'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!