Working Hard.

On an early morning run I took earlier this week (thanks to jet lag) I stumbled across more than a dozen fishing boats starting off one by one, passing under the bridge I was standing on, and heading off to deeper waters. I was reminded of the hardworking Japanese spirit and the pursuit of refinement in one's craft. In order to get a better appreciation for these men in the picture, you have to put on your empathy hat and remember that they are departing from ports in a city that lost most of them in the tsunami. Most of these men lost boats and even family and/or friends in the disaster as well, and still before most of the city had even eaten breakfast, these men are already out on the water.

The two gentlemen in the above picture were, oddly enough, some of my favorite people at the Ishinomaki Gospel Festival. These are the sound guys, and although my soundboard was a less than a quarter of the size of theirs, I could relate to their work and I was inspired and encouraged though few words were exchanged. These men invested upwards of eighteen hours at the venue itself, loading and unloading their trucks, setting up all the speakers and monitors, running the soundboard, and certainly nearly melting in the afternoon sun. Yet there was something so Japanese about their work ethic, silent and diligent, steady and methodical. The sole complaint I heard the entire day was about the heat, and said with a smile and slight nod, I'm sure it was meant to grow camaraderie despite the language barrier. I agreed, wiped my brow with added exaggeration, and smiled back.

Now that's not to say that strong work ethic and the pursuit of excellence are isolated phenomena in Japanese culture; it's just that that's where I attribute my semblance of diligence in my own life. Day by day I am constantly blessed by the service of others, Japanese and otherwise, and it's amazing to see people tire themselves endlessly in service of others because of their assurance that God's love needs to be shown in this city.

This is David Derek and Heather, a few of many people who's hard work has been a great example to me so far.  A couple days  before she left, Heather was literally in the kitchen cooking the entire day.

1 Peter 4:10 has been coming up a lot in devotions and messages lately. 1 Peter 4:8-11 goes as follows:

8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

And that's definitely been a theme for this trip so far, that each one of us is being responsible to God by using  our various gifts to serve each other in love through the strength God provides.

The sound guys and me wrapping up 12 hours at the festival venue.

The jet lag wore off a few days ago and lately I've been tired on most days, but it's a satisfying kind of tired, the kind that comes from knowing that you're able to give a hand, though small and callused, in a much greater work.

-Spencer