New Zealand!

 

 Sunset in New Zealand

So this will be the first of many updates about the trip.This one will be specifically about New Zealand, but keep your eyes open for other posts containing pictures, videos, links, and more stories from the trip!

 

Countryside in New Zealand

We arrived in New Zealand on Monday to a very different temperature change! In contrast to the 95+ humid weather in Taiwan where we sweat through multiple shirts a day to a high of 53 and it being below freezing when we wake up in the morning. Even though it was winter, New Zealand is incredibly beautiful! We joined with Bridges Church, Pastor Murray and his wife Michelle Smith, to help them put on a GLO (Giving Life Opportunities) workshops for Cambridge neighbor kids age 6-13 years old. We were also able to work with Ray and Maxine Nelson who are good friends of the Kawases, having gone to the same church as them for many years and just moved to be missionaries to New Zealand one year ago. Although the children in the GLO camp looked very western with blonde hair and blue eyes, they were still a mission field; many of them are from broken homes. In NZ the average marriage has about 4-5 partners. Our team quickly learned how to relate to and manage the children. It was frustrating at times, but we learned patience and the heart of the Father for these children. Teaching dance from 9am to 4pm is hard work trying to maintain children's attention! At the end of the week the kids would come and just hug us, sit in our laps,and  rough house with us, loving every minute they could get our attention. It was cool to see that our goal of being Jesus with skin on to these children, affected them causing them to be drawn to us. After a week of morning and afternoon workshops, Friday evening the students performed for their parents. There was also 4 other modules in addition to our 4 dance modules so they were able to show off their singing, piano, drama, and guitar to their parents.

 

Aimee, me, Malika, Ayanna

 

Sunset one evening

 

During the week, meals were provided for us by different families from the church. Some of them in the place we were staying (Capernray-a Bible college) and some in the homes. It was so much fun to be able to meet and fellowship with these families! Saturday afternoon we were able to do a little bit of sight seeing and went to Rotaura to see the hot springs. Because New Zealand is an island made from volcanoes, the warm sulfur underneath the surface occasionally will come through and make a muddy steamy mess. It smells like rotten eggs! There is this one place where two rivers come together, one being cold and the other hot, that you can swim in. The water is hot because of the sulfur and stuff under the earth heats it. It was so much fun to spend that evening there.

Our final days in Cambridge, NZ included a Sunday morning service where the team improv worship danced during worship and then had a short dance performance. Dr. & Mrs. Kawase sharing their testimonies and then interviewed on the theme of reconciliation. On Monday we had to travel to Auckland so we would be able to catch our flight early the next morning. So Pastor Murray took us to a marina where the US cup keeps its boats, the beach, and an incredible underground sea world of New Zealand. After a 4 hr. layover at Sydney, Australia we flew to San Fransisco where we had a flight delay. So we got to go see the Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard St., Pier 39, and ride the Cable cars. It was a fun treat to having been working so hard the last 6 weeks. Then, due to flight changes, 3 of us flew home through Houston while the other 6 of us flew home through Chicago. We are home, but there are many more stories, pictures, and videos to be shared. Keep your eyes open for more to come!!!

 Sunsets were amazing here!

 This photo cracks me up.....us in the 'keep clear' area.....=)

In the next post below is a video of New Zealand's national anthem. Be sure to check it out!

New Zealand National anthem

This is New Zealand's national anthem. The first verse is in Mauri, the local Island language, but then the rest is in English. The pictures are all from New Zealand. Enjoy and pray for New Zealand!!!

Last few hours in Japan

So we board our plane for Taiwan in 3 hours! We have seen God do so many amazing things while we have been in Japan. The time in Hiroshima was really fun and refreshing to be among our friends in the Brazilian church. I was able to stay again with the Noguchi family. It was a real blessing to be with them again. They are such a caring and kind family. I had delicious meals, a wonderful time playing with their children (Gabriella-4, Linda-3, and David-1yr4mo), and trying to communicate through Spanish. Though it was difficult sometimes, I had a lot of good conversations with Yuri and learned about her family both in Japan and in Peru. She was so patient with me as I tried to communicate through my broken Spanish. Ronaldo was also so kind in driving me to and from the meetings and sharing with me his past life in Brazil and how he came to know Jesus.

It was so good also to see Marcio and his wife Saiyumi. They were such a blessing to us as they drove us to rehearsals, church, performances, shopping, laundry, and much more! It was a lot of fun spending time with their two kids, Isabella and Gustavo. Saying goodbye to this family was hard because we have grown to love them so much! Their were so many wonderful families we got to see again; they are all dear to our hearts!

