As an update to my pursuit of YWAM Japan, I have gotten two e-mail responses. One from Maria McDaniel in Tokyo and Sandy Gibbard at the Japan National Office. I personally like Maria’s e-mail as she gave a simple breakdown of what it would take to join the staff and live there. If I choose to take DTS in Japan, I would need to come up with about $700 per month and I would have to wait until the 2009 class schedule to start, starting as early as April. I could also consider taking DTS at their Orlando location to save some money but that’s only of several options as I’d like to do my discipleship part of the training in Japan.

As for Sandy, she told me there are only two people working in their National Office. Chiori Kawamoto, the Office Manager, who lives with her mother. And Sandy lives in a small apartment on her own. She said that they have yet had anyone volunteer from overseas with the exception of short-term teams. They have also had volunteers help in the office who have traveled from their Tokyo office and did not need housing. If I was to come on a short-term trip, she said I might be able to stay with some of the DTS leaders for a few days. Lastly, they would need a letter from my church stating they are sending me out to work with YWAM as a missionary to Japan.

As for learning the language, she said there are weekly free classes offered by many of the local city governments. I would ask that anyone reading this, pray for YWAM Tokyo and that they find a place with the fixings they are hoping to offer, such as a coffee shop, English classes, concerts, artistic presentations, and more.

As I said before, I would need at least $700.00 per month to live in Japan, plus the $4,600.00 for the DTS session. So I would like to ask of my friends and family reading this post, that if you have any interest in supporting me on this adventure. At least pray and ask GOD to remove the barriers that might stand in the way.