Brendan and Karin Morgan Prayer Letter: Jam-Packed July and August

I hope this letter finds you well and filled with the Lord’s peace and joy as we continue to serve Him together from Japan. As always, we are deeply grateful for your prayers, encouragement, and support, which enable us to press forward in the work that God has set before us. The months of July and August were especially eventful for our family and ministry here.

In July, we marked the 12th birthday of our twin boys, Aidan and Callan. It was a special time for us to reflect on how much they’ve grown and the ways the Lord is working in their hearts and lives. We are thankful for the blessing of raising our children here in Japan, and we continue to pray that God will guide them as they mature and grow in their faith. Later in the month, we had the opportunity to visit my wife’s cousin Ryo to celebrate his birthday as well. It was a meaningful visit, not just as family, but also as an opportunity to continue sowing the seeds of the Gospel. Ryo has heard the Gospel, but we continue to pray fervently that he will come to know Jesus as his personal Saviour.

One of the most touching moments this summer came from our youngest son Grayson. Since last year, he has been faithfully praying for his kindergarten teacher to come to know Jesus. We had no idea what God was doing behind the scenes, but in July, she showed up unexpectedly at our church on a Wednesday night. You can imagine the joy on Grayson’s face when he saw her walk through the door! It was a beautiful reminder that God hears even the smallest prayers from the youngest hearts. Please continue to pray that she will come to faith in Christ.

As we had mentioned in our last update, we had the privilege of hosting a part of the missions-trip team from FBMI here in Osaka at the end of July. After spending several days serving in Kisarazu with the Oishis, the team transferred to Osaka on Monday, July 29. On the Tuesday of that week, the team served with the Senri Newtown Baptist Church’s “Summer Bible Blast!” program. There were over 80 children who attended this event, with the majority of them being first-time visitors from non-Christian homes! The Oishis helped to translate the messages into Japanese. We praise the Lord that 2 children trusted Christ as their Saviour! We also trust that the seeds planted will take root and bear fruit in God’s perfect timing. Please continue to pray that more Japanese would trust Christ as Saviour! The FBMI team was also an incredible blessing and encouragement to our family by their presence here. The team provided special music, and the team leader, Bro. Joe Palmer, preached for the Wednesday night service at SNBC. We praise the Lord that several delegates surrendered to the call of missions, specifically for Japan, should God direct them!

In early August, our three oldest boys attended a special Missionary Children’s Camp, hosted by a fellow Baptist missionary here in Japan. It was a time of spiritual growth, fun, and fellowship for them; and we are thankful for the opportunity they had to connect with other missionary kids who are also living in Japan. While the boys were at camp, the rest of us took a trip to Hiroshima. We did not realize until we got there that it was the day of the 79th anniversary of the atomic bomb being dropped. It was a sobering experience and a poignant reminder of Japan’s history and the deep spiritual need that remains here. As we stood in Peace Memorial Park, we were once again struck by the immense responsibility we have to share the hope of the Gospel with this nation, with so many lost in sin and spiritual darkness.

In mid-August, we welcomed the return of our oldest daughter Sienna from America, as we celebrated her 14th birthday. It is amazing how fast time goes. We also had the pleasure of spending time with the Brown family, another missionary family to Japan who were visiting the Osaka area. It was a wonderful time of fellowship. We are always thankful for the opportunity to connect with other missionaries who share the same heart for Japan.

Later that same week, we participated in Senri Newtown Baptist Church’s annual Family Bible Camp. It was a time of refreshment for our entire family, as we spent time in God’s Word, enjoyed fellowship with other believers, and were encouraged by the preaching of Bro. Go Oishi. God used these messages in our hearts. They were timely and convicting, challenging us to remain faithful in the work God has called us to do here in Japan. We left the camp feeling spiritually recharged and ready to continue pressing forward in the ministry.

Our language studies are continuing to bear fruit as we slowly make progress in Japanese. I have been privileged to host the Sunday school opener three times now. I give an introduction, lead a song, and pray—all in Japanese. The church has also asked me to preach a message in Japanese later this year. Please pray for this! Also, on our way to Hiroshima, God providentially directed us to pick up a young man who was hitchhiking to the same area. Tana knew a little bit of English, and during the ride, I had the opportunity to explain the Gospel in both English and Japanese. Later in August while spending time with another Japanese family we have been working with, I was able to witness to one of their friends, a young man named Masaki. This time it was almost entirely in Japanese. Neither of these young men made a decision to trust Christ right then, but I was thankful for the opportunity and ability that God gave me to witness in Japanese. Please pray for these young men to trust Christ and that God would use my still very inadequate ability for His glory!

Once again, we are deeply grateful for your partnership in the Gospel. Your prayers and support make all the difference, and we could not do what we do without you. May God bless you abundantly for your faithfulness.

In Christ’s service,

The Morgan Family