[They] said to Moses, “The people bring much more than enough for doing the work that the Lord has commanded us to do.” So Moses gave command, and word was proclaimed throughout the camp, “Let no man or woman do anything more for the contribution for the sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing, for the material they had was sufficient to do all the work, and more.
(Ex. 36:5-7)
Thank you!!
An enormous thank you to all who donated! We’re not only fully funded, we are also equipped with a small emergency fund. We couldn’t be more humbled by how God has provided through your generosity. More importantly, we’re leaving with greater confidence in God’s calling and in his future plans for us in Japan. So thank you!! Or as they say in Japan, domo arigatogozaimasu (どうもありがとうございます).
You’ve Been Faithful. So Have We.
So, while you’ve been working hard to send us to Japan, what have we been doing? Quite a bit, actually!
We’ve not only spent the last couple of months planning and fundraising, but we’ve also been completing coursework and attending weekly meetings to better prepare ourselves spiritually and culturally. So far we’ve learned . . .
- that short-term mission trips are discipleship intensives — designed to radically grow the ones who serve
- that the local church is God’s Plan A
- that people are the mission, not programs
- that missions are not the ultimate goal of the Church – worship is
- that courageous dependence and servant-mindedness are vital
- and much more!
We’ve also done an overview of Japanese history, religion, and social norms to help us interact respectfully and intelligently with the people we encounter. In the months to come, we’ll be focusing on cultural knowledge and physical preparation. In short, we’re doing everything possible to be the most effective missions team we can be!
Prayer Requests & Next Steps
Being fully funded is a huge answer to prayer, and a great encouragement that the Lord is with us and intends to use us for his glory. We invite you to praise God with us for his provision and for the generosity of his people!
We also invite you to pray with us for:
- Team building as we learn how to work together and effectively encourage one another
- Logistics as we continue to plan our activities
- Effectiveness in service – that we would minister well to the Wissels and the church in Japan
- Evangelistic opportunities – that God would open many opportunities for gospel conversions
- Excellence in representation – that the Japanese would have a more positive view of Jesus from having met us.
Thank you, my friends!
Mata jikai また次回,
The Japan Team