Maine Report #1

So the outah statah says to the Down-Eastah…..”There sure are a lot of funny looking people around here” And tha Mainah says….”Ayuh….but come Labah Day, they’ll awl be gawn”!

Well, that outah statah would be me. Our first destination on our fundraising trip has been the state of Maine, specifically Down East. It is a magical place where you encounter many wonderfully strange people and bad roads. It is a place where people measure distance in hours; where you know several family members who have hit a deer more than once; where you see people wearing camouflage at church events, a place where you install security lights on your house and garage then leave both unlocked.

“Maine: The Way Life Should Be,” the sign says just after you cross into the state, from down south, or allthemotherstates, as Mainers define the rest of the country, where life is not the way it is supposed to be. While the state slogan can be challenged by the non-Mainers, Amy and I have been enjoying our time in the Down East region of Maine. We are truly thankful to God for providing us with generous and hospitable friends, Eric and Jill Holmes, who have opened up their home for us so that we can visit different churches in the area that are mission-minded.

Our plan is to meet with at least a few individuals during the week and fill the rest of Sundays with church meetings. We want to seize every opportunity to share about our ministry to anyone who has ears to listen because we truly believe that God can use us to impact Japan in a way that has never been touched before. Please pray that we will be sensitive to those opportunities and have boldness from Christ to share about what God can do through us in Tokyo.

Our visit to Maine has reminded us of how great the body of Christ is. Perhaps living in Maine is not necessarily the way life should be for everybody. However, when we stop for a moment and witness how God has united a guy from Tokyo, a girl from Alabama, and a family from Maine to attempt to fulfill the Great Commission together for His glory, we see a greater force at work among us. We see how God’s grace has radically transformed all of our lives and our values regardless of our upbringing. We see how Christ’s blood has bridged the gap between these apparently disconnected people, allowing them come together and serve God with a united heart. All I can think of is, “Thank you God, that’s truly the way life should be in Christ!”

We know that many of you faithfully pray for us regularly. We want you to know that we have not ceased thanking God for all you and your interest in our ministry. Well, here’s ways you can pray for us more specifically. Please pray for us, during this month, as we meet with key church leaders in the area and others who are interested in God’s mission around the world. Getting a meeting can be fairly easy, but getting a meeting with any real possibility of gaining support from the church is much, much more difficult, especially for someone from outside the area. Please pray that God will allow us to boldly share the spiritual needs of the believers in Tokyo so that people can accurately understand the great need that the Japanese inner-city people have. Also pray that God would use this period to allow us to grow in our own faith as we continually rely on His grace for our needs. Finally, pray that my relationship with Amy would be strengthened by going through these life events together, relying on God.

As an important reminder, let me emphasize this again: if you have been thinking about supporting us, please make a pledge today, as much of the new missionary support today comes from individuals rather than churches. The Bible gives examples of churches and individuals giving to missionaries and for the cause of churches in need. As many of you can understand, raising financial support takes time and incurs travel and ministry expenses. However, unless we secure commitments for 51% of the required support determined by our mission board, we can’t withdraw money from our account to enable full-time deputation. Unfortunately, Tokyo being the second most expensive city to live in in the world, we need to raise significantly more than average missionaries. The good news is that we are very close to having 51% of our support. We are excited to see how far God has brought us so far but more still needs to be done. You can truly make a difference by partnering with us through regular giving today. Visit our “Donate” page for specific instructions on how to partner with us financially.

Let me complete this post by giving you a heads-up on what is happening with us. Before June 21st, I (Kazu) need to leave the country once to renew my immigration status. Thankfully Canada is not so far away from where we are staying right now. We are not expecting any difficulties, but please pray that whatever happens, I will be able to demonstrate Christ within me to those I encounter during that time. Also, during the month of July, I am planning on flying back to Tokyo for a month while Amy drives down to Alabama to be with her family. I need to take care of some ministry-related business with the church where we will be serving. It will also be a good opportunity for me to visit my mother, who has been fighting cancer for many years now. If you know anyone who can contribute towards the cost of the flight, please let us know by e-mail. Any contribution would be appreciated.

Finally, we want to thank everyone who helped us move out of our old house and my office (Kapusta, Parsons, Headlees, Arthurs, Petersons, Williamson, Mackey, and many others) and those who blessed us with extra donation to help us with our trip (you know who you are). Your kindness is not forgotten, and we know you will be rewarded handsomely one day by Christ on our behalf.

We will start a new fundraising initiative within the next few days, so please visit our Web site frequently. Thanks again.

Kazu & Amy