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Dear Family and Friends,
Hello from Japan where spring is in full bloom! It is a beautiful season made even more lovely by celebrating the resurrection of our Savior. We were blessed at Komyo Christian Church as we celebrated the resurrection together and enjoyed our traditional sushi dinner. What hope we have! “He is not here; He has risen just as He said.”
Community Life
February nursing home volunteers.
As a church family, we continue to volunteer at the nursing home behind the church. Every other month we have an origami class for the residents where we fold origami, chat, and laugh together. Several of the ladies also volunteer at the home’s coffee hour a couple of times a month. We are getting to know the residents, staff, and some of the residents’ family members.
Church Life
God continues to speak to us through times of study in His word. The Christians who are part of the Bible studies are doing an amazing job of sharing truths from the word and stories from their own lives to help the not-yet-Christians understand God more fully. I love the experience of asking a question and seeing the Holy Spirit lead and bring out the truths of the Word.
In March, we welcomed Cassandra Peake and her students
Shoppi Wada shares her testimony.
to our Live Gospel Café where they shared God’s love through song. It was exciting to see family members of the students as well as people from the neighborhood fill the church for a time of praise and fellowship. We also enjoyed having our friend, Shoppi Wada, share her story of being redeemed at our Ladies’ Lunch. Several current and former AGC members attended and heard the story of God’s love.
Gospel Choir
Speaking of AGC, I continue to enjoy fellowship and praise time with these ladies. Our favorite coffee shop closed at the end of March, so our after-choir fellowship has had to move to a new location, but it continues to be an encouraging time! In March we gathered with several hundred people who also sing in Yamamoto Sensei’s choirs for a day of praise. I was honored to share a short Bible message about God’s love. God continues to use this genre of gospel music to draw people to Himself here in Japan.
Spring Youth Camp
I ended March at our spring camp with the youth of the JBC (Japan Baptist
Youth preparing to lead worship at camp.
Conference, NAB’s sister conference here in Japan). Our theme was “New Stage,” and we studied Joshua as he took over leadership from Moses. We were reminded that we have the same strength and power available to us through the Holy Spirit. We also read “You are Special” by Max Lucado (it has been translated into Japanese!). God made each of us special and desires for us to know Him personally. We pray that the students will remember these truths as they go to school, interact with friends and family, and even as they think about who they are.
Returned
We were excited to welcome Yuri Nakano back to Japan at the beginning of April! Now our whole team is in Japan! Although we are a small team these days, we can see God working in and through us. As exciting as it is to have all four of us here at once, we would love to have more people join us on this journey in Japan! Please pray with us about this.
Thank you, once again, for being part of the ministry in Japan through your prayers and support. May you be blessed as you read how God is answering your prayers.
Soli Deo Gloria,
Shan in Japan