We have been busy

We had a cardboard box that the kids got ahold of and made a store. They had so much fun playing with the box. Jane and Rachel were so busy with the box. Then it got real quiet. We were wondering what happened. Rachel was playing with Nathan but where was Jane. She was asleep in the box. I can remember childhood memories of that fun and security and just catching a nap like her. I was actually jealous but I was cooking dinner. So anyway, I snuck a picture of a very special moment that I will love to show her boyfriend later on...Hee hee hee. She is sucking that thumb still.

ICCS International Community Chapel of Saitama

Some 22 years ago a young lady named Mihoko Hori was at this church and received Jesus as her Savior and was Baptised not only in water but by the Holy Spirit here. The Church hasn't changed much and the Savior is eternally the same but the people have change most of them. It was encouraging to see many of the faces from 20 years ago. I was a short term missionary in 1990 and lived in Japan for 3 months. This was the home base for then Life Ministries. Now, Life is Asian Access and they are a church planting ministry. But ICCS still had the De Le Cour's and Dee Wirz who wrote the ESL curriculum many of the missionaries are still using today to teach English using the Bible. Some CAJ faces were there and we also saw Mark and Rustuko hanging out there. It was fun to hang out and be apart of the services. I didn't get too many pictures as it would have been kind of rude. Anyway, they were joining the world wide movement with the day of prayer and the message and music corresponded to the theme.

Mihoko was so thrilled to just sit and drink in the old memories. Kind of like a hippy going back to Costa Mesa after 20 years away. They sit in the pew (Now soft cushion chairs) and just say, "Yea, man I was sitting hear when Chuck said that one things and then the lights went on and I got it! Dude that was so way boss." They did talk like that. Mihoko didn't use boss or cool but there were some "Natsukashis." God has so blessed Mihoko's life with her parents being saved which is very rare in Japan and all the ministry and friends

I remember coming here from Machida which was about an hour plus train ride. It would be during rush hour and I'd be carrying my bulky guitar. It was so much fun to get in and out of the trains with that guitar. I used to ride the Odakyu sen back into Shinjuku or was it Shibuya and then go the Yamanote Sen to Ikebukuro and then out the Seibu Sen to Kotesashi. There was a shorter way but I didn't know it until the end of my stay. ICCS is in need of a worship leader pray that God would raise up a gifted individual.
We had a great time of fellowship. We also rented a car to practice driving and that was a lot of fun too. More about that later. God bless.

Meet the Bedow Family

I told you guys about this evangelist street preacher guy Mark Bedow a while ago; Well, he was holding out on me and I received a copy of the brand new CD by his wife Ritsuko Bedow. The CD is called "The color's of Your Love". We have become fairly good friends (I've been to their house twice. Usually I only get one invite and when I get invited back then I know we are friends. Hee Hee)and are appreciating what each other are doing for the Lord. More so, what the Lord is doing through us. Ritsuko is a Soloist who travels around Japan and sings in concerts and at churches. They are a fun family and my kids are enjoying their kids; Kachel (10), Jessica (7), and Mariko (4), I believe. Anyway, keep your eye on this family as God is using them in a mighty way to bless the body of Christ in Japan. The best part is they live in Iruma and I get to go over to their home and eat Ritsuko's goodies. Actually, they are Mark's goodies and she gives them to me. Hee Hee.

Happy Memorial Day

Hey living in Japan a day ahead I completely forgot about Memorial Day. We want to say thank you to all the veteran's past and present. The world would be a very different place if it hadn't been for you. God bless you all.

I was in the Army from 1984 to 1987. I went to Boot Camp at Fort Dix New Jersey and then on to AIT in Fort Belvoir Virginia. After several weeks of training I was then shipped out to Coleman Barracks in Mannheim Germany. I spent eighteen months there and then PCS'd to Fort Campbell Kentucky and the 101st Airborne 311 Military Intelligence Battalion.



My Job was a 52D10 Power Generation Equipment Repairer. I fixed generators from 5KW all the way up to 200KW. The generator repair business was a very cake job. So I spent most of my time fixing trucks.






I went into the Army to learn a skill other than garage door repair so I could do something with my life. When I ETS'd from the Army I soon discovered there was a lack of jobs for fixing WW2 vehicles. I could have re-enlisted in the military and continued to fix WW2 trucks but I wanted to try my knack at garage doors again. Also God got a hold of my heart and he has directed me to Japan to live and minister planting a church. What an awesome God we have.

