We welcome hot and humid July, when many of us will be taking holidays and preparing for Home Assignment. Please pray with us for rest, for good times with different people and for activities which give us life.
Finance & Administration Sector Leader
Pray for a great break for all Japan Field members holidaying in our holiday homes. Pray for the Finance Team as they prepare the 2023 budget materials. Pray too for the Finance Committee as they review living allowance levels for 2023, especially in light of the current inflationary climate, and pray for the Lord’s continued provision and his wisdom in the face of high inflation and a weakening yen.
Ichikawa Guest Home (IGH)
It’s been two months since the new IGH Managers got a warm welcome at the Ichikawa Guest Home. Praise God for all who have been supporting them in prayer. They are gradually getting used to the daily routine. Please pray for a good balance between the Guest Home work, support for JHQ office staff, and encouragement to their church and family in Japan.
Sapporo Guest Home (SGH)
Praise the Lord for a smooth and Covid-free operation, with a full house before and after conference. After a long time, the GH will finally have some guests from overseas in July! Pray that everyone will enjoy a good and safe time.
Iai Girls Middle and High School – Teacher
June was a tough month, with many extra hours at the school each week. Pray that July will be more manageable and that the member can fly home for the summer. Pray also for her chapel messages on 12th & 21st July. Pray for spiritual seeds to be planted and grown around the school.
Deputy Kanto Sector Leader
Please pray for the Deputy SL in Kanto to be filled with wisdom, strength, focus and peace as he continues to get used to the Kanto Sector Leader role. Pray that he will have a heart that listens, a mind that remembers, and a tongue that speaks Japanese politely and fluently!
Deputy Tohoku Sector Leader
Praise God: for fruitful trips to Hokkaido, Hanamaki and Aomori in June; that childcare for the OMF Hokkaido conference went well; for new Associates and Serve Asia Workers. Pray for: good adjustment and thriving relationships with God for our new workers; and the Tohoku Day of Prayer on 11th July to be a great encouragement for members.
Hokkaido Sector Leader
Give thanks that there is now less concern about meeting in-person in most of the churches in Hokkaido. Pray for more chances to meet up with Christians and non-believers. Pray for different opportunities to do evangelism in all the churches in Hokkaido. Please pray for good support for teams in Hokkaido where members are going on Home Assignment.
Social Media Team
Social media: July’s theme is home assignment and partnership development. The team leader is on leave in Australia, and some colleagues will be assisting in the meantime. Pray all will run smoothly.
Japan Harvest: Pray that this team will also run smoothly in the leader’s absence. They are currently working on the Autumn issue, about evangelism in an honour and shame culture; pray for good editing. They are also preparing for an unusual Winter issue to come out in December, about arts and ministry. Pray for good groundwork on that.
Japanese Language and Culture Center (JLCC)
JLCC is thankful for all the progress that students, teachers, the language advisor and supervisors are making. Please remember the new missionaries, who will attend the online Orientation Course (OC) from 7th July – 6th August. We are expecting four families and nine children from the beginning of August. Some also arrive in Sapporo in July. Pray for good preparation, house-hunting and set-up, to welcome the new workers. Finally, pray that every one of our new colleagues would make (and feel like they are making) progress in language learning.
Training Sector Leader
People and projects need a lot of communication – pray that the SL will not grow weary, but have courage and confidence each day to know and do the works the Lord has prepared. Pray for her to love Jesus’ church well. She is preaching (3rd July) and facilitating testimony training (24th July) at Hokuei Church in Sapporo.
