Missionaries Japan Nathan and Linda Snow MUCH TO CELEBRATE
Thanksgiving and Christmas, two of our favorite holidays, and they are just around the corner. Thanksgiving reminds us of the importance of regularly reflecting on the goodness of God, and Christmas gives us context to understand that all that is good that we experience in our lives is because of Christ.
We are so thankful that the Miharashidai Chapel FWB Church, where we have been working for many years, has called its first pastor. Pastor and Mrs. Sasaki officially took over in April of this year. We will remain at Miharashidai Chapel for the rest of this term in order to ensure a smooth transition from missionary-led to national pastor-led. Please pray for the Sasaki’s. At this young stage of the church, they are not receiving any salary. Rev. Sasaki works full time on top of pastoring. Pray that God will uphold them and reward them for their dedication and faithfulness. Ask God to meet their financial needs, and that the church will soon be able to support him full time.
Over the past two years we have seen several young people place their faith in Jesus Christ. We are currently counseling these and praying with them as they live out their faith at home, and as they share their desire to be baptized with their unsaved families. Christmas falls on a Sunday this year. If all goes well, Lord willing, we will plan on having a baptism celebration as part of our Christmas Sunday program. What a way to celebrate Christ’s birth – to jointly celebrate these new lives in Christ. Please pray that each of these young people’s families will be supportive of their decisions. Pray that they will attend and witness first-hand the joy of new life in Christ.
Tsunami disaster relief work continues to remain a large focus for us. There is a wonderful spirit of unity in the Christian community in Japan. We, along with other conservative missions and church networks, feel a great responsibility and urgency to continue doing all we can to minister to the thousands and thousands who are homeless (living in temporary housing) and hurting. This past July we had a THP (The Hanna Project) team come for 10 days to specifically minister in the disaster zone. We really appreciate their contribution! Perhaps this is something you would be interested in? Check out the possibilities at www.hannaproject.com.
Nathan has been a board member for JEMA (Japan Evangelical Mission Association) for the past three years. He was tasked by the JEMA Board to plan and facilitate a consultation of its 40 member missions, as well as other local, national, and international relief networks at the end of November in Sendai, a city in the central area of the disaster zone. Immediately following, he will represent JEMA at a similar gathering in the same city by JEA (Japan Evangelical Association), our national church counterpart and sister organization. Our goal is to provide an information network that will help each of us minister more efficiently. Here we can learn from each other’s experiences, and work together to ensure that churches will be planted in this largely unchurched area. To borrow THP’s slogan, our desire is to bring help, hope, and healing to these who have lost so much and have had so little opportunity to hear the gospel.
Linda began the homeschool year in August. As you can imagine, this and full time mothering keeps her plenty busy. She began the year with Daniel (17), Megan (16) and Andrew (13). In October, Jake (9) moved from Japanese school to homeschool, and Noah (7) will make the same transition by year’s end. This will help them all make a smoother transition to an all-English environment next April. Even on top of all this, Linda still manages to teach several English Outreach classes, as well as regularly entertain other moms in our home. We never know exactly how many we will be having for a meal, or how many of our kids’ friends will be spending the night. We just do a quick head count and adjust accordingly. We are very thankful to have such a hospitality ministry. Please pray that God will continue to use our family and home for His glory.
A couple of months ago, Linda and Andrew were out shopping, and casually invited Kazu, the cashier to come visit our church sometime. Shortly after, Kazu began to come, and began bringing Saki, his girlfriend with him. Because of her work schedule, Saki is not always able to attend church, but this young dating couple in their 20’s come every chance they get. On Sunday afternoon they usually come to our house and hang out, have an English lesson, play games, eat supper with us, and stay until late into the evening. It seems like they are “seeking” what they are seeing in our home, and in the lives of our church people. We are very thankful for many opportunities like these. Please pray for Kazu and Saki, and for us, that God will continue to bless us with opportunities like these.
As perhaps many of you have heard, we lost a dear friend and family member this past September. Paul Creech, Nathan’s brother-in-law, was graduated to Glory. This is a very difficult loss. Thank you to so many who have supported the Snow and Creech families during these days. Also, a special thank you to many kind individuals in the White Oaks FWB Church and the Georgia FWBA who paid for Nathan’s plane ticket. This was truly an unexpected blessing.
Most of late August and September were spent doing more construction. Bob and Sue MacGill of California came again this year to help up finish out the FWB Mission Center. This has been a two-year DIY project. This final phase included installing attic storage and finishing out a 2nd floor corner room we added 2 years ago. Many thanks to the MacGills for their many volunteer hours in Japan.
Lord willing, we will return for our Stateside Assignment in April 2012 for one year. We are looking forward to seeing you then! It is always so enjoyable to be able to share with you face-to-face what God has been doing in Japan, and to hear how God has been working in your lives, homes and churches.
Next year will mark 20 years since we first came to Japan. Through each step of this journey, we have never ceased to be amazed at how God’s people have been so generous, gracious and faithful in helping us carry the gospel to the Japanese people. We know that these are very difficult times for all of us financially. From the bottom of our hearts, we say thank you to each of you who continue to give sacrificially so that those who haven’t heard may personally know the Christ of Christmas, and have much to be eternally thankful for.
So that all may hear,
Nathan and Linda Snow
Daniel, Megan, Andrew, Jacob, Noah, Josiah and Isaac
FWBIM, Hokkaido, Japan
fwbgo.com
nsnow@fwbgo.com
*attached photos:
1) One of those casual “spur of the moment” family photos.
2) Members of the THP team along with other pastors and missionaries in front of temporary housing facilities in the Tsunami disaster zone (Nathan is taking the picture)