February in Rifu is usually cold but not much snow. This year was very different! We enjoyed snow frequently at our apartment. By the next day, the snow is usually melted. We were invited to help with a video recording by Pastor Makito at his home. Look closely at the picture above. You can see the snow is like a blizzard! Not to worry, we were warm and cozy inside. Yuki, his wife, offered us warm drinks and snacks.

As Christians, an honest analysis of our social context may lead us into a not-so-comfortable position. But the truth is, the mission of the Gospel is counter-cultural; it should not, nor can it, become comfortable with the norms of society, especially when they go against the truths presented in the Gospel. Our hearts ache when we think about the current situation of our beloved El Salvador… And so we pray, learn, and constantly seek to be a light, for God’s peace, justice, and hope in the darkness of violence, injustice, and all the struggles of our communities and world.

Thank you for all your prayers!! For the first time since April, 2020, we are now at 100% of our support goal (support pledged)! How did it change so quickly from last month? An anonymous donor generously pledged an amount to IM that would fill our gap in funding for four years! This is truly a miraculous gift and we are deeply thankful for people that listen to the Lord for partnering in ministry through IM. Thank you IM for connecting us with this wonderful partner! The result is a very healthy financial start of 2022 at 100% of our support goal. We cannot thank our ongoing partners (both individuals and churches) plus our Missionary Partnership Team (MPT) enough! We are Re-Set in Rifu for ministry. PTL!

Have you ever thought about the miracles of Christmas? We’re back in Japan in a quarantine apartment in central Tokyo. We’ll complete our quarantine on December 25, just in time for Christmas! We will move to Rifu near Sendai in NE Japan on December 27 to partner with Oasis Chapel in ministry. To us, this is a major financial (and spiritual) miracle!

What does it take to do God’s work locally and internationally with the help of the community? First Baptist Church Cooperstown is a shining example of crossing borders while responding to local needs with key community partners.