June 2010

1) Our youngest son Josiah and Manaka Ueha will be married in less than 32 hours! The wedding is set for 5 PM on Sunday the 13th. A missionary friend, whose son is Josiah's former classmate, will be doing the ceremony. About 70 guests are expected. Please pray that God will be honored throughout the day's activities, which will begin with our usual Sunday morning worship at Agape Bible Church!

2) Mr. Tsuchiya, who turned 80 last month, is excited about learning more about God and His Word. This interest began through attending our monthly English Cafe. Now, he also comes to church every Sunday, and he and I meet Sunday afternoons and Friday mornings to study the Bible together. We are nearing the end of our study on the book of Mark, and he is soaking it in. I lent him a Japanese-language "Jesus video" and he has watched it over and over again. Pray for God's continued work in his heart.

3) After losing her husband and father within a few months of each other, Mrs. Kamada, was struggling last year. She has two Christian friends who have reached out to her: Mrs. Miyoshi, from our church, and Mrs. Satoo. She is an English teacher, so Mrs. Miyoshi began to bring her to our English Cafe and a monthly English circle Murray attends. Then, after attending our Sunday worship a few times with Mrs. Miyoshi, she asked us to help her get a Bible. When we offered to start a Bible study with her, she said she would love to do it in English. Mrs. Satoo, an anesthesiologist, also wanted to join! We met for the first time on May 17. For now, it is only a monthly study, but we are excited about what God is doing in her heart. She is a busy lady, but we are praying for increased contact with her, and that her two close Japanese Christian friends will also have the joy of being a part in seeing her come to Jesus.

4) We are planning a baptism for Mrs. Kurome and Mrs. Ajiki in late July. Pray for them as we continue to do special Bible study together before the regular Ladies' Bible study on Tuesday mornings. They will be writing the testimonies they will be sharing soon. Please join me in praying that their husbands will be willing to attend the baptism service.

5) Mrs. Kurome's daughter Eri is one of the 9th graders Murray is teaching this year at Kobe International Jr/Sr High. Kathy teaches the 10th and 12th grade students this year at this all-girls school. Pray for our relationships with both students and teachers at the school. Quite a few students have come to English Cafe once or twice. A new teacher came last time with her boyfriend, who lives in the condo right next to our church! Another teacher has joined Murray's Thursday PM English class. Murray's co-teacher and the head of the math department are also Christians. Please pray for us all to impact lives for Christ there.

6) Kathy's Starbucks outreach efforts are starting to bear fruit (along with feeding her passion for Chai Tea Latte!). One of Kathy's private English students meets her at the Starbucks nearest our house for class. Saori, a young adult woman, no longer works there but recently God orchestrated an "accidental" meeting. Saori was eager to exchange contact information and make plans to spend time together. She explained that she was taking a break from employment because her "heart is tired", a Japanese phrase indicating either depression or anxiety that is preventing a person from being able to function normally. She came to English Cafe for the first time this past month and plans to come again.

7) Kathy is also a member of an area-wide Gospel choir. Black Gospel music is popular here, and many unbelievers are drawn to learn more about God after listening to it or even performing it! Kathy's choir is joining another for a big performance coming up on July 4, and the members are inviting contacts. The mother of one of Kathy's Starbuck friends is involved with a local Gospel choir, and when she heard about the concert, expressed interest. When Kathy returned later with the flier, the gal was not working. One of the other employees put it up in the staff room so all the employees could see it, and she hopes to come, too. Kathy also had the chance to invite members of her Aquaerobics class when they asked her about what she was listening to on her IPOD before class the other day. Rental fees for concert halls in Japan are pricey, so each choir member gets to PAY for the privilege of attending rehearsals and performances! Pray that this investment will return a hundredfold as people hear the Gospel through song and testimony at events like the one early next month.

8) We continue to thank the Lord often for the opportunity to have Kristin Schultz ministering alongside of us. Next week she is headed home to Indiana for a couple weeks to see her family and to take part in a cousin's wedding. Kristin's ministry includes teaching English classes at Agape and at two other area churches, friendship evangelism, and music ministry. Pray that her time at home will be refreshing, and that as she returns with plans to continue her ministry in Kobe for at least one more year, that God will guide her as she contemplates future career plans and how Japan might fit into that picture. 

9) Suzaka Bible Church, where we served for nine years after language school, has invited us to be part of their 20-year anniversary celebration in October. We are excited about going up there the weekend of October 9-10 to take part in the festivities. On the wall behind the piano there hangs a photo-collage of many of our supporters, a gift we gave to the church at our farewell eleven years ago. We wanted them to be mindful that our ministry there was a cooperative effort of many saints, orchestrated by the Holy Spirit. Whenever we return there, it serves as a reminder to us of the partnership we enjoy with so many special people who pray and give so that we can be ambassadors for Christ here in Japan. Thank you for being part of that group!

Gratefully in Christ, Murray and Kathy Trim

P.S. Several of you who have asked about sending a money gift to Josiah and Manaka. The BEST way to do that is to write a check to Murray Trim, and send it to Murray's sister in Omaha, along with a note that it is for the newlyweds. Murray's sister can deposit the gifts into our US bank, and then we can easily withdraw the money in yen from an ATM here in Japan and pass it along to them. She will also let Josiah know who sent what. If you also wish to send a card, she will see they make it to Japan later. (Please, no packages.)

Here is the address:

c/o Diane Hughell

11638 Westwood Lane

Omaha, NE 68144

If you would like to contact Josiah directly, his email address is: jthemk@yahoo.ca