FEBRUARY MISSIONARY NEWSLETTER HIGHLIGHTS
Spanish American Evangelistic Ministries - El Paso, Texas
I WISH YOU COULD HAVE SEEN IT... THE ACTIVITY OF THE MEDICAL MISSIONS TEAM FROM CHRIST'S CHURCH OF ORONOGO, MO.by Ed Weckerly
So, the way I am going to write this up, is an eye-witness participant in the service given by dedicated people who enter Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico to be an example of the love and grace of God for people who are in need.There were 10 people who drove from SW Missouri to do this work.The first afternoon, children’s packets were assembled within our mission building in Horizon City.The group stayed in El Paso the first night.Next morning we loaded up & went to Iglesia de Cristo in Colonia Echeverria in the west end of Juarez where preparations were made, furniture set up to have consultations with 3 nurses.Announcements had been made 2 weeks in advance, a poster outside told the people that blood pressure checks & sugar levels checks were available; flu and cold conditions treated; also multiple vitamins would be given.The team was kept busy for 5 hours.The second day was filled with treating people who came for consultations within the church building in Colonia Las Granjas where Irineo & Claudia Onofre minister.If you were there you would have seen the interpreters, which S.A.E.M. recruited to translate what the patients said in Spanish for the English-speaking nurses.80 plus, people were treated at this clinic.Children made happy with gifts of coloring books and toys in a zip-lock bag.The meals served to the group by the Onofre family were spectacular; the dinner with chili relenos will never be forgotten!As Sunday rolled around, the group was still at the Onofre’s for Bible Study & Church service… You would have love the singing of this congregation!We had quick burritos for lunch; eaten on the way to another church with the name of Rosa de Saron.This location is on the edge of a former landfill; the area is called Pava Real.The minister, the people of the church & of the community were very happy to be receiving the aid from the medical team.We also gave away some blankets.There were over 100 people diagnosed and treated…used up just about all the supplies.A couple of times during the work periods, Tom Michael had to go to a pharmacy to buy more antibiotics.Re-cap & evaluations of each day’s activity was done in the evenings along with Bible devotions.You know what?We love being involved like this.It demonstrates that God is love.He cares & His people are a caring people.Thank you Jesus for getting all of this done; we want it to be for Your glory.
The Bridge - Joplin, MO
The Bridge team hung out with 477 students at our facility during Nov.Our team hosted events for Ignite Church.Southwest Community Alliance, Roper Automotive Group, First Christian Church of Carthage, and BNI.I personally (Dan) had a really fun time volunteering at The Bridge on the last Saturday before Christmas!We played basketball, went rock climbing, and played capture the flag, & none of us were ready to leave when closing time arrived.It was a fun night.
The Foundry saw 582 students in our facility.We hosted another College night where we had 45 people while continuing to host Christ Community United Methodist Church’s “Wide Open” College night on Thursdays & Forest Park Baptist Church’s Collide Youth Ministry outreach each Sunday evening (not Holidays).Also, The Foundry hosted events for American Ramp Co. and St. John’s Regional Medical Center.Our team visited Joplin High School twice with 2 – 4 volunteers per visit amassing 18 hours of volunteer service.
Autumn saw 1071 riders in the park this month.(up from 503 last month)The Ministry team in Autumn hosted regular Bible Studies, open hours & connected students to Christ through the local Church.December was also an important month for provision at Autumn with Christmas shop sales.More ramp changes begin in January!The word on the street is that on any given Sunday Jeremiah Anderson has 8 – 10 students at Church with him.Also, this month we say one of the highest Bible Study attendance.38
Of course, not everything went as planned in December.On Dec. 10th our server crashed & we had to totally rebuild our network & start utilizing a different (but not new!!!) server for all of our workings.In the middle of a REALLY busy season, God provided by sending us an amazing partner in CARBON – a local company that fixes such things.Owner Justin Nevins spent hours for this fix.Thanks Justin!!!
