The Stewarts – Jan 2017

First steps in Japan

Natan’el, Setsuli and Tomoko have started living in Japan to allow the children to start school. They left Australia on the 14th of November with Nathan coming along to look for a place to live near Osaka Pressie Church. They were staying at Tomoko’s mother’ unit with her only for two weeks till the end of November. The Lord has provided a good place for them to move in, meeting their needs in a very short time.

The Children

Natan’el and Setsuli started going to school from the end of November. Natan’el was eventually admitted to Grade 5 so that he will have an extra year to spend in primary school before Middle school. This was a real answer to prayer that seemed, humanly speaking, impossible.

Natan’el has made many friends, usually plays outside during break times and goes to play with with friends in a park after school. Setsuli has been crying in music classes because she cannot read the music. The class is using a recorder and in Japanese they use a different reading. She was told to read the music in the Australian way and is now getting used to the music class. Please pray for their school lives.

Warm Welcome to Japan

The family were welcomed very warmly by the Osaka Pressie Church. In November and December the church held two events for non-Christians to attend. In November there was a lecture during a Sunday service about a Japanese Christian lady who was the main character in a popular TV show recently. Tomoko’s mum, two of her sisters and ten others came along from the community in response to printed advertisements. Last Sunday there was a Christmas Party for the monthly children’s ministry. Three non-Christian girls from Natan’el and Setsuli’s school came. They made Christmas wreaths, heard the Christmas story and enjoyed afternoon tea. (Tomoko invited her nephews and a niece but they were celebrating one of her sisters’ birthday so they could not make it. Please pray for them that they will come to the church’s children’s ministry in the future.)

Budget hold-up

Please pray also that the last 10% of the budget will be met soon and so that Nathan can join his family.

It is getting colder and it gets cold when it rains. Winter is setting in. Japanese society is getting ready for Christmas, buying presents and ordering cakes but they do not know what they are really getting ready for. Please pray that people will know the real meaning of Christmas.

In Christ,

The Stewart Family.

See their original letter for download by clicking on the button.