April is the beginning of the academic and financial year in Japan…

• 3 April: Opening of RCJ Kobe Theological College. Thank the Lord for 8 new students.
• 5 April: Stéphan preaches at Marugame Mission Post (Easter).
• 6 – 7 April: Stéphan leads 2 sessions on Pastoral Care with ministers of  Shikoku Presbytery.
•  7 – 8 April: RCJ Shikoku Presbytery Meeting in Matsuyama City.
• 19 April: Stéphan preaches at Tokushima Congregation and Carina leads Happy Kids.
• 20 – 25 April: Their family will take a short leave nearby to Tokushima
• 26 April: Stéphan preaches at the English Fellowship at Tokushima Congregation (with a few International friends and local church members.)
• 30 April – 1 May: Stéphan is involved with lectures on Pastoral Care at the Kobe Theological Seminary.

Other matters of Stephan and Carina’s family:

• Daily homeschooling for the children which is mainly Carina’s responsibility, for strength and guidance.
• Their Japanese studies: Every Wednesday a Japanese teacher does Japanese studies separately with Stéphan and Carina and Annlie. Annlie is making good progress with her Japanese studies. Grateful!
• Their involvement with non-Christians in their area.
• Stéphan’s preparation and administrative work every day (in 3 languages).
• Their family and marriage life.
• Their spiritual life, time to become quiet, communication with the Lord, listening to his Word and prayer.
• The entire process concerning their planned move to RCJ Kobe Theological School, God willing, towards the end of 2015.

We pray for Gys and Linda and Linie Olivier at Seiwa Christian School in Kochi City: 

• Their new school year that starts this month and their teaching of and daily witness to (mostly) non-Christian school girls.
• Their involvement with RCJ Yamada Church and their role in the English Bible Study.
• Their marriage and family life and Linie’s daily attendance of a Japanese Kindergarten.
• Their spiritual life and growth.

We pray for RCJ Tokushima Congregation:

•  Their spiritual growth. 
• “Seekers” who will request being baptized.
• A young man, Mr Y , who has participated regularly in the
• congregation for 5 years and is now undergoing the baptismal catechism.
• Miwa Terauchi who shares with Carina responsibility for Happy Kids, and for the Sunday School.
• Happy Kids, that the seed will fall in receptive hearts and will bear fruit, and for wisdom and guidance to involve the mothers in church activities in the future.

We pray for the Presbytery of RCJ Shikoku 

• Meeting of the Presbytery which is held 7 & 8 April and at which the case of Karen Strydom, who is seriously considering her call to Japan with her congregation, family and friends, will be discussed. The Korean missionary Rev. Chan is officially accepted as missionary-pastor at Shimizu Mission Post.
• Shrinking numbers of congregations within Presbyteries because of church members growing older, younger people moving to the cities and children who cannot easily attend Sunday School or worship services owing to busy school programs.
• Some congregations and congregations who cannot afford a minister.
• Revival!
• Three young ministers from this Presbytery who will participate in the official RCJ Group to SA and our church in May.
• We thank the Lord for his blessings on a Marriage Enrichment Retreat.

We pray for the Mission Japan Committee

• Gideon who is still recovering from a dog bite incident in December.
• Wisdom and guidance with arrangements for the RCJ Ministers’ visit in May.
• Wisdom and guidance concerning Karen Strydom as a missionary candidate.