A Typical Day in the life of a TEAM center host & hostess

       We realize that, so far, we haven't really told you what we're doing as host & hostess.  We've only given you facts about the country & it's culture, which is where our heart is.  Those facts are important, but we also wanted to give you an idea of what life is like for a TEAM center host & hostess.  The purpose of this blog is not just to tell you what it is we're doing, but to tell you what it is YOU could be doing.  Starting August 25th, TEAM center is going to need another couple to be host & hostess.  This entry is going to be very detailed concerning the host/hostess duties at TEAM center, but not very detailed concerning the ministry opportunities available.  So keep that in mind as you read.  Get comfortable.  This might be a long entry. :)

       There is no such thing as a "typical day" here... For one thing - in Japan, you're bound to see or hear something different just about every day.  For another thing - our duties somewhat vary from day to day.  We'll try to be somewhat organized with this entry, but we may just have to disregard the title of this blog, and Julie & I will spout whatever comes to our mind... dangerous, huh? :) 

       We'll start by giving you an idea of what the area in & around TEAM center is like.  Inside TEAM center there are three floors, and about 7 guest rooms, a study, and a lounge/meeting/dining room.  A few of those rooms can be made into family rooms.  This facility can hold a maximum of 20 guests at one time.  The roof of TEAM center is accesible to us and to guests.  It overlooks a small park/playground.  The pastor of Hope Bible Church & his wife live in an apartment that is on the roof.  They provide the training for new hosts & hostesses, and are a huge help in answering many questions.  On the third floor is the laundry room, and a couple of guest rooms.  The host & hostess (me & Jules) live on the second floor.  We have a bedroom, bathroom, living room, and an office.  We also have a small kitchen for ourselves, but there is a larger kitchen designated mostly for the use of TEAM and it's where we cook breakfast & the occasional lunch.  Food is served in the lounge/meeting/dining area.  Our personal food supplies are kept separate from TEAM supplies.  Now if we walked down the stairs, we'd reach the bottom floor where the TEAM offices are.  Here we find a finance director, property manager, administrators, and other various TEAM workers.  All of the workers are missionaries and have other areas of ministry aside from their jobs at TEAM center.  TEAM center is in the community of Mitaka which is a pretty wealthy area, and is a suburb of Tokyo.  There are a lot of "large" houses (which aren't that large in comparison with the average American home), and nice cars.  There are about five full-size grocery stores in walking distance of TEAM center, and several smaller convenient stores.  All of them are mainly Japanese, so a lot of times you'll find things that look like they might be what you need, but if you can't read the language... it might be something else, entirely.  It makes grocery shopping & cooking quite interesting... but we'll get more into that later.

       We haven't quite gotten into a schedule yet... I don't know if a schedule exists!  Somedays will be very busy, others - not so much.  Therefore, once again, due to the lack of schedule - we won't blog... we'll blather. :)  TEAM center has an email account that we keep up with.  We check it quite often throughout each day.  Of course, a lot of reservations are made through Email, but then there is the phone.  This guest house is by and large a "western" facility, however there are a few instances when a Japanese person will call and try to make reservations... and I'm telling you - it's like they're speaking a different language or something!! :)  If that happens you can say, "Chotto matte kudasai" which is "wait a moment please," and then find one of the Japanese speaking workers in the office downstairs... unless it's a weekend... then you could learn some more Japanese phrases, but - to start out with - your best bet is to let the answering machine pick up. :)  TEAM center has a fairly straightforward booking system.  Some guests will come and stay for one night, others may stay for a week or two.  It can get tricky to know how to divide people into certain rooms - Obviously, we don't mix genders unless the guests are a married couple, and we try not to book family rooms for single people unless absolutely necessary.  Also - guests are divided into three categories: TEAM missionary guests, TEAM-related guests, or non-TEAM guests... each category has a different rate.  That's quite an abbreviated version of the booking system.  We try to find out a general time that guests will be arriving in order to greet them at the 1st floor front door, because, even though this is a "western" facility, guests are asked to remove their shoes before entering.  Breakfast is served at 7:30am IF guests want it.  If no one wants it, we don't have to make it.  TEAM center is not a hotel... it is a guest house.  We don't have a continental breakfast from 6 - 10 every morning (and boy are we glad).  The host & hostess are not required to serve breakfast on Sunday, but it's not a difficult task and it's no problem getting to church on time.  We've enjoyed cooking very much.  We have about 6 or 7 main meals that we cook for breakfast right now, but there are variations within each meal.  We get the privilege of eating breakfast with the missionaries at 7:30, and then we lead a short devotional at around 8:00.  The second Monday of every month is "Prayer day."  This is the gathering of TEAM board members & missionaries.  There are usually about 30 people for whom we prepare snacks, lunch, and dessert.  Halfway through each month, there are two days in which the Japan council meets.  There are only about 8 people that come to the JC meetings.  They stay as guests in the TEAM center, and then have meetings for two days while we serve lunch & dessert.  Those dates are usually set in stone, so we know when to get groceries.  Breakfast, however, is much more inconsistent.  Thus, grocery shopping could turn into an everyday excursion.  Portion sizes are smaller, and expiration dates run out quicker... and there is no such thing as bacon here. :(  There is meat that looks like bacon, but it is NOT bacon!  There is a Costco in Tokyo, but it's pretty far away.  We can order several supplies from Costco through the internet and have them delivered, but for the most part - you cannot buy things in bulk.  The number of guests staying, and the amount of breakfast served dictates how much we need to buy everyday.  The housekeeper, Midori-san comes only on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  If a guest leaves on Tuesday, Thursday, or the weekend - and another guest arrives in the same evening, then we are responsible to clean the rooms before the guests arrive.  We're also responsible for cleaning the kitchen, lounge, foyer, and carport area.  Julie & I do not have green thumbs, but we water all the plants once or twice a week - inside and outside of the building... hopefully they're not dead. :)  When a guest leaves, we calculate their bill, and try to collect payment the day before they leave.  TEAM center does not deal with U.S. money... every exchange is made in yen.  Whenever we spend TEAM money (e.g. groceries), or receive money (e.g. guest payment), we have to keep the paper receipts, as well as enter the amount into the software "Quicken" via our office computer.  At the end of each month, we count the money to make sure it is consistent with Quicken so far.  Then, it's all turned in to the financial director downstairs.  Our support money (what we live on) is given to us at the beginning of every month. 