Fun praise report: when we were leaving Hiroshima, Jenna accidentally left her iPhone on the local train due to being so early in the morning. We prayed that God would use this situation for his glory and knew that it was in his hands. We called Marcio and he was able to alert the lost and found. Turns out, they found the iPhone and Marcio is able to send it to us! Our God cares even about the little things! ;)

We traveled to Shin-Osaka and met with the Tomata family. They had been to the states and to IHOP-KC and had met with the Kawases so it was really fun to catch up with them over lunch. Then we traveled to Tokyo (Shina-gawa) and met with another Kawase friend (Keith Pratt) who is an international student studying in Tokyo. It was good to be able to hear his heart and pray over him. God has given him such a heart for Japan!

Then we traveled Narita to sleep and go to the airport today. It's been busy but it's been good! I can't believe that time has gone by this quickly. We have seen God move in powerful ways in the people of Japan and are continually amazed by his goodness. He is such a good God! Next post will be from Taiwan!

Japan travels

So far so good!!!! We have been to many places so far this past week in Japan. Our first stop brought us to Zushi where we stayed with the Hatanakas, Dr Kawases cousin. It was very refreshing to see them and spend time with them. Next we went to see the Nakadairas, Grandma Nobuko's sister's family. We had a very nice lunch and enjoyed spending the afternoon talking about issues of justice and even dancing for them in their living room.

Next we went to the Tokyo house of prayer and hosted a dance workshop. The Holy Spirit was very present and God was able to move freely through us and through the members of the church! Pour out more, Holy Spirit! I had an extremely bad headache and wasn't able to complete the whole workshop, but the Kawases were very helpful and the Holy Spirit moved powerfully. I'm doing a lot better!

After that we went to Kakegawa to see the Bostrom family. After seeing the Ohtas, close family friends, we were able to minister to the Bostrom family and help give them a little rest and peace through many transitions as their children get older. On Saturday we hosted a dance camp, a student performance, and performed our first full length performance. Jesus was do gracious to us, working through our exhausted bodies. Thankfully, no one was injured and the audience was very touched by the power of God. It was very good to connect with the Bostrom family as well as Chrissy Hiyashi (Dacias good friend) and their uncle sean and their grandma.

Sunday we had church at the Bostroms and we were able to honor all the fathers for Father's day. Then we traveled up the coast to Ishinomaki near Sendai where the terrible earthquake happened a year ago in March. We actually woke up on Monday morning at 5:30 to a 6.4 earthquake. Can you say welcome to Japan? Thankfully no one was hurt and it was just a memory to take with us. We danced in a parking lot for the families that were affected from the tsunami. Our whole performance was improv worship pieces (not having been planned beforehand). We finished with our gospel section of our performance. It was a powerful time for many families. Again the holy spirit showed up in powerful ways. Then we were able to give them a warm pot of stew for lunch.

On Tuesday we traveled to Gotsu to visit Aishin Christian High School. We spent two days with them hanging out, teaching English, going to the beach with them, performing for them, and doing a workshop. Please pray for the students! Many of them are searching for truth and have not yet made a commitment to Jesus. Pray that the seeds we planted will grow and they will accept Jesus as Lord of their life. The performance and workshop were very difficult for us due to many variables. A few being us fighting and plowing through the spirit of perfectionism that is so prevalent in Japan, us being the first time they have seen this type of dance(worship dance), and a spiritual stronghold over the area. It was really good to spend time with them and it gave us a heart for that age group in Japan. Holy Spirit move in their hearts! We also had very traditional meals, one breakfast including fish with the eyes still looking at us! It was all really yummy!!! Japanese noodles, Japanese stir fry, and much more! Yum!!! I also was able to avoid public showers for 3 days! Thank you Jesus! Not quite used to that part of Asian culture yet!

Today we traveled to Hiroshima. We will be ministering to a Brazilian church for about 5 days. Then we will head to Tokyo to meet with another couple before we travel to Taiwan. I will be staying by myself in an all Portuguese/Spanish home for 5 days. (the same home I stayed in last time, but I had Kimberly who is fluent in Spanish) Please pray that my high school Spanish comes quickly and that the Holy Spirit guides my tongue. :) it's totally possible!!!!

It has been so refreshing for my heart to be in Asia once again. The food, the people, the culture, the language.....my heart feels at home. So many memories coming back, language is returning, feeling spiritual powers whether good or bad(being sensitive to the holy spirit as it is so easy to get used to it in America), realizing the power of prayer, and much more! My heart gets excited knowing that one day very soon, I will be living among the Asian people! God, pour out your spirit and send revival to this part of the world!!!!

If you want to see pictures, several have been uploaded by kawases and I have been tagged in them on facebook. Also Mrs Kawase has been blogging. If you would like to get these updates, email Sue Kawase at lskawase@gmail.com. (L-not 1)

I will try to update ya'll again soon. Please pray for anything and everything!!! :) Thank you!!!!!

Leaving tomorrow!

