Week Six is our last week. We have been incredibly blessed to be here, and the main reason is all of the wonderful people that we have spent time with during our stay. The pictures above are just from this week, but there are so many across the entire trip that have found places in our hearts. Despite their small number, the Christians in Tokyo are shining the light of Jesus brightly. We have been on the receiving end of such great love and hospitality these past weeks, and it is hard to say goodbye for now. We have plans to return the Summer of 2025, so for most of these sweet people we can happily say, “See you later!” Although there are many things to love about Japan (clean and safe streets, awesome public transportation, delicious food, and more!), it is the people that we will miss the most when we return to Memphis.
立川キリスト教会に心から感謝します。私たちは皆さんを心から愛しており、すぐに皆さんのもとへ戻るのを待ちきれません。
Our final English sessions and music classes went well. These are such sweet groups of people, and we enjoyed our last moments with each one. Many in both groups said they would be eager to see us back again next Summer, so we are looking forward to building on the successes of this trip when we return in a year. We are praying in the meantime that God will be working in the hearts of these readers and families. Hopefully next year, they will all be able to return and bring their friends!
I preached my third and final time this week. My message to the kids was all about bringing light into the darkness because then we can see! I played a little hide and seek with them, related how being in the dark is like being lost, and how shining the light of Jesus helps lost people find their way. Then we sang “This Little Light of Mine” before they headed upstairs for kid’s class. My sermon to the congregation tied up thoughts from the previous two sermons and drove home the idea that Jesus is the ultimate solution to humanity’s sin problem. As a result we are free to live our lives as a community in God’s presence, the real reason Eden was paradise.
After worship, the congregation held their usual 2nd Sunday potluck meal, but also took the occasion to bid us farewell. These are always such rich times of fellowship, and the food was quite tasty, too! We brought several Jelly Belly 50-Flavor packages on this trip to give as gifts and put our last one out at the meal. It was a hit! Everyone enjoyed sampling the various flavors, and you can see (above left) Nao-san and two of his grandkids thoughtfully picking out their next choices. It was an all-around wonderful final meal together with everyone.
One of the challenges of being half-way around the globe is staying connected with those you love back home. Of course, it has never been easier with the technology we have today, but you still feel it. The pictures above are missing some important folks because in that moment it doesn’t usually feel like an activity worth documenting for mission purposes. Thankfully, Emily captured a couple of images this week of chatting with folks back home. We enjoyed talking with family regularly via FaceTime, VoIP, and Zoom. Emily even got to continue meeting with her Wednesday PM Ladies’ Class on Thursday mornings! I can’t imagine what missionaries a hundred years ago went through. Sometimes they didn’t see their spouses for months at a time. I certainly am glad that we have the means today to connect like this. It helps keep us going!
Before long, it was time to start the long trek home to Memphis. I won’t bore you with the hours of sitting (in buses, airports, airplanes, cars, and wherever else) other than to say that all went well and the trip was uneventful – just like it is supposed to be! To get from Japan to the USA, you head East over the Pacific. First, you fly into the sunset. Then, a few hours later you encounter a sunrise! It’s as if we went one way, the sun went the other, and we met on the other side of the world. The really confusing part is this: since we crossed the International Date Line, it is actually a sunrise from earlier in the same day! While you wrap your mind around that, check out these shots of the moon Emily took from our seats on the plane. Beautiful! (by God’s design, of course)
Right as we left, we were treated to one last reminder of the politeness of Japanese society. After the tractor had pushed our airplane back away from the gate at Haneda airport, we looked out the window to see all of the tarmac personnel neatly lined up and waving goodbye to us. Even as it started to rain, it was easy to imagine that the energy in their motions was intending to say “Ganbatte!” as we pulled away.
My parting shot this week is the group picture we took after worship at Tachikawa. Several regulars were out of town, but it was an encouraging group all the same. The lady on the left (in black) is a seeker who has been attending for a couple of months now, so we pray that she continues to find the warmth of Jesus in this community of believers. The lady in the lower left (in white) attended for her first time this week. She was one of our family music class regulars with her son, and she knows one of the other members through a community gathering for young moms. We pray that the Spirit moves in her life greatly and that the connections she has made this Summer will grow stronger still. Father God, may all of the people we were blessed to interact with this Summer feel you moving in their lives and want to get to know you better!
Emily and I deeply appreciate each of you who have been praying for our time here in Japan. You are a critical part of the ministry we have tried to do. For those who have also sent notes of encouragement or financial support, this is your work as well. Above all, we give God the glory for supplying the strength, ability, and opportunity to go.
Thank you very much!
~ Clay
Fowlers in Japan 
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