Our second week in Tachikawa held some wonderful moments, both planned and serendipitous. I will be preaching three Sundays while we are here, and this week was the first of those. “Come, Follow Me” was the title and I hope I was able to effectively communicate how following Jesus’ call is much more than simply attending church on Sunday and waiting for heaven. We follow Him best when we do the things He did and become fruitful parts of the church whole. Several members were eager to chat afterward about the message, and they expressed how it encouraged their faith. God be praised!
This week saw the beginning of our English conversation times. While the number of people who signed up isn’t overwhelming, God has placed a number of individuals before us and we are thankful. Emily and I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know each one, and the interactions we get to have are sweet and encouraging. I know that many of you are praying for them by name, and we are grateful for your participation in this ministry from wherever you are! We continue in prayer for these precious souls that they gradually begin to see God’s love for them through time spent with us.
Family music classes also got off to a great start! It is a brand new experience for all of these children, but they jumped right in and sang and danced and enjoyed themselves greatly. I saw plenty of smiling mom and grand-mom faces as well! Music has such a power to bridge gaps between people, and we are hopeful for some of the relationships which can be formed or strengthened during this time. In particular, we pray that two of the moms who are church members can deepen friendships with the other young mothers who are coming. After Emily and I return to the US, this would be the greatest outcome of our trip if these relationships persist going forward. Please pray to our Father that this can be so!
Each Sunday afternoon, we are hosting a “Casual Party” and hoping that both English readers and Tachikawa church members will come for fun, games, and fellowship. We have a small American snack prepared and spend time chatting and getting to know each other as well as playing some “getting-to-know-you” games. This week we each anonymously answered four questions about ourselves, folded the answers into a paper airplane, then sent the page flying across the room. Everyone picked up the airplane that landed closest to them and unfolded it, and then we went around the room reading out the answers and trying to guess who had thrown that piece of paper. Everyone had such a good time! We are hopeful that more readers and church members can join us in the coming weeks.
Although the main focus during our time here is working with our English conversation and family music friends as well as encouraging the Tachikawa church, we have had a couple of chances to get out and about. Many of you know that Emily spent a large part of her childhood in Japan. Part of that time, they lived in Higashimurayama, another Tokyo suburb near Tachikawa. Often, they would walk past this “wagashiya” (Japanese snack shop) and sometimes get a little something on the way to or from the train station. When we came as a family in 2017, we were able to find it again and the sweet family that runs it was still there. So, this week Noriko Fukushima drove us by to check it out and we stopped by for a little visit. Such a sweet lady! We bought a few munchies, but then she bundled up several more free of charge. Her mother, who would probably have recognized us better, was doing well at age 88 but no longer comes in the shop everyday. It was fun getting to see the place again and feel the warm encouraging smile that this woman gives out daily.
One of Emily’s readers (who began visiting Sunday worship just two weeks before we arrived) invited us to spend a morning viewing the “ajisai” (hydrangea) near her home. The Takahata Fudoson shrine and temple complex is well-known for their ajisai gardens, so it was also a chance for us to experience some Japanese culture. Some of the buildings are over 1,000 years old. It’s a little sobering thinking of the head start that Shinto and Buddhism have in this culture, but our Lord is King and we have faith that He is sovereign, and that includes Japan. The grounds were beautifully arranged with blooms of many different colors and we enjoyed seeing the great variety – sometimes right on the same plant! We also participated in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony while we were there. It was a beautiful morning spent with this precious faith seeker, and we are hopeful that she will grow in her response to the Spirit’s prompting in her heart.
While in Higashimurayama, we stopped by another location Emily remembers from her childhood. Kitayama Park has a great variety of iris beds with raised boardwalks throughout. It was a rainy morning, which meant the crowds were gone and the temperature was cool. The two-week long iris festival had been over for a couple of days, and you could tell a few varieties were a little past their peak time for blooming. All the same, it was a very pleasant morning looking at some of God’s handiwork. We even found a few ducks, frogs, and crawdads along the way. 🙂
And finally, here is this week’s parting image, a sweet church member wanted to treat the four of us to a special meal. Nao and Clay both really enjoy yakiniku, so it was a great opportunity to try out a place that was new to the Fukushimas. Just punch in what you want on the e-tablet and it arrives at your table ready to be grilled to perfection! It was a wonderful evening of tasty morsels, trying new flavors, and most especially spending time with this dear couple.
Emily and I are blessed to be surrounded by such an encouraging cloud of witnesses. You all play a vital role in this ministry through your prayer and encouragement! We pray that the Christians here in Tachikawa may feel such a cloud surrounding them as well to encourage their faith walk. COVID and other factors have taken their toll on the congregation in recent years, and we want you to know so that you can continue to pray for all of the brothers and sisters here (and in other challenging places). May God be glorified in all that we do!
~ Clay
Fowlers in Japan 
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