Where do you start after such a long break? Well, we finally got out of Colorado (I think that’s where we were when I last posted). I spent a wonderful 2 days with my mother, not knowing it would be the last time I’d see her in this life. We went from there to Hawaii where we spent an absolutely fantastic week with friends. And then it was on to Tokyo, where we did a quick, partial move into our new house and headed up to the lake for a bit of decompression!
By late August we were ready to head back to the city and get things going again in our ministries and our kids’ lives. Hydi resumed teaching at CAJ, all three kids are back in school (Miles-12th, Kendra-10th, Eli-8th) and I started up my teaching again at the Covenant Seminary and Tokyo Christian University.
We don’t have a permanent “church-ministry” assignment yet but I’m helping out by preaching at various churches. When not out traveling Hydi and I have been attending the Shin-Akitsu Covenant Church, which is only a 20 minute bike ride from our home.
Shin-Akitsu is an incredible little church. It has one of the nicest buildings and hands down the best location of any of our Japanese Covenant churches. But they struggled with a number of internal issues that sort of sapped their strength over the years and then last year the pastor resigned. So they are in a rebuilding mode right now under the interim co-pastorate of two of our Japanese ministers. It has been a joy to come along side that little congregation and watch as God slowly but surely heals their wounds and prepares them for a new chapter in their history. Please remember them in your prayers.
On November 9th, 2009 my mother, Grace Peterson left us to go be with her creator. But amidst the tears of sorrow my sisters and I sensed the reassuring hand of God on us as we celebrated and honored our mother’s life. She was 81.
Having lost both my parents in less than 18 months has given me cause to reflect on their lives. Right now I’m going thru what will probably end up being thousands of my father’s old photos. I sorted them by date and began with the very first ones taken on their first journey to Japan by boat in 1955. The process of digitizing half a century old images is really quite exciting, as you never know what treasures you’ll find. Most of this stuff from the 50s is new to my sisters and me! I’m posting the results on my online gallery so if you want to see the ever growing collection please visit http://www.pbase.com/revdocjim/dad and start with the Fifties, since thats where the new stuff is showing up on a regular basis.
God has given me a burden for ministries of compassion, mercy and justice here in Japan. Currently I’m busy learning about all the various ministries that are already in place with the intention of figuring out how best to fit in. Japan is a wealthy nation by almost any standard, but there are so many who slip thru the cracks. Please pray that the love of Jesus Christ will have its way in the back streets and alley ways of this metropolis called Tokyo.
Once again, sorry for the long silence and now this long winded attempt to get caught up.
Thanks for reading!
