As you know, our primary focus right now is Japanese language study (and Karuizawa is not our long-term location for ministry). As we study, though, we also are looking for practical ways to use and improve our Japanese. The church we have been attending recently approached me with an opportunity to serve the church, and also build relationships with Japanese high school students in the area.
In cooperation with members of Karuizawa Christ Church, I will be helping to reach out to students from the large high school right next to the church building. I'll bring some "international flavor" and appeal, and we hope this new ministry will help break down barriers and bring new students into the church building on Saturdays. This is designed as a "pre-evangelistic" outreach, to introduce students for the first time to God's people and God's word in a welcoming and fun environment.
We met early on Wednesday morning in front of the school to pray, and then pass out the above flyer to the students as they came in by foot and bicycle. Pray with us that God would bring the right students, and that we would soon be able to establish a sense of "community identity" that will continue to attract new students in the future. Pray that God would bless my Japanese ability and enable me to work well with the church members, and that together, we would be able to share the love of Christ in a very real and tangible way to the students.
