Seeing Your Prayers Answered
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Dear Friends,
We would like to express to each of you what a difference you are helping to make in the lives of the Japanese people whom you have sent us to work with. We would like to share with you just a few of the ways we see God answering your prayers, and the things that are being accomplished here because of your generous support.
As you know, we are now living in Yahata, a community in the northern area of our city, and are finally beginning to feel settled. We have received a warmer reception into this new community than anything we have ever experienced. We have had a number of families and kids over to visit, and have been invited to many homes, neighborhood functions and school activities.
Andrew and Jacob transferred to a new school shortly after we moved, but recently, two fathers from the neighborhood PTA came to our house and asked if we would consider sending Megan to the Junior High School. To this point, we have home schooled Daniel and Megan after they attended Japanese Elementary School. (Daniel is now High School Age.) After praying about it with Megan, her response was, “Dad, I really believe this is what God wants me to do”. So two weeks ago, Megan began her Japanese Junior High School experience. The first Saturday, several of her friends came over to hang out at the house. She has also invited some of her teachers to church. To her delight, one teacher responded, “Yes, we would really like to come. We’ve seen your church and my wife has wanted to try going sometime.”
A couple of months ago, I (Nathan) had a unique opportunity. I was invited to be on the committee to help with the funeral of one of our neighbor families. It was extremely sad in the fact that this beloved great grandmother died probably never having had a chance to hear the gospel, and to be part of such a dark and hopeless parting. However, I was blessed to spend the better part of two full days with all of the men in the neighborhood. Much of that time was spent visiting as we waited between the different parts of the Buddhist Funeral. This provided wonderful opportunity to answer their questions in detail about the differences in Buddhist funerals and Christian funerals, as well as getting to know them much better. It was also a good way to say to the community, “We’re here to serve you, to love you, to offer you hope, to introduce you to someone who is infinitely more wonderful than you could ever imagine.”
Even though we have moved, we still continue to spend much of our time at the Miharashidai Chapel FWB Church. We have seen a very historically untypical, yet exciting interest in church from Junior and Senior High Students … unsaved kids. Many of them have been friends of Daniel and Megan since elementary school, but now they have started bringing their friends as well. Some of them come late to church, but it is because they have school activities on Sunday morning and can’t get there any earlier. Once they do come though, they usually stay until around 6:00 or after when we finally have to tell them “it’s time to go home now”. We also now have a regular Junior High / Senior High Sunday School class.
Mr. Hashimoto, a Japanese gentleman in his mid-forties who came to know Christ while living in Chicago, has moved back to Ebetsu to care for his parents. He has also opened a language school in the heart of Ebetsu. He comes to church when he can, but is usually not able to due to the work schedule of his second job. Recently he made a very generous offer in that we are free to use his facility to hold any kind of a meeting we would like to hold there. We thank God for this great opportunity and ask that you pray with us as to how to best use this location.
Keiko, who many of you have prayed for, has expressed her desire to be baptized. She is also dating a believer. Both of these are real praise items. It’s a wonderful thing for a young person in her 20’s to make this commitment to Christ, but we are also very encouraged that she is dating a believer. Numbers of believers are few here, and it seems so often that our Christian young people settle for less than what God’s plan is for their lives when it comes to their dating relationships.
Our denominational youth are really growing, both spiritually and in number. Pastor Ishii is doing a very good job in the way he leads and mentors the group leaders.
As some of you may know, I have been serving on the International Missions Committee chartered by the International Fellowship of Free Will Baptists in the fall of 2007. Recently I was also asked to serve as a board member of the Japan Evangelical Mission Association of which our mission is a part of here. I am very thankful to be given such opportunities to help further God’s kingdom throughout the world by serving in these roles. More than that, though, I have been praying for, and am beginning to see that this is also giving more and more opportunity to foster the growth of greater global vision in the Japan FWB Association.
Our pastors seem to have an earnest desire to partner with the missionaries in a much greater capacity than ever before in planting new churches. Folks, this is exciting. We now have national pastors in each of the three areas we are targeting (Tokyo, Western Hokkaido, and Eastern Hokkaido) that have a sincere desire to not only grow the church that they are pastoring, but to reach the entire region their church is in. Please pray for us as we pray and plan together.
Finally, thank you for praying for our family. God continues to bless us with good health. Thank you for praying for Linda and baby Isaac, born December 1st, 2008. Mom and baby are still doing very well. Grandma and Grandpa Snow were a very big help during these busy weeks of new baby, snow shoveling, mission meetings and Christmas events.
Please keep praying that God will use our home, and each member of our family, to be a light in this dark land. That our home would serve as a spiritual lighthouse that not only provides guiding light to those seeking truth, but also shines bright enough to give us safe passage as we go out to rescue those who are drowning in the spiritual darkness all around us.
These are just a few samplings of the many ways in which God is working here. These are exciting days! We cannot thank you enough for the giving of yourselves in prayer and support for the work in Japan.
We love you all,
Nathan and Linda Snow
Daniel (15), Megan (13), Andrew (11), Jacob (7),
Noah (4), Josiah (2), and Isaac (3 months)
Hokkaido, Japan
P.S. Two exciting things have happened since we composed this letter a few days ago: 1) Megan’s home room teacher (not the one mentioned in the letter above) came to church this past Sunday. This was the first time he had ever been to a Protestant Church. 2) Keiko asked if we could have a weekly Bible Study with her. Since she lives very near Mr. Hashimoto’s language school, we may try to hold it there, and invite others to join us. Thank you for praying. Prayer works!