       Ok... time for a joke.  This one time - I was in a submarine.  Instead of a periscope, they had a kaleidoscope.  We exclaimed, "We're surrounded!!"

       Now - Gomi gets its own paragraph.  Gomi is the Japanese word for "garbage."  So, let's talk trash. :P  When we first got here, the gomi situation was very.. complicated.  The system has changed and is a little less complicated, but still confusing.  I'll try to explain it as simply as possible.  Combustible gomi (e.g. food waste, paper, etc.) is separated from the noncombustible gomi (mostly plastic wrappers & containers).  Even though newspaper & magazines are combustible, they must be neatly stacked and tied in a bundle.  Cardboard is also combustible, but cannot go in the combustible bag.  It, too must be flattened, cleaned, neatly stacked, and tied in a bundle.  Styrofoam is noncombustible, but has to be bagged separately.  Glass jars must be separated.  Most plastic bottles (e.g. drink bottles, dish soap bottles) are labeled as "PET" bottles.  On the back of bottles next to the recyclable symbol is the letters "P-E-T."  The lids of these "PET" bottles must be removed and thrown away in the noncombustible bag, and then the bottles are to be cleaned and bagged separately.  Aluminum cans must be rinsed, flattened and bagged separately.  Large jugs (e.g. dishwasher detergent jugs, laundry detergent jugs) also must be bagged separately.  Almost all the garbage from the entire TEAM center is brought to the host & hostess to be taken care of.  Many times, we have to go through gomi & separate things, or else the trash wont get picked up and we may receive a notice telling us what we did wrong.  It's especially disgusting when someone throws away food in a styrofoam/plastic container, then you have to separate the food waste from the noncombustible waste.  Gomi must be separated properly and placed at a specified location by the road to be picked up between 1pm & 4pm on Fridays.  It's placed all in the same area, but separated... so, it's altogether separate! :)  It seems like a crazy system, but Japan is a very clean city.

       Don't be alarmed by all of this.  When it comes to personal time - there's plenty of it.  You are not required to be by the phone all day... that's what the answering machine is for.  Obviously, if there aren't any guests, you have some free time.  Even if there are guests staying, you don't have to be there all day.  We've had the opportunity to become very involved at Hope Bible Church.  We've also been on plenty of walks & bike rides.  By the way - bike riding in this city is something everyone should experience... it's just a lot of fun.  TEAM center has some bikes that we borrow.  There are many chances to discover & experience the Japanese culture, and many ways to minister to the lost people of this country.  We've already been here for 4 weeks, and it feels like 4 days... time is flying.  This is quite an experience, and June is shaping up to be our busiest month.  There are going to be a LOT of guests in June, so be in prayer as we prepare.

       In closing, pray & ask the Lord if this is something He would have you do.  You don't have to be young to do this ministry.  There have been retired missionaries & other people of all ages to do this work.  The only requirement is that the host & hostess need to be a married couple.  When it comes to raising your funds - you'll need money for round trip airfare, and money to live on for the length of time you'll be staying (TEAM suggests $24 per day/per person).  TEAM won't have a host/hostess as of August 25th, but they would be glad to have a couple anytime in the fall.  If you or anyone you know is interested in serving the Lord in Japan, email us at gordonh84@aol.com.  BUT WAIT!  Email now, and you'll get free designer chopsticks made by the legendary "Dragonfly" company!  All you pay is a shipping cost that's only 7 easy payments of $49.99!!  Ok, enough jokes.  We love you all & we're very grateful for your encouragement, love, and prayers.  It's been very cool to "feel" your prayers from the other side of the globe.