Today we visited friends at Southside Christian Church in Orlando, FL. Congrats are in order for Jim Byrd, grandfather for the third time! Jim and I work together to maintain the Florida Christian College web site. Also from FCC was Terry Allcorn and a gaggle of college students. We also met Rees and Patti Bryant who head up the mission program and Southside. We enjoyed Pastor Ron's message calling people to run the extra mile for Christ. They are a mission-minded church and our prayer is that they would see the vision God has given us for Japan and share in the Spirit to plant a Christian church in Higashikurume-shi, Tokyo.

Labels: outreach

This year's World Yo-Yo contest took place in Orlando, FL where dozens of competitors from around the world showed off their best tricks. Not surprisingly, a number of Japanese teens dominated the scene with their mad skillz. Sugoi desu ne?

Labels: culture

This is a snapshot of where most of our prayer warriors and supporters live in the US. It is very encouraging to have so many faithful people helping make this a successful mission. Arigatou Gozaimasu minna (Thank you very much everyone)!

Labels: outreach

With escalating costs of funerals and burying their dead, one Japanese company has come up with a unique approach to putting things to rest in style. Now you can have your ancestor's remains readily available for display by NichiRyoku's automated system. Swipe your RFID card and in just a few moments, your loved one's urn will be retrieved. It even comes complete with special prayer areas and an interactive digital audio messaging program.

Labels: culture, Japan

Though this data is from 2003, it still pretty accurate for Japan today with regard to religion.
Q3: Which of the following do you think exist?

36.3% Buddha
36.3% Ancestors’ Spirits
35.6% God (or gods in general)
27.0% Nothing Supernatural Exists
17.8% Reincarnation/Rebirth
15.9% Other Worlds (Pure Land?)
13.0% Charms and Guards do not Exist
12.1% Heaven
10.4% Don’t know
10.0% Hell

Visit whatjapanthinks.com for more great insight.

Labels: culture, Japan

We got a chance to share our experience attending mission basic training at CIT with the 20's and 30's class Sunday morning at First Christian Church of Kissimmee. It's such a blessing to have so many people praying for us. Their class has a history of raising up mission families and it has been an honor to be a part of it. THANKS Adam for inviting us! Keep up the great ministry!!

Labels: outreach

It's a scary thought to be minding your own business riding the escalator in the UP direction along with hundreds of other people when it suddenly changes direction. This video demonstrates how not everything in Japan is technologically advanced. Pray for a speedy recovery for those injured.

Labels: Japan

Google has just made their Street View technology available on Google maps for most all of Tokyo!

Labels: Japan

Warren and Yukari have 24 Japanese students and young adults coming to Orlando starting Wed 8/6. The Lord has graciously provided wonderful host families for each Japanese participant. In addition the Lord has provided our target number of American students/young adults to participate with our Japanese students for the Daytona Beach retreat. They'll have around 50 participants coming to the retreat including both American and Japanese students/young adults.

Recruiting host families and American students for this ministry is one of the most challenging tasks, but the Lord always provides. And it is such a blessing to work with those the Lord leads to be involved. A big thank you to all of you who prayed and to all of you who are hosting or participating in any way.

Please be in prayer especially during the next five weeks of our August/September homestay program. Please pray for safety for all involved in this ministry. Please also pray for the salvation of the Japanese students. Finally, please pray many blessings upon each of the host families, American students/young adults helping the ministry, as well as all the staff and volunteers of Mission To Japan.

Labels: prayer

We arrived back in Kissimmee, FL Saturday evening around 7pm. Thanks for your prayers for safe travel! It was great to return to our home church to see everyone we've missed for the past 9 weeks. All of the kids have grown about a foot or more. And some of us have even put on weight - muscle mass I assume you. We're now ramping up for the next phase of the mission planning and that is support raising. Check your mail box in the coming weeks for info on how you can support God's mission in Japan.

The August edition of our mission newsletter is now online.