We hope you are doing well. I would like to share with you my goals for this year. (1) I would like to see ourselves more involved in the community around the church. (2) This is not a goal per se, but a prayer. The Lord will give us a strong co-worker, even a new Christian. (3) Since I know our evangelistic work is impossible without having a good healthy family for ourselves, I would like to have a healthy family. This year I am planning on spending more time with my family. Our days are so hectic that we can be stressed out. (4) The Lord knows about this. Our church building is so old that we have to build a new church building. However, we do not have a finance for that. I believe the Lord will provide it as He always has been. Please, pray for these matters.

Currently I have been studying with 8 people. Two of them who want to study only English have been reading "Read Aloud Bible Stories." By this way they have learnt some biblical messages. Six of them have been directly reading the Japanese Bible. Initially, I studied only English with them. Since a couple of month ago, I have been using "Read Aloud Bible Stories"to teach them English. After reading "Read Aloud" for 45 minutes, we study Japanese Bible together for 45 minutes. At first, they wanted to read English Bible, but they could not understand it! That was good because finally they agreed to read Japanese Bible with me. That has been great. It is my goal to read Japanese Bible together. English is a means of making biblical messages known to people.

I would like to be non-threatening to them. I always tell them, "However long it takes you to understand the gospel message, it does not matter because this has to do with your life," when they raise their voice of doubt. When I started working here with Japanese a year and half ago, I hastened to try to make people Christians and to tell them about Christ before establishing a trusting relationship. It was a crucial mistake I have made. Now I have been establishing a good friendship with the people I study. I wish my wife would participate in Bible studies soon, but she often has to take care of our two boys.

We are planning to put up the Japanese church sign because we have begun to have Japanese worship service on Sunday afternoon. (We planned this a month ago, but we have not done it yet. Ken got a very bad flu that he was sick over a week. Riki also got a little sick. This took our time.) Occasionally one or two visitors come to the worship service. Of course they are non-Christians. We think we need to make the community know that there is a Japanese church caring about them.

Japan School of Evangelism (the only preacher training school by Japanese brothers) and Fukuin (Fukuin means "the Gospel." This is a church of Christ publishing magazine) are giving me different opportunities and challenges. Since last September I have been teaching 1 Corinthians at School. Also I write a commentary article on the book of Job since last November.

Our work appears to be slow, but I believe that the Lord keeps cultivating the hearts of people here. Please, pray that the Lord will send us more truth seekers and co-workers. Next report I hope I will introduce a truth seeker and his background to you.