Gordon works in leadership training, working with the students and teachers of Soshin School in Yokohama. He also leads Bible studies and does leadership training at Soshin Church.

Lee Ann works as a full time teacher at Soshin School. She teaches a full load of English classes for junior and senior high students. Lee Ann writes: Looking back, 2007 has been a year with encouraging events. We must be diligent to express how grateful we are, and how God watches out for us and answers your prayers on our behalf. When we returned to Japan the end of August, we really did feel like we were home. It is amazing how God has allowed us to adjust to being here. We still struggle with language acquisition and cultural forms. Yet, God is making a way for us.

 

I have been trying to take note of the events and times where God is answering prayer. I don’t want to forget what God does. It’s easy to succumb to the suggestions of Satan that things never change and God isn’t doing anything. But when I look back, I see that God is still moving mountains.

Here is one mountain. The teachers have many discussions about Soshin students’ chapel behavior. The students are “loud and irreverent” entering the chapel and then fall asleep during chapel times. Two years ago, I had made the suggestion to use contemporary music to channel their energy and capture their attention. But the reception was cool. However, earlier this year, God gave me encouragement toward this idea. The principal of the school asked me if I would sing in chapel after hearing me sing a Sandy Patti song at a co-worker’s wedding. He went so far as to suggest that the music teachers help by teaching the music in their music classes!

The first term, one of the music teachers taught one praise song to the 7th graders. I don’t know if she would have been amenable to the suggestion except that the principal asked. Near the end of the term, for the school retreat, another teacher asked for help to lead some new music for the 7th graders, too. New music was also introduced in the 11th grade school retreat and English classes. Then, Gordon found contemporary music written in Japanese. From those, another new song is being taught to the junior high students for a chapel I’m speaking at. I’m in the process of preparing to teach five songs for the Christian “club” retreat in November.

Please pray that the chapel times will be filled with God’s Spirit of joy and praise. Pray that we will “sing to the Lord a new song!” Pray that God’s Spirit will touch the girls and many will turn their hearts to Jesus. Pray that God’s Spirit will be present in power and our praise will raise the roof!

I’m anxiously awaiting the new thing God will do here! “The mountains bow down and the seas will roar at the sound of His Name!”