Dear Friends and Family,
We are overjoyed to share what God is doing here in the Land of the Rising Sun- Son! We have only been here for 3 months, but it is amazing to see God move in so many ways! We appreciate all that the NAB Missionaries did to help us transition and get settled. We have included lots of photos to give you a snapshot of all that has happened!
Komyo Church: We have so enjoyed getting to know the sweet members at Komyo Church! We love volunteering at the nursing home, packing “Operation Christmas Child” shoeboxes, teaching Children’s Church, and sharing God’s Word at the weekly church services. It has been encouraging to see several members step up and start serving in the Children’s Ministry and also assisting in worship. They have been very welcoming and hospitable to our family!
English Lessons & Bible Study: Ken teaches English Class a couple days a week and leads a Bible Study at the church. He is really enjoying every second of it! The students have been so kind, and have truly become our dear friends. They have taken us to dinner, and been our tour guides around the city taking us to historic sites. Ken has had many opportunities and deep discussions during these classes. The students are full of questions and eager to learn! God is so good!
Our Neighborhood: We are absolutely loving our neighborhood! We live by the mountains, right next to the kid’s school. Our area is famous for growing chrysanthemums and we are surrounded by rice paddies. It’s fascinating to see the elderly farming and working in such unity to harvest! Our neighbors have been so welcoming and have showered us with fresh picked vegetables and flowers, and snacks for our kids! Lily and Rachelle go prayer walking around the town and pop into coffee shops and local businesses building relationships with the locals. The elderly absolutely adore Lily! We live a block away from an activity center that has a bathhouse. They bus in the seniors to enjoy a relaxing, fun day. We asked if we could volunteer, and they welcomed the idea saying we could come anytime! We have another neighbor who brought his family over and cooked us a traditional Japanese meal! We couldn’t have asked for better neighbors, we feel right at home!
Kansai Christian School: The kids are transitioning great into KCS! We are so grateful to God for the opportunity to attend there. They have made many friends and have the best teachers! They have enjoyed playing futsal, going on fieldtrips, chapel worship, and learning Japanese! They are currently the only foreigners in their classes. Fuschia’s teacher shared that she is so blessed to have her in the class this year. She said she knows we (her parents) came to be Missionaries, but that Fuschia was an answer to prayer, and she loves how Fuschia shares about Jesus to a classroom full of unbelievers. Fuschia’s best friend is a new child who was bullied very badly in a Japanese school. Her mother said in just these few weeks of attending KCS, her daughter’s joy has been restored! Thankful that God is using our children to be light & little missionaries here! Rachelle volunteered to be PTA President this year at the school. The opportunity arose so she accepted, and she is really enjoying getting to know all the Japanese parents. She has become great friends with the planning team and has been enjoying playdates and sharing the gospel. Rachelle is starting a once a month prayer at the school. Planning fundraisers, organizing events, and chatting with moms are keeping Rachelle busy, but she loves it! We are so thankful to be a part of the KCS family!
We could go on and on…there are so many praises and so much to be thankful for! Thank you for your prayers and ongoing support. We would not be here without you.
Love, the Johnson Family—Ken, Rachelle, Fuschia, Azalia, Judah, & Lily