged monthly support before our departure. Please pray with us that God will provide for us the means to return to Japan in his timing. We are confident; in the words of Hudson Taylor, the founder of OMF International, “God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply.”
• Celia’s grandparents recently moved to a new home, and it has been a hard transition. Please pray also for Celia’s mom, who is supporting them.
• Safety in upcoming travel: we are going to Brazil in August for a wedding, and we anticipate visiting many friends and churches to share about our work in Japan.
• Continued discernment: we are still deciding where we will live and work.

***


Many ways to get involved

Other than reading our prayer letters and praying for us, there are, in fact, other ways you can partner with us in our work. We have been learning about the importance of partners in Candidate
Course. We've been compiling a much more extensive list on our "get involved" page, but here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Host us at your church, prayer group, or Bible study group to talk about Japan and the needs of the Japanese church. We love to talk about Japan. We can help you to pray more effectively for the Japanese people, the Japanese church, and the work of OMF International missionaries, including us.

Celia will come to your church wearing a kimono.

• Learn about Japanese culture. See our "get involved" page for some suggestions.
• Befriend Japanese (or other) international students, many of whom have never been invited inside a North American home.

***

Money Jar

We just started, so there’s nothing there yet. We’ll keep you updated. 
Please keep praying!

***

Wow, that was a lot of information. If you’re still awake, let me commend you and thank you for reading. The next letter will have fewer instructions, we promise. There will also be prayer cards with our pictures on them, so you have that to look forward to! (Edit: I'm not sure if we will be able to post the prayer card on the blog, so if you want one, please make sure we have your address so we can mail you one.) Thanks again for your prayers during the candidate course; it really meant a lot to us to know that so many people were praying.

Blessings, Keith and Celia

Alison (and her sweater)

Keith and I spent the last couple of weeks in Florida (and road-tripping there and back). It was disgustingly hot, but we coped by carrying around an umbrella at all times, staying up to our necks in the pool, and drinking lots and lots of iced tea. The best part about being in Florida was that we had the chance to hang out with Keith's family. We were all on vacation together, so there was plenty of time.

While we were in Japan, of course our nieces and nephews all got a lot bigger. One in particular changed a lot in our absence: Alison Grace was a bump when we left and a baby when we came back! She was born to Keith's brother, Joseph and his wife, Catherine on October 28, 2009. We were so excited to meet her for the first time!

Yes! I got her to sleep!!

 

I had been working on a sweater for Ali since long before she was born... and finally finished it while we were in Florida! Vacation is a great time to finish knitting projects. It was my own design, so it was really fun to make! I made up the pattern as I went along.

We'll close this post with a cute picture of Michael, Ali's older brother...