We were in Brazil from December/2015 to April/2016, there, concluding some of our mission´s requirements, visiting partner churches and networking for new partners of Christ is Life Presbyterian Church in Japan. We also had time for relaxation, seeing our relatives and traveling to meet some appointments and preaching engagements.
With family in Brazil.
We returned to Japan on April 11th. In addition, were pleased to see our brethren at our mission church, which stood firm and strengthened under the shepherding of the Supreme Pastor, Our Lord Jesus Christ.
In May, during the golden week (japanese holiday), the church gathered for a brazilian barbecue. Over forty people showed up. Many visitors joined us.
Ruth, our 12 years old daughter, started Japanese public school and she is very excited about it. She is learning the language much faster now. We believe that this will be a good bridge for the work here.
Ruth, our 12 year old daughter.
We started a meeting with the ladies at our church. Marcia met with them on May 14th. There were eight women and four children in attendance. We studied the Bible and had lunch together. We will hold this meetings every third Sunday of the month.
Womens Group
On May 22nd, we resumed our Sunday School classes. This semesters topic holds Francis Schaeffer´s, 25 Basic Bible Studies About Salvation. Over 20 people have attended the studies. We also started a Catecumens Class for our (jr – high) youth group, which will study material prepared for the profession of faith and baptism for those who were not baptized as infants.
We continue our meetings on Fridays for Bible study (This trimester – Proverbs) and I´ve just preached an expository series on the Gospel of John, and started three weeks ago the new series on Luke.
On Sundays, our attendance is fluctuating from 35 to 40 people. God has blessed our work, giving us numerical growth while we work diligently studying and teaching of the Bible. Seven of our men began an online study with one of our partner churches in Brazil, which started a Laymen´s Institute for Reformed Studies (Dr. Leandro Lima – Santo Amaro Presbyterian Church).
Over the last trimester, I've held seventeen counseling sessions, including a vocational study with a young promising couple, the husband wishes to seek holy ministry.
Lately, we hold our meetings in our home, which has become too small to accommodate so many people. We are in dire need of a bigger place. We need a place big enough to hold over a hundred people. Also, since we have fellowship lunch on Sundays, we need a church with a large worship room and a large kitchen.
Please join us in prayer that God may open doors for us to expand our ministry: we need a suitable location for our church. We are by faith, searching for real estate, and we have found good places, but the rent is much higher than we could ever think of paying for on our own efforts (about 200,000 yen – our collection is only 80,000 yen). In this regard we believe that God will provide!
Thanksgiving and prayer:
We need to complete our budget here. The cost of living in Japan is quite high. Our missionary support still lacks 45% of what we need to cover our expenses. We have private school tuition for our older son, Davi. Next year he finishes high school. He will probably go to Brazil for college. We are hoping he will attend Mackenzie University, though, he has not decided what majors he will pursue.
Please join us in prayer and in efforts as we carry on with our mission, fulfilling each and every aspect (Lord willing) of our case project.
Rev. Daniel Charles Gomes and family