Taste of Heaven.

Forty American missionaries (representing eight families) descended upon our little city of Nayoro at the beginning of the month for a time of singing, preaching, giving, and fellowshipping.  It was a wonderful time of fellowship and spiritual refreshment after the hustle and bustle of the Christmas programs and New Years evangelism.  We do so miss the fellowship meetings and revivals that we were able to attend in the States, and are grateful to have a similar opportunity of fellowship here in Japan.

I cannot fully describe what it is like living in a foreign environment.  Every new day brings a certain amount of mental and physical stress as “new” tastes, sights, sounds, and experiences seek to overwrite what we knew as “normal”, and to replace it with a “new normal.” 

Dear Praying Friends and Family:                 
Greetings once again from Snowy Hokkaido!  The Lord is gracious and ever abundant in mercy, and we certainly depend upon these gifts each and every day.  Despite our weaknesses and failures, we are humbled that He continues to use us here in Japan.  We are privileged to be in His service, and enjoying it immensely.  This time of year is more difficult than other months emotionally, as we are accustomed to being with family during the holidays.  Yet the Lord gives grace and helps us to see the folks, that we would not otherwise be able to share the Gospel with were we in America, as He sees them: still lost and needing Christ.  So we shed our tears for those we miss, pull together as a family, reminisce about the goodness of the Lord in times past and present, and rejoice at God’s faithful blessings.  Then we get back to work learning the language and culture, raising our boys, and trying to Light up a dark place.

Leaking 
I am told that ninety-five percent of missionary work is simply surviving.  Much of what we do is rather mundane compared to the exciting missionary stories written of God’s miraculous working in extreme situations.