Saturday - English Classes

Dear Friends - It's 6AM Saturday morning and from the loft where Koby & I and a college student named Nobuki sleep, I can hear a couple of people down in the sanctuary.  One person has been there since 4AM.  Besides the team members I have mentioned in previous posts, there are two young college students who will be part of our team, also - most likely a very big part.  Aina Yumoto and her family have been a big part of our missions from the start 8 years ago.  Her mother has been a gracious host - helping prepare meals for us, transporting us about in the family's mini-van, and spending time in fellowship with the team.  She is also a very dear friend of Chihoyo-sensei, the pastor's wife.  She came with Chihoyo-sensei to visit us in the states 3½ years ago.  Aina's father works at a resort in the mountains above Chino and the team has visited the complex at least a couple of times.  We have ridden on the small ski lift, visited the museum, and used the onsen (public bath) that's part of the hotel complex.  Although very busy with his work, it is always a great joy to have his fellowship when he is at church.  He and his wife, Sanae, have hosted the team to dinner at their home in the past.  Aina's brother, Nozomu, will be traveling to Sendai to serve with the team that traveled to Japan with us.  He will be the second member of the Chino church to go out and serve on a mission.  The youngest sibling is Hikari - a wonderful young lady who is middle school aged.  Hikari has been coming to our EEC activities since we began our ministry, and last year was her first year serving as a staff member - now too old to attend as a camper.  Aina is a pretty young woman whose heart and gentle spirit just add to her beauty.  She will soon be starting her second year of college.  She is staying with us at the church and is even more involved with our team than she has been in the past.  Her friend from college, Nobuki, is the young man I mentioned earlier.  He spent a year in Australia and speaks very good English.  It has been a great pleasure talking with this very wonderful young man.  When we first formed our mission team of six people, there was only one person under the age of 40.  Although everyone on the team is young at heart - some of us are not young in body.  The addition of Aina and Nobuki is an answer to prayers and will be invaluable as we minister to young children.  We will also be joined by two seminary students to help during EEC, also.  Year after year, God has provided us with everything we have needed.  Enough team members, enough donations and monetary support, good weather when we have needed it, good health and healing from ailments, and a unity among team members.  We thank all of you who have supported us in prayer - it has made all the difference in the world.  So for today, I would ask for your prayers as we begin with some one-day English classes for children and adults.  The boxes we brought with us from America, which are sent from the airport to meet us at the church, have not yet arrived and they contain materials that people will need to conduct their classes and activities.  They are supposed to arrive in the morning, shortly before we begin our classes.  We would greatly appreciate your prayers that the boxes would arrive sooner rather than later in the morning.  And most of all, pray that the classes and activities we present will touch the hearts of the children and adults who attend - that our actions and words would express the joy and confidence we have in facing life because of the salvation we have received from our Lord Jesus Christ.  It's getting close to our 7AM prayer meeting - always a blessing as we receive encouragement from Kawano-sensei to prepare for the coming day. May God be with you and always bless you.  Love, Don