Darrin & Chrissy King – Puente Ministries – Costa Rica
Whether you are a regular donor, or have felt led this last year to give an extra gift of whatever amount, I want to let you know that it was appreciated this year more than ever.We all are feeling the crunch of the “economic crisis”, and regardless of what that means for each one, your giving toward this ministry has been sacrificial.And while stewardship of resources is a very important aspect of each of our lives in Christ, it pales in comparison to the work that God does in our hearts through the dynamic of giving.This includes both the heart of the giver as well as what our Lord accomplishes on the receiving end.The giver is led to trust the One who can supply what might lack when we seek to meet the needs of others.We are supplied on this end, and we look forward to continuing to trust God for 2010.Some of our support has dropped, of course, but then some of our expenses are being reduced, which is consistent with our philosophy of church planting & leadership training.Our desire is to continue to see the local Church here take on more of the expenses of the Church as time goes on.That also is a very practical part of the nurturing, training, & equipping of spiritual leaders.We ask that you pray for us specifically in 2010, asking God for wisdom to know how to shape a future transition strategy.Thanks!
Interns & Church Plant – As I mentioned above, we’re celebrating 3 years for the Church at Tres Rios de la Union!The churches in Central America take their “anniversaries” very seriously.I was able to take my family back to Honduras last June to celebrate 15 years in Tegucigalpa.They have an entire weekend of activities and services, complete with dramas, games, food, etc.This year we decided it would be a good time to invite our Institute students back for a visit & a reunion.We’ve tried to help those who might need financial assistance, since no one knows when they might have this opportunity again.In spite of our best efforts, not all will be able to attend.None of the students from the Dominican Republic will be able to come, as the embassy there is not giving any visas out since the earthquake happened in Haiti.It looks like we’ll have around 10 here of the 16, so that’ not too bad.Lots of visiting and catching up is planned, as well as 2 services, lunch on Sunday, & a soccer game.Thank you again for your prayers for those students when you think of them, as they are making an impact for the Kingdom where they are!
Points for Prayer:
Pray for the Twitchells as they prepare to leave for furlough in Feb.
Give thanks for the next round of Discipleship classes in Feb.
Petition God for His provision for the ministry in uncertain economic times.
Give thanks for 3 years now in the Iglesia Cristiana, Curepo de Cristo de la Union!
Christians’ Haven – A Ministry to Street Children & Orphans of the Philippine Islands
2009-YEAR END REPORT
2009 College Graduates – I am pleased to report that 5 of our Christians’ Haven students became college graduates in 2009.Two of these graduates are now pursuing advanced degrees or training in their chosen fields.It is a key component to our core value of making disciples to see these former street kids & orphans receive an education that will posture them to get meaningful employment & help improve their culture.We are committed to not just rescuing children only to have them become older street people when their time at Christians’ Haven is finished.
2009/2010 College Students – We had 11 young people graduate from high school & become college students in 2009.That gives us a total of 20 college students right now.We have students studying nursing, engineering, hotel & restaurant management, social work, education, & more.Very exciting!They continue to work hard to earn their scholarships from Christians’ Haven.This is only made possible through your generous gifts.We are in desperate need of sponsorships/scholarships for our college students.Please contact us for more information on how you can get involved in this essential part of our ministry.
T-House relocated in 2009 – The T-House (Transitional House) is the place that our high school graduates live while in college or trade school.It had been located not far from our main campus & many miles away from the city where they attend college.We were able to rent a wonderful facility in the city where they can live & go to school.We feel that this gives them a better understanding of the place they will live & work upon graduation.For many of them, this is their first time living back in the city since they were rescued from the streets by Christians’ Haven.The T-House has full time house parents & is structured much like an American Campus House would be.
More room available for younger children to be rescued!We are excited that with so many of our young people now in college we have some much needed although limited space that allows us to rescue more young children from the ravages of living on the streets in an unprotected & violent environment.Please pray that God would help us know exactly which children He intends for us to rescue.
