Hello!
Wow, it's hard to believe I've already been back in Japan for almost two whole months! Between getting ready to move back and enjoying the last month at home, January was a very full month! February and March have been all about moving, getting settled, and preparing things for my new ministry to start!In January, I got to spend some quality time with friends and family, and even reconnected with a friend from China I met in college! For those of you who didn't get to see me before I left, let's try to schedule something when I'm in town again! In the meantime, you can always email me, of course!
I was officially accepted by the church's board to be their cooperating missionary at the end of 2023, so I planned to go at the end of January 2024. However, I wasn't sure if I would be able to go then or not until a few days before. God is good and answered prayers, and I was able to get a seat on the flight I was expecting, and it was even a priority seat! (I'll never see economy seats the same after experiencing even just one tier up!)
I was able to ship my checked bags from the airport to my new house, and they got there two days later. I took trains from the airport to my local station, and Pastor Bang met me and drove me to my new house! Thus began the process of moving in. Thankfully, since they had been using the house for housing visiting mission teams, the house had some kitchen things, lots of dishes, a table and chairs, a futon (not the couch that turns into a bed type, but more like a very thick duvet), and a kotatsu (a low table with a heater underneath and a blanket over the frame to keep in the heat, used to put your legs under to keep warm. One of my favorite Japanese inventions!).
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| Goodbye, friend! |
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| Sendai station |
The next week I went back up to Ishinomaki to send my things the church had so kindly been storing all this time down to my new house, and of course reconnect with friends and my old team. They sent me off with lots of prayers and encouragement to start my new ministry!
Everyone on my new team and in my new churches have been so kind! They always make sure I'm eating well and have what I need, as well as teaching me the way they do things and encourage my efforts. There is a lady named Erika who is about my age and just joined Samukawa Church in preparation of becoming a missionary, and she has become a good friend fast! Thanks to her, I didn't have to buy a bed! A friend of hers was getting rid of their single bed frame and mattress, and here it's more expensive to throw away large items or pay someone to pick it up to resell, so they were glad to get it off their hands and I was extremely grateful to receive it! I also received several furniture items including a sofa, its footstool, and a kitchen cabinet with outlets for rice cooker and water kettle from a couple at church who were clearing
out a
guest apartment! God has really provided what I've needed through the generosity of those around me. I know it's all in answer to so many prayers from you in your support of me! On Sunday, February 25, Samukawa Church held a ceremony to officially welcome me as their cooperating missionary, as well as to welcome Erika as a church member and missionary-in-training! It was very official, with both of us sharing our testimonies and our vision for serving in Japan, and vowing to follow the statutes and beliefs of the church. It was all in Japanese so I was pretty nervous, especially about sharing my testimony in Japanese. After writing it out and using an online translator, Pastor Bang helped make it sound more natural so I could read from that. Despite it being less than a page long, it still took me several minutes to read it aloud, as I am still learning to read the characters. I pray that the church members could understand and benefit from hearing my testimony, slow and jagged though the reading was. After the service, we ate together, and one lady even brought cake for us to celebrate the special occasion!
Church group photo Yummy udon and strawberry shortcake with the church!
I have already gotten to start some ministries and am preparing for others that will start in March or April! I play piano for the hymns at one church on their lovely grand piano, and accompany guitar and singing on keyboard at the other church! Thankfully I know many of the songs and hymns, but I have also gotten to learn many new hymns and songs in the past few weeks thanks to playing for both churches.
I have also had several chances to go out and explore my new area! I visited a nearby cafe, run by the owner and her daughter out of their home. I was the only customer there for a bit and got to talk with the owner while enjoying some coffee, then the owner's friend came in and we all three chatted until it was closing time. I was able to share that I was a missionary, and they were familiar with the church, and the owner had even visited before when she was younger, but she and her late husband are Buddhist. When she asked why I came to Japan, I briefly shared my heart for the souls
of the Japanese, and though she is Buddhist, was still excited that I was here! I look forward to visiting that cafe frequently and continuing to share with her, and hopefully her friend as well! Join me in praying for openness in the hearts of the owner, her daughter, and her friend, as well as more opportunities and boldness to share with others like these.
I get a great view of Mt. Fuji from outside my house! What a special blessing!
March has been an especially fun month with lots of events and activities, both planned and spontaneous! Living so close to Yokohama and Tokyo means I can pop in to visit friends or explore new areas and attend events! I've been able to even see a few live performances, such as "Lion King" at Japan's version of Broadway, and a performance for children of the opera "Hansel and Gretel" at a local venue! I'm grateful to have savings from when I taught in the states to provide funding for fun events like these, and I look forward to enjoying music and performances with friends in the future!
Meeting Esther for lunch in Yokohama! Homemade okonomiyaki with Erika Ready to see Lion King in Japanese!
On one such venture, I was approached by two Japanese ladies while waiting for a bus, and they turned out to be Jehovah's Witness, and I was able to explain in Japanese how my beliefs differ from theirs, and it was overhead by a man and his daughter who were also waiting for the bus. I pray that the ladies would see the truth of who Jesus is as fully God, not just His Son, and that the man would consider the conversation he overheard. I also thank God for how my Japanese has developed even since coming back, that I was able to understand and explain things well in Japanese! There's really nothing like the combination of deep immersion and the Holy Spirit's help for such situations!
We also had a team visit from Pastor Bang's sending church in Korea! We all went together to Oiso (about 20-30 minutes away from me) to visit a church and museum displaying artifacts from the era in Japanese history (1587-1873) when missionaries and Christianity were banned, and Christians were persecuted and martyred. It was amazing to see how widespread Christianity had become by the time it became illegal, and how the faithful found ways to worship together and honor Christ in their homes.
