2019 Japan Update - #1

Dear family and friends, 

We hope that all of your summers’ are going really well! 

So far our time here at ACC has been wonderful, it’s been a time of reuniting with old friends and building relationships with new ones. 

Our flights went really well regardless of the very long day and immense tiredness setting in towards the end. Praise God jet-lag wasn’t too bad for either of us, we both had horrendous headaches on our first full day but as the evening approached the pounding subsided. 

Playing Catan and bonding with part of the team

Last week different people from all over the world arrived for International Work Week - a week dedicated to preparing the grounds for campers and with much time spent in prayer for the coming summer. We praise God for the stringing together of relationships through the sharing of testimonies and many, many games. We feel overwhelmingly blessed to have had this time to get to know the people we’re working with over the summer. 

Out for supper Mikiya

From Lily: Arriving back at ACC has provided me with a wave of joy, even though we’ve only been here once before it certainly feels like returning to a very special place. Reconnecting with the Elliot kids has been so fun and just walking around and being in Japan has been so lovely. On Thursday we had the opportunity to do door to door evangelism but I’ll let Jared share about that. I’ve been preparing lots of meals (and taking note of Yuko’s delicious recipes), done some cleaning throughout the staff house (where the Elliot’s live) and have been enjoying tagging along for running errands around Aomori City. 

 Us on the bridge at Hirosaki Castle

From Jared: Back in Japan! I knew we would get here but it didn’t really hit me till going to bed that first night. The flights, Airport Customs, the Japanese transit system, and even Luke picking us up felt so similar to that first year. I thank God for this feeling for it made getting back into the swing of things at ACC so seamless. The work camp has been going really well and fast friends have been made via this shared work. On Thursday those of us who had arrived this far joined a Japanese pastor in door to door ministry. Being honest I was anxious having never done anything like this, and secretly glad for the groups because I had hoped to hang back. But God having different plans had me be the closest when asked if one of us would share the gospel with an elderly gentleman. And then at lunch I was asked to be the one from my group to share my testimony to a group of mothers. I was thinking of the events of that day hoping that my gospel sharing and testimony was heard when God reminded me off his power to work through weakness. 

 

Moya Hills

Praise!: 
- Jet-lag didn’t last for too long for either of us. 

- For great relationships already forming with our fellow short term workers. 
- For the 12 kids who attended English camp, please also be praying that God would work in their hearts to have them continue think about what they learned these last 3 days about the gospel.

- That God held off the rain for our outdoor activities. 

Prayer: 
- For the Youth Bible camp that starts Thursday night - that God would work in the hearts of the kids attending and reveal Himself to them. Also that the camp would run well and that every child and staff member would stay safe and free of illness. 
- Pray that the gospel would make a lasting impression in the lives of the youth - whether this is the first or fiftieth time they have heard it.
- Pray that God would be glorified. 
- Pray for energy and great rest for the staff.  

Love,
Lily and Jared