Recently in the news here conflict between Japan and China has been high profile. Violent protests and calls for boycotts of Japanese products broke out across China in mid-September. The disputed ownership of the Senkaku / Diaoyu islands has been the cause. So this month we chose to feature our newest missionary family from Hong Kong. We asked them to tell us of their early challenges of life in Japan, and their hope in being here.

An Autumn festival will be held at Kusastu church at the end of October. Please pray for ongoing preparations, enough parking space and God’s presence and work in the heart of those who participate.

Yamada san will receive Baptism at the end of this month or early next month in Yamashina, and several others soon in Kusatsu. Pray for them!

The Lees in Izumi Christian House, Yamshina, also have their first wedding to conduct in December. Please pray as they start a Bible-based marriage course with the couple, and pray too for the couple’s salvation.

By the grace of God, my wife Celia, my son Marco and I came to Japan from Hong Kong for missionary work in March this year [2012]. God must have a plan for our family as he led us step by step into Japanese mission work. In my childhood, I already liked Japanese cartoons and culture. Twelve years ago, I went to Nagoya to study Japanese for one year. I met my wife in the Japanese church in Nagoya at that time. After we returned to Hong Kong, both of us worked in a Japanese firm in Hong Kong. We found that we have a special connection with Japan.

Thirty-seven people currently make up the WEC Japan team - that is 8 single people and the remainder married couples. We still currently meet all together about once a month for fellowship, worship and business matters, but with a growing field we will change to meeting in smaller location-based groups as from next year, reserving larger gatherings for about four times a year.

Who are we? We sometimes get email enquiries asking who our current workers are. This month’s article presents you with some of the facts and figures of where current workers are from and how long they have been in Japan. If you are interested in particular people and places, then do email us separately to ask. Thank you for praying!