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UPDATE FROM DALE AND ANN LITTLE, July 2004

Modeling and Encouraging both Church Planting and Theological Education in Japan
Tokyo JAPAN

Evangelistic Concert

Concert pianist and pastor, Sam Rotman, was our featured guest at Sunrise Chapel on June 27. We had a full house with five new people, two who were members of Ann’s outreach English classes. In addition to a concert of powerful and rich classical pieces, Sam’s testimony and sermon were a blessing to all who attended. A tape of the program was given to two of Dale’s English Bible class students who were not able to attend. One of those students actually came to the church building in order to attend the concert, but did not have the courage to enter. Like many other non-Christians here in Japan, she feels great pressure from family to protect herself from the “brainwashing” of foreign religions and cults like Christianity. To become a believer in Christ is akin to denying one’s family and heritage. This kind of analysis generates a suspicion toward the gospel of Jesus Christ. But through personal relationships with expatriate missionaries and Japanese believers, and through Bible studies (English or Japanese) in which the person and work of Jesus Christ is discussed, the Holy Spirit can begin the process of transformation toward salvation. Church planting in the Buddhist/Shinto context of Japan is a spiritual battle in which we witness God’s attack on the gates of hell. A freshly birthed church like Sunrise Chapel is a constant threat to the stronghold of the evil one. So it is important that our ministry be bathed in prayer. Thank you for praying.

Summer Outreach English Classes

Our fourth annual Outreach English Class (OEC) program at Sunrise Chapel will be held Jul 25 - Aug 1. We have six teachers coming, five from Woodlands Church (an EFC in Wisconsin) and one from California. This year the leadership of Sunrise has included both Sundays on either side of the weekday classes as required attendance. The result is a smaller number of about 50 students this year. But we are praying that some of those who attend might continue to be involved at Sunrise in some way after OEC. Our ultimate desire is for some to become believers fully incorporated into the family of God at Sunrise Chapel.

Special Project

We are currently raising CN$3000/US$2150 for the purchase of a replacement laptop computer. It is the basic workhorse for Dale's ministry. He uses it for sermons, Bible studies, theology lectures, powerpoint presentations, tracking support income, ministry e-mail correspondence, building and maintaining our website, and many other uses. If you or your church would like to contribute to this special project, we would ask that you send your donation to the Evangelical Free Church of Canada Mission (EFCCM). If you need a US tax deductible receipt, however, feel free to send your donation to the Evangelical Free Church of America International Mission (EFCA-IM). Please mark your donation as “computer project for the Littles.”

Family News

In April Kristy completed her second year at Trinity Western University. She came home to Tokyo for most of April and May. On June 2 she went to Maine for summer work. She is working as a cashier at Ann’s family’s farm market. Heather, Kristy’s roommate from university, was in Asia for a business class and was able to extend for a week and visit with us. It was a rare treat for Kristy to show a college friend around her Tokyo home.

Bryan completed 8th grade, including a class trip to Kyoto and Nara in March and a “graduation” on May 31. Matthew finished 6th grade. Playing on the 6th grade basketball team was the highlight of the year for him.

Note: Our August letter will provide an update on our fall home assignment and our future ministry in Japan.

Kids Korner: It's Not Nice To Fool The Tooth Fairy

Matthew announced to mom one morning that he proved that the tooth fairy is a fake. (Okay, so mom has a part time job as a tooth fairy.) One of his many wiggly teeth had come out the night before and he had put it under his pillow without telling anyone. In the morning there was no 100 yen coin under his pillow. (The tooth fairy pays 100 yen for teeth here in Japan). Kristy was home from university at the time and decided Matthew needed a lesson. So she took the tooth fairy’s place and sent Matthew on a long treasure hunt to find his 100 yen. He finally found his 100 yen at the bottom of an upside down glass of water! (Okay, so he had to mop up the floor as well.) On July 13 Matthew had his three remaining baby teeth pulled at the dentist. The tooth fairy can now retire.

Prayer and Praise

* Pray that some of our English class students will come to believe in Jesus Christ as their Saviour.

* Pray for strength and wisdom for our short term English teachers.

* Pray for funds for our special project.

Dale and Ann Little