CPJ Mission Update 10.2020

Coming Up on 3 Years!

We are fast approaching 3 years on the mission field and God has provided increase connecting and growing meaningful relationships with many in our community. Our family is truly blessed and grateful.

We also long for some rest and desire to go on furlough (a fancy old word for a return to home country for rest, reconnect with family, training, update supporters and support raising). Chloe and Ethan often say: “I want to go to America” or “I miss my friends”. We are so thankful for technology where we can put faces together through videochats. Through our home church, Crossroads, we have had the pleasure of leading a small group through zoom. This has really help alleviate some of the disconnect we have felt at times and mutually grow with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

We do miss family, friends and our church community. We miss America – the freedom, the vastness, array of choices, traditions and the holiday seasons. We know with all that is happening in the U.S. now it might look and feel different but to get a glimpse, a smell or a taste of it would be a joy to us. Under current conditions and with plans for next year’s mission activities already underway, we are looking at Summer 2022 before we will be able to take advantage of a long break.

Isolation and separation is impacting us all right now, so our prayers for you is: a time of rest, rejuvenation and where needed – reconciliation with your family and your community this Thanksgiving and Christmas.

We rest and find peace in knowing that our God is a Good Father and a Powerful King.

Meet Kanami

I met Kanami a little over a year ago while sitting in a dental chair with her hands in my mouth. From that initial first impression (pun intended) she has become a part of our family. A year ago she started with English lessons to participating in an Alpha Course we hosted to attending church (when her work schedule allows). In July, she accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior and she attends our weekly Bible Study.

As part of her language training she journals in English and her writings of her relationship with Jesus and how she experiences Him is so beautiful. She lives at home with her parents. Please pray for Kanami as she grows in faith and builds confidence in sharing her faith with her family and others.

Running Hard:

preparing our yard for community gatherings and ministry activities

We have been spending a lot of time in the yard converting part of our plot of weeds into a garden and a space for gathering outdoors. We are making progress and learning a lot along the way. Our garden not only benefits us but also allows us to use fresh vegetables for our feeding our friends ministry. And we want to utilize space to gather with our church family and friends in our community.

• 

• 

• 

• 

Last weekend we hosted a Halloween Party for our friends and neighbors. We engaged our church family in volunteering to hand out treats as well as introduced “trunk or treat” to the parents that drove here. Trick or treating, halloween party games and s’mores were a first experience for all.

• 

• 

• 

• 

We have much more to do but we are so glad that we can start putting the yard to use.

connecting and building relationships

Over the last 2 and half years we have served over 1,200 meals and created an avenue for relationships to form through Feeding our Friends.

• 

• 

At the request of a few in our church family we started a weekly bible study in September. We are currently reading through the book of John. It is great to witness the growth and development of relationships with one another and hope in Jesus Christ.

training for what’s ahead

Physically running has also been a huge part of the mix. In August I logged 500 miles, the most I have ever run in one month. I will be competing in my first Backyard Ultra Race on November 21st. What is a backyard ultra you ask… it is a 6.7K (4.1 mile) loop that has to be completed within an hour and it is repeated every hour until the last runner standing that can complete a final loop. So this run will go on for hours and for some, longer than a day. All this running is in preparation for a much longer run planned for the summer of 2021 launching our initiative to reverse the trend of isolation and suicide.

prepping for 2021

As we head into fall, we are looking forward to a season of planting and preparation for 2021 and beyond! Here are two ministries we are preparing for:

Community After School Academy (CASA) – Local

After school childcare is a need in our community as our school district continues to grow. We have two people in our church family that have a heart for children and one with teaching experience. Starting in April, 2021 we will look after and love on 20 children Monday – Friday. This will allow us to connect and engage with 20 families in our community and provide our first staff position in our church as well as support other ministry activities.

Not Alone (Hitoridewanai) – Nationwide

Many of you have heard us share about isolation in Japan. Isolation is a well-hidden social epidemic in Japan destroying many lives resulting in the loss of life for many of all ages. We have been called to run after the people of Japan battling loneliness and separation by launching an initiative 一人ではない (Hitori de wa nai) or Not Alone. This is a HUGE undertaking and we know we are not designed to do this alone as we look to take this initiative nation wide. Unmasking this well hidden secret will reverse the trend of isolation through boosting awareness, collaborating with like minded organizations, engaging the Japanese church in community outreach and encouraging more people in volunteering with a faith-based organization changing the lives of the people around them. We truly see this as a way to start a revival in Japan!