John and Tomoko serve with the Japan Baptist Union (JBU) churches in western area of Japan. Currently, they are working with the Nishi Okamoto Baptist Church in the city of Kobe which actively engages in ministry in its neighborhood. The Armagosts feel a call to reach out to the children and families of this community.

 John writes: 24 years ago I came to Japan for the first time as a mission volunteer. In those first weeks I was invited to Tokyo for a missionary gathering. On the way home I was sitting in my assigned seat when a lady came and sat next to me. “I got the last ticket for this train”, she said in broken English. I was reading a book, we chatted for a few minutes then I went back to my book. Pretty soon she interrupted me with some more small talk. At that point I felt the Holy Spirit suggesting I should put my book away. We talked all the way to Osaka where she got off the train.  In the weeks and months that followed Mrs. Kenmochi and I became friends. I invited her to church. The problem was she lived almost 2 hours away. I asked the pastor of the church I attended if there was a Baptist church in Ibaragi where she lived. “Oh, Jim and Ali Sandholdt (ABC missionaries at that time) are just starting a new church in Ibaragi.” I introduced Mrs. Kenmochi to Jim and Ali. Later, after I returned to the US to finish seminary, Mrs. Kenmochi was part of the first baptism in the new Ibargi Preaching Place. Don’t you love the way things just happen? God makes everything beautiful in its time.

 Why am I telling this story today? Tomoko and I just got back from Mrs. Kenmochi’s memorial service. She passed away suddenly last week. It was a lunch and fellowship time for family and friends, with pictures and examples of her hobbies to share. Her testimony was printed and given to everyone. It told how she met a youth from America on the bullet train. He invited her to church, and an American missionary baptized her. Her pastor took some time to share about Mrs. Kenmochi’s faith, her life and her passing, also her favorite Bible verse, Ecclesiastes 3:11.

I give thanks that 24 years ago, I put away my book and took time to make a new friend.

Thank you for your support and prayer.

 ·        Pray for the family of Mrs. Kenmochi.

·        Pray for Tomoko, she will be in Kansas for 2 weeks sharing in churches. Pray for John and their children while she is gone!

·        Pray that we will all be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit, whether it is to put down our busyness to make a friend, or to pray for someone.

·        Pray for Tomoko and John as they serve and for their children: Ami (U. of Waterloo, Canada), Alisen (17) and Andy (1)