Dear Friends & Prayer Partners,

Although August is soon disappearing…we wanted to jot a note off with some summer news. In our last bulletin we had asked for prayer in three areas so we want to report back to you:

Tohoku Relief – in our July prayer bulletin we asked for prayer concerning a team that was arriving from CA (LA area) to help us out for a couple weeks with relief work in northern Japan. Ten great young people from the Newsong Covenant Church were here between June 23 and July 7. In short, it was a GREAT two weeks and God answered many of our prayers for safety and smooth logistics. Read a summary of the adventure on our website (Newsong Japan Team 2012) or for more details and really great photos please check out colleague Jim Peterson’s blogposts. For a few videos check out this vimeo channel: Newsong Japan Team Vimeo Channel

U.S. Travels – Andrea completed “year 2” of a three-year certificate program in spiritual direction at North Park Seminary between July 15 and 22 and Sam was able to attend CHIC (a huge high school gathering / camp with 5500 in attendance) which took place at the University of Tennessee during the same week.  Both had many stories to relate upon their return to Japan – Andrea sharing the highs and lows of a rather intense but important week with colleagues in the program, and Sam just really excited about all he had experienced at CHIC. We had been concerned because he didn’t really know anyone else before attending. But the youth group from the Libertyville Covenant Church in the Chicagoland area that he joined up with were fantastic and the week in Tennessee was filled with highlights and general enjoyment. When asked “what was the best thing about CHIC?” he answered “the messages each evening”. He loved the concerts that included big names like Chris Tomlin and Skillet as well….but seemed to have been moved and challenged by the word of God spoken through others. We are so grateful for these opportunities for both Sam and Andrea.

Akagi Bible Camp – we’ve had a great season up at the camp. We haven’t been there the whole time but Andrea took charge of the kitchen for two camps and is heading back up there for a final camp on August 28-31. Tim helped out with the Elementary Camp and was plugging in as manager during a couple of others. Our colleagues Jay & Ellen Haworth have been absolutely fantastic – spending most of August at the camp and finishing tasks and odd jobs around the camp that had not been attended to for years… in short, God has really blessed us and answered prayer. Of course, our whole goal in operating the camp is to provide special times and opportunities for folks to meet Jesus in a new way, and there seems to be ample evidence that this, too, has happened. Many children at the Elementary camp made decisions to go further in their relationship with God and some to prepare for baptism. For some more photos of the Elementary Camp at ABC just click HERE. Or for a brief write up and video you can check out our blog post here.