Thank you for your prayers this past month! In November we hosted a group of six guests from the US on a vision trip — a first for us.
The team was made up of two leaders from GP and four potential future missionaries. It was a short visit but our schedule was full, and included taking part in an English class at Immanuel Komatsu Church and Sunday worship at Immanuel Kanazawa Church. We enjoyed some great conversations about the needs and opportunities in Japan — and of course some culture and food, too!
Meanwhile, there has been a LOT of interest from the missions community in the Waypoints manga booklets we recently released; so much we had to do a second printing! Please pray that God will use this story as it gets shared at outreach events all across Japan this Christmas.
And speaking of Christmas, here are some upcoming Christmas-related ministries we’d appreciate your prayers for:
Dec. 3: Immanuel Kanazawa Church – preaching/music
Dec. 10: Immanuel Komatsu Church – worship leading
Dec. 17: Immanuel Komatsu Church – preaching/music
Thank you for your partnership in the mission here in Japan!
– Robin & Yoko
PS — Some Links:
HERE is our Fall 2023 Newsletter, in case you missed it.
Click HERE if you’d like to do some year-end giving to Drawbridge Creations.
Hope you are doing well! As we speed towards the end of 2023, it’s time for our latest semi-annual update. Please follow this link to view/download the PDF of our latest newsletter:
We had good times of ministry at the Immanuel churches in nearby Kanazawa and not-so-nearby Yokkaichi, with some great interaction with the pastors and members as well.
After that, we spent four days in Gifu attending the 7th Japan Congress on Evangelism (JCE7). It was encouraging to worship and learn together with some 1,200 Japanese pastors and leaders, as well as fellow missionaries, from various denominations across Japan.
Worship time at JCE7
Of course, part of our purpose there was to promote Drawbridge Creations and hand out manga outreach resources, joined by one of our Waypoints artists, Mukai Makito. We made a lot of good connections at our booth, and gave away lots of outreach cards and manga booklets. We’re thankful that many people showed interest in what we’re doing, and hopeful that these resources will help them reach more people for Jesus.
At our booth at JCE7
We’ve also set up a resource page on the Drawbridge website, where people in Japan can order materials from us, and already we’ve received several orders, even without doing much promotion yet. We’re able to give these resources away for free because of the support of people like you! Thank you for partnering with us to resource the Church and reach out to Japanese!
Please PRAY with us this month as we…
Send manga outreach resources to people who ordered them,
Do music ministry at Immanuel Komatsu Church,
Teach an art class at Uchinada Hope International School (10/15),
Take some online leadership training (meaning late nights once a week),
And make plans to host a vision trip team from the US in November.
Lots to pray about, plan for, and prepare, as we get closer to the end of the year.
Hope you have had a great summer! As we shared in our last prayer letter, there is a lot going on with us this fall. Thank you for your prayers as we have been preparing. Now that September is here, it’s time to get moving!
This coming Sunday (9/1) we are doing special ministry (preaching, testimony and music) at a local church — Kanazawa Immanuel Church. Then, next weekend we’re travelling to the Nagoya area, where we’ll be doing more ministry, as well as promoting our ministry Drawbridge Creations, at Yokkaichi Immanuel Church (9/17).
Then, that week (9/19-22) we are attending the Japan Congress on Evangelism (JCE7), an inter-denominational ministry conference, in Gifu. We’ve reserved space at the conference for a booth to promo Drawbridge Creations, and will be debuting our first printed manga product there. Here’s a look at the cover:
If you’re interested in reading more about this manga and all the other stuff going on with Drawbridge, please read our latest Drawbridge DispatchHERE, and sign up for that email list if you want HERE.
PLEASE PRAY!
We’d really appreciate your prayers for our final prep, travel and ministry this month. Pray that we can make good connections, be open to God’s leading, and be a blessing wherever we are. And pray, too, that God will keep us safe and in good health through this busy season.
Thank you as always for your prayers and partnership!
Speaking at Uchinada Bible Church (screenshot from the video)
Hi everyone,
Hope you’re having a great summer and staying cool!
Thank you for your prayers over the past month.
As we shared in last month’s letter, on July 26 we had the opportunity to speak at a prayer meeting in nearby Uchinada. We had a great time connecting with the church that morning, sharing about our ministry with Drawbridge Creations, as well as giving a short message. We also had the opportunity to chat with the people who came and answer some of their questions. It was an encouraging time.
Now that we are well into August, we are busy preparing for fall. Specifically, we have a LOT going on in September, including some speaking opportunities at churches, as well as promoting Drawbridge at a large conference. We’re also prepping online content for Waypoints, as well as putting together our first printed manga. And we’ve got music ministry at our church in Komatsu this month, too.
Please pray that we can stay on top of it all, stay healthy, focus on what’s important, and remember WHY we’re doing it all — to move God’s mission forward in Japan.
Hope you’re doing well. As we mentioned in our previous prayer letter, the last week of July we had the opportunity to travel to Europe for a conference and some vacation time.
The conference, held in Greece, was the Global Partners missionary summit, a rare gathering for all GP missionaries serving around the world. It was an encouraging time of worship, learning and fellowship. It was also an opportunity to reflect on the mission; on GP’s past, present and future; and on our place in it. To be reminded that our mission is not actually our mission, but God’s mission, which are invited to be a part of. So God’s mission is our mission (not the other way around).
And as a bonus, we also got to do a little sight-seeing while we were there.
At the Acropolis in Athens on a very hot day
We’re thankful for this time away, but also to be back in Japan.
