Our little girl has gone out on her first solo mission trip!  Well, not exactly solo.  She is with a team of 10 others including her Grandmom and Grandpa.  She left on Thursday afternoon for Washington State.  They will spend the next week ministering to the Native Americans on the Yakama Indian Reservation.  Each time I have talked to her she seems to be having a really great time!  Yesterday they visited Mt. Hood, today they will have orientation and tomorrow they will start their building projects and Backyard Bible Club.

Please pray for Jeneva as she ministers to other children her age.  Please pray that she will have a sensitive heart and desire to serve.  Pray too that she will grow in her understanding and love for the Lord.

(Pictured: Jeneva on Mt. Hood - Sorry it isn’t the greatest photo   It was taken with a cell phone camera!)

Yesterday we returned from the annual Smith Family reunion.  Regular readers will know that my grandmother surprised her entire family last Christmas with tickets for a cruise to the Western Carribean.  That’s 36 family members – Grandmom; Aunt Linda, and my cousin Aimee; Aunt Leslee, Uncle Bruce, my cousin Bruce jr. and girl-friend Amanda; Uncle Chuck, Aunt Amy, my cousins Josh, Tara, and Shaena; Uncle Scott, Aunt Kathy, cousins Austin, Zach, and Travis; Uncle Jeff, Aunt Shelly; my mom and dad, brother Brian, sister-in-law Erica, nephews Christian and Bram, sister Tiffany, brother-in-law Ron, nephews Aaron and Ethan, niece Isabelle, sister Kristin, and brother-in-law Mike, Me, James, Josiah, Jeneva.

I haven’t had time to sort through all the photos but feel free to take a look at a few random photos.  (For Joyce’s personal thoughts on the cruise visit her page.)

 

Just prior to leaving for our cruise we received word that a family and a church have been added to our support team.  We are excited to report two new pledges totalling $450/month in additional support!

Jeneva has received all of her support and is excited about her ministry this summer to the Native Americans in the North Western US.

God is good!  He is faithfully building his kingdom through the senders he raises up everyday.  Thank you for allowing Him to use you, whether you are a sender or a goer, in this great work!

 

Today we are breathing a sigh of relief!  We survived the roller coaster ride of the last 3 weeks.

This month began with the week-end-long celebration of Josiah’s 13th birthday.   There was, first, the immediate family celebration.  The four of us went out for sushi (Josiah’s choice of B-day dinners) and then returned home to open his gift from us.  As it turns out his gift was for us all – I never imagined a Nintendo Wii could be so much fun!  Its as if we came into a million bucks and used it to build tennis courts, a bowling alley, and a baseball diamond.  Some of us have even suffered from sore elbows and shoulders!  His birthday weekend continued with a friend’s party on Saturday and finally an extended family’s party on Sunday.  According to Joe, the only thing lacking was his Japan friends, especially Seth.

Immediately following Joe’s birthday celebration was our move to Rockledge, FL.  It was a somewhat stressful time of purging and rearranging as we moved from the condo we have been in since our return to America into a few “spare” rooms at Joyce’s parents house.  The situation is tight but definitely doable.  How greatful we are to have such loving family members who give so generously to help us along in the work God has called us to.

On the heels of our move to Rockledge came a trip to Atlanta and Blairsville, GA.  We were required at the MTW home office for debrief and then on to Blairsville to visit with James’ family and supporting churches.  This was a wonderful weekend.  It is always good to be reunited with family and friends.  (We especially enjoyed playing Wii Tennis with James’ younger brother, Tilden, and his girlfriend, Angela.)  For all of us the best part of support raising is the opportunity we have to visit family and to build relationships with God’s people all over the US and world.

We are now looking forward to a few quiet weeks of praying, planning, and preparing for the summer months.  Please pray with us as we begin lining-up and following-up on many support raising ideas and opportunities.

It is hard to believe that a month has passed since Easter.  I guess we have been busy!  I hope by now you all have recieved our Spring newsletter (if not contact us right away so that we can add you to our list) and have been visiting the blog for updates.  Thank you for your participation in taking the gospel to Japan.

Summer is rapidly approaching and plans are ramping up.  This month has been filled with intense preparations for things to come.  James is in Maryland this week for Chapelgate, PCA’s missions festival.  The kids and I did not go because we are doubling up on the remainder of their home-school work in preparation for our very busy summer.  In addition to a family trip to Georgia next month (to visit family, supporting churches, and the home office for required debrief) and the cruise my grandmother is treating us to, the kids will be going on some pretty big trips.  Josiah will be attending Kalaqua, Jr. Hi Summer Camp for one week in mid-July and Jeneva will be joining her grandparents for a mission trip to Yakama Native American Reservation in Washington state in late-June (see her blog page for more information).

(Field Trip to Ft. Christmas, FL)

Many of you have been praying for our housing situation and I am sure would like an update.  While we have waited eagerly for the Lord to open up many potential housing options, it seems He has other plans as each possibility has shut down one-by-one.  Last week we officially decided that before watching another month’s rent drain from our, already deficit, support account we needed to proceed with plans to move into my parent’s house.  On May 10th we will move appoximately 15 miles south to Rockledge, FL.  We are still praying that by August other housing will come available.  Mom and Dad will be away on a summer mission trip most of the season but will return in August.  It appears that we will be state-side until at least January ’09 so we are praying to have our own space for those remaining months.  Please continue to pray with us.  Thanks Mom and Dad for your generousity.

(Joyce’s Parents)

“What do you miss most about America when your in Japan?”  This is one very common question!  And one we usually find difficult to answer, as we really love our life in Japan and don’t really feel like we lack much at all while we are there.  However, there are two things that I can say, “Yes, I definitely miss that!”

