Sendai 16 Mission Team

Front row:  Shizuka Sasaki (S), Kumi Furukawa (S), Lauren Yokomizo (C),
Monica Nishida (C), Mielee Payton (S), and Hiroko Payton (S)
Back row:  Don Hori (C), Rhemus Payton (S), Don Kobayashi (C),
and Daniel Inoue (S)    (S) South Bay Japanese Christian Fellowship
(C) Crossway Church of the San Fernando Valley

Greetings from the Sendai 16 mission team.  This is the third year that South Bay Japanese Christian Fellowship and Crossway Church of the San Fernando Valley are teaming to send a short-term mission team to the Sendai Church.  We have eleven team members - missing from the picture at the right is Tsuguru Kagiwada from the South Bay church, who is currently studying in Japan and will join us when we arrive there.
     Sendai is about 180 miles north of Tokyo.  It is the capital city of Miyagi Prefecture, the largest city in the Tohoku region, and the second largest city north of Tokyo with a population of over one million residents.  Coastal areas of the city suffered catastrophic damage from the magnitude 9 earthquake and subsequent tsunami in 2011.  Fortunately, the tsunami did not reach the area of the Sendai Church.  Tohoku Imperial University, the region's first university, was founded in Sendai in 1907.  It became the first Japanese university to admit women in 1913.  Sendai is nicknamed "The City of Trees."
     The main activity for the team while in Sendai is a three-day VBS-like program called English Experience Camp (EEC).  The camp is conducted at the Sendai Church with the purpose of bringing non-Christian children and their parents to the church.  Less than 1 per cent of Japanese citizens are Christian, and the culture discourages people from even entering the church.  We present a program emphasizing English instruction and that is the draw for parents to enroll their children.  We have five classes - English instruction, crafts, music, and games which are all presented in English.  The fifth class, Bible lessons, is presented in Japanese.  There will be two members of our team presenting each of the classes.  Nakada-sensei of the Sendai Church intends to limit enrollment to forty children this year.  The first year program had about twenty-five children and is steadily growing each year.  The Sendai Church does not have enough members to support the EEC program and invites members of sister churches to come for the three days, stay with us at the church, and to help present the EEC program.  They are hoping for six or seven volunteers this year.  The EEC program is really a partnership of brothers and sisters from many churches.  It is a great blessing to see how all the pieces fall into place to make this program possible.  Besides EEC, we will present two worship services while we are there, have English conversation classes, and do visitations.
     We have had three preparation meetings so far and the time together has been very fruitful.  Seven of the team members have served at Chino Christ Church in central Japan presenting a similar program, and four have served in Chino and Sendai previously.  Everyone is enthusiastic and quick to volunteer for the various tasks and responsibilities for the team.  We have a wonderful blend of people of various ages, talents, and personalities.  God has been very gracious in bringing this group of people together.  We leave for Japan from LAX on July 20th and will return on August 3rd.  Please pray for us as we prepare for the mission, that all of our programs and presentations would be done in an outstanding manner - worthy of the glory and honor due our Heavenly Father.  And please pray that God would prepare the hearts of all the team members - that we would be strong witnesses for Jesus Christ and the love, mercy, and grace He has shown to each one of us.  Thank you and God bless you.