September Prayer Letter

Dear Praying Friends,                                                                                

 

Isaiah 43:10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.
God gave us this verse as a mission call to Japan.  Today as we write this, October 7th, 2013, by the grace of God, marks the end of the first 30 years of fulfilling that call here in northern Hokkaido, Japan.  I recall on that day as we boarded the airplane out of Los Angles and we watched the lights of the Pacific coast of the United States fade away in the darkness, I silently sang the national anthem and thanked God for His calling.  In the years that have passed, many things in the United States have changed:  Economic, politics and morals have declined greatly.  There is a great need for those biblical Christians in the United States to abound in taking a stand for the Lord in the grace of God.  We are thankful for each of you that do this so that we and many other missionaries throughout the world can continue to give the gospel to the people God has called us to.  You too have a calling of God.  It is the same one we have; only the location is different.  May God bless your witness this day for the Lord.

Memories abound of God’s goodness not only here in Japan but also in His training period through the years since we got married in 1974.  Little did we know that each step we took in obedience and all along the way were part of His boot camp training time.  Helping us learn to trust in each other, walk along with each other and know that God was leading and helping us making decisions (first 3 years); leading Ken back into some schooling to finish one degree (1 yr) and at the end of that moving us to Minnesota where we were quite content in the assistant pastorate work we were involved in (2 ½ years) when God moved on our own hearts to go into full time church planting on a foreign field.  That led Ken to go back to Bible school one more time (2 yrs) to get some more training specifically in missions. While there we were involved in AWANA and jr. church, all the while seeking where God would want us to go.  It’s not an easy decision when the entire world needs the Gospel!!  Here is what Vicki wrote about our call to Japan on our 20^th anniversary—

During his senior year at that time, a senior missionary from northern Japan, specifically the island of Hokkaido, came to visit on campus and tell the student body of his desire of reaching the northern rural area of Hokkaido, Japan with new missionaries where he had been ministering for quite a few years.  So many missionaries called to Japan stay in the southern larger populated areas.  His desire was to see more come north. And not only north to Japan but by a special program of new missionaries working with a veteran missionary for two years to lead them patiently through the ropes of everyday living, learning the language, and dealing with people in the difficult country of Japan. We praise God for that patient guarded teaching.

 Ken was on campus that day hearing the missionary speaker in chapel.  The campus chapel time was always broadcast on the local Christian radio station so I listened while at home.  When Ken walked through the door of our home that afternoon I don't remember which of us started talking first, but it was both of the same thing—what do you think about northern Japan?

We prayed, discussed the program, met with the missionary several times as well as several pastors that were working with him, got the counsel of our pastor and my Dad. What a blessing it was to meet and pray with him and when we asked him what he thought this was Dad's reply, "Your mother and I have been praying for several years now that God would send someone to help in this needy area.  Never did we dream our own daughter and son-in-law would answer that prayer." -----

After Ken graduated in 1981 we began our year and half of full time deputation with much fear and trembling but also joy that God had shown us his will.  God blessed and there is no way we can share all that He has done in these last 30 yrs. But this one thing we know: We fail, but God picks us up; We try and God works through us; We plant, water and pray that the seed will grow into true salvation and that the seed will not be plucked out.  That’s the way it was when we first started and that’s the way it continues. Japan is still a hard field to reach with the Gospel but we will patiently keep on planting and watering and waiting for the increase.  May we always be faithful for our God is Always Faithful and His mercies are new every morning.

 

Serving Christ Together,    

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

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!

April Newletter

Dear Praying Friends,                                                                                            www.worldtell.com

Acts 4:9, 10 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;  Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

As Peter stated in these verses, any good deed that we get thanked for is not because of us, but because of God's grace of the risen Savior working through us.  Recently I was told that whenever I walk into the teacher's room at school, the atmosphere of the area changes to a more light-hearted joyful place.  I was able to reply that it is the grace of God through me.  In the same way this month, we want to give God the glory for the grace of God shown through three more of the churches that have stood with us through the past 30 years of ministry here in Japan.  First Baptist Church of Dillon Montana, First Baptist Church of Cody Wyoming and Bible Baptist Church of Sidney Montana.  Vicki's father, Arthur Coats pastored the church in Dillon for seven years when she was in elementary school. So, there are many there who are like family to us, and especially her.  The church's Christian Women's Fellowship has also made us a special point of ministry and prayer.  The old log building church in Cody is special because of the people in it and the pastors who have served it. First Pastor Nichols and then Pastor Barrick have been very encouraging to us through the years.  In Sidney Montana, the people and Pastor Backhaus have been especially personally encouraging.  We have had two young people from this church come for summer missionary internship and last year Pastor & Mrs. Backhaus came to visit us. We give praise to God for these faithful local churches who have demonstrated the grace and power of the risen Saviour to the Japanese through us these thirty years.

