New Year Coming

Merry Christmas everyone! We hope you all had a wonderful time with family and friends. We had a very blessed and fun Christmas here, it gets better every year as a family!

This month we had our events that we put on each year, and each time they grow. At our Christmas party, on Dec. 8^th, we had a huge group! Old and new friends and students came, we played some Hakugaijin songs, a group from Ginowan led us in some Christmas songs, and Pastor Tommy shared a Gospel message. It was really fun, everyone ate and talked, and we got some good games going. A few people accepted Jesus, and some heard for the first time. It was really fun, everyone said they enjoyed it so much.

On the 15^th we had our very first Nago women’s bible study!!! It was so much fun, we are excited to have another one hopefully this next month. Some of the women and girls couldn't be there because of children or other events, but me, Ayu (pastor’s wife), and Shizuka (mom of family that comes to church) went through the first part of John, and then fellowshiped and made stuffed Christmas ornaments. We really had so much fun, it’s a ministry that is much needed for the women here. We were all blessed (myself included!) to have our husbands take the kids and do their own craft and play time.
Please continue to be in prayer for us.

On the 16^th we went Caroling with the other churches in Nago. We played new songs this year, and a group of us played Amazing Grace on hand-bells. We didn't have many people gather to listen (last year we did), but it was fun, and people clapped as they drove by. Hoping that the people in Nago got blessed and will come to understand what Jesus did for them.


The last event we had was our marshmallow roasting/movie night. A TON of people came, we were packed out. For many it was their first time evening hearing of smores, but they enjoyed it. Everyone brought cookies, and we supplied the marshmallows and showed them how to roast ‘em! The kids loved it.

This past year was amazing. We have had some of the hardest times spiritually and living out the ministry God has us doing, but we have grown and had some of the best times of our lives.
The biggest was our daughter being born, but even before that, the whole trip of watching her grow inside, preparing for her to come, and drawing closer as husband and wife. It was amazing.

We are excited for this new year, because we know its going to be great, and were going to do many awesome things following our Lord.

Please be in prayer for us in these things:
-Elena’s passport (getting it soon, for travel to the states this summer)
-Women’s ministry/bible study
-English classes
-Christians in Nago (to come learn the Bible at church, and study it at home)
-Trip to the states
-Our car (needs new tires soon)
-New classes/continued classes for coming year

God bless you in this new year, as abundantly and more as He has to us.

Christmas party.

Getting ready to play "Frosty the Snowman" (fluffy bunny) with marshmallows.

Marshmallow/movie night!

We watched "Elf", its funny every time!

Christmas morning!



Elena's Christmas outfit! (Slippers from Germany!)

Opening her gift!

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She loves them!

'Tis the Season

It's December! These past 2 months flew by us fast! Here is a quick update, and some of the things we have this month.

Last month we got to head down south and celebrate Thanksgiving with our church family at Calvary Chapel Ginowan. It was a huge blessing, visiting with everyone and Elena getting to meet everyone.

We also were able to make it to the immigration office down south to apply for and get Elena's visa. Thank you for your prayers for this, she now has her own 3 year dependent visa! God is good!

Eder was able to go with Tim to Ie Jima (another close island), and help with an outreach to the youth the church there was having. They had a really blessed time, and hope to return again soon, possibly with me and Elena.

On the first of this month, we got to perform as Hakugaijin for students at a speech contest at Kiritan College. It was a surprise for the highschool students at intermission while the scores were judged. One of the students who attends Calvary Chapel Okinawa won an award that day!

This Saturday, the 8th, we have our Annual Christmas party. A group from Ginowan heading up to play Christmas songs and share a Christmas message from the Word. It's always so much fun, and always a great way to share with our students and friends the Love Jesus has for them.

Also, the 15th we are having our first Nago women's Bible study!! Me and Ayu will be tag teaming the teaching and then making hand-made Christmas ornaments with the ladies and girls that come. We're really excited, and hope that this ministry can continue and be able to grow and nurture the women here in Nago.

The following day, we are Christmas caroling again with the other churches in Nago. So far practice has been a blast and we know the event will be too.

Then the 23rd we are having a Christmas movie/marshmallow roasting night! We had this last year for the first time and everyone loved it. It was a good time just to relax and get to know each other better.

This past Wednesday night, Eder taught from the Word in Japanese for the first time. We have been teaching the kids in Japanese for the last year and a half, but this is the first time to teach a message for adult ears (proper grammar and more in-depth into the message points). It's not easy, and becomes stressful very quickly, but we trust God to help us and try our best to let it grow us. Please pray for Eder for this, learning to study and teach the Word in another language is difficult.

We have been praying, and are taking a new step of faith and making a commitment before God. We are planning a trip back to the states in June, this coming year 2013, for 3 weeks to visit the churches that support us and share about the work God is doing out here through us and the churches.

If you would keep these things in your prayers:
-upcoming women's bible study (led by the Spirit, women to be blessed by it and to grow in the Lord and understanding of the Word).
-Christmas party on 8th (soft hearts, gospel to be heard and understood and received).
-continued wisdom in raising Elena in a God-glorifying way.
-continued good health and growth for Elena.
-provision for new year and new things God will do.
-our desire to and ability to speak Japanese.
-Eder teaching on Wednesdays in Japanese.
-continued leading and vision for new year.
-provision for trip back to the states, wisdom and diligence in saving and preparing for it (first time traveling with a baby).

Thank you, check back on our blog to see pictures and updates at the end of the month.
God bless!