Dear Friends,

Pausing to write has proven more difficult than I thought!  But it truly is “the pause that refreshes!”

 

Preparation  After arriving in Japan and going straight up north to stay before moving to Yokohama, I rented a small car to get around in.  My choices were a car called “FIT” or one called “MOVE.”  I rented the Mitsubishi “MOVE” because I didn’t yet feel very “fit.”  While there in the northeast I spent a lot of time calling on several elderly who attended the church I served up there.  They just clung to me for a very long time without uttering a word. 

 

 After two weeks of increasing my stamina with light weight tasks such as climbing up to the cabin with groceries, painting a room, I turned “MOVE” in and headed to Yokohama.  Feeling a little more FIT, I MOVED into my apartment on September 6th.  Although I still have some boxes needing attention I’m beginning to get involved seeking out ministry opportunities.

 

Ministry Forecast I’m living on a school campus called Kanto Gakuin (KG) and will be involved in some non-academic areas of service.  I have already begun the job I had before becoming ill, of working in the administration as an auditor and independent officer at the Kanto Gakuin school consortium.  I have met with the Japan Baptist Union Women’s Executive council as well.  The most promising hands-on opportunity thus far is teaching the Bible to some adults who have occasionally attended a student gathering hosted and led by missionary colleagues Gordon and Lee Ann Hwang.  Friday I met a precious woman there whom I’ll call Yukiko.  We’re going to study the Gospel of Mark.  She’s so open to the gospel.  Please pray for us.

 

I have had a chance to at least meet with the Principal of the kingergarten of the KG consortium to arrange for further involvement there with students and parents.

 

Read On All of this, including my return to Japan is the result of your support of me.  But more than that, it is a result of the World Mission Offering.  There are many areas hidden to your eyes related to my ministry which depend on the World Mission Offering.  As a side-line, the plumber who came to my apartment to fix the aging water heater said “There are three parts I need to order.  Even if I explained to you which parts they are you wouldn’t understand !”  Although International Ministries budget is more transparent than the plumber’s description, I’d like you to trust me on this.  There are a number of you and others who are not fully in agreement with the new system of support for missionaries coming through more direct channels.  Especially if that is the case for you, giving to the WMO is your way to express your choice to continue with this method of mission support.  The second reason to give is that there are many small ways that this offering DOES affect me.  For example, I continue to be under-supported.  Where do you think funds come from to fill the gap between full support and where I stand at 70%?  It comes from WMO until those funds are exhausted.

 

Haiti As A Priority  We’ve been pouring money and personnel into the needs of Haiti.  What better way for WMO funds to be used than this!!  I surely hope that you’ve taken advantage of the videos of the missionaries and work in Haiti provided by International Ministries online. Don’t miss the opportunity to show these to the church you serve in.

 

Now Go In Peace

Roberta L. Stephens