We would like to express to each of you what a difference you are helping to make in the lives of the Japanese people whom you have sent us to work with. We would like to share with you just a few of the ways we see God answering your prayers, and the things that are being accomplished here because of your generous support.
As you know, we are now living in Yahata, a community in the northern area of our city, and are finally beginning to feel settled. We have received a warmer reception into this new community than anything we have ever experienced. We have had a number of families and kids over to visit, and have been invited to many homes, neighborhood functions and school activities.
Andrew and Jacob transferred to a new school shortly after we moved, but recently, two fathers from the neighborhood PTA came to our house and asked if we would consider sending Megan to the Junior High School. To this point, we have home schooled Daniel and Megan after they attended Japanese Elementary School. (Daniel is now High School Age.) After praying about it with Megan, her response was, “Dad, I really believe this is what God wants me to do”. So two weeks ago, Megan began her Japanese Junior High School experience. The first Saturday, several of her friends came over to hang out at the house. She has also invited some of her teachers to church. To her delight, one teacher responded, “Yes, we would really like to come. We’ve seen your church and my wife has wanted to try going sometime.”
A couple of months ago, I (Nathan) had a unique opportunity. I was invited to be on the committee to help with the funeral of one of our neighbor families. It was extremely sad in the fact that this beloved great grandmother died probably never having had a chance to hear the gospel, and to be part of such a dark and hopeless parting. However, I was blessed to spend the better part of two full days with all of the men in the neighborhood. Much of that time was spent visiting as we waited between the different parts of the Buddhist Funeral. This provided wonderful opportunity to answer their questions in detail about the differences in Buddhist funerals and Christian funerals, as well as getting to know them much better. It was also a good way to say to the community, “We’re here to serve you, to love you, to offer you hope, to introduce you to someone who is infinitely more wonderful than you could ever imagine.”
Even though we have moved, we still continue to spend much of our time at the Miharashidai Chapel FWB Church. We have seen a very historically untypical, yet exciting interest in church from Junior and Senior High Students … unsaved kids. Many of them have been friends of Daniel and Megan since elementary school, but now they have started bringing their friends as well. Some of them come late to church, but it is because they have school activities on Sunday morning and can’t get there any earlier. Once they do come though, they usually stay until around 6:00 or after when we finally have to tell them “it’s time to go home now”. We also now have a regular Junior High / Senior High Sunday School class.
Mr. Hashimoto, a Japanese gentleman in his mid-forties who came to know Christ while living in Chicago, has moved back to Ebetsu to care for his parents. He has also opened a language school in the heart of Ebetsu. He comes to church when he can, but is usually not able to due to the work schedule of his second job. Recently he made a very generous offer in that we are free to use his facility to hold any kind of a meeting we would like to hold there. We thank God for this great opportunity and ask that you pray with us as to how to best use this location.
Keiko, who many of you have prayed for, has expressed her desire to be baptized. She is also dating a believer. Both of these are real praise items. It’s a wonderful thing for a young person in her 20’s to make this commitment to Christ, but we are also very encouraged that she is dating a believer. Numbers of believers are few here, and it seems so often that our Christian young people settle for less than what God’s plan is for their lives when it comes to their dating relationships.
Our denominational youth are really growing, both spiritually and in number. Pastor Ishii is doing a very good job in the way he leads and mentors the group leaders.
As some of you may know, I have been serving on the International Missions Committee chartered by the International Fellowship of Free Will Baptists in the fall of 2007. Recently I was also asked to serve as a board member of the Japan Evangelical Mission Association of which our mission is a part of here. I am very thankful to be given such opportunities to help further God’s kingdom throughout the world by serving in these roles. More than that, though, I have been praying for, and am beginning to see that this is also giving more and more opportunity to foster the growth of greater global vision in the Japan FWB Association.
Our pastors seem to have an earnest desire to partner with the missionaries in a much greater capacity than ever before in planting new churches. Folks, this is exciting. We now have national pastors in each of the three areas we are targeting (Tokyo, Western Hokkaido, and Eastern Hokkaido) that have a sincere desire to not only grow the church that they are pastoring, but to reach the entire region their church is in. Please pray for us as we pray and plan together.
Finally, thank you for praying for our family. God continues to bless us with good health. Thank you for praying for Linda and baby Isaac, born December 1st, 2008. Mom and baby are still doing very well. Grandma and Grandpa Snow were a very big help during these busy weeks of new baby, snow shoveling, mission meetings and Christmas events.
Please keep praying that God will use our home, and each member of our family, to be a light in this dark land. That our home would serve as a spiritual lighthouse that not only provides guiding light to those seeking truth, but also shines bright enough to give us safe passage as we go out to rescue those who are drowning in the spiritual darkness all around us.
These are just a few samplings of the many ways in which God is working here. These are exciting days! We cannot thank you enough for the giving of yourselves in prayer and support for the work in Japan.
We love you all,
Nathan and Linda Snow
Daniel (15), Megan (13), Andrew (11), Jacob (7),
Noah (4), Josiah (2), and Isaac (3 months)
Hokkaido, Japan
P.S. Two exciting things have happened since we composed this letter a few days ago: 1) Megan’s home room teacher (not the one mentioned in the letter above) came to church this past Sunday. This was the first time he had ever been to a Protestant Church. 2) Keiko asked if we could have a weekly Bible Study with her. Since she lives very near Mr. Hashimoto’s language school, we may try to hold it there, and invite others to join us. Thank you for praying. Prayer works!