While at the Chicago airport we had lunch next to a woman that was on her way to a humanitarian mission in South Africa. We think it was an appointment that God had arranged for us to be with her. The three of us encouraged eachother on our missions and had a chat about how the Lord is leading each of us. What a blessing God had arranged!
Thank you so much for praying for our plane travel to Japan. It took us about 30 hours total travel time to get here and we were fairly exhausted. We got through immigration and customs without any problems. Missionary Jim Smith met us at the airport and drove us to his house. It took us three and a half hours to get to his house and the traffic was very slow moving. We drove through the heart of the capital city of Tokyo.
We got our dollars exchanged over to yen without any problems. Exchanging money helped me realize how much the dollar has lost its value in Japan. Please pray that more financial support would be raised for missionaries in Japan.
We have already had to make some cultural adjustments while we have been here. Everyday life is very much different from life in the United States. Life is very structured here down to the most simple things. Japanese people have been very courteous to us. The transit system seems expensive and very efficient. They drive on the ”wrong” side of the road. The toilets, baths, and houses are arranged very differently. Everything is measured in Celcius and Meters. These are just some examples.
The Smith’s home is very cute and cozy. God has blessed the Smiths with a Japanese style house which means there are some cultural differences from houses in the United States. It helps the Smiths to have a home that is the style of the people they minister to. For example, the bedroom we sleep in has woven rice straw floors.
We gave Smiths the presents we had collected in the suitcase in the church lobby. They were very excited and happy for the things we gave to them. We will be helping Jim and Amy prepare for some things at church today.
Thanks for your interest in our trip!
The airline canceled our original flights to Denver, Los Angeles, and on to Tokyo. God has provided a better way! Now we have one layover in Chicago and then on to Tokyo! The layover is a few hours giving us some time to rest and we also arrive in Tokyo an hour earlier! Praise God for providing us better flight plans! Jenelle and I have had a good discussion this morning about how different missionaries differently define a call to missionary service and what the Bible says about it. Please pray that God would give us a lasting motivation for mission work among Japanese people. We also want to praise God that our needed funds were provided. Thank you for supporting us!
Our trip is about a week away! We have been preparing but still have a lot to do this final week. We have placed a suitcase in our church foyer to collect some hard to obtain items for our BBFI missionaries Jim and Amy Smith, whom our church supports. There are only two items still to be purchase for them. We have been delighted to see our church family be so generous and loving to quickly go and get these items and fill up the suitcase. We will be honored to give them the items on behalf of Grace Baptist Church. Thank you to everyone who has helped!!
I would like to share a story of an answered prayer. We had been praying that God might provide some extra money for us to be able to purchase some cultural items for people while we are there. Two days later, the Young At Heart Class blessed us with a love offering which was an answer to my prayer. We’re just so humbled that God cares about something that is seemingly unimportant. Praise God for loving us so much that He cares about the little details of our life. Going to Japan costs a lot of money but God is always faithful to bless his children. God has blessed us in ways that we couldn’t imagine.
We really do need your prayers as we go on this trip. God is in control yet we must zealously pray for missions. God has a genuine interest in people of all cultures worshipping him through eternity. We want to be an extension of his heart and put our efforts into making disciples of all people groups. Please pray for us to be obedient to the scriptures in our conduct each day on this trip and for wisdom in making long term decisions. Thanks so much!
We also wanted to pass along some links to the missionaries’ websites. We will be staying with both of these missionaries while in Japan. This will help to give you a better idea of who they are and what their ministries are like so that you can more effectively pray for them. George and Ellen King are another couple we will be staying with as well, but they don’t have a website. Please pray for them also.
Jim and Amy Smith
http://www.yourgatewaytojapan.com/4436.html
Mike and Cindy Burgett
http://www.burgetts2japan.org/index.html
We realize that many of you are interested in the details of our upcoming survey trip to Japan. We’ve put together the following voice narrated virtual tour to help you see an overview of our plans and to help you pray for us as we prepare to go to Japan. Thanks again for your interest and prayers!
