As the weather begins to warm and become humid here in Japan, we are grateful for the Lord’s protection and blessings over the past couple of months. Thank you so much for your prayers for our family and ministry.

Family News

This past May and June brought both great blessings and new challenges. At the very end of April, we tragically lost a family member. Karin flew back to America for almost two weeks to support and encourage our family and home church. While this was a time of sadness, it was also heartening for my wife to reconnect with friends and loved ones.

Church Fellowship and Outreach

In May, we hosted several fellowships with church members at our home. It has been wonderful to deepen our relationships with many in the church here. This has been a source of great encouragement to us, and we pray that we can uplift others as well. Karin also met with a few ladies with whom she has been building relationships. One of them is the wife of the Azerbaijani family mentioned in our last update. Karin has had lunch with her a few times, and she has brought her two daughters to the church’s monthly “Hosanna Kids” program. This program, held on the third Saturday of each month, invites local children who may not normally come to church for a fun time of games, snacks, a Bible story, and a Gospel presentation. Recently, my wife and other ladies from the church have been discussing a Bible-based parenting book with the mothers who attend. The Azerbaijani woman has joined the last two sessions, and we are praying that she will place her trust in Christ. Please join us in praying for her salvation!

Hosting and Fellowship

In June, we had the privilege of hosting two different groups at our home. The first was Bro. & Mrs. Jadon (Aly) Saltzman, a young couple preparing to start deputation to come to Japan as missionaries. They stayed with us for six days during their survey trip. We took them to all of the ministry opportunities here at Senri Newtown Baptist Church and showed them around our area. Please pray for this young couple as they begin deputation this month and raise support to minister in Japan. We are excited to see more laborers being called here, but we need even more! Would you pray that God would bring additional laborers to Japan so that more souls can hear about our Saviour?

The second group was brought by Bro. Rick Lopez, a staff member from our former church in Colorado, Elmwood Baptist Church. He brought his daughter and her friend to Japan for their senior trip, and we hosted them at our home for a few days, introducing them to the church here. It was a blessing to reconnect with people from America and show them how God is working in Japan. On that Sunday, we had a special barbecue after the services, and our contact Krrish was able to attend. Please continue to pray for his salvation.

Family and Community Engagement

During the same time period, our oldest daughter Sienna returned to the United States to spend several weeks with family. She is also attending a couple of different Youth Conferences while there. Please pray that this will be a refreshing time for her and that she will return safely.

After our guests left, Karin hosted several ladies from our neighborhood for a time of coffee, snacks, and fellowship while discussing Biblical parenting. Three of the mothers are professed Christians, but the other three are not. Please pray that these gatherings will lead to more opportunities to share the Gospel with these ladies.

Upcoming Events

This month, we are helping to host a 15-member missions trip organized by our mission board, FBMI. They will spend several days in Kisarazu, Chiba Prefecture, with the Oishi family, helping with a special evangelistic program. Afterward, they will spend three days in Osaka. On Tuesday, July 30, they will help Senri Newtown Baptist Church host a special summer program for local children. The idea is to use English as a draw for Japanese families seeking opportunities to expose their children to the language. We will sing English hymns and songs and present an English Bible story interpreted into Japanese. This will be followed by a big day the following Sunday to encourage these children to return to church. Please pray that we will see souls saved as a result of these efforts!

Thank you for your continued prayers and support. May God bless you richly.

In His service,

Brendan Morgan and Family