Dear Journal Friends,
It’s difficult to explain my feelings and experiences related to being in the USA during Advent, the Christmas celebration, and Post-Christmas. Admittedly my mind has been on what I would be doing in Japan to make Christmas a meaningful experience for both Japanese Christian and non-Christian friends. Decorating, baking ‘till-the-cows-come-home, group Christmas parties, Bible studies on the seasonal theme, and devotionals and sermons. We missionaries do work hard at it, and those who are related to Christian Schools in particular. One colleague recently wrote that he just finished eight Christmas devotional/talks for various groups in his work! Yes, nostalgic, especially the Christmas services.
Continue reading At Home with God
Dear Tidbits Newsletter Friends,
Forgive me for the long silence. By now you know that I am dealing with treatment for cancer. I’ve been expecting the worst but in short, I’m coping well.
In October I heard that it would be necessary to vacate my apartment in Tokyo Japan. Please send no more postal mail to that address in Tokyo, and note my present address at the end of this letter.
Continue reading December 2009
“Thy will be done” can be a scary thing to offer up in prayer sometimes. It is a complete surrender to God’s path, regardless of what it might mean for us or our loved ones. The knowledge that God has used seemingly bad things that occur in the lives of people in order to manifest His love and power means that, as His instruments, we live with the possibility of losing that which we care about in order to glorify God.
Continue reading Cancer as God’s Will
Dear Journal Friends,
Recently I wrote about my introduction to the theme “Surprised By Walking in Different Shoes.” This time as a continuation, I’d like to tell how I once again was able to experience this theme following my experience commuting by train to Soshin Girls’ School in Yokohama. The plan was for me to continue this work for a full year. But it seems that the Lord has other plans. Although I am relieved that I don’t need to commute on those trains for a while, I’m faced with another challenge that has enabled me to walk for a while in the shoes of the Japanese.
Continue reading Shoes of Those With “Hidden Diseases”
Roberta’s residence and the bulk of her ministry is in Tokyo. She is starting a program in hopes of placing volunteers of all ages year round in Japanese Baptist Union churches and institutions.
Dear Journal Friends,