Note: You may be prompted to install a Google Earth plugin to view the tour.
Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ!
My wife and I write this blog post with great excitement to let you know that we will be traveling on a Survey Trip to Japan for three weeks from July 28 – August 17, 2010. We will be visiting several missionaries in Japan to encourage them, work alongside them, and survey the mission works, churches, and bible institutes they have started. Additionally, we will be surveying the culture and religious landscape to further comfirm if God would have us surrender our lives to pursue a career as missionaries to the Japanese.
Japan is an island country in Far East Asia in the Pacific Ocean. The country is about the size of the state of California with a population roughly a third of that of the United States of America. Most of the people live in the coastal areas and the valleys. As you can imagine, this makes Japan a densely populated place. Tokyo is the capital city with over 13 million people calling it home. Only 0.2% of the Japanese people consider themselves born again Christians. This makes the Japanese people the second largest unreached people group in the world.
Our primary request is that you commit to pray for us on this trip. Your prayers are extremely important to us. Please pray that God would protect us on this trip. Please pray that we would continue to be open-minded about the possibility of God using us in the future in Japan. Please pray that we would be an encouragement to the missionaries currently serving in Japan. Most of all, please pray that God would be glorified and that his will would be accomplished as part of this trip.
Our second request is that you consider financially supporting our trip. Traveling to Japan is expensive, and a donation of any amount helps. If you can support us please request a donation envelope from the church office, mark it for Japan 2010 Survey Trip and include it with a check payable to Grace Baptist Church, with the memo line left blank. The church’s address is on the donation envelope if you need to mail it. It will be tax deductable.
Just like the Japanese people, you will one day come back from the dead just as Jesus did, and stand before God to be judged for your sin. Your good works will amount to nothing before God. If you are declared guilty by even a single sin, the Bible clearly says you will spend an eternity in conscious agony where you will experience the terrible anger of God against you for your rebellion against him. You must trust in Jesus Christ’s death on the cross as the payment of the death penalty for your sin. You must actively turn from rebelling against God and seek his forgiveness. This is the only way God has made for you to be declared not guilty in the final judgment. Jesus Christ received the death penalty that sinful people earned. Only by trusting in his sacrifice can you have fellowship with God. He loved us enough to suffer and die to pardon us for our crimes against Him. I plead with you with tears that you would trust in Jesus Christ today, follow him even if it means your death by doing so, and escape the wrath to come.
We would greatly appreciate your consideration in partnering with us in God’s endeavor to make Jesus Christ known to every tribe, tongue, and nation, including the Japanese people. Consider that in the next year 1.24 million Japanese people will go into eternity without accepting Jesus Christ as their savior.
We will keep you up to date from this blog on developments as the trip date approaches.
Your friends,
Tim and Jenelle McCown
Sunday night opened with a reading of 1 Thessalonians 3 verse 1-8. The prayer offered was that Grace would be encouraged toward God pleasing action as a result of the report given.
GOOD NEWS! I’m thrilled to report that immediately after the service Bro. O’Gradyhad ten or eleven names of individuals ready and willing to help serve the Daniel’s practical needs stateside. I received an email today from a person who said they would begin maintaining Bro. Daniels email contact list for him. I trust that we will quickly loose people to serve. We all know how bureaucracy frustrates volunteers. But consider, once the processes are in place, why can’t we expedite Rachel’s state side needs? What about other missionaries? How can we lift their hands up so that they can maintain their focus on ministry while on the field? If you have some suggestions please contact me at the church office, whether you are a member or a missionary. Grace wants to do it’s part in the Great Commission.
I was asked to provide a list of prayer concerns for the fields of Uganda and Ethiopia. I mentioned so many Sunday night that it is hard to remember them all. I will post that list when it’s done.
Below is an overhead view of the property Russ is praying about. Please pray that God will arrange both the price and the funds necessary to secure it for this new church plant.
Many “thank yous” are necessary for those who made this trip possible. Let me mention few in this log.
