Kileys for Japan!

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October 3, 2024

Two Months In

Hi friends and family,

It has officially been seven years since we were in Japan to explore God’s calling on our lives. At the end of the email there will be a few comparison pictures of our time then vs. now. (We look older and have added some adorable family members but God’s calling has remained the same!)

These last two months have been quite an adventure in Japan. Highs, lows, and everything in between. There is so much that we could tell you about but we will try to keep it short.

What are we doing now?

So we are now living in the city of Sapporo in the northern prefecture of Hokkaido in Japan. We are about a 10 minute walk away from the OMF language and culture school. Liz and I (Jake) have classes there every weekday for about 3 hours each. We are also expected to do self-study for at least 3 hours every day. Laurel is in morning care at the language school but comes home in the afternoon with Jake. Liam attends a local Japanese Kindergarten.

Last email you prayed for:

  • Safe travel and that we would make our connecting flight on time.

    • We did indeed have safe travels and were able to make our connecting flight.

  • Joyful adjustment to living in Japan for us and for the kiddos.

    • The first few weeks were quite difficult but I think we are adjusting well now and able to have daily joy in the Lord living here.

  • New friendships with our co-workers.

    • Liz and I have started to make some connections and friends with our co-workers, teachers, and fellow students. Our kids have made some friends too!

Thank you so much for your prayers! This time, please pray:

  • For wisdom as to how best spend our time. We are very “time poor” with classes, homework, and other responsibilities.

  • That our family would acquire a lot of language skills in the coming months through class and also interactions with locals.

  • For our language teachers who do not yet know Jesus. That we would have more opportunities to share about our faith with them.

We are thankful for you all. Please reply to this email and let us know how you are doing and what we can be praying for you in the coming months.

Blessings,

Jake, Liz, Liam and Laurel

Then vs. Now (Liz’s turn to share!)

2017: During our two-week prayer and vision trip I turned 27! I was blessed to have a missionary from OMF (our organization) make me a German chocolate birthday cake.
2024: We celebrated this year with homemade udon and a local bakery cake. I also got to climb a nearby mountain with some friends which you will see below!
2017: Jake and I both grew up with Pokémon so we geeked out at getting to visit a Pokémon center in Yokohama (near Tokyo).
2024: We have shared our love of Pokémon with our kids so they were also excited to visit a Pokécenter. It turned out it was on the eighth floor of a mall and we had to take an escalator between each floor which was an adventure with a 3-year-old and a 5-year-old.
2017: This view from the top of the Yokohama Tower hit me so hard. Japan is home to over 125 million people and 99% of them don’t know Jesus. In comparison, there are very few people here that can point them to the Way, the Truth and the Life.
2024: This view of Sapporo from Mount Maruyama only shows a slice of the city. I am so glad to finally be here and pray that God would use the small offering of our lives to do great things.

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