Dear Friends and Family,
Thank you everyone for praying for our Christmas events. We were so excited that our small church was able to make 25 Christmas boxes for Samaritan’s Purse! We had many wonderful events from decorating the church, caroling at a Nursing Home, watching “It’s a Wonderful Life”, and making Christmas cards. All the events brought us to Christams Eve when we celebrated Jesus’ birth with a Gospel concert by our church’s Sonshine Children’s Choir and Sonshine Adult Gospel Choir. We were blessed to have a full house to celebrate and share the love of Jesus. Christmas is truly the most wonderful time of the year and I am so thankful that we have this tradition to remind us every year of His great and wonderful love that He has for us. It was good to find time to pause and remember just “oh how much Jesus loves you and me!”
We continued the festivities as the whole misson gathered at the Ewing “B&B” on December 30-31 to have our annual Missionary Christmas celebra-tion and meeting. Our household doubled not only in size but in laughter and joy. It was a wonderful blessing to be able to host Carol, Amber, Becky, and her fiance Eriya as this was their last Missionary Christmas with us. Yuri, Paul, and I had bitter sweet feelings as we celebrated their future plans following God.
Our Missionary Family
We were blessed to ring in the new year with friends from our church along with Carol and Yuri, and then we were able to celebrate with the whole church on New Year’s Day as we reflected on God’s blessings and guidance from the past year. It was also exciting to welcome Shan back to Japan on January twelfth and were glad she was able escape the “Polar Vortex”!
There is so much to be thankful for as people continue to come to church and as we welcome a new member, Yoko Fukuoka. We are looking forward to another Ladies Tea (2/25) and Gospel Café (3/29) time along with begining a ministry at the Nursing Home on a more regular basis. Even though our membership is very small, it is exciting to see the members engaged and invested in the life and ministry of the church.
Here in Japan, March is the end of the school year and April is the beginning of a new year. Noah and Jonah will be finishing their time at the local Japanese Jr. High this March and are looking forward to beginning their studies at Kansai Christian School this April. It will be an 1 ½ hour commute one way for them but we have reached the time in their education when they need to be involved in a more North American style school as we prepare for college in the US. April brings not only transition for our family but for the mission as we say good-bye to Carol, Amber, and Becky. Yuri will be heading to Canada for her home assignment, which will leave Paul, Shan, and I here working at Komyo Christian Church. Please keep everyone in your thoughts and prayers as we move through this transition.
Thank you for your many prayers and support,
Paul and Melissa Ewing