Here are some ministries and needs to be praying for:
1. This coming Sunday (7/23) we lead worship at Immanuel Komatsu Church. Please pray for God’s leading and anointing, and for Him to strengthen our voices, which aren’t at 100% at the moment.
2. Next Wednesday (7/26) we’re scheduled to speak at a prayer meeting at Uchinada Bible Church. Please pray for us as we promote Drawbridge Creations, as well as share a short message and maybe a song.
3. Please pray, too, as we plan and prepare for the rest of the year. We’re currently prepping content for the next few months of Waypoints, and planning ahead for some travel, ministry and promo work we’ve got scheduled in the Fall.
Thank you as always for your prayers and giving! We appreciate your partnership in God’s mission in Japan!
In May we led worship at Immanuel Komatsu Church for the second time. Admittedly, I was feeling a bit rusty back in April, but I’m getting back into my groove. Yoko and I are glad to have the regular opportunity, and it’s going well so far!
On Mother’s Day, we had the opportunity to do music and preaching at Immanuel Kanazawa-Izumi Church for an outreach service. We were thankful that there were six seekers in attendance that day — a lot for a small church! One lady in particular whom we spoke to was really moved and seemed eager to come back.
Then last Wednesday, we visited Ishikawa Hope International School, and taught an art class for the kids there. We had a fun time drawing together and talking about making yon-koma-manga (four panel comic strips). It was a good learning opportunity for us as well as the kids, since we haven’t done much of this kind of thing, but do see it as a potential ministry outlet.
Prayer Points:
Pray that God will continue to work in the lives of the guests who came to the outreach service at Kanazawa-Izumi Church.
Please pray for our ministry at Komatsu Church as well. We’re scheduled to lead worship in Komatsu again on June 18, and Yoko is playing piano on the 4th.
Keep praying for our work with Drawbridge Creations as we create manga and other content for the Waypoints website through the summer and fall.
In late June and early July, we’re travelling to Europe for Global Partners’ missionary summit, and tacking on a little vacation time while we’re there. Pray for a safe and refreshing time.
Hope you are enjoying the Spring wherever you are! Spring means it’s time for our seasonal update, so please click on the following link to read our latest newsletter (as a PDF). There’s LOTS going on!
With Immanuel Church and Global Partners leaders in Tokyo
Hi everyone!
Hope you are doing well. For us, it’s been a busy season! Here’s what’s been going on with the Whites over the past month…
We’ve been preparing content for Waypoints season 3, which starts tomorrow (Good Friday) with an Easter-themed manga.
The week of March 21, I (Robin) attended Immanuel Church annual conference in Tokyo. It was a great time of reconnecting with people from across Japan after a few years of doing things mostly online. It was also a a productive time of promoting Drawbridge Creations and our manga project Waypoints.
After the conference, I stayed in Tokyo an extra day to meet with leaders from another organization about a potential collaboration with Drawbridge. Excited about the possibilities!
Then, on the 30th, Yoko and I travelled to Yokohama to see Andi, our (former) fellow GP missionary as she prepared to move back to the US. I’m sure she’d appreciate your prayers about her next steps in life and ministry.
Yoko and I then spent the next couple of days hosting our regional director Cheri who travelled from PNG for a visit. On April 3, Cheri and I were joined by some other GP leaders in Tokyo for meetings with Immanuel Church leaders. This is another first-in-years opportunity, and was a significant and meaningful time.
Finally, this week we have been hosting GP’s entire Asia-Pacific leadership team for their meetings here in Tokyo. We are tired but thankful for these times together with our Wesleyan missions connections. Please pray for safety and rest as we all go our separate ways. And pray too for God’s continuing guidance for our leaders, partners and us!
Looking ahead, the next couple of months should be a lot quieter. We are scheduled to begin leading worship once a month at Immanuel Komatsu Church beginning in April. This is where we worship most weeks, so it will be nice to get more involved this year. Please pray for us as we lead on April 30.
Thank you as always for your continuing prayers and partnership! We appreciate your investment in the mission, for Jesus and Japan!
Thank you for your prayers over the past month! This prayer letter is a bit later than usual because we were busy with travelling in the end of February and early March.
First we spent a few days in Tokyo to attend JEMA Connect, an inter-denominational missionary event. We’re thankful that we were able to make some good connections and re-connections while we were there, and get the word out about what we’re doing with Drawbridge Creations.
After just a couple of days at home, we hit the road again and visiting our old stomping grounds in Nagoya. It was great to reconnect with our church family at Immanuel Nagoya Church and with Yoko’s fellow Christ Bible Seminary alumni. We were also able to promote our ministry a little while we were there, and even briefly meet some former English students.
Over the next month our busy season continues: I’m planning on making a solo trip to Tokyo during the week of March 19, for the annual conference of the Immanuel Church denomination, GP’s partners here in Japan. I’m looking forward to doing more networking and promotion, as well as just catching up with ministry friends, as this is my first time attending annual conference in-person since 2019. Please pray not only for me, but also for the pastors and leaders in attendance as important issues are discussed and this year’s appointments are announced.
Then, from the 31st through the first week of April, Yoko and I will be returning to Tokyo yet again to host Global Partners’ Asia-Pacific area leadership team as they meet with each other and with Japanese church leaders. Please pray for this important time of discussion, prayer and seeking God’s vision for GP’s ministries in Japan and the rest of the region.
We’d also appreciate your continuing prayers for our health and safety, especially during this busy season.
Thank you, as always, for your prayers and partnership with us for Jesus and Japan!
– Robin (and Yoko)
Sharing about our ministry (Screenshot from the Immanuel Nagoya Church video stream)
