Explosion

Hi Friends,
Praying this letter finds you all well. I want to thank all of those involved in taking care of the team that recently came from Toyko Horizon Chapel. They got back from their trip to America this week and I have been able to see some of the pictures they took while they were in Sonora. They were grateful for the time they spent there and the pictures they took made me miss you all a lot. Still in prayer about hopefully coming back to Sonora next year and introducing you all to my daughter Daisy.

Things here have been blessed. Yesterday marked the first day of the Fall Semester and it came with its share of surprises. A couple hours before the program, I received a email from one of the shine kids moms that there would be 8 new kids coming that day. As I frantically cut up construction paper to have enough crafts for them all, I praised God for growing the seeds planted at the VBS last month. In the end we had 14 kids come. The program went great and all the new kids had a great time. One of the kids even came up to me and said, "It was my first time and I didn't know any of the songs, but this was so fun." I thank God for how he has been working in this ministry. Still looking forward to friday's class as well. As I was sweeping in front of the church yesterday, one of the kids who came to the VBS who was walking to school stopped and said hi and told me that she would be coming with her friend on Friday. Again, wow God!

Now this would usually be the point when I would ask you all to pray for helpers, as my wife is busy with the baby and our other helper graduated bible college and became a baker. But God always equips us to do the ministry to which He has called us. My friend Shane, who runs the Gospel cafe that I have written about in the past, took his motorbike in to be fixed one day and struck up a conversation with his mechanic. Turned out that mechanic's wife was also a christian and was teaching English and had been having difficulty teaching young children English. And Shane referred her to me. So she is going to be helping out this semester of shine kids for the experience. Also, when I was talking to the bible college students about all the new kids that were coming yesterday, one of the bible college students volunteered and another is praying about it. And with the one helper that was helping out already, I find myself in the position of being very well... helped. haha ^_^!  So much so that with the present staff, I think we will have the opportunity to grow even more, if the Lord is willing.

Please continue to pray for Kids Brown in Setagaya.  We continue to maintain the same group we have had for the Thursday and Friday classes. Please pray for patience for me and pray that God's love would be poured out on me that I can love on the kids there in all situations. I really want to always be the best picture of Jesus that I can be to the kids, and for that I need a lot of grace and power from the Holy Spirit.

Also, from next month, the church wants to start a cafe on the first floor of the Setagaya Church. We have been painting and renovating, making our plans right now. We hope for it to be like the Gospel Cafe, a open place where people of the community can come and have a cup of coffee and strike up conversations with the christian staff. I mean, just like it was at the Gospel Cafe, when you see a big, bald, white guy like me waiting tables at a cafe in the heart of Tokyo, there are going to be some questions that follow ^_^. God has used these questions before to lead to opportunities to share testimonies and the gospel and we are praying for the same at the... "Health Nuts" Cafe.

Thank you again for your prayers and support. Sorry I cannot be at CC Sonora for the Ministry Fair that is coming up. But hope you guys enjoy the video from the VBS last month.

Your brother,
Alex