April is the end of the full school year here in Japan.  We are usually stateside this time of year on short reporting furloughs. Beings we weren’t this year, Ken was able to attend two grade school graduations, two junior high graduations and one high school.  This gives opportunity to greet many parents, who we normally do not see, and for interaction with the teachers and principals.  We never know what little seed through action and word may begin a series of deeper opportunities to get the gospel to these dear people.  With the end of the school year comes transfer in and out for various teachers.  We are thankful that Miss Tsuzuki requested and was granted another year here in Teshio. Ken is now team teaching with a couple new teachers and one of them came over for supper the other night. She said she would come to the Sunday English service some time so please pray for Miss Nakamura and further opportunities to minister unto her.  We continue to see Ken’s teaching in the local schools as a means to open doors for furthering the gospel beyond the church building and meetings we hold here.

Ken had another 3 month checkup on the remaining kidney stones.  No major change although there is still some slightly elevated white blood count so they will do a special medicated CAT scan in July to see if they are missing anything else.  We are thankful for no new stones beginning and no complications indicated. 

Vicki has again been asked to be the president of the local ladies’ chorus group as well as a continued consulting member of a small group that meets about 3-4 times a year to talk about creating more communication in families, to keep events going within the community and community development.  Each is a small open window for the Lord to use for His glory.

Prayer Requests:

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

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

3.       Bible study with Hitomi Tsuzuki-her salvation; rehab and healing of her knee

4.       New inroads to be found into people’s lives and hearts; Mr. Moriyama, Miss Emi, Filipino ladies;

5.        Praying for those that left Teshio this month to have further Christian contacts and for new folk that come in and we may find ways of meeting them

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

January Newsletter

We are often asked by Japanese, "Why did you come to Japan?”  We are very happy to tell them about the Lord Jesus Christ.  As Biblical Christians, it is good remember that there are three reasons, we all should be telling people in our sphere of influence about their need of salvation in Jesus Christ.
1) It is a Command to obey: Mt 28:19,20a "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:"

    2) It is a Debt to be paid: Romans 1:14-15a "I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel"
    3) It is an Honor to embrace: 2Corinthians 5:20 "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." 

Therefore, whether we abound or abase, we remain here serving the Lord as He has asked.  Beings we now have our permanent Visa status, this seems to help the Japanese understand that we intend to just keep on living here and being a part of this community.  May this year be another year that someone in this area comes to know Christ.

  Miss Tsuzuki was gone this month due to winter vacation until this past Sunday.  We rejoice at being able to continue our Bible study with her and pray that the last of the walls she has put up in her heart would be torn down so that she freely accepts the gift of salvation she understands so much about now.  We also rejoice in that she chose to ask to continue another year here in Teshio. She had completed her first 4 years so had to make a decision. The Lord is not done with her yet!

  Mrs. Sonoda has faced several trials recently with sudden things that have happened. Doctors discovered her father had cancer in his stomach. Praise God they were able to take about one third of the stomach out and feel at this time that they were able to get all the cancer. He is yet unsaved so she is even more concerned about his need spiritually. Her husband has also had some difficulties and is unsaved. So far they believe it is not cancer but won’t know exactly until test results come back.  

  Moriyama-san has not been able to come since the New Year due to all the snow fall which is a record high this year.  He is on road crew in the summer and snow removal crew in the winter.  Maybe come February they can catch up a little and he might be able to come.

  Two adults study the Bible after English class on Monday nights in Horonobe. They have both been studying for many years in this way.  Mr. Kato (kaw toe) seems to be softening more and more.  He is 70 and is such a sweet man—wouldn’t it be wonderful if that was deepened because he came to understand there is only one God and that God loves him so much that He died for him!!

  Vicki is taking a ‘birthday’ trip to the USA for the month of February. She will begin at Richard & Angela’s with Abigail s birthday, go to Alicia and Joshua’s for her birthday and Jacob’s. Michael and Lauren will also fly there for part of the week so they can see Vicki and the family, too.  Finally, Vicki will fly to Wisconsin and get to be with her mom for her birthday and also see her brother and wife. We appreciate your prayers for traveling mercy for her and blessings on her fellowship with family and friends.

  Miss Tsuzuki will join Mrs. Sonoda for Ken to teach them in the morning while Vicki is gone.  The hardest part is that our pianist won’t be here to help us sing but we are glad that we can ‘make a joyful noise’!!  

  Both of us were pleased with our last check up results on kidney stones and Vicki’s eye.  Ken is still fighting a slight infection that is hard to clear up. They are trying a new antibiotic.  But otherwise, the 3 stones left have not changed. His next check up will be in April.

Prayer Requests:

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

2.      Health of Mrs. Sonoda-she never knows if she is going to have a hard day or calm day—dizziness; discomfort

3.      Bible study with Hitomi Tsuzuki-her salvation; rehab and healing of her knee

4.      New inroads to be found into people’s lives and hearts; Mr. Moriyama, Miss Emi, Filipino ladies (who we have not been able to help get here; Town folk

5.      Yen/dollar values

Serving Christ Together,    

Ken & Vicki Mansell  

         

 Just A Prayer At Night – Your evening is our daytime!

