Summer Ending

August rushed by us in a flash! It doesn't feel like it's September already, the years go by so much faster than when we were kids. And even faster now having a kid of our own.

It is looking and feeling like we will be getting an early winter again this year! Were very excited, and now we have to get all our swimming in before the beaches close!

So far everything has gone pretty smoothly at the church and with the english classes. And the Newell's are having a blessed time with their family in the states.

Last Sunday, our good friend and brother Yasutomo came up and taught for us, and we had a few people we had not seen in awhile come that morning too. It was a really good time for all of us, we were really blessed that people came.

Then Sunday night we were able to make it down to Calvary Chapel Okinawa for Glen and Kevin's ordination (they both got ordained to be pastors). It  was really awesome to be there and to see that God was really just confirming the calling He put on their lives with everyone there agreeing with the work God is doing.

Then, we actually got to head down again on Wednesday night for a going away party for Glen and his family, because they are moving to mainland to pastor a church there. Awesome to see steps of faith being taken, it really encourages us because we have to count the cost it takes too, and we know we are not alone and that we follow a good, and loving God.

We also just recently (only one time so far actually) started a Saturday youth study and game night, twice a month. It was really fun, and i think really a needed thing here. There are lots of youth and they come to a lot of our events, but there has never been anything consistent where they can come and learn and make friends.

Since before we made our visit to the states, we were in the process of getting Eder's Japanese driver's license. Today, Eder passed the test!! He now can officially drive in Japan for long term!! We are so happy! God gave us favor because a lot of foreigners have trouble getting their license, and many of our fellow foreigners at the church have taken the rest many times before passing.

Eder passed the second time!

God is awesome :)

Next month we celebrate Elena's first birthday...it came so fast! We love watching her grow and learn, but its bittersweet to watch her grow this fast! We can't believe it was that long since she was a tiny bundle in our arms, seems like a month ago.

Also, this month my little sister (not do little anymore!) is having her first baby! We are do excited, and she is about to pop! Can't wait to meet out little nephew soon :)

Please continue to pray for us and the ministry here, God is always doing things, even when we don't see it all the time. :)

Prayer Requests:

-English school

-Visa renewals (coming up after new years)

-New car

-Church and those that come

-Women's study

-Youth study (just started)

-Children's ministry

-Teaching our own children to trust in the Lord.

-Wisdom and contentment

-To keep growing in the Lord

One of our students and friends, Nanami and Elena hanging out.

Playing the "Cup" game after a study.

The kids at our vbs this summer (older picture).

The Phipp's before they left (rest of their boys were running around haha).

Summer!

We apologize for the lack of posts recently! We have been busy getting back into the swing of things here after our trip to the states.

So here is an update of what's been happening recently and how our trip went!

Last month we had our yearly kids VBS, and beach youth event. This is our third time doing the VBS and I think it went the most smoothly and fun for the kids and everyone involved.

We did the wordless color bible theme, which we have done the past two times, but every time we get different kids, and the past two times it felt like the message just didn't stick with the kids. This year, even though we had less then the previous year, we split the teaching up into stations, one person sharing each color with a color craft, having games in between. It went pretty good! 

We were able to talk more on the level of the kids about the section of the story they heard, and what they thought of it while they colored and drew on their crafts. We made a wind-sock craft, with each color hanging off of it, and they colored and drew on the tags that hung off of it to help the, re,e,bet what was important about each color.

All the kids said they had fun, and the crew that came up to help really got to have fun and play with each kid.

The youth event went well too, but we sat out on that one due to an injury. Eder sprained his ankle in a hole hidden by grass walking over the hill to the beach. He is doing fine now, but the day off it swelled pretty bad! So we took Elena in the water to swim and give his ankle a break. But, everyone said it was so much fun and they got to hear a study as well.

We have women's bible study coming up this month, and a youth night, and the Newell family is heading to the states for a visit the end of this month.

Please be I'm prayer for them (safe and easy travels with their two boys, wisdom while I'm the states ministering, blessed time with family and friends), and for us as we hold down the fort while they are away (taking care of church service on Sundays/Wednesdays, taking care of their house and cars so they don't mold or rust).

We know the enemy will try to get us down during this time on both ends, but we know God is strong and trust He will watch over us.

Also, our car broke down and is no longer with us (junked). So that was our 2nd car we have junked this year. But, we have been blessed to be able to get a little more exercise getting groceries, and catching rides from the Newell's so we don't have to walk too far in this heat with Elena.

Please pray for God's will in the area of a car for us.

Our trip to America was a lot of fun! We were so blessed to see our family and friends, the home church, and to see everyone get to meet Elena and be blessed by her.

We got to share with the church a little bit about what we do out here and the vision of the church here in Nago, we helped on the worship team while we were there, and Eder got to share the Word on a Sunday morning. It was a really good time, and so much fun.

We hope to be able to head back soon, Lord willing, and be able to make it to Michigan to see the other side of our family.

Oh! We have a praise to report for those who were praying for Elena: her cough is gone!!! It was really bad when we got back from the states, and we were really concerned about it, not wanting it to become chronic or her to always have to be on medication. But! It is completely gone! She hasn't had it for awhile now. Praise our God :)

We are really blessed by everyone who prays for us, supports us, and thinks of us. We know we are prayed for, we can feel it.

We will post photos in a separate post soon, waiting to get pictures from the events!

Here are our prayer requests:

-wisdom in raising Elena

-leading of God in our lives

-ability in Japanese to grow

-wisdom and God's leading in renewing or changing our apartment contract, and visas.

-car situation

-health to stay good

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March

This month flew by! We wanted to get a post in at the beginning of the month but didn't manage to.
So here is an update of what has been happening and what we have been doing here.

