TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN JAPAN

Mansell Family 1983
(Michael next to Vicki, Richard, & Alicia)

Our Dedication service
(sorry to blurry..we came in the 'dark ages'
when there were no computers)

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Twenty-five years ago today we remember leaving the L.A. airport and watching the lights disappearing and knowing that we knew nothing of what the Lord had ahead for us in the coming days and months, let alone the years! How we praise God for his mercy, grace, strength, wisdom, strong arms in hard places, and so many more things that we could write of.

Would we change anything if we could?—maybe, but why dwell on that…instead we rejoice that God has and always will be faithful to us and we trust we will always be faithful to His work here in Teshio, in Hokkaido, and in Japan!!

We couldn’t have done it without our churches and our people supporting us in prayer support and financial as well. There has never been a time when we felt as though we were in the wrong place or not being helped by so many in the States. We couldn’t have come without their help and also without the emotional and spiritual support of our parents (3 of whom are in heaven with the Lord) in those beginning years and all throughout.

We also still believe that the program, if you will, that we came under where a new missionary works under a veteran missionary for a couple years to be taught, protected, guided and then encouraged to go on is still the very best way to begin a work in any country. This country especially needs that kind of help in the beginning years. We still pray the Lord would continue to allow us to give to another generation through the summer internship, helping new missionaries after they are on their own and if the Lord allows, lead someone else through those beginning two years.

At the same time if we think of 25 years as a number, that means we aren’t getting any younger!! So we still pray for young people to come to the field of Hokkaido Japan—we are here now and still ready to help! We just need the workers. Thank you for your prayers and part if you as the reader have been with us in this endeavor (whether for a while, a short time, or the whole time!) and may God be given the whole glory for what He has done here in Teshio and this area.

Over the next couple days we hope to get some picture slide shows posted of our last 25 years (in short). So come on back and see a little history.

Just A Prayer At Night

Thank you for those prayers for the unknowing thousands here in Japan.

Serving Christ Together,

Ken and Vicki