Hidden cross inside the back of a statue Group pic with the visiting team
Church above the museum Delicious international dinner with the visiting team
It was a very special time getting to meet these other believers who share our burden for the lost of Japan. I look forward to the next time we meet, whether it's here in Japan or me visiting them in Korea! I thank God for these brothers and sisters who have the same passion for missions and ministry wherever they are and whatever they do. I pray all believers would be filled with the same passion for sharing the Good News, especially as we approach Easter.
As our English classes are about to begin for the year, we are offering opportunities for parents to bring their child to experience an individual class. Those I have met with so far have a high level of English! The first class was very surprising because I didn't know what to expect, but the student already knew all the things I planned for that lesson, so we were able to chat comfortably and enjoy the lesson time together, and the mother was very pleased! The second student recently moved back from America, so is at a native level. I am excited to start teaching in April, especially getting to work with a variety of students from elementary through high school, as well as adults!
Samukawa Church has an Easter event this Saturday for children in the area, and usually church members would hand out info flyers at school, but recent changes in regulation prohibit this to prevent direct indoctrination of children. So we've had to find other ways to share about this event with parents directly. Please join me in praying for many children and their families to come to our event, and to hear about the Gospel for what is most likely the first time.
Praises:
- Moving went smoothly, from flights to luggage to retrieving my things from storage in Ishinomaki!
- The church members have been generous in providing furniture or using their connections to find things I need!
- I have made a few friends and connections, and a good number have signed up for the various English classes!
Prayer Requests:
- Pray for my new team as we learn what ministry together looks like. Pray for the growth of both churches, both spiritually and in numbers, especially as the new school year starts in April, that more college students would be drawn to Shonan Church.
- Pray for the many with whom I have come into contact so far and have share the love and truth of God. Pray that the seeds planted would grow and bear fruit.
- Pray for the English class as we prepare for them to start in April, that we would work together well, that the students would listen and learn well, and that the children, their mothers, and the adults would see only Jesus in us. Pray that we would have the chance to share the Gospel and Jesus' love and hope with them.
- Pray for our Easter event this Saturday, that parents would be willing to send their children and come themselves, that their hearts would be open and soft to receive the Gospel, and that many seeds would take firm root from what they hear and see.
- Pray for each other. Pray for the person who reads this next, only God knows who that is, that they will seek to share the Good News of Jesus with others, especially as we look forward to Easter.
This provided meal happens once a month, for low-income families who sometimes cannot feed their children more than one meal on the weekend. You might never realize it, but there are many such families and areas across the country. I am glad to see this community caring for their poor, and was honored to take part in it. 
in person until that moment. Its grandeur couldn’t be captured by my phone camera. I am reminded of the second verse of How Great Thou Art, “when I look down from lofty mountain grandeur…Then sings my soul, my Saviour, God, to Thee, how great Thou art!”
and I took the train out to Odawara Christian Center (OCC, not to be confused with Operation Christmas Child) for their English Bible Study. It was small but the discussion was great, even with their varying levels of English! Afterward, the leader of OCC took me to lunch and to sightsee, including Odawara Castle, then I made my way back to the Bang's home to rest and repack my things for my departure the next day. With Thanksgiving travel rush approaching, we decided it was a better idea to fly home on Thursday than risk not getting a seat on Friday’s flight. Thursday morning I bid the Bang family goodbye and set off for the airport. I made it there with plenty of time and enjoyed areas of the airport I didn't explore as much before, before going through security and waiting for my name to be called at the gate. I was tired enough from my travels that I actually slept for several hours on that flight! 
At the beginning of October, I flew to Pennsylvania to attend an event hosted by the Association of Baptist for World Evangelism (ABWE) to learn about who they are as an organization, and consider if their team in Japan is with whom I should serve. This is one of two main options I'm considering right now. The other option is a couple, the Bangs, in Kanagawa (just West of Tokyo) to whom I was introduced by Durene White, a member of my church. Durene spent time in Japan and shares my heart for seeing its people come to Christ! The Bangs have two churches and a Christian community center, with a variety of ministries and opportunities to serve their members and their community! Since I could join them while continuing under CTEN, I would be able to return to Japan much sooner than other options. Before committing to serving under them, I felt it would be worth it to visit them in person, since borders are open and a supporter is again generously allowing me to fly on his buddy pass to make the trip more affordable! I will be visiting them in Kanagawa from November 7th though 17th, to see in person if it is a good fit. (Pray I can make it back before the Thanksgiving travel rush!). If all goes well and God confirms that I am supposed to serve with the Bangs, I will be home through the end of the year, and, Lord willing, go back to Japan to start my new ministry in January!
about the perfection of his timing. My original plan was to return to Japan with a new team at the beginning of September, but God saw fit to keep me here. I am grateful He did, as I was able to visit with my grandfather the day before he passed away, and attended and participated in his funeral. I knew God had a reason for delaying my return, and though it was hard at moments, I am so glad I can trust in the sovereign timing of the One Who holds my future.
It snowed more in February, and IKG (Gospel choir) started rehearsing after the holiday break. We are learning a new song called Revelation 19:1, and the director took his time when introducing it to explain the story behind it, starting in the Garden, through the prophecies, the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ, the Church Age, and looking forward to His return, as seen in Revelation. For many of the members, it was the first time they had heard the story of the Bible so succinctly, from start to finish, in a way they could understand. Pray for their hearts to be receptive to the message of the One to Whom we sing.
One of the schoolroom families gave their daughter a new piano for Christmas, and gifted me with their old keyboard! It is such a huge and wonderful blessing! It is able to plug into my computer so I can use it for creating and composing songs or writing sheet music more easily, so I have been flexing my creative muscles a lot more over this past month.
