Glory to God! Happy New Year! We truly are starting a new chapter in our ministry, as we had to let go of some of our contacts, including some who were once faithful in our church, and welcome new faces to minister to. We praise God that His mercies are new every morning and that He has plan in it all!
One of the most obvious ways that God showed us His favor toward the end of last year was by sending us three friends from the Broadview Heights Baptist Church of Broadview Heights, Ohio, at a time when we needed help and encouragement the most. This was an especially challenging month for Bro. L, our only official church member, as this was his final month in Japan before moving back to his home country of Hong Kong. It was amazing to see God use this group to minister to him as he faced some unique struggles this month, as well as to everyone else in our church through our services, activities, and personal visits. With them, we were able to make a special visit with Mr. I to witness to him once again, as well as hold our annual Christmas Musical, where God allowed us to welcome two first-time visitors. Please pray that all three of them would get saved. After the event, we enjoyed a dinner fellowship at a local restaurant with our group from Ohio and Bro. L, Bro. M, and Bro. T from our church. The group departed on December 8, and we praise God for His kindness in sending us these friends, not just to serve Him but as His gift of encouragement to us and our church.
December 21 was our International Christmas Banquet, as well as Bro. L’s last Sunday at our church. As such, we decided to also make this Bro. L’s sendoff service and had him share a short testimony on how God had worked in his life through our church, concluding our service by having three of our faithful people pray for God’s leading and protection for his future. God gave us a very sweet service with just our regular church family that day. Danielle and I had the honor of driving Bro. L to the airport the next day. Though we will all miss him dearly, we are truly thankful that God led Bro. L to be a part of our church to be such a help and an encouragement to us all for our first two years. We praise God that he has already found a good church in Hong Kong to settle into. Please pray that God would continue to lead and protect Bro. L as he begins a new chapter of life in Hong Kong. On December 24, we held our annual Christmas Eve Cello Concert, where God allowed us to see two returning visitors, followed by our annual Christmas Home Party on December 25, which was joined by two of our faithful young men. We praise God for the way He worked in our ministry once again this Christmas season, the most opportune time to reach Japan with the Gospel.
Danielle and I celebrated five years since officially arriving on the mission field of Japan on December 4. Though we have faced many mountains and valleys over the course of those years, we can say with even more assurance than ever before that our God is faithful, merciful, and always good. By His grace, He has allowed our support to stay sufficient and our health to stay well. Throughout these five years, God has allowed us to personally see the salvation of 22 souls in Japan and many others through church services and online witnessing, and we are confident that God has worked in the lives of many more through the Gospel tracts we have given out and the many others we have had the privilege of witnessing to. We know that God has much more in store, and we are excited to see His plan continue to unfold in Japan!
Major Praises This Month
• Two visitors came for our Christmas Musical.
• Two returning visitors came for our Christmas Concert.
Prayer Requests
• Salvation: Mr. I, Mr. D, the O family, and Miss NI
• Church Regulars: Bro. P, Bro. T, Bro. M, Bro. W, and Sis. W
• New Contacts: Ms. Y, Mr. C, and Mr. S
• For the V family and Bro. K’s return and for Bro. L’s future
• New location for our church to meet on Sundays
Danielle’s Journey
Happy New Year! It is so hard to believe we have been in Japan for five years now! December began with a small group from Ohio, whom, I believe, God sent especially for our encouragement. With their help, we held our annual Christmas Musical! It was such a blessing to see not only three of our regulars but also two visitors attend! On Christmas Eve, during the Cello Concert, it was an encouragement to see both Ms. Y, who had only attended once on a Wednesday, and Sis. E, whom we have not seen since last Christmas! This is so exciting, because it is a direct answer to our prayer for God to send ladies to our ministry! Thank you for always remembering to keep us in your prayers! It truly is amazing to see God answer the requests we have made, in His perfect time.
Your friends and co-laborers to Japan,
Go and Danielle Oishi
