We usually see new plant life in the spring, but we are thrilled to find it in the fall this year! No, not these plants. I’m speaking of new life in Christ!

Norman has been discipling a young man from the Philippines who lives and works just minutes from our house. Elijah grew up in a pastor’s family, but he came to Japan over a year ago to work in construction. In the process of his spiritual growth, Elijah became burdened for his fellow workers. He has been reaching out to them. God has produced some fruit! Recently, Elijah’s friend made a profession of faith! Elijah told us afterward, “He had a lot to confess!”

We praise God for the work He is doing in Japan!

On July 18, Cameron was baptized! Norman created a simple baptismal to be set outside of the church building we’re using on Sunday nights. We rejoice to see Cameron take this important step in his spiritual journey toward Christlikeness. Please keep him in your prayers as he follows Christ day to day.

This year’s peach harvest

It’s great fun to be able to see fruit from your labor. We planted a peach tree about 5 years ago, and we are finally getting a taste of a reward.

Spiritual fruit can be longer in coming. I was thinking of the ministry here in Japan, and it seems that God brings certain individuals into our church group, one at a time. We pour into one lady for several months; then God brings one man who is interested in learning more about how to live for the Lord. We are learning the value of ONE. How worthwhile is it to reach just one person? Sometimes we wonder. Yet if you were the one to benefit, I think you’d agree that even one person counts!

Right now, we have a faithful lady who just began attending our Sunday morning Bible study. She listens closely to our study on Our Identity in Christ. She has questions, and her junior high son has some, too. There’s also a man who attends Norman’s discipleship group on Saturday mornings. He desires to grow in his faith and practice, and has been taking steps to lead his family toward Christ. We’ve seen growth in our son, Cameron, too. He has been meeting weekly with a friend, studying the Bible together. Cameron told us last week that he wants to be baptized. We are thrilled with what God is doing!

Galatians 6:9 encourages us “not to grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Perhaps, in our lifetime, we will never know what our harvest will look like. But God is keeping the record! Let’s keep on being obedient, doing good as we find opportunity, and loving God with all our hearts!

Golden Week concert

In early May, our coffee shop in Minami Aso hosted a concert featuring piano, contrabass, and narration. Over twenty people attended. This was a great way to bring new people into the building and allow us to meet. It was a beautiful concert, too!

The Olympic torch ran by!

Though people are unsure whether the Olympics will actually take place this year in Tokyo, the Olympic torch made its way through Kikuchi in May. Melodie and I accidentally came upon it and stopped for a historic moment. Our dog Fritz enjoyed the hubbub, too!

Ibusuki, Japan

Coronavirus outbreaks make planning anything difficult. Our ABWE annual ladies’ retreat is usually scheduled for April, but last year we met in October. This year, with different people’s schedules and other concerns, we met in May… right as rainy season began! However, there were several times when the rain stopped enough to ride bikes, walk the beach, and cross this semi-permanent land bridge/sand bar to this island. Some of the ladies even climbed to the top of the island… in flip flops! Kudos to them!

My favorite part of ladies’ retreat is always the spiritual sharing we have together. This year we each prepared ahead of time, reading Romans 12 separately. Then together we discussed how to live out what is written within it. I came away with a sense that I really want to change to be more like Jesus!

Extra visitors to ladies’ retreat this year

Homeschool is going to the dogs!

Homeschool is winding down for the year. Melodie is finishing ninth grade, and Cameron eleventh. The McVickers’ dog is on Melodie’s lap as she studies, as Fritz looks on. We are grateful to finish up another year together, studying US government, algebra/geometry, literature, English grammar and composition, and science. Melodie is also studying Japanese, photography, and drawing. Cameron is working on learning to play drums and the dobro (a lap guitar).

March 2021

In December, Chloe and Cameron passed their test to become brown belts in shinkyokushin karate. It was quite the ordeal! Lots of fundamental moves, 50 jumping squats, 50 pushups, special endurance forms, stretch test, and belt-level kata (forms). After all that, they each had to spar three sparring partners! Full contact (with hand/shin padded protectors and optional helmets)!

Now that they’ve reached this level, they are expected to attend the four belt tests offered each year to assist with the different activities that take place. Chloe was more nervous about this new role than taking the actual test herself! But they did fine.

Little by little, the kids are getting to know their group members. They are also growing in their ability to communicate with them in Japanese. I’m so happy to see them trying to speak! Having karate in common makes it a little easier.

As a side note, our kids are learning very specific Japanese terminology that “normal”, everyday Japanese don’t even know! Most are body parts, like the name for the solar plexus, as well as, the space between your nose and upper lip (it has a name!), and the outside edge of your foot!

