2-1-6 Asahi inachi

Tosa-Yamada, Shlkoku
Japan
April 25, 1977

Dear Friends,

Well, spring has arrivedat least some of the flowers are blooming

and the early-bird farmers are planting their rice.

But you couldn^t tell by the

thermometer that it is almost May. We are still lighting tnej^some mornings and
evenings. [Some years we don't light the stove until late December, and stop the
end of February or first of March.]

I'm afraid we are in for a cool, comfortable

summer.

us.

We want to thank all of you who sent special gifts and who prayed for
All the extra bills we had expected were paid for as they became due. The Lord

provided through His people. We do feel that people in the American churches are
praying more,and more regularly,for us than before. We think this because we

think we see the results of prayer in many situations that have begun to go more
smoothly, in lives strengthened spiritually and physically.
Mir.

Yamamoto, an elder of the Gomen congregation, has. had 70% vision

restored to his right eye in a recent operation, when he had already faced the
possibility of being totally blind in a matter of months. The operation on his
left eye is to be in June. He needs continu'>d prayer.
The

Yamada church service has been having more attendance and more

interest in Christ in the last few weeks,

Don

has felt much better.

He still tires easily, but is in good health.

And

many other things, big and little, which considered one by one or

taken together look very much like God's answers to prayer.

We thank you for your

part, and ask that you continue to pray.

The new Christian Kindergarten opened the first of April on the property
of the Noichi church, with 11 (eleven) students and two teachers (Mr. and Mrs.
Hattori). It will not pay for itself this year yet, but when its reputation is
established in the community, it will probably have more students than it can take.
By means of the kindergarten the Noichi.church plans to reach the youngsters and

their families with the knowledge of God, as well as eventually be self-supporting.

Education today is a big problem in Japan. . voices are being raised that children
are being educated for money instead of for life. What an oportunity to make God the
foundation of these children's lives.'

We had a wonderful Spring VBS.

We intend to have another in August, and

possibly in several more places. Our attendance at Yamada was from 40 to 50 each
day, including about 15 to 20 of "our own" Sunday School children and all the

grade-school children of the local orphanage. It was a new and sobering experience
to both ourselves and the Osaka Bible Seminary students who taught the 3 classes.
Would you pray for:

(1) The preachers and ourselves as we look for a Camp Site for summer camp? For
some reason we haven't been able to find anything at all that is not too
expensive.

(2) Tom, (16 and to be a Junior next year) who will be taking at least two
correspondence courses this summer6 hours a dayto up-grade his ability
to absorb his English High School education? [You may remember he went to
Japanese school all his life until this year, ]
(3) Our Cassette ministrythe joint venture of the 3 churches here? We want to

make tapes of Scripture, Sermons, songs and Bible lessons available,

if your

class wants to make a special offering, we can buy extra sets of recorded Scrip
ture tapes.

In Christ,