It was my birthday (Amanda posting) the beginning of the month, and also White Day. White day is the girl's turn to recieve chocolate, Valentines is when girls give chocolate to the boys here in Japan.

We celebrated Japanese style, Eder got me my favorite breads and candies, and me and Elena got a bouquet of sunflowers and lilies! So beautiful!

We had our second women's bible study on the 16th, and 5 people came! We made a craft and had fun talking and getting to know each other, and after made desert balls in the Tako Yaki maker (a frying pan with molds to make little batter balls with veggies and octopus inside). We are really being blessed to have it every month and know that the women will be fed and grow every time they come.

The English school keeps on growing and changing, always new students and new ideas. Keep it in prayer so that God may use it as He pleases for His purpose.

This Easter we combined services with another local church here in Nago. Pastor Tim taught, Eder taught kids, and me and Ayu led in the worship. There was a missions youth team visiting from Taiwan, and they shared a testimony and did a gospel skit. It was really fun! Everyone was excited and friendly and ready to serve and love on each other.

We had a beach event planned for the afternoon, but canceled because of the weather (typhoon-like rain!). We are rescheduling it for later. So we headed down south to Ginowan and got to fellowship with the crew and hear some testimonies and worship. It was a really blessed time, just relaxing and praising God for His goodness towards us in His Son.

We stayed the night, because the following day Eder had to drive to Naha and start the paper work to get his Japanese drivers license. Since then we have been down to Ginowan three more times to get more of the paperwork done, and the last time for a women's conference that I helped lead worship for.

A group from the Calvary in Virginia came out with pastor Tom Hallman and his wife, so while she was here we had the conference for all the churches in island.
It was so fun, so many ladies from all over came. The theme was from Psalm 61, how God is a shelter for us.

Well, Easter evening we bought our tickets to the states! We will be heading out May 30th to June 30th.
Please be in prayer for us as we prepare things to go (trying to keep the house from molding is the trick!), for Elena on the flights, and overall safe travels and to be a blessing to everyone we see there and travel alongside. We are excited to share the good work within family and friends that God has been doing out here these past 2 years.

Prayer requests:
-Trip to the states.
-Women's bible study (growth of women and fellowship).
-Elena's health (still has a cough).
-Eder and mine's growth in understanding of God's Word.
-Continued growth and ability to learn Japanese.

February

It's already March, this year is going fast already! Elena turned 4 months last week, and learned how to roll over! (Though its not consistent if she can repeat it haha)

This past month a bunch of new students have signed up for English classes, and next month a new class with a preschool will start. We can see the students growing in their abilities and its so encouraging to hear them speak back in English.

We got Elena's passport and birth certificate applications accepted and turned in, just waiting to receive it in the mail. What a load off our minds! There were so many applications to prepare.

Another baby-blessing this past month was receiving Elena's first hand-me-downs! She got a bag full of cute clothes from an old friend who visited us this Sunday! Yuko-san and her husband and two kids Eishu and Yuriko, used to live here in nago but moved down south last year. It's always a surprise and blessing to see then again, we live playing with the kids! And it was their first time to meet Elena out of the tummy haha

We weren't able to have it in February due to busy schedules, but on March 16th we are having our next women's bible study. We're hoping that more ladies and girls will be able to come this time. So exciting! Pray for us as we prepare.

Life is a huge blessing having a kid. I was thinking the other day as I was folding laundry how it feels like we have always had Elena with us. And I thought about the times I feel stressed out with things I need to get done on top of taking care of Elena, and I remember how easy it was before she was born. Even though I wish I could get it all done, I never wish to not have her.
If I don't get the floors vacuumed because baby made a mess all over herself and needs a bath, that's okay because she is way more important than the floors, which won't die if I don't clean them today. I just think its crazy that we can put the obviously less important priority above the most important without batting an eye.

Here are our prayer requests for this month and the next:
-Eder getting his Japanese drivers license, provision for financially and time to do it.
-Women's bible study/preparation.
-Elena's health (she has had a cough for a while now).
-Trip back to the states in June.
-Eder studying for message and teaching in Japanese on Wednesday nights.
-Diligence in spending our time wisely, and keeping our bodies healthy.

Here are some pictures!

January

Happy New Year! It's only the first month of the year and it's already flying by!

We had a Tako-Yaki night last week with some of the families from the English school, and just relaxed and got to know everyone better. It was a really fun and filling night! We made 100 plus that night!
(pictures at the bottom)

We celebrated Pastor Tim's birthday today (the 15th)! Ayu made him a birthday cake and him and his sons blew out the candles (his kids LOVE blowing out birthday candles!). Happy Birthday Tim!

We don't have much going on this month ministry and event-wise, just a few new English classes.

Elena will turn 3 months old this Friday, which in Japan is when they celebrate the 100th day of birth. So we plan on trying to get some good pictures of her and all three of us.

We don't know what this year will hold, but we know God is going to do something. We both feel something is going to happen, whether it's a new vision to serve Him in, new steps of faith, or growth here where we are at. We are praying a lot, especially about being able to make it to the states this summer. There's a lot of things we both feel we need to do in that time there.

Please continue to keep us in your prayers. Elena is growing fast, and is already so responsive and alert. We really want to raise her wisely and well, and enjoy every moment with her.

Please prayer for:
-continued growth in Japanese
-wisdom in finances and saving
-guiding of Holy Spirit in our every day life and choices
-grace and wisdom and leading for women's study and Eder teaching in Japanese on Wednesday nights every other week

God bless your new year, may He fill it even more with His love and grace than last year.

(pictures are from our Tako-Yaki night, Tim's birthday, Sunday kid's ministry, and Elena being cute)

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!