Dear friend in prayer,
Thank you for making an effort to find the time to pray for us. The following contains our prayer focus for August 2015. We appreciate your empathy and your intercession with God on our behalf. Please share the requests with other prayer friends as well.
God’s Peace and Joy, in Christ.
Stephan and Carina
Prayer Focus for August (compiled by Tobie de Wet):
Van der Watt children’s homeschooling:
It was a well-researched and well-considered, but also a hugely challenging step in faith, for Stéphan and Carina’s to decide to choose homeschooling (3-4 years ago), instead of sending their children to a local Japanese school. However, Carina undertook the task with absolute conviction and passion. She still works very hard every day to cope with teaching the homeschooling in addition to the care of infants and her daily domestic and church obligations.
With Stéphan’s support, the children are doing very well, even though from the outset they have had to struggle with three languages (Afrikaans, English and Japanese), and the language of education is English. At the end of July, one term ends and on 1 September the new term commences, which will last until Christmas time. We thank the Lord for what has been achieved, pray for a decent time of rest together, and also for Carina’s preparation for the new term, as well as the way forward.
Van der Watts’ family leave:
During most of August, the family will be on leave (3 – 25 August). After a very busy and demanding time for them, their need for a break, rest and relaxation is evident. The best known, most popular and cheapest holiday resort for missionaries is situated in the North-East of Japan, at a place called Takayama. There they have the opportunity to have a wonderful time of fellowship (socially and spiritually) with missionaries and their families from various countries and nationalities.
Unfortunately, it is also situated in the disaster area close to Fukushima where the nuclear accident occurred, so the threat of radiation is very real. We pray for their safety and a good time together as a family and with other families. We also pray for their safe journey there and back. (1100 kilometers one way). On their return, Stéphan will lead the English Fellowship at RCJ Tokushima congregation. They will also start preparing for their big move to Kobe…
Rev. Onishi’s plans to study in Bloemfontein, SA:
Yoshi Onishi, his wife Miho together with their three little girls paid Stéphan and Carina a visit for two days to discuss their plans and to ask for advice and guidance. Their plan, God willing, is to move to Bloemfontein as a family at the beginning of next year. Rev. Yoshi wishes to follow a post-graduate course in Old Testament Studies for at least three years at the Free State University (he is already a part-time lecturer at the RCJ Kobe Theological Seminary).
It is, however, a long and arduous process to be accepted as a student, to obtain a study and residence visa for himself and his family in SA, as well as admission to a school and accommodation. In addition, he has to plan and work within a limited financial budget. Let us support them in our prayers, also Gideon van der Watt and other colleagues in Bloemfontein who are fulfilling an important role in this process.
Mission Japan’s new missionary, Karen Strydom’s preparation for Japan:
Karen is hard at work with the deputation process, in other words, visits to congregations and requests for spiritual moral, prayer and financial support. She is also busy preparing herself spiritually and practically (studying Japanese culture, history and Christianity in Japan) before she departs for Japan, God willing, at the beginning of 2016. We pray that the Lord will equip her (Acts 1: 8) and that she will be able to establish a wide and strong support base before she departs.
Gys and Linda Olivier, with Linie, our English teacher missionaries at SEIWA School:
They’ve requested that we pray for the following: Pray for their little girl Linie at her Japanese kindergarten. Having their child educated and raised within the vastly different Japanese culture, causes all kinds of challenges and worries. Also pray for a small group of American Christian students who will be helping out at the school for three weeks, assisting with English classes, presenting spiritual messages, and helping with a Bible camp as well as an English camp. Pray for the “English Day” for children who are interested in entering their school, and for the growth of SEIWA Girls School.
Gys and Linda are experiencing a strong sense of homesickness at present, an unavoidable part of missionary life far from your own country, people, language and culture, especially in such a demanding society and work situation as in Japan. Let us also thank the Lord for his abundant blessings on their life and work.
