Dear Friends,

A couple weeks ago, as I was preparing to go to some of the different church related kindergartens on the islands in the Seto Inland Sea, I got a phone call from the office manager of Mead Christian Center.The Chairman of the Board and the driving force that has propelled Mead Christian Center into the forefront of social services, Chiaki Okamoto had passed away.She passed away on September 7.Mead Christian Center will hold a memorial service on September 23.

Mead Christian Center was founded as the Baptist Women's Bible School in 1904 by an American Baptist Women's Missionary, Lavina Mead.Its purpose was to train women in the Bible.They became Bible Women and were dedicated to spreading the Gospel in Japan.

Chiaki Okamoto, a strong Christian woman, came to Mead Christian Center in 1964 to become the director.Early, Mead Christian Center recognized the needs of the elderly.As early as 1972, they began a Senior Citizens' Club to encourage increased mobility.A meal service and a bath service were started.A Community College was started to train young people in Social Services.Miss Okamoto traveled to the USA and Europe to gain insight into social services.Today, with 20% of the Japanese population 65 or older, the welfare of the elderly has become a nation-wide problem, but Mead Christian Center, under the leadership of Chiaki Okamoto has been striving to meet the needs of the elderly for many years.

We will miss Chiaki Okamoto's leadership.

• Please pray that God will lead the decisions being made by Mead Christian Center.

Also, pray for Yuki and Chiharu.

• They are high school students, whose mothers are members of Hiroshima Peace Christian Church.They have made a profession of faith and want to be baptized at Christmas.

As we approach the time for the World Mission Offering, I pray that God will lead you to be generous.

In Jesus' love,

Carolyn Predmore