Reflecting on 2024
We want to start by saying if it were not for our prayer warriors and our financial partners, we would not have been able to connect with so many people, build as many relationships and impact the lives of so many around us. Our friends here in Kagoshima and other parts of Japan get to know who Jesus is, experience His love and come into relationship with their Heavenly Father because of you!
WE THANK YOU!!
Mission and Ministry
What a year we have experienced in 2024. In addition to our regular ministry functions in and around our community we had the opportunity to literally and figuratively run after other areas we have been called to:
RUNJPN to bring awareness, solicit volunteers and raise support for our Not Alone initiative to reverse the trend of isolation in Japan.
Global Impact Japan (July) where families from our home church back in the U.S. host a member in our community in their home doing life together for two weeks during the summer. It’s a mission trip in reverse for our church family in the U.S. where we bring our Japanese friends to them. We had a 5th grader and two 3rd graders who were loved-on in a way they have never experienced. Our host families are still sewing into these children and their families through zoom and Facetime. What a blessing this Reachout Ministry has been to our friends in Japan and our host families in the U.S.
One Church Japan (April – ) our initiative to form a working relationship with existing churches to unify the Body of Christ. Since our return from the U.S. last summer we have connected with various Kagoshima churches and pastors in hopes to create working relationships to multiply our efforts as One Church.
Onboarding new missionary partners – Jordan and Krista along with their Alaskan Husky, Taku arrived in August where they serve our community kids in CASA and our Kids Club during our Saturday Church gatherings! What a blessing it is to have co-laborers in Christ sharing the workload giving us the time, space and energy to build into Chloe and Ethan, invest in other areas of ministry expansion and tend to organizational functions.
Launching our “Younglife” group (November) to continue relationships we have built with kids through CASA and English that our now Jr High School Students – one of the most challenging age demographics to reach in Japan due to educational demands that gives them very little free time. Our hope for them is knowing Jesus and expanding our reach as they move on to high school and college.
Family and Personal Updates
One area we feel really good about is raising up our children in the Lord and encouraging them to love their friends in the way that Jesus does. We started a rhythm of bible verse memorization. It has turned into a fun competition between the two.
We have enjoyed many adventures as a family this year including loosing our power for a few days after a typhoon blew through (pic below). We put some of our camping gear to use to cook and see at night.
Ethan started Soccer in the spring of 2024. As a beginner, he does not play a designated position but he enjoys playing goal keeper. It has been a challenge adding to our schedule the required “volunteer” duties parents are required to do for practices 3 days a week and games/tournaments on weekends and holidays. Sports programs in Japan are a lot more labor intensive for parents compared to the U.S.
In school, Ethan is known for his compassion for his classmates. There is one mother in particular that makes a point to express her gratitude for Ethan looking after her son who often has trouble sitting still or paying attention.
Ethan has been diagnosed with persistent bigeminy and undergoes a check-up every six months by wearing a heart monitor for 24 hours. The only time the monitor shows a normal rhythm is when he is running/or playing sports. Beta-blockers has been a discussion as part of his treatment but we have not gone down that road yet. His next follow up will be in a couple months.
Chloe started playing saxophone in the school band just before summer break. She has practice 3 days a week where she stays after school and walks home after practice. Thankfully not as labor intensive for parents. She had her first public performance on December 27th. Meg, with her music performance skills and education gladly volunteers every Wednesday to help out with the school band.
Chloe also took on a leadership role of doing announcements at school as well as being one of 4 announcers for their sports day event.
Champ, our whippet, has his schedule that goes on our calendar as well. Taking him to the dog run 3 to 4 times a week wears him out enough to be in the prone position while juggling family, missional relationships and ministry activities.
Meg and I are well but we need to schedule time for ourselves both together and time to have some alone time to think, process, organize, journal, pray – all of it. We often are tired to the point of exhaustion. We know we are not alone in feeling this way. There are plenty of you reading this that are probably in the same boat as us. We just want to be honest in recognizing it and calling it out with those of you that our close to us and that partner with us in prayer. I have struggled with getting easily frustrated over little things or tired to the point I don’t want to do anything OR I totally freeze up not able to move forward like a marathoner “hitting the wall”. And one of those areas that I drag my feet is keeping up with mission updates! Forgive me for the delay.
Looking ahead to 2025
Just like in 2024, God has given us vision on where to expand our tent pegs. In addition to our mission in Japan, we have led a small group on zoom for the past few years through our home church online community, Crossroads Anywhere. This online platform is reaching ten’s of thousands of people throughout the U.S. and many around the world.
I share this because this is one area God is calling us to leverage our time in reaching other English speakers throughout Japan and Asia who have given up on church but has not given up on God. A mission team from Singapore came to serve churches in Kagoshima and we were discussing the downward trend of believers attending churches in many parts of the world. I believe there are plenty of “workers” in Asia who have “fallen asleep” God can use as I am reminded in Luke 22 When Jesus found his disciples sleeping “Why do you sleep? Get up and pray, so that you will not fall into temptation.”
Another big expansion is renovation or a new build as our CASA is at max capacity, English students will increase in April and Younglife is growing! Meg is also considering teaching piano. Our Christmas Celebration brought 60 to our home this year and we limited who we invited. If we invited all the people we know in various circles, we are sure to be over 100. Having a larger multifunctional space is our biggest need to accommodate multiple ministries, our annual events and also can be used for hosting various visitors and missionaries that come throughout the year.
There are many other smaller projects and outreach endeavors we are pursuing to enhance experiences and relationships cultivating an environment for our community of all ages to come, see and know a God who loves them and desires a relationship with them.
We are excited to see what God does in, through and around us reaching those who have never heard, seen or experienced the love our our Lord, Jesus Christ!
Your Prayer Support and Financial Partnership is what enables us to GO where God calls us and DO what he desires from us.
Prayer Requests and Specific Needs for 2025
For God to heal Ethan’s heart of his persistent bigeminy, we would love to see a miracle by walking into his next follow up and the doctor not finding anything.
For God to continue to show us what more space looks like, that he would open doors, provide provision, guide us in narrowing down our options and strengthen our faith to be bold to committing to such and undertaking.
For God to call forth the men in our circles the desire to be in relationship, to know him, to love their wives and lead their families with a Godly purpose.
For direction on future education for Chloe and Ethan once the primary education is complete. Chloe has a little over a year until 6th grade is completed. Ethan has 3 years.