First of all I would like to say thanks to my loyal travel companion Rod. He was such a blessing. He is a true servant (Deacon). One night after a long flight as I came down to the room we were sleeping in, I found that Rod had taken the air mattress and left me the bed. I was humbled as I fell asleep that night by the way he continually preferred others above himself. It was a real joy to travel with Him. He was joyful, helpful, spiritual and sensible all at the same time. Thank You Rod.
Second I want to mention the church staff. Karen, Alan, Lester, Kurtis, Phil, and Jonathan all played a big part in allowing me to be gone from GBC for twleve days. Without this cabable staff I could not have focused on the minsitry I was called to do on the field. It was a joy to come home and see the work of the Lord didn’t stop or suffer in any way while I was gone. To the staff – I brought back some of the best Ethiopian coffee and I gladly plan on sharing a pot with you at staff meeting next week as we all get caught up.
Third and most important: I want to thank my dear wife. She is a true helper to me. I’m rejoicing to be home with her. I missed her greatly. There is no one better suited for me. What a blessed man I am to have her as my wife.
PK
One of the major concerns for the young missionary couples in Ethiopia is finding adequate medical care for their children. They are still searching for a good pediatrician. Wouldn’t you know that God was still at work when we boarded the plane to return home. He placed a nice young couple across the isle from me on the long 17 plus hour flight home. As one of the meals was served I saw the husband and wife bow their head and offer prayer. Shortly after that I leaned over and asked what they were doing in Ethiopia. She told me that she was on a two month internship as a part of her medical studies. She provided me with four different names of doctors who are practicing American quality pediatrics in Addis Abba, two of whom are solid Christians. Later today I will email that information to two anxious mothers in Ethiopia. Thank you God for knowing our needs and meeting them in your way.
PK
I’m typing this post from a computer in my own house. 
I’m all smiles! What a joy it was to go and what a joy it is to return. 
God’s grace has been poured upon Rod and I in a number of way. He is to be praised. The short mission trip we embarked on to Africa had some specific goals and the Lord allowed us to accomplish them all. We left the field having enjoyed Christian fellowship with all the BBFI missionaries currently on the fields of Uganda and Ethiopia. God used our trip to encourage them in the work. He gave us a greater awareness of the conditions on the field and a greater burden on our hearts. He provided opportunities to share the gospel of Christ. God led us to the field and he allowed a safe return to our families and ministries here in St. Charles. Again, he is worthy of all praise. Mission accomplished.
Yet the mission is not done. In a real sense our missions is now even greater. We cannot sit by having learned about the conditions, we are compelled by God to act. We cannot forget to uphold these missionaries, pastors and churches in prayer. We cannot turn a deaf ear to their cry for help, we must give. We are responsible to share with others about the great need of the Gospel so that God may speak to them about the part they must play. Our mission is ever expanding. It is far from accomplished. It is ever growing.
I hope you are planning on being in our church services this coming Sunday. God willing we will celebrate His goodness together in the morning service. I look forward to singing His praises with you. In the evening service Bro. Rod and I will give a more detailed report. Just as Paul was refreshed with the report that Timothy gave him of the church in Thessalonica as he waited in Corinth, I know you will be encouraged and God’s mission will continue.
PK
Riding back to the Shadle’s home from dinner Amanda made this comment. “Isn’t it amazing to think that at one moment you can be in Ethiopia and in less than 24 you can be back in your own bed in America?” Yes Amanda it is amazing. When her grandparents left America for the field of Spain many years ago it took them two months by boat! I’m glad we have airplanes today even if you feel a little cramped.
Please pray for our safe return and joyful reunion with family and friends. Thanks for all your prayers. I hope the blog has been a blessing to you in some way. I know it has been a joy for Rod and I to reflect on some of our experiences. This will be our last blog until we return home. We may put more photos and even some video on the blog in a couple days.
Dehna Hunu (good bye to a lot of people in Amhariac)
Kevin and Rod