I can't believe that I leave tomorrow!!! God has been so faithful to me in this journey!

First a couple of praise reports. I am excited to say that I am 100% funded! =) God has once again proved that he is faithful to provide for what he has called us to and that he cares about the little things. Thank you again for being obedient to his voice and following his lead whether that was to pray, provide financially, or both! Thank you!!!!

I am also happy to report that I'm back in Kansas City with all my luggage! =) That may seem like a strange report but it is an important one. My grandparents took my family on vacation to San Francisco this past week and we flew back today. We had been praying that I would make it back with plenty of time and have all my luggage. When we landed in KC, I knew that I would be back to the airport in 14 hours!

I will try to post updates about the trip as often as possible, but I'm not sure when and where I'll be able to have wifi. So, you should hear from me in about a week!

I am so excited to be traveling with such amazing people and ministering once again to the Asian peoples (plus New Zealand!). God has given me such an incredible opportunity! Our schedule has continued to fill up with more performances, workshops, and ministering opportunities. Please continue to pray for safety, energy and strength, and grace to serve.

Ways you can pray:
(I'm really exhausted from not sleeping enough and traveling, so the next couple of days will be trying physically on my body. Please pray for supernatural energy, alertness, and strength)

1) Pray for the hearts of the people we will be ministering to and with so that they will receive what God has for them this summer.
2) Pray for Dr. Kawase and Mrs. Kawase as they lead our team and work through all the logistics so that we can minister through our dancing.
3) Pray for us dancers to remain strong and healthy.
4) Pray for our team to be led by the Holy Spirit and actively following what he wants us to do.
5) Pray for safety as we travel and that all pieces of our luggage make it to our destinations.
6) Pray for anything and everything you can think of!  I want to be covered in prayer, as I know that it will make a HUGE difference on my trip.  Who cares if I'm thousands of miles away?!?  God sure doesn't!!  He'll still answer those prayers.

Thank you so much for being such an integral part of my life and blessing me beyond what you can think or imagine! I am so blessed! Next post from Japan! =)

Introducing......AMAZING PEOPLE!!!!!

Hello All!

Praise report:
The countdown has begun! We leave in 27 days! =) So excited.

Praise report and prayer request:

I am still in need of funding. As I am about 75% funded I still need about $1,300. Please join with me in prayer for the remaining money to come in. I have been trying to earn money but being a full time student has been harder than I expected. Thank you for praying for this!!!! If you know of anyone who has a heart for taking the gospel to Asia or ministering through the arts and might want to partner with me, I would love to have their contact information from you. Thank you!

I thought it would be fun to lay out for you a little bit of our itinerary with all the scheduled performances and dance workshops we have planned for this summer to give you a general idea of what will be happening. And to introduce my team to you!

The Kawase family is a group of eight of some of my favorite people! Dr. and Mrs. Kawase are like my uncle and aunt, welcoming me into their home as I spend much time there with their children. Whenever I am with them, I feel like one of their own children. They bring life and refreshing to me each time I am with them. They are such a blessing to me.

Jenna (23) is the oldest Kawase kid and is studying hard at Kansas University Medical School to be a doctor. Her plans are to take her medical work to the mission field as well as raise a family one day. Jenna always makes everyone feel at home. She has a gift of being able to discern how others are doing and encourage their hearts.

Kenon (21) is studying to be a mechanical engineer. Anything that is broken or needs fixing, we always take to him! He always makes us laugh too. If something is funny, Kenon will find it! He also is very protective of all of us sisters and is always there to step in as the older brother if needed.

Kirsti (19) is studying hard gaining her degree in International Business. She hopes to be a missionary too one day. She and I have sat around many times plotting how we can serve together. She is such a joy and delight to be around. Kirsti also loves little babies and toddlers. She has a gift for being able to raise up the coming generation.

Abi (17) has just finished her CollegePlus! degree earning her Bachelors in Liberal Arts at the same time as finishing high school. She also graduated from Dramatic Truth this spring with Kenon. Her choreography is amazing! Abi also has been given a gift with words. Attaining wisdom from her times in the word, her words have a power and depth that continue to blow me away.

Josh (15 in a few weeks) is the youngest Kawase and full of life and spunk. He is always making us laugh. He has such a compassionate heart and is very good about making everyone feel at home, comfortable, and like we fit in. He diligently applies himself to everything before him and is a role model to those around him.
 

 

Grandma Kawase is the sweetest lady I know. She welcomes everyone into her home all the time. She makes the most wonderful food and is always trying to get us to eat more. Her sweet devotion to Jesus touches me every time I see her.

All of them love worshiping God through dance and using this tool to present the gospel to others. This family provokes me to spend time with Jesus and pursue him harder.