Finances in an Uncertain Economy – No surprise to anyone, Christians’ Haven has experienced slumping gift income in 2009.God has blessed in ways beyond our doing, however, so that the amount of money sent directly to our work in the Philippines has always been sufficient.No bill has gone unpaid & every staff person received pay in full & on time!
I am also pleased to tell you that we have again received a foundation gift that covers all stateside expenses.That means that we will continue to use 100% of the gifts we receive from churches & individuals on our ministry in the Philippines.None will be used for my salary or that of our U.S. staff.We have been able to keep our stateside operation lean & productive.We are blessed with a small office space in Webb City, MO, which houses a part time bookkeeper & a part time correspondence secretary.There is also room for yours truly in the back corner.
GOALS & PRAYER REQUESTS
College Students - We continue to encourage our college students in their studies as well as their Christian discipleship.They are approaching a time in their lives when they will once again be independent.This will be the first time since their rescue.It is a frightening time for them.Imagine the stress our own young people experience at this stage of life & multiply that for Christian’ Haven young people.Please pray for them.
More Bed Space Needed – Even with a weak economy, we are asking God for more space.Kids on the streets do not know a good economy from a bad one.They only know that they don’t eat often enough & are abused in multiple ugly ways too often.
Increasingly Unpredictable Political Situation – Our island of Mindanao is in the news far too often with reports of violence & corruption.There are rebel groups of radical Muslims as well as political violence among mainstream groups.The national election is in May & violence usually accompanies this event.Please pray for the protection of our campus, our staff, & most of all, our kids.
Restoration Physically, Emotionally, & Spiritually – Our children come to us damaged.They are damaged by their poverty, by their family or lack of family, & by people who use & abuse them.God has called us to love these children that their own culture has thrown away.With this call to love comes the responsibility to heal.They are many times physically ill or hurt when we rescue them.They experience anger management issues, by-polar disorder, ADHD, hepatitis B and many other things that cause us great concern.We have a staff that is excellent in their love & professional care of these children.Pray for the children & their wonderful caregivers.
North Campus Progress – Our North Campus in Lallo near Aparri continues to move toward becoming an indigenous work.They are now called Cornerstone Christian Home but remain totally dependent upon the support & oversight of Christians’ Haven.Natural disasters this past year have hurt the economy in that region.Please pray for them.When this transfer to indigenous operations is complete, this ministry will focus not only on children but troubled teens & their families.This is a great need in that region.We remain very excited about the future of this work in the north.
CONCLUSION
Of course our goal is not simply to rescue children but to make disciples.This requires that we work diligently to restore them physically, emotionally, & spiritually.It also requires that we prepare them to return to their culture as agents of change.Without apology I am asking for your continued & increased financial support to Christians’ Haven.I further ask that you pray for us diligently asking God to strengthen us for the task at hand.
Lynn Ragsdale, President
Koinonia Christian Campus Ministry – Serving Missouri Southern State University
It is exciting to begin a new year & a new semester at Missouri Southern!God is moving on the campus & many lives are being changed.Last semester Killey came forward & was baptized at fall retreat.Many small groups were started as students became involved in relational ministry.
A student athlete I have been working with for quite some time has never had a relationship with Jesus, as a matter of fact, he was on the other end of the spectrum.He challenged me last year to start working out more & get in top shape.I said I would accept the challenge but I also challenged him to attend church regularly so we could both be physically & spiritually fit.He called me last month to see how I was doing & let me know he had been attending church on a fairly regular basis & enjoying getting plugged in, & I’m getting in shape!
Another student heard a lesson on forgiveness & shared the following with me later.“I was unwilling to accept my mother.Truthfully, I had done & been through many of the same exact things that she had.I started to pray about how I could handle my strained relationship with her.Feelings of forgiveness swept over me & I understood how important it was to forgive others just as Christ forgave those who crucified him.”
