Taiwan/Japan Mission Trip Update #5

Hello all!!!!!

Friday night we had an awesome rehearsal (it was really late.....8-10pm.....but it went really well). Then last night we drove through the 'blizzard' to the second team meeting. On Friday we had beautiful weather......67 degrees with sunshine and clear skies. Then that night it dropped 35 degrees, and while continuing to drop, started snowing. From Friday night until last night we got around 11 or so inches and it stilled snowed until this morning. The snow is absolutely gorgeous! One of the reasons I'm happy that it is here is because I know it will be gone by Tuesday. (We are supposed to be back into the upper 50s all next week). =)

God is so good to us. We were able to accomplish several things in our meeting. First we got to eat a delicious meal together as a team. Then we decided to worship for about half an hour to re-center our focus. Kirsten is such an amazing worship leader! God has given her many incredible gifts! Afterward Mr. Kawase showed us some pictures of the different places we are going to be able to go and people we will get to meet. It was really neat to be able to "pre-meet" the people we will be ministering to.

Then we decided what dances we are going to take with us, who is going to be in each dance, who is going to lead each dance, what costumes we will be wearing, props, and other such logistics. These are some of the tentative dances we will be taking. The italicized part is a short description of what the dance is about.

RECONCILIATION focus:
Everything (Lighthouse) skit-salvation skit
Come Thou Fount-personal salvation
Fight piece-reconciliation of broken relationships

WHAT FREEDOM LOOKS LIKE focus:
Down By the River-unity in prayer
Lifesong-unity in worship
It is Well-peace in the storm
Let the Waters Rise-perseverance through difficulties
This is Home-rest in Christ
I Am Free-freedom in Christ

OTHER STRONG POSSIBILITIES:
Hip Hop piece
Improv piece about embracing self worth
Men's piece
Hat's---funny/comical piece
Into The West-restoration

Thankfully Kimberly is a seamstress so that will cut down on a lot of costume costs. We will have rehearsals every Friday night, 7:30-10pm, from now until we leave at the end of May. We will also have rehearsals on Saturday afternoon after classes.

Prayer Requests:
>Pray that God would give all of the dancers strength to add these rehearsals to all of their other classes/other rehearsals as well as finishing out the school semester well and more team meetings.
>Pray for us as a team that unity would abound between us.
>Pray for Kirsten as well as others as she is graduating this year from the dance school and is putting on her own production that several of us are participating in while continuing our normal classes, extra rehearsals for Japan/company performances in April/graduation rehearsals, and school.
>Pray that the rest of the finances will come in for all of the team members.
>Wisdom from Mr. Kawase as he continues to figure out the logistics.


Here are some pictures from this meeting:

Discussing some logistics and looking at pictures.

Thinking of different pieces to take and who to run rehearsals.

Our first team photo!!!!! Yay!!!!! =)

From left to right: Ashton Price, Jenna Kawase, Joshua Kawase, Kenon Kawase, Stanton Smith, Mr. Kawase, Kirsten Kawase, G'ma Nobuko Kawase, Mrs. Kawase, Abi Kawase, and Kimberly Zehr

An attempt at a funny picture while laughing......we are a crazy bunch!

 I am so excited to share what is going on with this part of my life! Thank you so much for praying for me!!! It is such a blessing to be surrounded by people who love me!

Love,
Ashton