Thank you very much for your prayers and encouragement!

August passed in the blink of an eye.
Ueda, Nagano was also hot.
However, we were able to endure it without an air conditioner.

The Levy Family from Australia!

The Levy Family from Australia came to visit us!
Jonathan, the husband, is the son of missionary parents who were born and raised in Japan. He’s a professional musician and speaks fluent Japanese.
Carla, his wife, is a missionary from Peru.
We first met 6-7 years ago when they came to Japan as missionaries. We’ve been friends ever since. We had been know them separately, and we were truly surprised when we heard they met and got engaged in Australia!

Led by God, they decided to come to Japan for short-term missions. This time, along with their two children, they came all the way to Ueda, Nagano, to support our Aquila Church!

Worship, Prayer, and Healing

One of the most significant blessings from their visit was the time of worship and prayer. Jonathan, being a professional musician, has a deep understanding of "worship" and engaging in discussions about worship with him was truly enriching. Of course, having him lead worship and guide us daily into the depth of God's presence was remarkable.

Furthermore, Carla, his wife, is an amazing woman of prayer, and her prayers were incredibly encouraging. She shared God’s words during prayer, and Jonathan would lead us into worship, creating an atmosphere where you'd want to stay immersed, often losing track of time.

As we spent time with them, not only were our hearts healed and uplifted, but the hearts of those who came were also affected. It was a mutual experience of encouragement.

Starting a Ministry School?!

While praying and discussing with them about what we could do together in the future, the idea of starting a short-term ministry school came up. Even if it's short and with a small group, the idea of stepping away from daily busyness and immersing ourselves in the God’s words and worship, spending a few days in learning and fellowship with the family of God – wouldn't that be wonderful? We're talking about it and hoping that it can actually come together.

Missionaries from Hong Kong!

After the Levy Family left, a missionary couple from Hong Kong visited us! They have a vision to become full-time missionaries in Japan in the future, and this visit was part of their vision trip. It was great to hear about the current situation of their church in Hong Kong. Despite the looming signs of persecution, they are working together to spread the Gospel and raise up workers for the next generation while they still can. It was so encouraging to hear that their ministry also includes outreach to Japan.

In the short time we had, we were able to talk with them, have a time of worship and prayer, and it was inspiring to know that despite being in a persecution-free Japan, we should also press forward. They still have studies left at seminary, so it might be a while before they can come to Japan as a full-time missionary, but either way, it's a blessing to have more companions in the mission field. I'd be happy if you could join me in praying for God's protection and guidance for them.

Reflection

The night the couple from Hong Kong returned, Chie got a fever, and a few days later, Takeshi also got a fever and we were sick in bed for a while. It was dangerous to drive, and due to the hassle of recent hospital visits, we ended up recovering without going to the hospital. But we were down so much that we wondered if it might have been COVID.

Because of this, we had to cancel about four bookings, including visitors from Arizona and friends' families. It was truly disappointing. However, after Golden Week in May, we were extremely busy. We pushed our bodies too hard. We've learned the importance of regular rest.

This summer, we embraced excitement and filled our schedules without limitations, which taught us our limits and better schedule management.

Vision Retreat

After moving to Nagano and moving again within our city, we've been very busy. This summer, God has been revealing and initiating many new things. Therefore, we’ve decided to go on a vision retreat in early September. Nagano has lovely camping sites. We plan to start by refreshing themselves in nature, digesting events, lessons, and given things from summer. And we want to seek God's guidance for the next steps.

For Aquila Church, which has just begun, our interaction with other churches, support, the coffee business, farm field management, and various aspects need organization and clear guidance.   We would be grateful if you could join us in prayer.

Support

We are looking for people who will participate in our ministry on the financially side and support us on a regular basis.
Of course, we are also very grateful for the one-time support!

We would appreciate it if you could consider it in your prayer.

To support us financially
https://forms.gle/AateB7Wgx6YDPnEZA

Please pray for…

• …the Vision Retreat. Please pray that as a couple, we can find quiet moments for refreshment and prayer, receive guidance from God, plan for the upcoming schedule, and move forward with faith to the next steps.

• …that we can build stronger trust and relationships with each member of the mission team that came together this summer, with people in the community, and with those who attending Aquila Church.

• … souls to be saved.

• … our needs to be fulfilled.

SNS

Chruch instagram: aquila_church_japan
https://instagram.com/aquila_church_japan

Instagram: tak_and_chee_journey
https://instagram.com/tak_and_chee_journey

Podcast: Tak&Chee Journey
https://open.spotify.com/show/6pOmFYiwiDlyNhFx5ebkEs