October Newsletter

To Our Friends and Family,

With the temperature becoming cooler in Japan and the leaves beginning to change colors, October is welcomed by most Japanese as a relief from warmer weather as well as also a normalization of work and school schedules. For us, while September marked the beginning of an active school year for Riverside International School (RIS), October witnessed the recommencement of the university semester. As a result, we plunged back into the full rush of Chi Alpha campus ministry. At Tokyo University (Todai), Jeremy was given the opportunity to lead the bible study for the first time. As this weekly gathering demands a more investigative style of studying the Word, Jeremy found this experience to be rewarding as he presented before a more intellectual and inquisitive audience of students. At Waseda University, Kathy continues to remain faithful to offer her assistance as this group still struggles with non-committed students who do not place this fellowship as a priority. Although Waseda’s bible study is growing at a very slow pace, we maintain a positive, prayer outlook that God will move on that campus in His timing.

Although we have both maintained relatively the same amount of responsibility within each of these two XA bible studies, at Dokkyo University, our involvement has increased significantly. Since our arrival in March, the international bible study at Dokkyo mainly offered a Spanish led study with an occasional English led meeting by one of us. As of October, however, the full task of leading this group was handed over to us. Although, this change has added much more to our weekly ministry duties, we have thoroughly enjoyed the new venture. As the key purpose of this particular bible study is evangelism, we design the messages to appeal more to non-believers. However, as most of its attendees at the moment are already Christians, we also try to pose challenging study questions to both Christians and non-Christians, which then incites much needed discussion among the students. We pray that God continues to bring more non-believers to this weekly gathering. And, we also pray that the hearts and minds of these students will continue to grow as well as be sharpened in the Word of the Lord.

As our time in Japan has already been half way through, we continue to see multiple ways in which our talents and interests have been honed. For Jeremy particularly, he continues passionately to produce promotional videos, which have been used in various aspects of our ministry. Besides the video (which hopefully you saw – if not, you can view it online on our blog that is sited below in our contact information) which highlighted our initial two months in Japan, Jeremy has finished a video for the young adult service, Youth Alive, and, more recently, a video for RIS that will be shown to hundreds of students and teachers in an upcoming Tokyo Church School Conference in November. Just after completion of the RIS project, Jeremy was asked to make a video for Japan Chi Alpha to be shown in Tokyo at a region wide Assemblies of God conference. The purpose of this video is to emphasize the need for greater support and investment amongst Japanese churches for the XA ministry in Japan. As the Lord continues to shape and use Jeremy’s new passion of editing and producing videos for purposes of promotion, it has already been a great blessing to those who utilize these productions as well as those who merely watch them.

Finally, it is with great joy and excitement to inform you all that we will be coming home for the Christmas holiday! Although this was not initially planned for our year of missions, we feel this to be a wise decision as it is coupled with another significant change to our original plans for our time in Japan. In addition to these news, we would also like to notify you that after much praying, thinking, and discussing about our missions work in this nation, we have decided it best to stay until July of 2008. Originally, of course, we had committed a year to serving in Japan, which would mean coming home in March. Yet, after taking into account the RIS school year, which ends in July, as well as our ministry schedule at both Riverside as well as Chi Alpha, we have determined that the wiser decision, at this point, would be for us to continue on until July This would allow us to depart from our missions work in Japan at a more complete and opportune time. Thus, we anxiously look forward to seeing many of you and sharing with you more of what the Lord has been doing and has yet to do in the nation of Japan when we return home from Dec 18th until Jan 7th.

As all aspects of our ministry here keeps our schedules packed and busy, we continue to be grateful for all your thoughts and prayers back home. Although it is only through the Lord’s strength that sustains us, it is through your support that encourages as well as motivates us. Please continue to partner with us in prayer for:
➢ Our physical health, that the Lord will keep us healthy and free from any sickness as the weather becomes colder
➢ Our spiritual health, that we will continue to find renewed strength, joy, and patience in the Lord as we carry on with our busy daily ministry routine and responsibilities.
➢ The students and bible studies at Todai, Waseda, and Dokkyo University

With the holiday season quickly approaching, may the next coming months be a time of true thankfulness and expectant anticipation of the Lord’s hand working in all our lives.

Always,
Jeremy and Kathy