Our newest church “member”

Meet Marty and Chika’s newest little one! Coronavirus concerns kept her from attending for a while, but we finally got to meet and hold this little beauty!

In late January, Jarrod, a friend of ours, died suddenly. In his mid-40’s, Jarrod left this world behind to come face to face with his Savior. His Japanese wife and three sons are likely still reeling. Please pray for Jarrod’s family.

For us, this was a new experience. Jarrod had made it clear to his wife that he wanted a Christian funeral, as opposed to the Buddhist ones typical of Japan. She called us from the hospital asking how to proceed. Norman had never led a funeral before, so he was out of his element. We also learned that in Japan, funerals are typically held within 24 hours of the person’s death. Chloe and I scrambled to put together special music, and Norman gathered his thoughts on how to address a mostly unbelieving audience. Several members of our church group attended, since Jarrod and his wife occasionally joined our Bible studies. Most likely, it was the first time in that funeral home, that the name of Jesus Christ was named, that the hope of the gospel was mentioned.

As always, funerals remind the rest of us about the purpose of life. Why am I still living? How should I spend my remaining time? What is important in life? Am I ready to die?

For over a year, Norman has been burdened for the international young men he sees bicycling near our home. We learned that they work at a Japanese construction company, and that they come from the Philippines and Vietnam. He has prayed for God to open a door to meet them. One day recently, while out jogging, he finally met a trio of Filipino young men! Upon talking, Norman found out one is a pastor’s kid from a Baptist church in the Philippines! He had been praying for months to be able to find a church in the area! He came a week later to our international Bible study we hold on Sunday nights. The week after that, he invited some of his friends. We soon had nine guys over to our house for a meal, and seven attended church the next Sunday!

The Filipino man is open to ministry if God should lead him, so Norman invited him to begin learning some Bible school courses. Cameron is joining in, learning hermeneutics (how to interpret Scriptures). Pray for language struggles between English and Tagalog. Norman is studying some Tagalog himself to help things along.

You never know where God might open a door! We have been encouraged to see some spiritual hunger and interest among the Filipinos we’ve met. Pray for God to help them understand truth, respond to it in repentance and acceptance, and to grow in their understanding of Who God is and what He offers them.

Thank you for your prayers!

Missions is like building bridges!

Road into Kikuchi City

Summer has been in the upper 90’s and even into 100 degrees this year (35-40 Celsius!). We’re being careful to stay hydrated!

During the first weeks of August, we had the opportunity to volunteer to help clean up after major flooding. The place is located over an hour away, but Norman made at least 3 trips to dig mud from rooms of an 80-year-old couple’s home. Our whole family went one day. They had to tear up the floor and dig the mud out from under there, too. Water had reached above their first-floor ceiling! Such an overwhelming mess! But the elderly couple had such amazing attitudes! They offered food, drinks, and break times often. They shared the story of their lives. I wondered if I would have such a great attitude if it were my house.

Seeing all that the flood victims have to go through makes me so grateful to have a dry home! It also makes me want to throw away a lot of my belongings! You don’t realize how much stuff you have until you see it all over your front lawn!

The view on our way to church

Rainy season is officially over! We had SO much rain this year! In early July, there was a major flood in several areas, including Sakamoto City, which hadn’t flooded in 100 years. Norman and Cameron volunteered yesterday, digging mud out of the home of an 80-year-old couple, who were cheerful and helping right alongside them!

Homeschool for this year began today! I have a freshman and a junior. We’re considering such topics as algebra, economics, world history and geography, US government, English/spelling/literature, Japanese, and physical science.

We had a new experience last week. Cameron had two wisdom teeth pulled. We had never had any major dental care needs to this point, but we were pleased with the turnout. An interesting cultural tidbit is what Japanese call “wisdom teeth” in their language: oyashirazu. The word literally means “parents” and “don’t know.” As Keiko explained (one opinion of the etymology), in the old days, by the time one’s wisdom teeth came in, one’s parents were already dead and gone… so you didn’t know them anymore. I found it interesting!

With rain pouring yet again, our family decided to do some inside work. Since our coffee shop in Kikuchi closed, we had boxed up and moved all of the things to our coffee shop in Minami Aso. For the past couple weeks, our Bible study on Sundays looked rather like a garage sale in progress!

So today, Norman and I, plus Melodie and Chloe (Cameron wasn’t feeling well), went to the Minami Aso store and started sorting out what to keep, what to give away, and what to toss. While the three of them did that, I started to fill an order for herb tea packets. We made a sizeable dent in the mess! Norman figures another two times like we had today, and things might finally be in place. On our trip home, Norman looked over at me and commented, “We just aren’t normal, are we?” We certainly have experiences few missionaries have! But, it’s all in a day’s work. And we hope to bring glory to our Lord while we’re doing it!