ARRIVED SAFELY AND CELEBRATING

Beloved Crossway Family,

We greet you in the Name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, in whom we give thanks for our safe arrival at 5:30am this morning at Haneda International.  The flight was bumpy most of the way to Japan, but it didn't stop the team from getting some shut eye once they got into rythum with the bouncing around. We really appreciate Tracy sharing her seat with fairly good size man throughout the 12 hours of the flight.

TRACY AND PRAYER PARTNERS

Thank you all for coming to the the prayer meeting for our team on Sunday.  It was a sweet time and your prayers are ever with us.   We are reminded that "The Lord, our God is with us wherever we go" (Joshua 1:9).

And thank you, Pastor Roland, for sending us off at LAX with a prayer of great anticipation for His good work through our team as we minister in Japan.

We were very thankful to Hiromi Matsushima and Mizuki Saito for coming out to the airport to pick us up.  We were initially planning to take the bus to Machida.  We could not have fit another piece of luggage or boxes into her Japanese sized mini van.  Thank you, Lord, for your on going provision for all of our needs and for the graciousness shown to us by Hiromi and Mizuki.    

Our arrival at Everygreen Chapel was greeted by a joyous Joy Tani.  Her name fits her well.  The morning was spent unpacking and setting up the prizes for the JOY Club Christmas Party scheduled for this Saturday.  Later in the morning, Yumiko Sakamoto, bearing gifts, paid us a visit.  This is the first story of our trip.

JOY, DIANE, YUMIKO, TRACY

HIROMI AND YUMIKO

Yumiko Sakamoto was first introduced to Christianity when her daughter, Sarasa, started attending JOY Club 8 years ago.  Joy Tani credited the Crossway teams that came to support JOY Club with helping to minister to Yumiko and Sarasa.  Over the past 4 years, Yumiko suffered tremendous health challenges in dealing with tumors in her brain.  And it was the faithful prayers and friendship of the church that allowed Hiromi to share the Gospel with Yumiko and bring her to a saving relationship with Jesus.  Yumiko is still suffering from side affects and it was a joy to lay hands on her with prayer. Amen!

It is stories like this that make every trip to Machida worth while.  It makes every dollar given to missions well spent.  It makes every prayer lifted up for the loss effective and encouraging.  Thank you, again, for your prayers.

We ended the rest of the day with a Birthday lunch for Hiromi; some power naps in the afternoon for the team (Stan's nap may have been more than just a power nap); some talk time with Pastor Uchimura; and a wonderful dinner prepared by Michiko Sato, one of the Evergreen members.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HIROMI
(STAN WAS THE ONLY MALE IN THE RESTAURANT)

So we're off to a good start.  Thank you for your prayers, again and again.  Please know that with every prayer, you are here ministering with us in Machida.

May the Lord bless and keep each of you, dear family.  Domo Arigato Gozaimasu,

Your Machida Team      

PASTOR UCHIMURA AND YURIKO

                                                  

DIANE AND STAN WITH MICHIKO SATO