Dacia (20) is a intern that has been staying with the Kawases for the last 15 months. Sometimes I forget she isn't a Kawase! Her family lives in Kakegawa, Japan serving as missionaries for 3 generations. Her parents run a christian school and host church in their home. They have a total of 13 amazing children. Dacia is here studying with CollegePlus! as well as dancing at Dramatic Truth. I love this girl! We will be spending time with her family in Japan, hosting a dance workshop, performance, and getting to go to Tohoku (an area affected by the explosion of the nuclear reaction plant from the earthquake in Mar-2011) to do relief work. She will be ministering with us while we are in her home, but then will stay behind to see more of her family this summer. She will also be ministering with the a dance team in Japan (from a church they are close to). We are excited for her!

Natalie (23) has graduated from Park University with a degree in Interior design. She is so creative. She is also really good at hip hop and has choreographed several of the pieces we are taking with us this year. Natalie is a blessing to me and I feel like I gained an older sister knowing her. She is always serving and loving on those around her. While we are in Japan, she will be ministering to the churches in Kure and Hiroshima and then join us again when we leave to go to Taiwan and New Zealand. She has spent several months in previous years ministering with these churches and has a real heart for the Brazilian Japanese people. 

That is my awesome team! =) I am so blessed to be able to minister with these people!!! Dr. Kawase will be leading our team. Please pray for him to be able to have clarity on what to say yes to and what to say no to for our ministry opportunities. We are so thankful for him! All of our workshop and performance connections come through their years of serving the Lord and ministering to these countries. While we are in Taiwan we will be ministering with the Living Waters Church and helping lead the Shine conference. The Shine conference is a gathering of young adults (13-25) who want to learn more of God and who want to live fascinated with him. It is a lot like the OneThing conference IHOP-KC hosts each New Years. There are about 1500 kids that will come, over half not even saved yet. This is a huge outreach/evangelism time! The GLO conference in New Zealand is similar to the Shine conference. We will spend one week with a group of kids doing dance workshops, performances, and teaching them about the love of Jesus. Here is a little of our itinerary.

June 11: Leaving Kansas City, flying through Houston, TX, and arriving in Tokyo, Japan
June 12: Arrive in Tokyo, Japan---visit with some of the Kawase's relatives; perform in a coffee shop
June 13: Dance workshop and visit with other relatives
June 14: Possible small dance performance in the morning, lunch with friends, and travel to Kakegawa (this is Dacia's home!!!)
June 15: Dance camp in morning and afternoon; full performance in the evening
June 16: Dr. & Mrs. Kawase meet with several families; dance workshop
June 17: Dr. Kawase preach; spend time with Bostrom Family and prepare food for Tohoku outreach
June 18: Relief work in Tohoku; possibly perform for those receiving care
June 19: Travel to Kure; hang out with kids from the christian high school; dance workshop
June 20: Performance in high school; dance workshop
June 21: Meet with a church in Kure; travel to Hiroshima; dance workshop
June 22: Ministry with another church; dance workshop
June 23: Performance in Kure; Dr. & Mrs. Kawase speak on marriage and family; dance workshop
June 24: Afternoon performance; dance special in church
June 25: Travel to Tokyo; meet with some families
June 26: Travel to Tainan, Taiwan
June 27-July 3: Stay in Taiwan; work with Living Waters Church doing dance workshops/performances and preparing for Shine conference, help keep the fire burning in their prayer room
July 3-July 6-Shine conference-Dance workshops each morning, performances each evening, help give leadership to conference
July 7: Meet with Elaine (a friend who used to live in KC with the Kawases and used to dance at Dramatic Truth); possible performance; leave Taipei, Taiwan for Auckland, New Zealand
July 8: Travel through Korea
July 9: Arrive in Auckland, New Zealand; travel to Cambridge, prepare for GLO conference
July 10-July 13: GLO conference-dance workshops in morning, performances in the evenings, give leadership to conference
July 14: Performance for community; dance workshop
July 15: Minister to families and church, possible small performance in church
July 16: Travel to Auckland
July 17: Fly to KC via Sydney, Australia


This is just a little of what we will be doing. I'll keep you updated! Please also pray for May 13th and 28th-30th. These are the only days all of us are able to rehearse our dances for our full (1 hour) performance and smaller performances. Pray for clarity and quick memories!


Pray for finances. I know that my Father will provide because He is good!

Please make all checks payable to RiverStone Church and send them to 2005 Stilesboro Road, Kennesaw GA 30152. Please attach a sticky note with your preference of "Ashton Price-Japan/Taiwan/NewZealand mission trip" on it. Thank you!!!!!

Pictures!

Our Posters for our Trips!!!! =) This one we will use in Taiwan and New Zealand:

And this one we will use in Japan:

Thank you Mrs. Kawase!!! They look amazing! =)

More info on the trip coming soon.....