SUMMER
This summer was lots of fun at Okutama Bible Chalet. Many groups come to OBC; they enjoy the summer camp program which says to me that camp was a success.
The highlight for the summer was the fact that my mom and dad took vacation time to come out and visit me in Japan. They were able to see the ministry of OBC and I had the opportunity to be a tourist with them as well. While being tourists in the Mt. Fuji area we visited Jenn and Steve Frentz at the Torchbearer Yamanakako campus where they work; mom and dad hosted Jenn and Steve when they travelled through the Abbotsford area while I was getting ready to go to Japan with SEND Int. The highlight during my mom and dad’s visit was hiking Mt. Fuji. It was cloudy at the base but once we hiked for about 3 hours we were above the clouds and it was a beautiful day. Unfortunately neither mom nor dad made it to the top but we still enjoyed each other’s company on the way up until they had to turn around. Mom hiked up for 2.5 hours until she was too wet from the light drizzle of rain and dad hiked to the 8th station which is an hour from the top; he had to turn around because of altitude sickness. Dad and I have already talked about attempting it again during their next visit.
TORCHBEARERS
Last month my ministry changed and I have joined the staff at Torchbearers Yamanakako near Mount Fuji. I’ve only been here for two weeks and a staff member just got news from home that his family needs him to return to Canada. Torchbearers is already under staffed; if I had not been reassigned to serve here, Torchbearers would be really struggling to maintain the quality of service that they want to give to their guests. I see how God has moved me to where I am most needed rather than necessarily where I felt at home.
One opportunity I have had is to serve a local Christian who has been having some health issues on the farming plot near his home. Mr. Shimizu is a great guy and is a great witness to his neighbours. Because Braydon and I are foreigners working with him, we get a lot of attention from his neighbours which gives him the freedom to share where we are from and why we are helping him. He is also very generous with the produce of his land with his neighbours.
Before my reassignment within SEND to Torchbearers Yamanakako I took some time to reflect about my call to serve in Japan and I was reminded of the fact that God continually asks me to hold “Japan” with open hands. I have to be available to where and when God wants to move me here in Japan or back in Canada. I may be here in Japan for a short season or years but the primary focus and the reason for me to serve is to reach the lost; and that can be done anywhere He asks me to go.
Please pray as I have moved and I am adjusting to my new living arrangements at Torchbearers Yamanakako.
Please pray for the OBC staff as they adjust to one less staff member to cover all of the daily tasks.
Please pray for Torchbearers Yamanakako staff as we go through our own staffing transitions.
