As we make our final preparations to travel to the US, we reflect upon the past 5 years where God has given us unique opportunities to place total trust in Him as a family and as a church plant by saying: “YES” even when logically (financially) it didn’t make sense. Here are a few that standout.
- Moving to Japan creating an environment where people can see and experience God.
- Launching CASA (Community After School Academy) to reach families through caring for their children.
- Sponsoring and supporting a family of 6 from Ukraine.
Moving to Japan
When I think about our upcoming visit, I immediately go back to our vision trip to Japan in 2015. Then spending the next 2 and 1/2 years of prepping and planning. Finally leaving for Japan at the end of 2017 with our 3 year old daughter and 1 year old son in tow, 12 check-in bags and 70% funded as an independent missionary family. Man how crazy were we and how awesome is God! Oh, the stories!
The odds are in our favor when God is on our side.
And now, here we are coming to the USA, with 9 Japanese from our church plant to be a part of a two-sided mission trip. Homestay USA for our Japanese church team and Global Impact Japan where 9 families in the NKY/Cincy area will welcome our friends, love on and build into the lives of our Japanese team. A vision now coming to pass!
Launching CASA
With ZERO start-up capital, we launched CASA in April, 2021 with the hope of being able to connect with area families through caring for children in our school district each day after school. Now, less than two years into this daily ministry through God making way, we own the adjacent property that was on loan to us for CASA play area.
Children in our community are hearing about God in a way they can understand while getting help with homework, learning English and having fun! This has lead to family outings, many attending church events like our Annual Christmas Celebration and a few families now in community with us engaging in weekly fellowship at our home church.
Ukraine Family Support
For the past few months we have been preparing for the arrival of the Morozov family. When we got the call from another missionary family hosting two females from Ukraine requesting our support of the Morozov family and after prayer and consideration with the fact we were also preparing for our family and 9 Japanese heading to the States our only answer was: Yes! And yet again with NO financial means to support. God makes way! We knew he would, we have seen it time and time again. And what this experience has done to our local church community watching individuals step out of their comfort zone in a culture where “stepping out” is not the norm has been amazing.
Check out this video (click CC for English subtitles) put together by one of our awesome awesome volunteers (Kana, who will also be traveling to the States with us)!
What an honor it has been to be used by God to receive the Morozov family and witness our church community love and serve the Morozov family. It has been both weighty and joyous all at the same time leaving us utterly exhausted at the end of each day and I would not trade this moment in time for anything. There are so many (Japanese) cultural barriers that have been torn down with this opportunity God has given our home church. Our entire church community has stepped in to support not only the Morozov’s but also our family with meals and watching Chloe and Ethan as we drive to various appointments, translate documents and interpret immigration interviews and meet with various city officials discussing how we can include supporting other Ukrainian refugees that have arrived in Kagoshima.
We are thankful for the support that the Japan Foundation will provide the family and other Ukrainians that have resettled here. Unfortunately, it won’t kick in and most likely won’t until mid to late September or early October based on others we have talked to still waiting. So the Morozov family is totally dependent on donations for all their living expenses until support kicks in with the combination of Alex looking for employment. Oh and there is always the Japanese language to learn.
Thank you for saying “Yes”
All this is by the grace and design of our Heavenly Father. Not only did we say Yes, but you said Yes. Yes to encouragement, yes to prayer, yes to give!
And to the core group of you that said: “YES” in partnering with us financially investing in what God is doing in and through us and our community, we would not have been able to run after our friends as hard as we have over the last 4+ years if it wasn’t for your commitment. Even through Covid (oh btw way we all caught covid at the end of May), the current inflation, and many of you battling personal challenges; you have been with us every step of the way! We are forever grateful!
We pray over each and every one of you that God pours blessings on your head!
We look forward to seeing many of you in a few weeks!