Four Seeds Sown The Nakamura Family in Nagoya Vol. 1

E xc i t ing N ew s !

Crisp apples, bright orange pumpkins, crackling bonfires and moonlit hayrides are lovely but I adore fall for another reason entirely-- fall is a season of Change. The trees become kindled with touches of red and yellow until the whole landscape is alight with the fiery colors of Change. Crisp winds usher in the sweet smell of decaying leaves and coax stubborn leaves to release their hold. Leaf by leaf, each tree relinquishes its ability to feed itself and instead submits to the coming season of Rest that is Winter.

This picture of Release, Submission and Rest has been particularly meaningful to me this year. I am reminded that Death is necessary before we can begin New Life. As Christians, we take up our cross daily. Christ showed us how to live when He taught us how to die.

John says it this way, “…Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” (John 12:24)

We have some exciting news to share with you! In early March of 2017, we plan to quit our jobs, pack up a few suitcases, and board a plane to Nagoya, Japan as missionaries for the Gospel of Jesus Christ! We have recently been accepted in an organization called Japanese Evangelical Mission Society (JEMS)! Although we looked at several different organizations, JEMS stood out to us because it has a heart for Japanese people. The non-profit was established in 1950 and has active ministries in Japan,

South America as well as the west coast United States.

This may come as a surprise to some but the truth is, this is the culmination of many years of God’s patient persistence, sovereign preparation and enduring faithfulness to our family.

F A L L 2 0 1 6

I Love Fall

FOUR SEEDS SOWN FALL 2016

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From Then Until Now

When Mitsu and I began dating, one of the questions I asked him was “What do you believe God has called you to do?” He answered me, “God has called me to be a pastor.”

Shortly after I (Mitsu) was saved at the age of 18, I remember clearly I was walking through the hall in my church when I heard God say, “You will be a pastor.” I was a young Christian so I was surprised to hear His voice so clearly. Immediately, I began to think of the social stigma of becoming a pastor—Japanese people tend to view all Christians as brainwashed and being a pastor would be even worse. Also, I thought pastors were poor and I definitely never wanted to be poor! I spent the next 13 years trying to rationalize, escape and avoid

my calling to become a pastor. In my effort to escape my calling, I turned my back on the Lord and began to run towards the things of this world. But God, in His infinite mercy and love, humbled me to see the effects of my rebellion and gave me the grace to repent. In March of 2013, I rededicated my life to the Lord and submitted myself to His plans for my life to enter full time ministry. I quit my job and moved our family from northern Kentucky to Wilmore to begin my seminary education at Asbury Seminary. God’s hand of provision allowed me to go full time for 1.5 years at no cost! However, we unexpectedly lost our funding and I was at a loss. We moved back to our townhouse in Lexington and I took on a full time day job. Over the last couple of years since we moved back to Lexington, Mitsu took one class every semester and was occasionally invited by local churches to be a guest preacher. Although our goal of entering full time ministry was still there, it was getting harder to see how we would ever get to Japan. One day, a Japanese pastor suggested that Mitsu complete his education in Japan. At first I was hesitant-- Mitsu would have to devote himself full time to his education and at this point he was the primary breadwinner of the family. However, over time I began to see that this was the path that God was calling us on—one of total trust. We began to plan our trip to Japan to look for a seminary. In the spring of 2016, we visited two seminaries. The first one, closest to my parents, had an impressive appeal. Campus housing was included in the tuition. It is located away from the city, in a spacious and pristine natural setting. We came on the late end of cherry blossom season, when most petals had fallen and drifted like snow flakes, carpeting the ground and giving the whole landscape a dreamy, romantic feel. During the interview with the dean of the school, we were told that we would qualify for additional discounts due to his sister’s prior attendance. It was all looking good on paper. But still, I couldn't picture us living there…Then we visited the other seminary. The second seminary is located in downtown Nagoya. The rooftop has a room where guests of the seminary can stay while visiting. As we stepped onto the roof, I could smell the fragrance of prayers. God showed me that this is the place He had for us. Later I found out that students regularly gather on the roof to pray over the city.

FOUR SEEDS SOWN FALL 2016

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Now, What?

Prayer Requests �Prayers for wisdom on all the decisions we are making that affect our future lives in Japan. �Prayers for the people of Nagoya- that unbelievers’ hearts be opened and for Christians to be emboldened with love to share the Gospel. �Prayers for faithful prayer and financial partners who believe in God’s power, sovereignty and provision.

May the Love and Peace of Christ be with you all,

Mitsuyoshi, Kristin, Kengo (6) and Mika (3)

We will be keeping a blog to share specific updates, plans and prayer requests. If you would like to take this journey with us, please email us with your name at: nakamurafamily2017@gmail.com To make a monthly support pledge or give a one-time tax deductible gift, please visit: https://jems.networkforgood.com/projects/19433

THANKYOU!!�����������!!

So, why are we telling you all this?

Because we need your help, Dear Church! We need a team of faith-filled believers who will stand with us in the gap for the people of Japan. Japan is the largest unreached nation in the world. Less than 1% of the 126.8 million people are believers. Very few of those are equipped to share the Gospel with others. It has been dubbed the “graveyard for missionaries.” However, we believe the foundations are being shaken and hearts and eyes are being opened.

Shortly after the tsunami of 2011, God gave me (Kristin) a picture of Japan. I saw a great city with tall strong walls. I saw missionaries marching faithfully around the walls, circling the city. They marched and marched but nothing was happening. God showed me that the city was like the nation of Japan and the walls were the spiritual forces of darkness that kept the Good News from entering and growing. God showed me that there was a time coming, like in the battle of Jericho, when the walls would begin to shake and crumble and allow the victors to take the city for the LORD! I believe that time is now. He has set us on this trajectory and He will see us through. However, we are just one part of a whole body. We are extending an invitation to the rest of His Body to help get us there. Without the support of the Body, the members cannot function properly.

Mitsu will be able to transfer most of his credits to the new school so we estimate that it will take about 2 to 2.5 years to complete his Masters of Divinity degree. Mitsu has the opportunity to intern under a pastor to learn about church planting. He will be able to study and discuss his faith in his native language. The children will have a chance to learn Japanese language and culture at an early age. I am looking forward to learning more Japanese as well and being involved with a café ministry in the meantime. I will be able to support community outreaches such as English night, karaoke, and Mommy and Baby English club. After Mitsu completes his degree, we hope to return to Kentucky to share the next steps. We have an estimated monthly support need of about $3,500; our one time start up costs are about $7,500 (including return airfare). We hope to meet at least 50% by December 15th.

The Plan