Missionaries Japan Nathan and Linda Snow Snow news!
Nathan and Linda Snow Newsletter
FWBIM - Hokkaido, Japan
Dear Friends,
Much has happened since you last received word from us. We sincerely apologize for the lapse. While busyness has been a factor, it is no excuse. The good news is, among these extremely challenging days, we have much to share!
Over the last several months we have seen lives changed by the power of God right before our eyes. We are also hearing the same from our sister-churches in Japan. In our church plant alone (Miharashidai Chapel) we have seen three of our young people publicly profess Christ during testimony time. One more prayed to receive Christ, but is not able to attend church. Two more young people have expressed their desire to follow the Lord in baptism. An older gentleman in our church who has been contemplating baptism initially committed to follow through, but is having real difficulty due to family pressure. Thank God with us for this fruit, and ask God to give these new brothers and sisters courage as they live out their faith.
This March we will begin a 10-week new believers course together with all of our young people. Initially we expect 10 participants. Mika, one of our faithful members, has agreed to co-teach this class. This is also an exciting thing to see our Japanese believers taking on more and more responsibility. Please be much in prayer for this venture. From this class, Lord willing, we will be able to baptize a group of 6 or 7 believers. Please pray for these new Christians. Ask God to give them wisdom as they share their faith with their families. As Mika would readily testify from her own experience, this can often be a large hurdle.
We are thrilled to introduce to you our new pastor and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Sasaki. They have prayerfully accepted the pastoral responsibility of the Miharashidai Chapel FWB Church. As pastor, they began attending in January of this year and will officially be installed in April, the beginning of the fiscal year in Japan. We, along with our co-worker Debbie Griffin, will continue to work with them throughout the remainder of this term of service in order to make a smoother transition in leadership.
Approximately 15 years ago, the FWB association of churches in Japan had only 1 pastor and 6 churches. Beginning this April, we will have 7 pastors, 1 national worker, 1 in training, 8 churches and 2 mission works. We also have a young lady who is making preliminary plans for overseas mission work. The national association has also clearly defined three geographical areas in Japan in which they would like for us to partner with them in church planting efforts. These are areas they have already begun to work in and have approached us with their vision and strategy for establishing new works in these areas. Truly God is at work. We are seeing bigger and bigger sections of fields that are “white unto harvest.”
On a personal note, we are excited for ministry opportunities that have opened up for our two oldest children, Daniel (17) and Megan (15). Both have been accepted into the Truth and Peace Leadership Program, and Daniel has been invited to participate in this year’s Youth Evangelistic Team. Both of these programs provide excellent opportunity for both spiritual growth and ministry. We will miss them here in Japan this summer as they travel to the States for these programs. Please pray for their safety and spiritual growth.
This summer will be a first for us. Since 1993 we have hosted an E-TEAM (high school ministry team) each summer. This year, in lieu of an E-TEAM, we will host our first church youth group. The First FWB Church of Russellville, AR will be sending us a portion of their youth group, along with several youth workers. We are very excited about this venture, the impact they will have on Japan, and the impact Japan will have on them. Allen Pointer, their youth pastor and denominational youth leader, has agreed to stay over for a brief time to hold some regional seminars and think tank sessions concerning “youth outreach programs,” and “outreach through youth” programs for our Japanese youth.
As God blesses, we know from both the teachings of the Scripture and from personal experience that Satan does his best to interfere. Our field, and FWBIM as a whole, continues to face challenging obstacles. Personal and family health needs are seriously affecting most members of our field council in Japan. This has, and will likely continue to reduce the number of workers on the field unless the Lord intervenes. Lack of finances for the mission as a whole is a real burden that has only increased over the last 2 years. World currencies and markets only add to the fact that many of those who are faithful prayer and financial supporters are themselves experiencing financial difficulty during these recent days of recession. Over the last several months, in order to keep as many missionaries on the field as possible, our home office has reduced its work force by at least 8 employees (this is over half of the staff). Four of these have been department heads, including General Director James Forlines. We commend and hold in highest regard each of these faithful servants and the invaluable role they have played in helping to advance the gospel to the unreached. Please pray for our work on the field. These support staff cuts have added a significant load that had to be transferred to missionaries on the field. Please, please, pray for the board and staff as they seek God’s direction in order to navigate the tricky waters ahead. I believe at the mouth of the narrow stream we are navigating down lies an ocean of God’s providence.
In an ironic way, challenging times like these can be taken as an encouraging sign in itself. If God were not choosing to use us in significant ways to carry out His plan, Satan would not waste time interfering. Be encouraged! God is at work. We see it.
We were reminded of this a few Sundays ago when Yukari Fujiwara shared her story with us during our Sunday worship service. Her initial exposure to the gospel was through a Christian kindergarten, followed many years later through an English class taught be Fred Hersey in Bihoro, Japan. Some years later, during an extended homestay in a FWB home in West Virginia, after a telephone conversation with missionary Mirial Gainer, she accepted Christ. (Ironically, we first met Yukari in America during this time in Ashland, KY). To make a long story short, after being excommunicated from her Buddhist / Shinto family and praying earnestly for them for 14 years, her family has been coming to Christ one by one. Over the last several months, Yukari has been able to lead her father, mother, two sisters and grandmother to the Lord. Her grandmother, a (formerly) devout Buddhist, then proceeded to destroy a whole house full of (very expensive) idols as she accepted Christ into every part of her heart and home. Let us rejoice together in the power of God to change lives and heal homes. Please pray for Yukari as she witnesses to her husband. Her desire is to see her family made complete in Christ.
I trust even in these challenging times for us and many of you, that the Holy Spirit that Jesus promised us in His final greetings before leaving to prepare a place for us will continue to sustain and encourage our hearts as we labor together to spread God’s glory to every corner of the earth.
God bless you. We love you and are so thankful and encouraged by your faithfulness.
Nathan and Linda Snow
Daniel, Megan, Andrew, Jacob, Noah, Josiah and Isaac
FWBIM, Hokkaido, Japan