18 March 2025

Dear Supporter/Intercessor/Friend of Mission Japan (MJ)

Feedback on the recent visit to Japan

It is a privilege to greet you after a successful visit to our missionaries in Japan. During its 2024 Annual General Meeting (AGM), Mission Japan (MJ) leadership decided that a visit to Japan was necessary. The purpose of this visit was as follows:

1. The cooperation agreement between MJ and the Mission Cooperation Commission of the Reformed Church in Japan (RCJ) Shikoku Presbytery is in a renegotiation process. Over the past 2 years, MJ leadership and the Commission have had regular Zoom meetings to prepare a draft document. This draft document needed to be finalized so that Shikoku Presbytery can approve it by the end of April 2025. The Commission also requested that another missionary couple be sent to Japan to work in Shikoku Presbytery.
2. The 3-year term of Tobie and Annelie de Wet will end in February 2026. The Commission has requested a conversation to evaluate their work in Niihama and to discuss their return to South Africa. 
3. An evaluation meeting with RCJ Western Presbytery, as well as the staff of Kobe Reformed Theological Seminary (KRTS) regarding Stephan and Carina’s work was also necessary.
4. Furthermore, the encouragement and spiritual care of our missionaries on the field remains a priority for MJ.

During the 2024 AGM, a recruitment task team was appointed under the leadership of Rev. Gawie Gouws from Swellendam. The request for another missionary couple for Japan was accepted in principle by the MJ leadership last year. The new cooperation agreement outlines a recruitment and selection process that will be a joint effort between MJ and the Shikoku Recruiting Commission. Over the past 10 days, Dr. Nico Mostert, Dr. Daniel de Wet, and Rev. Gawie Gouws visited Japan to initiate this recruitment process with a meeting, to finalize the timeline and determine who from the Shikoku Commission will be part of the recruitment task team. We ask for your prayers for this important process, and we will keep you updated on how it progresses.

There is now less than a year left of the 3-year term during which Tobie and Annelie are working as bridge missionaries in Shikoku Presbytery. They worked as mission partners in Niihama congregation, where there are four members. Their work there has been very blessed, and we were greeted with positive, profound testimonies of heartfelt change and three new people who attend the worship service and Bible study regularly. The decision of the Presbytery, concerning the De Wets’ completion of the 3-year term, is that they will attempt to place a retired Japanese pastor from the RCJ in Niihama to continue the work there.

A request has been made for the De Wets to stay in Japan in order to possibly continue their work within a new congregation. This request involves several factors that need thoughtful consideration and careful decision-making from both Mission Japan (MJ) and the De Wet family. We kindly ask you to join us in prayer for this new request. Shikoku Presbytery will meet again at the end of April, and this issue will be discussed more concretely then. Considerations include continued financial support (MJ could still help with support for another year), potential relocation, placement at a congregation, support from the Shikoku Presbytery, and more. Your prayers are highly appreciated!

We held a two-day retreat for our missionaries. It was a wonderful time of singing, quiet reflection on the Word, prayer, and fellowship in the park (even though it was cold). We reflected on the themes of disillusionment in the story of Jonah (Jonah 4) and the theme of discernment from the letter to the Philippians (Phil 1:3-11).

The children are getting older, and like in all families, each one faces unique challenges. The Van der Watts are also facing several new challenges, with Anlie completing her schooling in 2026 and heading to university. Stephan’s work as a lecturer at the Kobe Reformed Theological Seminary is highly appreciated by the Western Presbytery and his colleagues. Carina is also engaged in various ministry tasks within their local congregation, in addition to homeschooling their children. We have once again become deeply aware of their great task in Japan and the work the Van der Watts are doing. We thank the Lord with them for their calling and their contribution to the work at Kobe Reformed Theological Seminary and within the wider RCJ.

In conclusion

We thank you for your continued support of God’s work through Mission Japan. During our visit, it was once again evident that the Lord is affirming our continued calling in Japan. The nearly 1% Christians in Japan (of which the RCJ is part) cannot carry out this witness task alone. They need us (and other partners from around the world). Please continue praying for Japan, missionaries in Japan, the church in Japan, and the mission organizations (like Mission Japan): that they will have the necessary resources and support to continue this task.

That being said, we all have gratitude to God as the Giver and Sustainer of life. We are overwhelmed, humble, and grateful as we witness how the Lord has carried our supporters and missionaries over the past year and provided for many needs! All we can say is: Soli Deo Gloria!

In Christ,
Dr. Nico Mostert
Secretary: Mission Japan