We have so much to celebrate as we approach our 5 year mark as missionaries in Japan! We are near the end of 2022, where we not only celebrate our Savior showing up as God’s rescue plan for humanity 2,000 years ago but we also reflect on all the ways we have seen him show up in our lives each and everyday. We would like to highlight some BIG WAYS we experienced His presence in 2022. But first, check out this video from March 2017, sharing the beginnings of the journey GOD placed before us:
It’s amazing to see five years ago this was all a vision and now here we are with a church community of roughly 25 people engaged in learning about God, themselves, intentionally serving others and choosing Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Praise God!
Rallying around the Morozov Family
In June, God positioned our community to receive a family of 6 from Ukraine, the Morozovs. Through this humanitarian support, we were able to build community encouraging many in our city and prefecture to volunteer their time and financially invest in the Morozovs and a few other Ukrainian families we met in the process. God used our hearts, hands and feet in restoring hope and peace for families not only seeking safety but where they could rebuild their lives and allow God to use them and their story to glorify our Heavenly Father.
USA Visit
In August, we set off for America. Our first trip in almost 5 years! What a special time it was for our family to reunite with many of you, our family, and friends. AND we brought 9 of our friends from our church plant in Japan. Friends we did not even know 5 years ago took a big leap of faith to travel to a foreign land and stay with people they had never met. This life-on-life experience left a mark on every heart where the discovery and exploration of life and faith took on a whole new meaning for our friends.
So many photos and videos capture so many moments. But we will spare you with just a few.
Host Family Meet Up 
Grace Fellowship 
Master Provisions Serve Day 
CR Florence Kids Club 
Reds Game 
Small Group – Lville 
Pastor Satoh Fellowship 
Satoh Family Fellowship 
Celebration 
Brother Time 
Grace Fellowship Women’s Group 
Chic-Fil-A (in Japan?!?) 
CR Anywhere Crew 
Our Backbone – Hutzels and Yoakums 
R & R at The Dunsters 
CR Go Leaders Martinez’s Home Dinner 
Sayonora BBQ/Pool Party 
Heading Home to Japan 
Family 
AQ Hotel Mainstay 
Brother Time 
Wassler Clan Home Dinner 
Heading Home to Japan
Christmas Celebration
On December 17th, we hosted over 60 people in our home to celebrate Christmas. Many, for the very first time hearing about Jesus, the reason there is a Christmas to celebrate!
Our Partners and Supporters
Everyday of this year, we saw God show up through you! Through many praying over our family and mission, encouraging letters, emails and messages, you have held us upright enabling us to move especially when we were wiped out mentally, emotionally and physically. Online fellowship through small groups and face-to-face time we got with many of you in America continually refreshes our family in ways we never would have thought or ever experienced before.
The sacrificial giving many of you committed to in the midst of trying times with the ongoing pandemic and economic challenges of our current times not only sustained us but propelled forward taking new ground extending our tent pegs fueling life change happening in Japan!
We thank each and everyone of you for having our backs and running along side of us, co-laboring with us in reaching the second largest unreached people group in the world – Japan!
Looking Ahead to 2023
We are already coordinating some initiatives, projects and a few major events happening in 2023.
In the month of January, we have 3 different groups, a total of 10 visitors coming to Kagoshima to observe, be a part of and/or looking to join us on mission. We are excited to see what God will do through these relationships to multiply our efforts in Kingdom Building in Japan. We will share more details as they unfold in the coming weeks.
In the month of June, we have been invited to take a deeper dive in discipleship training and get to be a part of some home churches (much like ours) through Catalyst Change in Edinburg, Scotland with the hope of utilizing discipleship resources (resources in Japan are limited) to grow leaders and multiply outposts for the Church in Japan.
In late July/early August we will hold our summer camp hosting more kids in our community than we ever have because we have a potential ministry partner that will send short-term mission volunteers to serve with us. More to come on this!
In the course of this year we will also be looking at laying a physical foundation for a future structure to be built on our CASA (community children’s outreach) property as well as starting some DIY renovation projects to our home for better functionality of everyday life and making more space for people to join us in community.
End of Year Giving Option
We continue to grow because God continues to provide the resources and the relationships needed to love, serve and reach His people. We humbly ask you to join us in 2023 through a tax-deductible year end gift jumpstarting our efforts and fueling the life-change for our friends, the people of Japan OR a recurring monthly partnership donation. It is because of your generosity, we get to pour 100% of our energy, time and resources running after a people group where most have never heard God’s Story or have yet to experience the love of Jesus Christ.
Join us in making it happen by giving today. We THANK YOU!