I’ve had the joy of meeting with several of our men on a regular basis & encouraging them in different areas of ministry.One student wants to start a Bible study this semester to reach out to those in the dorms that sat together in the cafeteria last semester.
Last semester saw around 90 involved in various ways in Koinonia.Our Tuesday main meeting, “The Outlet” averaged around 40 in attendance & focused on the book of John & discovering who Jesus is.Some very practical teaching took place on relationships & real life issues.
This semester we will be looking at practical Christianity & what it means to serve Jesus.We will spend spring break serving at a church camp in Jacksonville, FL helping with many construction projects, as well as spending a day in inner-city ministry in Jacksonville.
Pray for us this semester, specifically that God raises up more male leadership in our group & on our campus & for the success in the development of more small groups o campus.Thank you for your support & prayers that keep this ministry alive.
David Weaver, Campus Minister
Good News Productions, International – Joplin, MO
At Good News Productions, International we are very excited about what God has been doing through you.Our network of regional centers produces Christ-centered productions that are impacting more & more people eternally.Did you know that GNPI utilized many Christian networks around the world?This key point leverages your dollars to go further & tell the story of Jesus more effectively.United Bible Society, Voice of the Martyrs, & Literature & Teaching Ministries (LATM) are just a few of the more well know ministries that come to mind that GNPI partners work with internationally.Let me share just a few of the 2009 highlights with you:
1.3000 Hindus were baptized in India!
2.United Bible Society & GNPI in Kenya have partnered together to produce print & video materials in several African languages.
3.Asin at Ilaw a weekly broadcast program in the Philippines, has been on the air for 15 years! (726 episodes)
4.Voice of the Martyrs and GNPI have worked together to produce life-changing videos for those persecuted in SE Asia & China.
5.Regional Director Dr. Sergei Golovin in the Ukraine has experienced constant growth of their network that stretches 4000 miles.It is a network of self-supporting local national ministries, developed by the Christian Center for Science & Apologetics (CCSA) across the former Soviet Union countries that reach out to atheists.
6.The GNPI regional office in Thailand is partnering with missionaries & several indigenous organizations & has produced dramas & training materials for those ministering to Buddhists.
7.25 churches were started in Sudan in the past 3 years where 2 Kenyan evangelists use GNPI solar media cases to share Christian lessons.
8.A new GNPI Web site was introduced in July 2009.This Web site is for you so please go to www.gnpi.org and take a look like 6000 others have done in the past 6 months!
80 staff in 10 offices in 2009 produced audio, print, & video materials that were heard, read, & seen by millions every month!If someone asks you for the purpose of GNPI here it is:
Accelerating Global Evangelism Through Media
Thanks for accelerating together
Nick & Rachel Parsons – Mustard Seed Global Fellowship
2009 was an exciting year for our ministry as we saw the launch of our first church plant in Nagoya, Japan.Now each week people are able to come & hear about the good news of Jesus Christ & grow in their understanding of what it means to follow him.It has been a thrilling journey so far & we look forward to seeing what God is going to do in & through Mustard Seed Christian Church in Nagoya this coming year!
I want to alert you of a couple important items:
1.MSGF now has a new home office and a new address.With the growth of our ministry & the scope of our vision, we decided to establish a more centralized place to accomplish the stateside work of MSFG.We are excited about what this move will mean, not just for building a stable administrative foundation for the ministry, but also for the future recruitment & mobilizing of new urban church planting teams.All new donations, mail, etc. should be sent to our new address:P.O. Box 1375, Joplin, MO 64802.
2.Our team in Japan has been hit hard by the global economic downturn.Since arriving in Japan 2 years ago, the Yen/Dollar exchange rate has steadily decreased.Because of the exchange rate alone, the team in Japan now operates at around 75% of their original budget.This does not include support that has been lost due to the economic downturn’s effect on donors. The team has been able to survive until now, but because of the increased costs associated with the church plant, they are in dire need of increased support.I know you have faithfully given in 2009 and am asking that you would continue to give & possibly consider increasing your support level of 2010.We are confident that God will again move in the hearts of his people & that he will continue to provide for the team & church in Nagoya.
