It is hard to believe we have been in Japan for exactly one month. The Lord has answered SO many prayers and we are blessed to report many good things from this past month.
Relief Update
Our first full day in Japan our team was loading its last truck full of supplies to be taken up north for relief work. In total our team sent 8 trucks and various teams to aid with relief. The team is still sending work teams up north. During my first quarter break (end of June) I hope to be part of one of these teams. There is still a lot of work to be done up north. The Lord has provided many opportunities for the Gospel to go forth and used this time to teach/stretch/grow the Japanese national church. We continue to pray for the many Japanese without homes and the recovery from such destruction. (Click to see a video on the Nagoya team aid.)
Settling In
After spending four days with our team in Nagoya we set off for language school about an hour south in Okazaki. Within a few days of arriving in Okazaki I started language school. Cathalain also began her private lessons twice a week. Overall we are falling in love with Okazaki and Cathalain has done a great job of making our little place home. Thankfully during the first few weeks we were able to change our visas to three year status and are almost done officially becoming registered aliens in Japan.
Current Ministry
We asked you to pray for opportunities and for people we could minister to in Japan and the Lord has been answering those prayers. There is a Japanese family we met while itinerating in the United States who just returned from a three year work tour in the US. Where of all places did they return to…Okazaki! Once a week we join the family for dinner and Michael is teaching I Peter with the husband and 8 year old son. Cathalain meets with the mom and three younger girls.
In addition to this family the Lord has also brought a young Japanese woman into our lives. We had her over for dinner and are looking to start a weekly dinner/study with her and some other folks, perhaps from the language school. We have prayed for the past three days for a few more Japanese who want to join and late last night we received an e-mail from another couple who are eager to study the Bible. We are excited how the Lord is gathering together a group. Please pray for this new study.
There is a GREAT need for Bible believing Christ proclaiming churches here. We are excited and thrilled the Lord has opened so many doors so quickly for us.
Thanksgiving/Prayers
Below we have listed some specific prayer requests. Please continue praying for us and our ministry.
Many have asked about sending care packages from the states. If as an individual or as a group you would like to send a package (total cost is usually goods +$55 shipping) we are looking for 6 partners to help throughout the year. We have found there are some funny things we can’t find or it is actually more cost effective to have goods sent via mail. E-mail us if your interested to learn more.
Thank you for your faithful prayers and support. We are grateful to be in Japan and starting our ministry here! Please send us any prayer requests you might have so we can be praying more specifically for you!
Current Prayer Requests
- Please pray for our personal/family time with worshipping Christ. We worship every Sunday in a Japanese church and don’t understand most of the service. Please pray for the Lord to bless our personal and family time and for us to make this priority number one.
- Please pray for the Lord to open our tongue and help with learning Japanese. Pray we will be diligent in our studies and for the language to come quickly so we might be able to speak the Gospel in the native tongue.
- Pray for our two Bible Studies. Pray for the Holy Spirit to work in the hearts of the unbelievers and continue to sanctify the believers.
- Please pray for the Lord’ guidance in where we should move to start planting a church after language school. (Still 1.75 years out.)
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