The summer rains are gone, but sky high humidity lies ahead. A green blanket of rice paddies (photo above) surrounds our neighbourhood. Buckets of rain and heat waves are good for rice cultivation, but for physical energy, a deadly blow! We feel quite depleted ourselves (in Japanese: natsubate)...
Thankfully our yearly summer holiday break is around the corner, and we are eager to stop, rest, play and meditate. But before we leave (tomorrow), we first want to share some important snippets from recent happenings and experiences.
There is a new 6-minute video about our family life as well as some of the ministries we have been involved in the last 2 months. Feel free to share it.
We eagerly share more about our experiences and thoughts from our journey with homeschooling. Carina shares through her (new) blog: Whole in Japan
Words often fall short in describing experiences. Therefore, this round, we compiled some snippets in colour and sound, in a six-minute video. It is easy to share with friends and other supporters, or in worship services and small groups.
You can view it by double clicking on the picture (below) or visiting YouTube at https://youtu.be/DX4wXTxbH1o
OR, you can download it to your computer from here: http://www.ngkok.co.za/missiejapan/default.htm
Homeschooling is a challenging but extremely meaningful and rewarding journey. Carina is endeavoring on this road circumspectly, and wholeheartedly. And our kids are progressing well. We are very grateful! If you want to get an idea of what is happening, and how we experience this uncommon path as a family, visit Carina’s blog (or sign up for her newsfeeds), called Whole in Japan, at
http://wholeinjapan.com/beautiful-childhood/
Kobe Seminary in (summer)bloom photo with thanks to Takeshi Yasuda
Why do we believe the shift to Kobe is part of God’s path with us?
We can write much more, but just in short:
Conversations and prayers about this possible shift has been ongoing for more than three years (within the Reformed Church in Japan). Actually, one of Mission Japan’s leaders has shared his vision for this to happen even before we came to Japan (in other words already in 2008)
The local church with whom we co-operate (the RCJ), made this official request after careful consideration and discernment, from their side.
This call is a crucial part of the focus of the co-operating partnership in witness, between Mission Japan, the RCJ Shikoku Presbytery and the RCJ Kobe Theological Seminary.
The process (of decision making) was handled and endorsed prayerfully on all levels: with the RCJ Tokushima congregation, Shikoku Presbytery and (God willing, October 2015) the full RCJ Synod.
We personally experience deep peace and excitement about this new road ahead, because it is centred in the heart of the local RCJ’s vision. We believe that the Lord has lead us all clearly in this.
Last year I had the chance to share our feeling and thoughts about this call at more than 60 opportunities with Mission Japan supporters in South Africa. We (as a family) received unified, affirming responses from all over. Therefore, this issue was discerned about by our worldwide family of faith. It is not just an individual idea or dream.
The great need for Pastoral care and Counseling as fields of study and teaching, is crystal clear. Please look at this 4-minute interview which I had with colleagues from the Kobe Seminary. Click here and watch only the part from 59:30 up to 1:03:55
I (Stéphan) will still keep my status as minister within the RCJ, and thus I will still be involved in Church ministry in the future (focused on Shikoku Presbytery).
We are afforded a fresh opportunity (as Van der Watt family) to serve and be involved on a broader level within the RCJ, and wider ecumenically, in Japan.
For us (as a family) this opens up new possibilities, and breaks the (emotional) isolation that we experienced in Tokushima. On the homeschooling front, as well as in terms of a broader network of support – e.g. of other missionaries within the same type of setup and similar challenges – Kobe’s location is ideal.
The fact that Karen Stydom, our new missionary colleague, will also make her start (with language studies) in Kobe, is not a random coincidence.
In short: we trust that our God-given gifts and passions, as well as our experiences and training up until now, will hereforth flourish even deeper, and can be a richer blessing to others. And that is why we believe this new call(ing) is within God’s will.
Mission Japan’s prayer network is our lifeline. Without compassionate co-workers who intercede on our and our colleagues’ behalf, nothing is possible. Simultaneously we believe that, with a healthy and well-directed prayer team on our side, the possibilities in Japan have no limits.
We sincerely invite you to pray more actively and focused, with us. Therefore we share our monthly requests. Do read it here. And you can also find our daily prayer calender here.
