October Newsletter and some Pictures

Teaching Miss Tsuzuki(new high school nurse)

Mrs. Sonoda (3rd from left) playing in Okoto group for culture day

Town Hamanasu Chorus

Mrs. Sonoda (our longest saved believer)

Mrs. Fukuda the policeman's wife
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Ps 107:1 ¶ O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Giving God thanks is to be our daily activity. It is the outward and vocal action and response to faith. First, because we believe that all that God does and allows will work for good because God is good. Secondly, because God's mercy will be applied to every situation and is in no danger of running out before He completes in us His perfect will. In that assurance we can give the Lord thanks in every and all situations. Thank you Lord!

October has been an exciting month in many ways. We get to introduce you to some new people! English interest has brought 3 women and one man our way with a couple of them starting to attend an English Bible teaching time on Sunday evenings! For that study time we are using Christianity Explained--a six week study usually, but we will just take it as quickly or slowly as needed for them to come to an understanding of the Gospel.

Mrs. Fukuda is the 29 year old wife of a policeman. Policemen are only in the local station for 2 or 3 years at a time. The Fukudas moved here this spring so we have a short time period here to reach her with the Gospel. As of spring 2010, 5th & 6th graders in Japan will join their Jr. high & high school counterparts in learning English. Mrs. Fukuda has been working on getting her license to be able to teach this grade level. While she is here she wants to observe and participate in our English classes in order to get some experience and ideas. She also has started attending the a.m. service and has thought about coming to the English study time in the evening as well. We are in the seed watering stage with her because she was introduced to the Gospel while she was an exchange student in a Baptist American home in San Diego. She went to almost every Sunday and Wednesday service with her host family. What a blessing to be a part of the next stage in her life! Maybe we will get to water and see fruit! But all in God's time.

Miss Minemura (age 28) is only back in Teshio for about 6-8 weeks before leaving to go to Vietnam. Her father is a local dentist and her mom a pharmacist. She grew up coming to our English classes and sometimes S.S. She came for special English help before trying to take the TOEFL efficiency language tests. As a result, we have been able to witness during class and we invited her to the Bible study to which she was able to come a couple times. She claims to believe there is no god but seems to be listening quite well. Although we would really be happy if she was not going to be leaving our area again we claim the promise of God's Word that it 'will not return void'!! She will be a dentist in Vietnam beginning in January.

Dr. Mitsu is one of the two doctors in our small local hospital. He has an interest in English and although a very nervous person he tries to talk in regular conversation style. He accepted the invitation to come to the Sunday evening study as well as a private time with Ken on Wednesday evenings! Dr. Mitsu is 75! We praise God it is never too late to accept Christ until one is standing before the throne of God!

You might remember that one of our believers worked at the local high school for many years as the health nurse. She was 'forced' to transfer and now works at a high school about 25 minutes away. We don't get to see her as often as we like but understand that God is still in control of even that. As a result a new nurse has moved to Teshio to be the health nurse at the high school. Her name is Miss Suzuki and she came to the evening service one week ago. She was out of town this last Sunday but hopes to keep coming!! Although her level of English is not as strong as the other new contacts she wants to improve so she wants contact with us to help her. We praise God for the avenue of English speaking and teaching to be able to have an inroad into people's lives here in Teshio. May it continue to bring forth fruit.

We have a special request concerning the junior high class that Ken team teaches at the local Jr. high. He helps with two classes and one grade is fine but the other class has 2 or 3 continual trouble makers. The lady teacher is not able to do much to control them and the situation has deteriorated to the point it is almost impossible to get any valuable teaching done while there. Ken is and has been talking to the principal and the teacher about what can be done to get things straightened out. Please pray that Ken's desire to be an example of Christ's love but also stand against the rude behavior, both verbal and physical, would be fulfilled and these young boys' lives could be turned around as well as a return to being able to actually see learning take place in the classroom.

On the physical side of our lives we have some good reports from our checkups the first week of November. Ken's x-rays did not show any new kidney stones and the large one in the left kidney had not moved or changed. They also couldn't see the two little ones they had seen two months ago. Maybe God removed them! So we will continue on with the eating and drinking water patterns that seem to be of help. He will have a check the end of January to keep them updated on his progress. They do want to keep that one stone under observation.

The last time we reported that Vicki could just use one final eye medication to bring the herpes eye infection to a stop. With last week's check they said it had healed as well as it was going to and she could stop all medications. This type of herpes will always be 'present' but can remain inactive for quite some time. We are thankful for progress and are trusting for continued protection. Thank you for joining us in those prayers.

Beings the kidney stone difficulty has been resolved as much as can be, the doctor that also observed that Ken's gall bladder had many stones in it is concerned that this could also flare up. Therefore he has recommended they do prevention surgery and have asked Ken to meet with the doctor on the 12th to determine which date will work for the surgeon and Ken to get this accomplished. If we lived in a big city, they would not be so quick to do it possibly, but beings we live 'in the sticks' a sudden gall stone attack and immediate surgery would be difficult so they prefer to take care of it this way. It looks as though Ken will be doing 'byoin dendou' (hospital evangelism) again! We will know more after the visit with the surgeon this week.--His surgery has been decided and it will take place on the 30th of this month. He will be hospitalized from the 27th. A little different than in the land of out-patient surgeries!! Thank you for praying.


Extra Prayer Requests:
1. salvation of husbands and family members of our believers
2. healing and strength during the cancer treatments for Kozue-san
3. baptism of our believers
4. Vicki's opportunities through the groups she is part of
5. plans being made for Christmas evangelism
6. yen/dollar values
7. for stablization of America and for Christians to remain strong

Praise:
1. God is good all the time...All the time God is Good!
2. for each of our supporting churches and their faithfulness to God's Word!
3. for these new opportunities with local people

God bless and keep you,
Serving Christ Together,
Ken and Vicki Mansell Just A Prayer At Night