3. We are bringing back printed newsletters.In 2009, we stopped sending our quarterly print newsletter as a way to cut costs.We found out though that many people missed the tangible updates, articles & pictures that they could read & pass on to friends.So we are bringing the newsletter back & you can expect to receive the next one, full of pictures & news, this spring.
4.We have updated ways to connect with MSGF.If you would ever like to check on your year-to-date donations, print a receipt, or update your contact information, you can now do all of those things online at www.mustard-seed-global-fellowship.donortools.com.You can also get up to the minute prayer updates & news by following @mustardseedgf on Twitter.We are always thinking ways to better serve & connect with our partners.We hope these services help you stay up to date & dialed in to what God is doing through MSGF.
Nick Parsons, Director of Mustard Seed Global Fellowship
Joshua and Jessica – Team Expansion – East Asia
Thank You!Another year is over, a new one has begun, and the first thing we want to say is thank you.We rely on you to be where we are & you have been faithful in your prayer & financial support over this last year.We truly appreciate each one of you & are thankful for your partnership.
The Latest on Our Teammates – Here’s a note from the Anderson’s December update:
“As you know, we’ve been here in the States now for about a month seeking help for the insomnia we’ve experienced over the last year.We’ve consulted with a sleep specialist, a number of doctors & counselors, & many others who have years of experience in caring for overseas workers.The conclusion we’re coming to is that our insomnia & “brain fog” is a result of large amounts of stress & anxiety over the past 2 years.Our plan is to receive some more intense counseling in order to search out the roots of stress & anxiety as well as learn how to eliminate some & better deal with others.As a result, we will likely need to stay in the States through the month of January.Thank you for your continued prayers, encouragement & support as we work through these issues.Our prayer is that we will be able to return to East Asia ready & better equipped to do the work the Father has called us to.”They traveled to California on Jan. 11th to begin a 30-day counseling program.Continue to keep them in your prayers as they work toward rest & renewal.
Notes & Reminders:
*We are still hoping for many more people to join the 24/7 prayer movement for the Shui people (Don’t know about this?Contact us for more info).Visit the sign-up page at:http://www2.mysignup.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi?datafile=prayfortheseshui(an email address is necessary to sign-up and receive the updates).We’ve also had people express interest in joining, but who would like to pray during a time outside of our listed slots.We still want you!Please contact us with your desired time slot & we’ll make a note of your commitment & put you on the update list.
*We’ve done our annual budget update.If you’d like to see it, please contact us & we’ll send you a copy.
Prayer Praises
We have been supported faithfully in prayer & finance throughout another year.
The Andersons were able to get into a well recommended counseling program & can now hopefully move toward resolution.
Please Pray for…
The Andersons as they participate in a 30-day counseling program to confront the cause of their struggle with insomnia over the last year.
The many people who will begin traveling home from school, jobs in other areas, etc. for the upcoming lunar New Year festival.It is the most important holiday of the year & a significant time of family gatherings.
Our plans to do some part-time studying this upcoming semester.Pray for a good teacher & a good arrangement with the university.
Rodney & Linda Peterson – Team Expansion – Louisville, Kentucky
What’s up for 2010? – Each department of Team Expansion spends time together in December setting goals that support the organization’s core values, passions, and the vision that the leadership has prayed over & which states where we are going.
The main vision & goal – By 2015, through God’s power, we will have launched 80 indigenous church-planting movements among unreached people groups.
With that main vision & goal set, each of us then spends time formulating our individual goals that will help us work together to reach that vision.
Each month all staff meets together with the director of their department to give accountability report on their progress while also sharing joys, challenges & praying together.This accountability helps build an effective International Services team.
Team Expansion desires your prayer about how you as an individual or church can share in that vision.
