July Newsletter

Dear Praying Friends,                                                                                            July 2013

Ps 119:33, 34- Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.   Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.

 
  As we approach our thirtieth year anniversary in Japan, our thoughts go back to the years of preparation the Lord graciously gave us before showing His will for us to come to Japan.  We would like to give thanks to all those whom God used to prepare us for serving.  Christian parents were one of the foundations of this ministry.  Both the Mansell and Coats families were faithful to teach the Word of God in our homes and to take us to Bible believing and preaching churches.  Through faithful Sunday School teachers, preachers and special activity leaders, God's statues and laws were taught. Through Bible College and further training, these truths have kept us and given us understanding to observe God's ways.  We pray that there will be a next generation that is prepared not only to go into the fields white unto harvest, but that there will be many churches and Christian parents who are planning and preparing the youth of this generation to send out with full supply of prayers and finances those whom God would call to foreign mission fields.

  July health update—Ken is still being treated for a reoccurring infection in the kidney with the three remaining stones. It is a very rare bacterium and is resistant to most antibiotics. At his next check in September we will find out if the most recent  antibiotics took care of it or not.  Vicki continues to be treated for a frozen shoulder which is improving but also had to go off the prescription muscle relaxers and pain killers due to extreme side effects.  But we still are carrying on and keeping on!
  July is also a special month because the Hokkaido missionaries all get together in central Hokkaido for a day of fellowship and food, BBQ style!  Although it rained for a couple hours, that still didn’t stop the guys from their ‘park golfing’ or the kids from playing and we ladies all just stayed under cover and kept visiting!  It’s a blessing to serve the Lord knowing there are brothers and sisters in Christ who labor together with us on this island. 

  You may remember an anesthesiologist name Dr. Nao (her first name) from Ken’s early hospitalizations for the kidney stones. Through these we became friends with Dr. Nao, had her in our home as well as regular Bible studies for quite some time until she was transferred from the area.  After that time she married another anesthesiologist and they now have a little boy.  They were transferred back to  Sapporo (where we go about 3, 4 times a year as it’s about 5 ½ hrs away).  We were able to be in Sapporo this month and arranged to visit the Hondas in their home. The husband didn’t know if he could be there or not but we did get to meet and visit with him, too, for about 30 minutes before he had to leave for an appointment.  What a joy to be back in contact with Dr. Nao and meet her family. We left a Daily Light (a one year themed verses daily reading from the Bible) in Japanese for them to use.  While they are not saved at this time, we still pray the Word of God will continue to work in their hearts and easier options for us to see them allow for continued witnessing opportunities!

  God’s divine appointments out of the blue are always something to rejoice at and pray for! When Vicki went to her regular eye follow-up (for herpes), which is a scheduled appointment every 3 months, and after sitting down in the waiting area, a woman immediately approached her, identified herself and they talked for about 30 minutes.  This woman had just decided to make the visit to the doctor the day before! She had seen and talked to Vicki several years ago. Vicki was able to give her a tract and they traded cell phone numbers. The woman began reading through the tract as soon as Vicki’s name was called.  God has a plan and we trust there are others that watch for God’s divine appointments to meet this woman’s needs!

Prayer Requests:

1.       A couple hour outreach to children in the town where the Cross family lives on August 13th

2.       Families of believers to be saved and baptism of believers

3.       Health of Mrs. Sonoda; salvation of her husband and father; her mother’s health

4.       Bible study with Hitomi Tsuzuki-her salvation-going through Luke 16-rich man & Lazarus

5.        New inroads to be found into people’s lives and hearts

6.       Praise for the continued enthusiasm of the Cross family for their town and their work together with us here

Serving Christ Together,     Ken & Vicki Mansell           Just A Prayer At Night – Your evening is our daytime!