Game Night Post log

It was exciting to be able to bless the parents with a night where we watch their kids and we just loved on them with food and games and we watched a movie. The parents are so appreciative of our ministry to them and the kids. We had an extra blessing after the meeting had ended and parents came and got their kids, two mom's stayed as we have never formally talked and just hung out and shared our stories. One daughter named Sakura was very curious about Rachel's heart issue. She had many questions. Mihoko shared our whole story and she then told them about the dream of Heaven Rachel had. The mom's were in rapt attention listening to every detail. Sakura's mom is a nurse and she had knowledge of the things we were saying so she knows what we went through and to see us here was testimony enough for her, but Mihoko went on to share about Jesus. Sakura was listening with very big eyes saying to her mother and Mihoko I want to go to heaven some day. I was in the kitchen with tears in my eyes praying that they would make a decision for Jesus. They did not but Mihoko was sure to tell them to just believe with their heart and confess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord you shall be saved.
They left and my tears of joy in sharing were dried up with a lump of frustration in my heart as I so wanted to see Sakura give her dear sweet life to Jesus. Her mom was close but the pressure of friends and family here definitely cause the Japanese to think deep and hard about forsaking the old life and embracing Jesus. Pray we can water those seeds of the gospel and for the Lord to cause the growth.

Game Night May 23rd

We had a great game night with 14 kids total and they loved the games fluffy bunny and musical chairs and Uno and Mystery eat contest. We had some others and it was so much fun.

Hey where's the beef?

The Mos burger corporation is having a campaign for a new Doughnut Burger. They took out the middle and loaded it with a wasabi mayo. I will never buy one of these, but I thought it'd be funny to get a round to it. There is a hole story to share. I just thought I'd crack come jokes about rolling in the dough just to drive you nuts. Okay I'm done.

Meet the Street Preacher

Hello everyone I want to introduce you to Mark Bedow. He has been in Japan for more than 20 years and preaches a straight forward gospel in Japanese. He is almost everyday at the Iruma Train station shouting to the masses of hundreds of people, hitting their morning commute, the gospel of Jesus Christ. I get hit with so many emails from those who say your American style Christianity won't work there in Japan. They tell me how unique to humanity the Japanese species is and that we have to culturally bend and augment the "Western" Idealism of modern day theology and how it doesn't work with the Japanese. I have been told to study Japanese for two years at the University and sit back as a disciple of Japanese culture and then after two years I might understand enough to be able to evangelize the Japanese. Hmm. Mark walks to the train station and shouts to the masses like John the Baptist and he sees lives changed. The gospel is in thousands of countries around the world being preached for hundreds of years. The gospel never changes and the delivery never changes. God's power is a constant in the universe. Colossians says he holds all things together in a constant power grip. The only thing that I see is not the strength of the gospel diminished nor the power but the hard heart that the seed can't penetrate.
Mark one day went to preach at the train station and there was a tremendous battle just to get to the spot to preach. The enemy was hindering him with tremendous thoughts of doubt and unworthiness. It took him and hour to pray through the wall. He had preached hundreds of times and never had this kind of opposition. Then after an hour he approached the spot and spoke with difficulty and yet then after a few minutes the oppression left and the Spirit flowed as usual. Soon after he finished preaching a young lady approached him and said thank you for your message. I came here today to jump in front of the train and commit suicide. This message has given me hope. Mark was able to minister to the young lady and she gave her life to Jesus. The Gospel works. I am just going to listen to the Holy Spirit and do what he says. Mark and I had some great fellowship pray we can be good friends.

Rachel's Kawagoe Sinus Treatment

We went to Kawagoe to have a treatment done on Rachel that eliminates the mucus in her head. The Doctor was so nice and they are very good at what they do. I was just a little grossed out as they suctioned out Rachel's sinuses. Slurrrrrrrrrp. I can't believe how much junk was in the head of that little girl. She has breathing problems and hearing loss from all the mucus due to being imuno-suppressed. She has over active adenoid glands that traps the mucus and brings discomfort and mess. To see how relieved she was after the treatment made it all worth it. She was so happy for the relief. She slept most of the train ride home.

Kawagoe visit

Rachel had a doctor's appointment in Hon Kawagoe about 20 minutes by car away from us. It takes almost an hour by train door to door. It was a very hot day for me. The Humidity is on the climb and the newness of the walk wore off real quick and we were looking for an air conditioned facility. I know we are whimps. Anyway, we did have a great time looking at the older buildings some more than 100 to 200 years old. This is a popular place for travelers many years ago and the town has quite a history. It is like going back to the East Coast of the US and visiting some of the famous old houses of famous Americans we really never knew too much about. It was a great time as we had to go and have Rachel treated for her over active Adnoid glands. It was gross but necessary and she feels tremendous relief; more on that later. God bless