current prayer letter

Download final layout of this letter (pdf): PL201007web.pdf (2.96 Mb).

church planting, evangelism, and leadership training

Tokyo JAPAN

// // www.tokyolittles.net // www.tokyochurch.org

One year home assignment

We begin a one year home assignment in August. After settling all three of our children in universities, we plan to make Maine our base for the fall/winter. Our goal is to visit all our supporting churches during that year. We will need a car and a place to live. If you would like to help us with either of these needs, please let us know.

Next church planting project

The English department of Tokyo Musashino EFC unanimously voted to become the primary partner church for our exciting new multicultural church planting project. We are now seeking overseas (North American) church partners to launch this new church in Tokyo in the fall of 2011. For more information check out our church planting website at www.tokyochurch.org.

Matthew graduates

On Friday, June 4 our son Matthew graduated from Christian Academy in Japan with 39 other classmates. He along with fellow student Hyun Jun gave the student address. Matthew plans to study at Biola University in the fall.

Dale and Ann attend Buddhist wake

Our next door neighbor, an elderly gentleman, passed away suddenly. His son and daughter invited us to attend the wake. It was held in a funeral service facility near a famous cemetery. We were the only foreigners to attend and also the only Christians. The service lasted about an hour during which the Buddhist priest chanted various incantations as well as a history of the life of the deceased.

At the end, all the attendees were expected to bow to a picture of the deceased, offer incense three times and bow to the family. As Christians we did not feel we could “bow in worship” to the deceased, nor offer incense, but we did go to the front, view the picture of the deceased, and then bow to the family.

This experience reminded us how difficult it is for a Japanese Christian when a relative passes away. To choose not to participate would be interpreted as disrespect for the deceased, but to participate would mean worshipping someone other than the God of the Bible. Pray for Japanese Christians as they seek to witness to their families. Please also pray for the daughter who lost her father. She has read a couple of Christian books we have given her and has attended our coffee house ministry at church.

Church point card, anyone?

Here in Japan you can get a “point card” for nearly every store or restaurant. Accumulated points usually earn discounts or free products. A year ago we made point cards for the Sunday school kids at Tokyo Musashino EFC. They get one point (cool sticker) for attending Sunday school and two points if they can say the memory verse. In one year’s time, Aika (pictured left) has completed 7 point cards and has learned over 50 Bible verses. English is Aika’s second language! (and yes, with every completed point card she got a prize.)

Prayer Items

• Pray for us as we make major transitions in ministry and family this year.
• Pray that God will raise up church partners for our multicultural church plant.
• Pray that we will be able to visit all of our supporters on home assignment.
• Pray that the Holy Spirit will bring the truth of Jesus to our neighbor’s daughter.
• Pray for Japanese Christians as they seek to honor God with their lives and witness to unbelieving relatives without offense.

Please note our new email addresses at the top!

Dale and Ann Little