A Report from Pastor Ito of Izumi Fukuin Chapel (6/26/2013)

Praise the Lord!
　Thank you all for your consistent and loving prayers and support for the relief work of the Higashi Matsushima Amazing Grace Support Center.
　On Sunday the 23rd we held Sunday worship at the support center.
　For this service, since pastor Ito was away ministering in the Kansai area, missionary Eric (trans. Mr. Furuhashi) shared many important points from the Word. We were also happy to have many local disaster victims gather seeking after the Lord.

　Before the message there was a testimony from staff member Akari Yokoyama and a special worship song offered by the men of the Izumi church. In the Sunday school too there was a busy and lively program of songs, games, snacks etc. that the children enjoyed. We are scheduled to have a "Word and Tea" event on Thursday the 27th. Please pray that through these various events the gospel message will continue to go forth and that we will all be used for the glory of God.

　☆A request from the support center☆

　Currently at the center there are many people coming and requesting summer clothing but our stock of summer clothes is extremely low. We are seeking both children's and adult clothing and used items will be accepted if properly washed. By all means, help us if you can.
　All the glory belongs to the Lord."

　　Thank you all for your prayers.

To view more pictures of this event, click this link and scroll to the bottom of the blog entry.

A Report from Pastor Ito of Izumi Fukuin Chapel (6/19/2013 Part 2)

Praise the Lord!

　Thank you all for your consistent and loving prayers and support for the relief work of the Higashi Matsushima Amazing Grace Support Center. From Tuesday the 11th until Saturday the 15th we were blessed to have Mr. Kuroda from Fujisawa Olive Chapel give free massage therapy. Since June of 2011, right after the disaster, he has come and done massage therapy a total of 5 times, sometimes as a ministry team member and sometimes by himself. Each day he worked straight through from 10AM to 4PM helping a total of 35 people by giving each of them a thirty minute massage course. As each disaster victim relaxingly received the massage, Mr. Kuroda shared with them testimonies of God's grace making for a real and practical expression of God's healing love.

　I am so thankful to the Lord for sending Mr. Kuroda to minister at the Higashi Matsushima Amazing Grace Support Center not to mention how grateful I am to Fujisawa Olive Chapel's pastor Fujimura as well as the members of that congregation. I also thank Mr. Kuroda's family and pray God's great blessing upon them.
　Thank you all for your prayers.

A Report from Pastor Ito of Izumi Fukuin Chapel (6/19/2013 Part 1)

Praise the Lord!

　Thank you all for your consistent and loving prayers and support for the relief work of the Higashi Matsushima Amazing Grace Support Center. From Tuesday the 11th until Saturday the 15th we were blessed to have Mr. Kuroda from Fujisawa Olive Chapel give free massage therapy. Since June of 2011, right after the disaster, he has come and done massage therapy a total of 5 times, sometimes as a ministry team member and sometimes by himself. Each day he worked straight through from 10AM to 4PM helping a total of 35 people by giving each of them a thirty minute massage course. As each disaster victim relaxingly received the massage, Mr. Kuroda shared with them testimonies of God's grace making for a real and practical expression of God's healing love.

　I am so thankful to the Lord for sending Mr. Kuroda to minister at the Higashi Matsushima Amazing Grace Support Center not to mention how grateful I am to Fujisawa Olive Chapel's pastor Fujimura as well as the members of that congregation. I also thank Mr. Kuroda's family and pray God's great blessing upon them.

　Thank you all for your prayers.

A Report from Pastor Okubo of Yonezawa Christ Church (6/18/2013)

Hallelujah! Thank you for your prayers.

This morning, Monday June the 17th, at the Soma county New Gankoya temporary housing facility's meeting hall we held a "Sing and Chat Concert" for this concert we sang 13 traditional songs, 2 worship songs and read aloud Max Lucado's book, "You Are Special". We had a number of locals turn out (there were a few who returned home early...) but all seemed to have had a good time.
This was our first time to try something like this so there were a number of hiccups but in the end we were able to express the love of Jesus. Praise be to God.

We are planning to do it again on the morning of Tuesday the 23rd of July. We are truly hoping to use the abilities that God has given us to be a mighty weapon in the evangelism front. Please continue to pray for the ongoing outreach in the Soso area. Shalom!

  

A Report from Pastor Ito of Izumi Fukuin Chapel (6/18/2013)

Praise the Lord!

　Here at the support center the craft club has been meeting and working nearly every day. Up until now they have been working to create and sell their owl mascot, tissue packet covers, small purses and Bible covers, but more recently they have been working on making tote bags and owl mascot cell phone bobbles. So far they have been selling these items at Christian bookstores, churches and various support center events as well as selling them at a booth at the recent support center festival. They are also scheduled to operate a booth on Saturday, July the 6th at the San Pao amusement park's festival which is located in the neighborhood of Tsukiura in Ishinomaki city.
　So, the craft club has a request for everyone. They are asking, "The necessary kimono clothe remnants that we use in our merchandise: check patterns, floral patterns, solid prints etc have run out and we are in desperate need of more."
　　It doesn't matter if it is new or used, any donations would be helpful.
　　　　Thank you for all of your prayers and support.

A Report from Pastor Ito of Izumi Fukuin Chapel (6/12/2013)

Praise the Lord!

　On Thursday June the 6th here at the support center, we held another tea party event. It was our first event immediately after the center festival and it was abundantly blessed of the Lord. Many of the regular attendees showed up as well as two new ladies that came because of the festival. These two ladies have seen the consistent relief work that the center has been doing and were very moved.

　For this event we bought some cake from a local cake shop, "Pansy Sweet's Land", who also ran a booth at the festival. While everyone ate the cake we played games together, sang worship, prayed and finally learned from the Word via a DVD. It was a very relaxing and refreshing atmosphere in which I am sure the seed of the gospel was planted in the hearts of the disaster victims.

　This week from Tuesday the 12th to Saturday the 15th we will be blessed to have Mr. Kuroda from the Fujisawa church come and do massage therapy for people. Also, on Thursday the 13th and Friday the 14th we will have free "Kid's Brown" English classes for prospective students followed by a movie viewing event on Saturday the 15th. I ask that you would pray that through the support center festival that we held that the attendees, the volunteers and those that operated booths would be led to the feet of Jesus.

　I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers.
　　　　　　　　　　　　All the glory belongs to God!

To view more pictures of this event, click this link and scroll to the bottom of the blog entry.