Children and Youth Ministry

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December 31, 2011

As I checked our draft box, I realized that I had not published some of the posts.  I know it is late but I wanted to publish before 2012 comes!  Here are some updates on our ministry in the fall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We took our youth group to go bowling.  Many of you have been praying for these two sisters on the right.  They lost their grandparents in the tsunami and have been having a difficult time.  It was great to see their smile again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We took them to Michael’s favorite restaurant.  Even though our group is still small, we always have so much fun together!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When we had a team from Bangkok, we hosted a youth game night.  As you can see, they loved it!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also wrote encouraging notes on the heating cans for people in the temporary housing.  The Bangkok team delivered them and many people loved it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This fall, we started teaching English at our church.  We have been having 20-30 kids every week!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We always end our time with a short worship service.  Lots of the kids are from non-Christian families.   Some of them started coming to the Sunday School.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. Tony taught some English praise songs!  It reminded me of my childhood since he had taught me the same songs when I was a child!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The youth learned English through games, songs, and chants! It was great to see them interact with these English speakers!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We hosted the first ever fall festival at our church.  Both teams from Bangkok and Hawaii helped and our FBCA family helped by sending us American candies and party supplies!  Thank you all!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the beginning, all the kids who had come to the English class performed in front of their parents.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This class learned the colors and animals.  They did a great job!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bean bag toss!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pumpkin bowling!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ring toss!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fishing game!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Face painting!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone enjoyed American taste such as hot dogs, chili, spam musubi (from Hawaii), popcorn, cookies, candies, and cool aids! One girl said who had a cool-aid for the first time said it tasted like “America”!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was great to meet dads of the kids who come to our English class.  Michael hopes to get to know them better!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Michael and the boys.  We ordered these pumpkins from the northern island of Japan.  The kids loved touching them!

We had a great time with everyone.  God has opened so many doors for us to meet and minister to the youth and kids in our community.  We look forward to building relationships and sharing God’s love with them and their families.

 

Categories: Hope for Japan News.

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Volunteers from Bangkok and Hawaii

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November 7, 2011

Ever since the massive earthquake and tsunami hit Japan, so many volunteers have come to Japan to help with disaster relief efforts.  We have been blessed to host several teams from all over the world!  Not only have they helped so many in needs, but they have also encouraged many believers that are trying to minister to Japanese people.  Michael and I often talk about the ways the volunteers have ministered to our family.  They have gone to the disaster areas with us (it can be overwhelming when there are only three of us that visit 100+ temporary housing units), taken care of our sweet Luke (it’s nice to have extra arms to hold Luke when his parents are busy running around), worshiped with us (God has touched us and spoken to us through reading the scriptures, singing praise songs, and praying as a group), and encouraged us to keep up the good work (sometimes we need words of affirmation).

We have experienced the importance of working as a team and we pray God will continue to send us those who have a heart for Japan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bangkok Team- They are actually from Canada and America but all of them attend the same church in Bangkok, Thailand.  We had them for a Taco Dinner (which they LOVED) at our house.  They helped with our youth group, kids English classes, and Fall Festival!  Since Michael lived in Thailand when he was young, he really enjoyed talking about Thai culture and places!  We would love to visit Thailand as a family someday!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hawaii Team- They are from Olivet Baptist Church in Honolulu, Hawaii.  They worked so hard in the disaster areas, and they were so gracious to help clean up at my grandparents’ house.  During our time together, I found out that one team member’s daughter had graduated from DBU and we had known each other!  What a small world!  My dad also told me that my parents had visited this church twice as a young couple!  We look forward to visiting the church and seeing everyone again!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you all for coming to Japan and touching so many lives!

Categories: Aid for Japan, Hope for Japan News.

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