Dear Journal friends,                                 October 1, 2010

      As you consider how much you will be able to give to the World Mission Offering this month, I’d like you to remember me in your prayers in several ways.  First, I’m seeking how and where God wants me to serve and second, that I would be sensitive to the open doors He will provide in this new place.  You are especially important to me these days because visitors are so few.  In the last two weeks only maintenance crews have come to “visit” me!  The strange thing is that in the last town I lived in, Musashino Tokyo, I knew no one, so I wasn’t surprised when I had no visitors.  In Yokohama, I know lots of people, and there are even some near-by.  But no visitors or even pastors/professors who are five minute walking distance away.  They are still my friends and they have not abandoned me.  On the other hand, my American Baptist colleagues, the Hwangs and John Armagost have visited a number of times.  So, I am grateful.

      Extra Pleasure: This situation means that I have had extra pleasure this past week when Volunteer Ashley arrived from Denver.  Ashley is a seminary student and is a member of Calvary Baptist Church.  We spent almost three days together as I held a crash-course orientation.  Ashley has an advantage over other volunteers because she speaks some Japanese and has visited Japan on three previous occasions.  The advantage to me was not needing to do much orientation to Japanese culture.  But we studied pertinent scripture relating to her service and lots of history of missions and the spots where she will serve.  The state of the heart for service is different than if one is a tourist or a student.  That issue takes a bit of time to digest.

       I sent Ashley off to her assignment at Tokyo Peace Church (TPC) on Thursday.  In addition to helping with the work of the international congregation at TPC, she will be involved with the Kachin (Burmese) congregation.  Although a usually confident person, I’m sure she left for her service with some anxiety at being thrown into the middle of a busy organization, with the goal of walking along-side of the Japanese for two months.  Please pray for Ashley.

      Are you available?: Surely there are among you, people who would like to volunteer in Japan.  If so, please let me know.  Thank you for your prayers and desire to join me in my ministry here by your prayers and gifts.

In Christ,

Roberta Stephens

Kanto Gakuin Senkyoshi-kan

1-50-1 Mutsuura-Higashi, Kanazawa-Ku

Yokohama, Kanagawa-ken

Japan  236-0037

 

email: roberta@robertastephens.com

webpage: http://www.robertastephens.com