This Friday we will be hosting a team from the BGCT (Baptist General Convention of Texas). BGCT has already sent two teams in the past two years and this is their third team. The leader has been on every trip and is a former missionary to Japan. They will help with our kids and youth program Friday night. Then on Saturday, we will load up and go to the tsunami hit area for a time of games, crafts, and fellowship with some people in the temporary houses. And then on Sunday, they will come to our church in the morning and help with our adult ministry in the evening. Please pray for a good turn out and for friendships to form. This team consists of former team members and former missionaries, so we are excited to see how the Lord will use this team. Monday the team will go to Ishnomaki again and stay there for the remainder of the trip helping with another church. Please pray that their time in Ishinomamki is a blessing to them and to everyone they encounter. We look forward to seeing them very soon! We appreciate your prayers.
August 11, 2014
We were blessed to host a team from our sending church, First Baptist Church Arlington. They came to help with our VBS at Taitomi Church and Sakata Mission Church. It was their second time to come to Japan and we were excited that they wanted to come back. Mary, Martha, and Kristen were so much fun to have around on both trips. They are teachers by profession and it shows because they have connected with the kids so well. The team also went with us to Sakata to encourage the pastor’s family and also to minister to children in the community. It was the first time that they met Susanne who was already hard at work helping the Fujii family. One of the most touching moments was when we arrived in Sakata. When class started the kids sang the welcome song that Kirsten taught them two years ago. It was awesome to hear them singing in English to the team. It was great to see so many friendships rekindled throughout the two weeks this team served with us in Japan. As we drove to the train station to send the team off I asked them what was one thing they would remember most about this trip. Kristen was so impressed with the patience of the Christians here who minister in a very difficult religious setting. Mary and Martha both agreed what a blessing it was to see the kids again and to share God’s love with them. Please pray that the Spirit will continue to work on the hearts of everyone they met. This was truly an encouraging group of ladies. Thank you as always Mary, Martha, and Kristen, for being here. We look forward to serving with you again. And thank you to FBCA and to their families for allowing them to be serve.
They prepared for many fun activities.
Kids had so much fun!
They were so proud!
They learned many Bible songs.
These kids loved the special gift from Texas!
Visiting the Christian kindergarten in Sakata.
Loved spending time with the Fujii family and the church members.
Categories: Hope for Japan News.
August 6, 2014
We hosted a very special friend in July. We have known Carolyn for many years. She came all the way from Canada to attend our wedding in Texas. Yu first met her at church in 1997 and Carolyn was also a school teacher at Yu’s high school. Yu’s family really enjoyed spending time with Carolyn while she was in Sendai for three years. For two weeks we got to celebrate many old friendships as people came to see Carolyn. We were blessed as a family because the boys had someone that never stopped loving on them. Carolyn also helped with our Kids English Class and Adult English Bible Study. She shared her testimony which encouraged us so much. I must say there wasn’t a single time that Carolyn was not smiling or thanking God for the chance to rekindle old friendships. She now lives in Canada but her time here proved one thing if only one thing and that is that the fellowship one has with fellow believers is tremendously important. And to see how much a life has changed because of the friendship you started many years prior is priceless. Thank you, Carolyn, for coming back to Japan and spending time with us. And especially thank you for allowing us to the opportunity to witness just how much you cared for the people here and allowed the light of Christ to shine wherever you go.
We got to go on a vacation with her!
It was great to see our friends from English worship service.
Carolyn sharing her testimony.
Categories: Family.
