Merry May

It's that moment when you realize that - although your kids are laughing as they race with the crowd of little boys around the park - what the little boys are yelling at your kids is "obake!" ”ghost!" And the surrounding crowd of moms continues chatting away peacefully.

And of course because your kids are ghostly blond compared to the others, you feel it deep inside, even though you know its just that the little boys don't really know any better. And although your kids are laughing, you wonder - do they feel it deep inside too? That twinge that, really, "Friends, this world is not your home, so don't make yourselves cozy in it. Don't indulge your ego at the expense of your soul. Live an exemplary life among the natives so that your actions will refute their prejudices. Then they'll be won over to God's side and be there to join in the celebration when he arrives." (1 Peter 2:11-12, MSG)

Guys, so much beautiful good happened this month! Seniors at CAJ stood in front of their community and talked about how to support education for special needs students in Thailand, how to understand true biblical masculinity; topics they chose, researched for a year, and present a biblical response to. Student leadership took time away from the regular school week to retreat, plan, and ask questions like, what does it mean to be a Christian student at CAJ? What values should student leadership embody at CAJ? Local moms met over coffee cups to discuss child raising, marriage, culture, and adoption (a very stigmatized and unpopular practice in Japan). And we met on our knees to pour over our school, our classrooms, and our families.

Please join us on our knees!
- For our graduates: Friday, June 3 is CAJ's graduation ceremony. Please pray for students as they leave this stage of life and begin their next set of joys and challenges!
- For our school community: On the first Friday of each month, moms gather to pray for our school and community. On the third Friday of each month, we're inviting the whole school over (122 moms) for an open house to chat and get to know each other. Please pray for the conversations and relationships!
- For our students: Tokyo schools received two anonymous bomb (and thankfully harmless!) threats this month. Please pray for wisdom in school leadership and local police. Please pray for healing in the heart of the person sending these threats. Please pray for safety for our students!
- For our relationships and finances: We're so grateful to see God's specific blessing in several specific relational and financial challenges this month. Join us in giving thanks, and please pray that we will continue to serve generously as we have been blessed.