Izumi Park Town Church
Some of our contacts are participating in an Alpha Course with our coworkers, John and Elspeth Taylor. We've known Koko Kimura since our children were in kindergarten together. Four and a half years ago she made an off-hand remark that she would become a Christian in 5 years! So... another woman, Miyuki Matsumoto, is also in Alpha; she started seeking (and her husband is supportive) after the young husband of an acquaintance committed suicide. She realizes that if that man had been rooted in faith, he wouldn't have been without hope. Pray for these two women in the Alpha Course.
Students
 In mid-February we do something a little different from our usual weekly GraceKai English Bible group. Every year after final exams are over, we screen a movie and discuss it in small groups. Students thought this year's movie, "Evan Almighty", was entertaining; it also got them thinking. During the discussion, Yutaro, a second-year engineering student shared that he was worried had had done poorly in some classes (he's a good student!). But then he observed that the film had changed his perspective; he said the movie made him realize "God gives just what we need when we need it — not more, not less."
Another second-year student, Yuichiro, told us recently that GraceKai is the high point of his week. And Tomoki, an earnest young man, is now reading through the New Testament to learn more about Jesus. He has sincere, personal questions about faith. Besides GraceKai, he has gone with us to monthly outreach concerts aimed at 20-somethings.
Shiho, a young woman we've known for more than seven years, shared something interesting in the Bible discussion the other evening. She said she has recently begun talking to God again. When she elaborated, she said that a year ago she was angry because God didn't answer her prayer. But in a recent crisis with he family dog, — they had to take him to the vet for surgery to relieve a potentially fatal condition — Shiho prayed that God would help her dog and she believes that God answered.
Terui and I are delighted and encouraged when we hear students like Yutaro or Tomoki or Shiho making these kinds of discoveries or being open about their personal interaction with God and taking first steps towards faith.
Prayer Cards
We've been asking folks at Izumi Park Town Church to pray not just for GraceKai but also for individual students. We think this is a great way to encourage one another to pray as well as participate in the Lord's work. To hlep, we've made up some bookmarks with a few prayer points for each student. We've only offered this at the church so far, but if you would like to pray for an individual student (or students) le us know and we'll send you a photo, a short description and several current prayer points for that student.
Family
Sarah graduated from junior high earlier this month. From April when she enters high school, she'll be switching from Japanese public school to Tohoku International School, located here in Sendai. Learning to study in English will be a big adjustment for her. To help her get used to the system, Sarah will continue in the ninth grade to the end of the term in June. She's looking forward to entering high school from the second week of April.
 John finishes his first year of junior high this week. He has especially enjoyed playing on the soccer A-team, which is composed of mostly second-year students.
Terui and I celebrate our 20th anniversary this week! Looking back we're aware of the Lord's blessing on us over these two decades. When we had been married a month, one night after we had finished eating, Terui told me she was tired of cooking dinner. She likes to remind me that I answered, "Say we're married fifty years twelve months a year, that's six hundred months. You just finished the first month!" But here we are now, celebrating 240 months! (What Terui didn't know then was that she woul prepare an extra 5,000 servings for GraceKai students!)
After counting up the frequent flier miles, we're making a week-long visit after Easter to see friends and family in Chicago, where we were married. Blessings to you at Easter!
As always, thank you for reading this and praying.
Warmly in Christ,
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