First, I miss certain aspects of holidays that are exclusive to our lives in America.  At Easter, this means I miss our home church’s Sunrise Service.  We meet on the edge of the Indian River at Manzo park in Titusville, FL.  There we sing praises to our Lord for His work on the cross and His victory over sin and death through His resurrection.  After that we share fellowship over breakfast. It doesn’t sound like much, especially on years when the sunrise isn’t spectacular.  But, to be up before dawn, like the women who hurried to the grave of our Lord, to sing His praises as the sun breaks the horizon, to be reminded of the hope we celebrate before the day’s festivities even begin, I really can’t think of anyway I’d rather start my Easter celebration!

 The second thing I really miss while in Japan – Family get-togethers.  The hardest thing I found upon returning to America was the fact that some of my nephews did not even know us!  Growing up I had lots of opportunity to know my cousins, aunts and uncles.  However, these opportunities are precious to us now.  This year Josiah and Jeneva have had a wonderful time getting to know their cousins.  And we are especially grateful that we were in the US for the birth of the second girl in the family.  My niece, Isabelle, was born in early February.

 We are so thankful for the opportunity to share this holiday with family, both church and physical.  It was a good Easter!

“For I delivered to you as of first importace what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriputres…”  I Corinthians 15: 3-4

It is passion week and we would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very wonderful holiday.  As you reflect on all that the Lord Jesus went through on this week in history for His people, may you be filled anew with the joy of His love and grace to us.

James and I were extended the “right hand of fellowship” this weekend by the people of Westminster Reformed, PCA, as we attended and participated in their missions conference.

Westminster Reformed Presbyterian Church, PCA

It is not often that a missionary is approached and invited into a church with which they have no connections. However, this was not the case in the start of our relationship with WRPC. At our mission board’s global missions conference in November, James was manning the Japan booth and was approached by a missions committee member of this church. Having been approached by many individuals, interested in God’s work in Japan we were very surprised to see an email from them when we returned home inviting us to participate in their missions conference. We are so glad we accepted.

Thoughout the weekend we had many opportunities to share the work God is doing in and through us in Japan. We had the privilege of sharing in fellowship dinners, men’s and women’s events, and an elder’s prayer meeting. We were also able to attend several worship services that included an excellent plenary speaker (for more on these messages see Joyce’s page). We are certain that God is creating a wonderful and blessed partnership between us and the fellowship at WRPC. We look forward to see His plan revealed in this new relationship.

The congregation of Westminster Reformed, PCA in Suffolk, VA was a blessing and encouragement beyond all that we imagined. The people there are kind, loving, generous, faithful servants of God’s kingdom. If you are ever in the area, I strongly encourage you to stop by and worship with them!

He’s at it again.  God is taking care of the “littlest” details of our lives.  You know I don’t think we really appreciate the fact that Jesus wants us to experience joy in the here and now.  After all, he did change the water into wine!

Four years ago we made a very tough, and un-educated, decision.  In light of moving over-seas, we gave our family pet away.  Only to discover later that moving her to Japan would not have been as difficult as we first thought.  Wow, how greatly we have regretted that decision! 

Yesterday morning, upon entering church I saw a mob of kids surrounding one young man, holding a puppy.  The first adult I ran into was our pastor’s wife.  Making small talk, I inquired about the puppy and told her the story of our long-gone puppy.  This puppy was for sale but far beyond our means and not something we were even shopping for.  However, we had often said if God were to drop another Chihuahua into our laps we would not turn her away.

Little did any of us know, that short conversation with our pastor’s wife set her mind in motion.  She went straight to the owners, told them our story and together they plotted and planned a way for us to take the puppy.

The puppy breeders are great missions-minded folk, in the process of opening a coffee shop whose proceeds will support many missions endeavors including our own.  A portion of the coffee shop funds were to come from the sale of this liter.  They felt that it was definitely the Lord’s plan to bless us with this puppy (whose cost would be raised through a fund raiser, so as not to take proceeds away from the coffee shop), because the puppy’s sale would bless the cafe, and the cafe would in turn bless us with support.

The four of us came home in shock yesterday at God’s miracle, a pet we all longed to have but none of us dared to ask for.  He gives, beyond all that we ASK or even think!  We now have a new, cute as can be addition to our family.  I’d like to introduce you all to…

 Java Latte.  Her name has been chosen in honor of those who have given her to us (and it is consistant with our family “J”s).  Thanks to all of you who donated this very special gift to us and thanks be to God for the miracles He gives simply because He wants us to know His joy!

This past week we had the wonderful opportunity to participate in Covenant Presbyterian Church’s missions emphasis week.  The theme was the ever popular missions verse from Psalm 96:3, “Declare His glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!”

Today, I am declaring His marvelous works to you, for this past week God has poured out abundant blessing on our family and I want to tell you of His glory!

When we arrived at Covenant Presbyterian last Sunday night we were not sure of what our responsibilities would be.  A few children’s programs were all we had been made aware of.  However, God blessed us with 11 opportunities to share!  We were especially blessed by the two small group Bible studies we shared with.  Their interest in God’s work in Japan was encouraging as well as the monthly support that was pledged through those meetings, both through prayer and finances.  Praise the Lord He is continually raising up partners for our ministry and is clearly working toward moving us back to Japan!

This week we experienced blessings beyond increased support.  A local, very small, church plant took up a love offering that greatly exceeded our wildest expectations!  Also, we have had several options for more affordable housing be made available to us.

God has been so gracious this week to pour out abundant blessings on our family.  We give Him all the glory and praise!  Will you now join us in praying for wisdom as we make decisions in light of these many new developments and blessings.

God is so good and His blessings beyond all that we ask or think!