5 More Leaving – Five missionaries, who we have been involved in helping equip to serve overseas, will be off to minister for the Lord within the next couple of weeks.All are headed to countries to love on Muslims.Thank you for your prayers & part in preparing & sending them.Before each new missionary departs, we have a time of prayer with them to send them off.
Praises:
*For some great family time during the holidays
*For our kids & their families who love the Lord
*For the 5 missionaries headed to the field within the month
*For Jerry & Sally Smith & kids, who have been Ely’s “family” since she arrived in Joplin, MO from
Mexico to learn English & study at Ozark Christian College
*For the beauty & stillness God creates after a fresh fallen snow
Prayer Requests:
*For the victims of the earthquake in Haiti
*For the funds to make 2 overseas trips in 2010
*For our 5 year old grandson, Jaden, who has juvenile diabetes & they are having trouble getting his
levels down lately
*For the international students studying in the U.S. – that we would make efforts to cultivate
relationships & share Christ with them
*For the 12 new recruits who we are training this month
* For Linda who has had trouble getting rid of a cold since New Year’s Eve
*For 25 new prayer partners in 2010.
If you are willing to be one of our prayer partners, please drop us a note at:
6710 Santom Ln
Louisville, KY 40291
or lpeterson@teamexpansion.org or rodneypeterson3@gmail.com
Michelle & Jesus Zuniga – Con Mis Manos – Matamoros, Mexico
A Year in Review
EDUCATION – 2009 has brought several new educational opportunities as well as many advances in existing classes.One new activity has been participation in a free community art class in downtown Matamoros.The teacher is a professional painter & sculptor who agreed to hold special weekly classes just for our students.A second new opportunity in 2009 has been the creation of swimming classes.We have an agreement with a local indoor pool that gives us private use of their facility once a week.With many rivers, canals, & the Gulf all near Matamoros there are numerous drownings every year.Our goal is to provide basic safety lessons & basic swimming technique lessons for all our students.
As far as existing classes, 2009 has been a year of progress.Here is a brief look at 2 of these classes:Math class has advanced from number recognition in previous years to mastery of subtraction & multiplication for most of our students & introduction to division for a few more advanced students.Language/writing class has had the most significant breakthrough.The majority of the students are now able to write from memory dozens of common words.This is an important step in the process of reading & provides easier communication with family members.
VOCATIONAL TRAINING – The goal of the Con Mis Manos vocational program is to provide exposure to a wide-range of employable skills in order to equip students for gainful employment.This will discourage the continuation of street begging, prostitution, & drug dealing as local employment options for the Deaf.The year of 2009 kicked of with the addition of more than a dozen baby chickens now grown into full-size egg-laying vocational training projects.The expanded garden area has produced a variety of fruits & vegetables this year including: lettuce, tomatoes, peas, broccoli, cantaloupe, sunflowers, corn, red beets, cilantro, squash, & peppers.Computer training was given a much-needed boost with the addition of 4 new computers provided by a US church fundraising project. Classes have included correct typing skills, formatting documents, graphic design, creating a newspaper & more.Carpentry class provides the boys with an opportunity to make useful items for their homes such as tables & storage boxes.Students are also learning to put their carpentry skills to work making common household repairs.Sewing classes in 2009 have included learning to make patchwork quilts, embroider designs for clothing, & make formalwear in addition to regular clothing projects.
SPIRITUAL GROWTH – Part of the basic curriculum of Con Mis Manos is weekly Bible classes. Originally these classes focused on general Bible knowledge & common Bible stories.In 2009, students began to understand more personal application of Biblical principles.Classes have moved from recounting stories into more discipleship themes.These classes included topics such as the Fruit of the Spirit, Amour of God, Prayer, Salvation & more.Members of the Con Mis Manos team are also members of the Villa Christian Church also located in Matamoros.The pastor Gerardo Dominguez, & his wife are very welcoming to CMM students & their families.
