Jazzy January

"English Play" with neighborhood friends

Being January in Tokyo, the first train of the morning carries an unusual little crew. Along with the smattering of all-nighters returning home and morning shift workers, a small huddle of middle school students, laden with extra sack lunches, made their way into the heart of Tokyo. Each winter, our middle school students brave pre-dawn chill to travel down town with lunches for homeless men and women sleeping in train stations. Once the first trains have gone through the stations, those who took shelter in the station overnight will be kicked out, or get up to mingle with the day's crowds. As the first train arrives, they are often still around, and will receive the food prepared by a thoughtful student. As the students return for their school day, Ryan, along with the high school student leadership, welcome them back to campus with breakfast. (Yes, we realize the irony of the small benevolence that students enact, rewarded by a quick welcome back into their comfortable school life. One step toward empathy and value of each person’s human dignity at a time!)

"Please read to me Mariko," she says

One afternoon several years ago, as we raked 

profuse piles of leaves in our tiny yard, a neighbor stopped to chat. A few days later, he sent his daughter to ring our bell, asking for English conversation time. After this bit of unconventional boldness on the part of her father, we’ve added layers of many evenings around our table. We’re delighted to have Mariko sit on our couch from time to time, and read Richard Scarry with our daughter. Please join with us in praying for Mariko and her family. 

Ryan was able to lead worship on the day that our tiny church plant celebrated her first official birthday! Join with us in praying for Nori, Ai, Mori-san, Michie and the Sugaya family, who have come to this new church, and will begin studying Christianity in the Alpha course, beginning next week. 

Sisters reading

At both our home church, Kurume Bible Fellowship, and our church plant, Tokyo Life Church, new Alpha courses are starting this week. Alpha is a thorough introduction to Christianity and the gospel, with a weekly discussion and shared meal. We’re so glad to walk beside these individuals as they explore the ideas of our faith. 

CAJ celebrates 65 years!
Ryan's students restore the old Gym floor as a table top

Next week, CAJ begins a week of “spiritual life emphasis.” This year, we welcome speakers from within our community to encourage, challenge and inspire our community. Please join with us in praying for a blessed and challenging week! 

We find ourselves in the midst of many long-term planning conversations. In addition to planning for the finish of Ryan's masters program, a short "home assignment" this summer, and looking into different housing for the future, we're also parenting three delightful and lively children, and working several jobs each! Please pray for wisdom, joy, and patience. 

Delicious December

Dear community,

Decorating our tiny tree!

Last night, chatting with my sister-in-law at her cabin, we remembered Eri. We talked about the precious women and men, like Eri, who surround our children, speaking truth into their lives and loving them for who they are. We are grateful. We miss her.

Today, the brink of the new year, Ryan and I look back to remember the rich heritage that surrounds us, and we look forward with "bright hope for tomorrow." Thanks for praying us this far! We're so excited about what is to come.

We slipped from a warm cabin early this morning to watch the sun over a snow-covered beach in Sendai, northern Japan. The beach-snow tracked with many footsteps of others who came at dawn - the first sunrise of the new year is a sacred beauty in Japan. We give thanks for the beauty of the sunrise, the many blessings of the year past - the gift of our delightful new daughter, the life of our friend Eri, the rich visits with friends and family, the warmth of our home and table, and the restoration that our beach retreat affords. Now, we return to our Tokyo life, refreshed and ready to engage again.

During advent, one of our pastors spoke about the role of the magi. Recalling the advent story: the shepherds witnessed a stunning angelic miracle, dropped sheep and dignity and ran whole-heartedly to see Jesus for themselves, and then proclaim to the neighborhood their news. The magi, on the other hand, perused and researched for years to recognize patterns in the stars; traveled slowly, a great distance, with gifts in hand, and then returned home to further ponder their encounter with Jesus.

"Birthday Party for Jesus" outreach at our church

Japanese, in our pastor's experience, and in ours, tend to be magi rather than shepherds. Rather than the rough, eager enthusiasm of a shepherd, we see our friends and neighbors pursue a life-long encounter with the Messiah slowly, with much thought and research. More apt to ponder in their hearts than to broadcast joy to the neighborhood.


Prone to introversion ourselves, we understand this perusal. We are here, in Japan, for the long haul, to ponder with the magi. Although we welcome the shepherds with their contagious exuberance, we expect that our journey toward Messiah, across deserts and cultures, will take many years, filled with much study and contemplation.