Newsletter in English: 2011年12月アーカイブ

I apologize that it has been awhile since I have sent out "Chihiro Times." Along with holiday wishes, I would like to report my ministry. Since June, I have taken the position as the JCFN Interim International Director, and have been updating JCFN members with a ministry report periodically. It is posted on my personal blog as well, so please take a look at the website to find out what is new at JCFN.

Now at JCFN US headquarters, we are spending all of our time preparing for equipper conference 11 coming up this month. Please pray for the preparation and the conference itself. It seems like we do not have much conferees registered like previous years and instead notice more first timers. Please pray that ec would be the place for returnees to network within the States so that they may be equipped before their returns. Please pray also for them to have connection with friends from their hometown in Japan so that they have place to be followed-up after their returns.

Speaking of myself at ec, I will be teaching at the Returnee Seminar and hold a workshop for "Giftedness (spiritual gifts)." Please pray that God may be speaking through me to encourage and challenge the conferees. Please pray for the final preparation for them.
Thank you so much for your prayers, support, and encouragement throughout the year. It meant a lot to me. Without your support, I could not make the year fruitful in ministry. Here, I would like to report what is taken place in my life besides JCFN ministry and my reflection on this year.


■Local Ministry■□

In September, a little over a year since JCFN moved from Long Beach to Irvine and half a year since I moved my residence to Costa Mesa, there have been changes for local ministry. At the beginning of this year, I was attending an English-speaking church to pray about whether it would be a church that I can belong to and be involved in Japanese ministry in that church. However, I could not find good opportunities to move forward. But the situation changed in September. God gave us connections with several people who have a heart for the Japanese at Newsong Church, where JCFN is renting office space. It has opened a new opportunity for ministry. The UCI (University of California, Irvine) campus is near the church, and quite a few university students are involved in college ministry at Newsong. Several students (American) have heart for internationals (especially for Japanese international students), and we had a chance to meet them. At first, we met weekly with Christian students to pray about what would happen. Then, we decided to start a weekly small group for international students.

Interesting things happened when UCI's new quarter began at the end of September. We had connections with not only Japanese exchange students to UCI but also language school students. The language school is located right across the UCI campus. It has been only three months since its start, but we witness God's mighty hands on this small group. Most of those Japanese students come to the small group to make American friends and to learn English with them. But as they are spending time with American Christian friends at the Bible study, they began to think of what their American friends are believing and want to know more about the Bible. Within just three months, more than 10 Japanese students have attended the small group, although not every student continues to attend. Most of the language students stay for short-term in Irvine. Please pray that we can do whatever God entrusts us with for them in their short-term stay, and build a good relationship with them. Please also pray that they may make a decision to receive Christ's salvation. Lastly, pray for those American students serving the internationals.


□Reflection on 2011 □■

Again, thank you very much for your support for the ministry this year. I was only able to pray from the US, as I was seeing Japan completely changed after the Earthquake. I realized that what we have could be gone or changed in an instant. I was thinking of what I can do for this situation. I was praying to know what God's plan. Also, JCFN had been through big changes in the situation. Without proper experiences or abilities, I was appointed to be the Interim International Director of JCFN. I have been spending the past few months experiencing God's mercy. Only God can guide us in a situation of what we have never imagined before.


I am NOT God, but just a human. Only the Omnipotent God is the source for my life. What I learned this year was to live by recognizing God as God in any circumstances. It might be something very basic, but I would like to always come back to this truth.

May God bless you during this season of Christmas with the love and peace of God, who sent us the wonderful gift, the Savior to the Earth. I also pray for His blessings and guidance for this coming new year.


□What's Going on with Chihiro□■

Currently, ec11 is the center of our ministry. In the beginning of 2012, we are planning to have leadership training camp for those who are involved in follow-up ministries in Japan. We will not have ec during 2012, but there will be 3rd ANRC (All Nations Returnees Conference) in November. Most of the JCFN ministry next year will be related to ANRC12. The specific planning for next year has not yet been made, but it seems like I would have several chances to visit Japan.

Dec. 27th - Jan. 1st: ec11 (CA)
February: Japan visit
March: Annual Joint Staff Meeting (CA)
April: slim conference (Italy)


■Prayer for Chihiro■□

♪ Thanksgiving ♪
  ♪ For protection and guidance this year.
  ♪ For blessings on local ministry
  ♪ For supporters continuously being provided.

♪ Requests ♪
  ♪ For relationship with those whom God placing around me.
  ♪ For equipper conference 11.
  ♪ For my home church, Chofu Baptist Church.
  ♪ For financial supporters to be provided consistently.