SUPPORT & ACTIVITIES – The Con Mis Manos clothing pantry regularly serves over 200+ individuals by providing clothing, shoes & household items.The clothing pantry serves the students/families of CMM, volunteer staff, & local church members.In 2009, in addition to recipients listed above, clothing was also given to a homeless shelter, the elderly & single mothers.
Counseling services & legal advice have been provided in partnership with Pastor Gerardo.Already a degreed counselor, he has finished his studies in law & now available for free consultations for CMM families in need of legal representation.Such service has been used to assist several families this year.Counseling has been offered on regular basis for several families with varying problems of abuse in the home.
Special activities sponsored by Con Mis Manos include summer camp, students involved in community service, hospital visitations, cultural festival, field trips & more.These events allow CMM students to interact community.This interaction allows students to build confidence for daily living, as well as educates the public concerning the existence, needs & strengths of the Deaf community in Matamoros.
LOOKING AHEAD: 2010 AND BEYOND – We are excited to introduce new vocational opportunities to the students of Con Mis Manos in the coming year.Two such activities are enrollment in beauty school for the girls & introductory nursing classes for all.
EXPANSION/RELOCATION -Con Mis Manos is currently located in a 4 bedroom children’s home that was converted into classroom spaces.The building has numerous structural problems that have limited its future use.The roof, walls & foundation are all literally crumbling around us & we have been given less than 3 years before the building risks collapse.The current land at Con Mis Manos will not allow for any expansion of building even if rebuilding at site was possible.
Currently we are in process of locating suitable land to purchase then progress toward building the new facility.This is an enormous step of growth for the ministry & will require significant additional financial support.The vision for the expanded Con Mis Manos will transform the current ministry into a residential school for students with job training facilities, assisted living facilities for Deaf adult students & more.Throughout 2010 we will be presenting progress reports concerning the expansion & relocation of Con Mis Manos.Please prayerfully consider how you may take part in this amazing project.
Jay & Caitlin Greer – Mustard Seed Global Fellowship – Japan
We want to start by sharing the good news.A woman named Kyoko who has been attending church faithfully for 4 weeks was baptized Sunday, Jan. 31st.This is the first baptism for Mustard Seed Christian Church.Kyoko & Caitlin had become friends & Caitlin was asked to do the baptism.It was a great day of rejoicing & celebrating.We thank all of you for the prayers you have prayed that have led to this first conversion in the mission that began over 2 and one half years ago.Pray for Kyoko’s new Christian life & for many more new Japanese brothers & sisters.
Now we want to share a little about the services at the church where this exciting new Christian birth just took place.
THEPREACHING:
The preaching is done primarily by Mike, with Jay & Andy rotating in on every 3rd Sunday.Jay preached last week.His sermon was from the life of Jesus.All of the messages are evangelistic in nature, & the goal is to give everyone who attends a better framework for Jesus’ life & teachings.Most Japanese people know little to nothing about the Gospel, so each sermon is packed full of the truths in which we believers rejoice!
THE MUSIC:
I (Caitlin) have been leading the worship & it has been a challenging but rewarding experience.It’s a huge responsibility to lead worship in a language that’s not my own, knowing that our service might be the place where someone encounters Jesus for the first time.Reo, our drummer continues to be committed to playing & he has even been writing a song for the church.His family attends each week & we pray that they will all become committed believers!
THE FELLOWSHIP:
After the service, we have a fellowship time & it has been a huge success!Each week, everyone sticks around to chat, eat doughnuts (or rice crackers), drink coffee & green tea, & enjoy one another!Sometimes the “hang out” time ends up lasting longer than the actual service!It’s been a great opportunity to get to know one another better & to have meaningful conversations with our new friends.
THE FUTURE:
From here on out, we will continue to hold services each Sunday.Throughout the week, we will be preparing for the service, continuing in Japanese study, & inviting people like crazy! Jay designed some great little invitation cards that we are all passing out to people we meet.We continue to have new people come each week, and we hope that our service will keep on growing!In Feb. we will be having a series called “Hope”.Please please pray that many people will hear & believe in the hope that they have through Jesus.