November 2012 Newsletter and Thanksgiving Photos

Dear Praying Friends,                                                                                   November 2012

Genesis 50:19, 20 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?  But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

   We recently celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas will soon be upon us.  Too often we get so wrapped up in the business of the season to reflect on how or if we are truly putting into practice the great truths of these holidays by thanking and trusting God for the things, both good and bad, in our lives.  Joseph is a great example for us in the Bible of how we need to look at those events and people which cause trouble in our lives.  Joseph trusted the living God's will for his live despite betrayal by his family, false charges and unthankfulness for his goodness to them.  Joseph had more cause than most of us to be bitter and revengeful.   He even had it in his power to really get back at those that hurt him.  Yet, because he chose to trust in the living God and forgive and bless those who despitefully used him, God blessed Joseph.  Let us not spoil this most precious time of year with any bitterness or unforgiveness.  Let us show the world the love and trust of the Lord Jesus Christ in all our relationships.

   November brought winter quickly this year and we have already begun to be thankful for safety on winter roads.  This included two trips to Asahikawa (4 hrs away in winter time). The first was for Ken to go back into the hospital on the 6th of November for endoscopic surgery which went without any hitches and he was discharged by Friday of that same week. Vicki took him down, came back home, and then went back and got him when he got out.  He had his follow-up on the 29th and all seems to be well although his white blood count was up so they gave him antibiotics and in January he will have an x-ray done.  Ken especially had an opportunity to witness to a junior high boy that was in his room this time besides handing out verse cards and tracts.  This young man seemed to be fairly open so we trust all that was said and done will continue to work in his life for the timing God has to continue and water and harvest those seeds through others. 

   We were also thankful for safety in travel for the northern Hokkaido missionaries and families as we gathered here for our annual Thanksgiving Day celebration.  We had 34 of us this year! The fellas were thankful for the snow that fell that day to make their annual touch football game a real treat and the girls enjoyed watching and then attacking them all with snowballs!  This is a real day of respite from our busy schedules and a time of wonderful food prepared by the ladies but also a great opportunity to thank the Lord for His provisions and goodness to us.  We also get to enjoy a play put on by all the children and young people.  Beings they skipped last year due to the plan of the play needing some work we really enjoyed seeing their 'production' this year.  They put on various themes of interest from America's history. All the lines were well memorized and all the hand-made costumes really special! (see photos below)  

The day after the get-together we were to be the judges at a yearly junior high speech contest about 2 1/2 hrs south of here.  We traveled that direction for about 20 minutes but quickly knew this was not going to be a road to travel that day.  The roads were all just ice rinks and coming back would have been worse for it would have been after dark.  When we called to tell them we had decided to return home they completely understood and said it was a blizzard down there as well.  They were able to substitute judges fairly quickly by using a couple of the assistant English teachers in the area.  We also suggested maybe next year it could be a little earlier in November to avoid this kind of weather.  We were disappointed at not being able to hand out the English John-Romans and tracts we had prepared for the contestants but know the Lord is in all our stops and goes, so accept that plan from Him!

Hitomi Tsuzuki has to go to Sapporo yet every weekend for her rehabilitation on her knee but started coming back to the evening service!! What a blessing that was and she indicated that she trusts to keep it going this way. One or the other of her parents has been traveling back with her to help her out at home but now she is able to get about home carefully w/o her crutches so she will be more on her own. One week this month we invited her and her mother to come for supper.  Mrs. Tsuzuki told Hitomi that she was both nervous and looking forward to the evening. Hitomi told us later the next week that after they returned home her mother didn't stop talking about the evening for about an hour and a half and we got a very nice thank you note from Mrs. Tsuzuki.  We are praying that this type of communication will continue to break down fear barriers and allow Hitomi to come to a complete trust in Christ as her Savior soon! 

   Now we continue to prepare for our Christmas program outreach on the 23rd of December. There have been many that have come year after year but still are not interested in studying further...may this be the year that they listen to the Spirit move in their hearts to yearn to learn more! Weather can also keep some away as well as the fact it is a 3 day weekend. So we trust the Lord to draw out whom He will and we serve whether few or many! May God bless your outreaches during this special season and don't forget to keep Christ in CHRISTmas!

 Prayer Requests:

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

2.      Health of Mrs. Sonoda-she never knows if she is going to have a hard day or calm day—dizziness; discomfort

3.      Bible study with Hitomi Tsuzuki-her salvation; rehab and healing of her knee

4.      New inroads to be found into people’s lives and hearts; Mr. Moriyama, Miss Emi, Filipino ladies, Town folk

5.      Yen/dollar values

6.      Ken’s surgery and passing of stones; witnessing opportunities—new verse cards to hand out all completed!

7.      Wisdom as we continue the Christmas program evangelism preparation and hand out fliers

Serving Christ Together,    

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

thanksgiving photos: 

 Smith ladies and Elizabeth Hall, ALT

 hungry young men filling up!

Malachi Minks, Josiah Wilhite, Timothy Mather, Malachi Wilhite

 Enjoy fellowship and food

 FOOTBALL!!

 Ladies prepared wonderful food!

 Men's table

 Play scenes (Kristen Smith is narrator)

 The Audience

 Smith ladies helping with decorations

 Sarah Mather and Victoria Minks

 Vicki and Tanya Minks

 Victoria Minks, Hannah Mather, Kristen Smith

 Wilhite Twins so ready to eat!

 Zeb Minks!