Our Chi Alpha Japan team in Tokyo welcomed Beverly Elcock in April. Last week we welcomed Sayaka Ikeda, who served in Illinois for 15 years as a campus missionary and international church pastor. They both came to know Jesus when they were Chi Alpha students in the US. Now they are serving with us to reach students in Japan! TJ Low is from Malaysia, Roslyn Holland is from Texas, Beverly is from Michigan/Indiana, and Joyce Kitano is from Hawaii and Illinois. Joyce is the national director for Chi Alpha Japan.

 

Since May we have hosted Chi Alpha teams from Ohio State University, Penn State University-Behrend, University of Texas-Arlington, and University of Hawaii, as well as a church team from First Assembly of God, Honolulu, Hawaii. The last team from Missouri State University arrives June 26. Each team bring different talents and styles of ministry to reach students on campuses and to encourage pastors and believers at various churches.

In May the 10-week summer internship began with--(from right to left)--JT (Penn State U), Naomi (U of Texas-San Antonio), Zach (Penn State Univ), Alyssa (U of Texas-Arlington), and Alletha (Montana). Each week I teach an interactive class in which they learn culture, language, and how to do ministry in a Japanese context. On week days they apply what they learn into meeting students on campuses, sharing the gospel, guiding teams, and developing deeper relationships with people they meet. They also serve at churches--kids outreaches, day carenurseries, Sunday services, and weeknight services. It is exciting to see these students’ hunger for God and their desire to make Him known to others! It is my prayer that God calls them to return and serve longer.

April is the beginning of the school year in Japan. All students of all ages, from children to university students, begin the school year with entrance ceremonies. At the same time, ornamental cherry trees, called "sakura" in Japanese, begin to bud and produce blooms, during which time people actually slow down and go to view the fleeting beauty of the fragile flowers. Sakura has come to represent the opening of the school year. 

 

This year I have been amazed once again by sakura's beauty. And, once again, I am amazed as I witness youth whom I have watched grow up over the years now enter their university years. This month we began meeting new students at various universities in Tokyo in order to start Chi Alpha campus groups. At the Central Bible College entrance ceremony, we connected with a father whose daughter just became a freshman at Sophia University. We already knew that the Bible college president's son was accepted there, and then we met another student who is from the Bible college dean's church. For the first time ever, we have a group of freshmen who come from the Japan Assemblies of God church all at the same university. We also have an American studying abroad at the same university! I look forward to seeing these students grow and mature in their faith.

 

I am also amazed as I see recently graduated students enter into their new jobs. One PhD student became a professor in her department. A CBC graduate, who was also a Chi Alpha student, finished her M.Div. and is now pastoring at Tokyo International Christian Assembly and working at the Japan A/G. About 9 years ago, we first met Yukino, who also studied at Sophia University. She became a believer over time, and now she is a minister!