Happy New Year! We hope that all of you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year celebration!The JFK Walkers had a blessed holidays with the Sakata family in Fukuoka. As we welcome 2012, we look back at this last year and the year before and are amazed to see how far God has brought our little family. If you are one of our many friends on Facebook, then this newsletter is more of a review of events we've already been sharing with you than and update. Looking back at 2011 we can definitely say that we have been both blessed and challenged in ways we never imagined. If we can describe our lives in one word since we moved to Japan it's “BUSY”! Busy is a good thing most of the time, but often this past year busy has turned into overwhelmed, and that is where we have been seriously challenged as individuals and as a family. However God is faithful as always, and this is where we have truly been blessed!
We thank God for all the friends and opportunities He has brought our way this year, we especially thank God for His continued blessings through Kira. It has been so wonderful to watch Kira grow and develop this past year, she has a gift for spreading joy wherever she goes. Kira loves school and she loves her friends, we are so thankful for her teachers (Fumi's co-workers) who have given her so much and have helped her grow in so many ways. Kira also loves singing and dancing, sometimes we try to sing with her and she says “No Kira to sing, I want to make your heart happy”. Our hearts are so happy! Recently Kira has been sharing excitedly with everyone that she has Jesus in her heart, our prayer for her is that this passion and enthusiasm for her Jesus may never fade but only thrive throughout her life, and that she may never forget to use what God has given her to bless others and glorify Him.
I am in awe and very proud of what my wife had achieved and endured this year. Fumi is doing a great job at Seta International School(SIS), and Kira just loves having her mommy as a teacher at her school. Since the earthquake, SIS had to downsize in many ways. Together with all of the teachers and staff, Fumi had to take on many more tasks than teaching. It has been challenging but a great time to learn new skills including teaching 1st grade level reading and writing and giving school tours in English to potential student and family. Fumi also got her Japanese driver's license (on her first attempt!) and it has come in useful when we've needed to rent a car for certain occasions. Fumi says her Japanese is gradually coming back, Kira enjoys talking to her mommy in Japanese or at least “Kiranese”. Fumi has also enjoyed being able to speak to her family regularly and see them more often.
To be honest 2010 was a low point for me in many ways and that is partly why we didn't send out a newsletter last year. I am thankful to say that this year has been much better for me. I still find life in Japan incredibly challenging, not to mention learning to speak Japanese. I've had to rely on a lot of grace and mercy from God and others to keep moving forward day by day. If I have one goal this year, one resolution, it's to be a whole person, to cope with the requirements of everyday, to meet the expectations of those who rely on me, and most of all to glorify God with every aspect of my life. As always my heart is for ministry and I am extremely thankful for opportunities I've had through Horizon Language School to “serve God by serving others.” (their slogan). This year we will be starting a second HLS in Setagaya, I am blessed to be a part of this and look forward to what God has in store for this year.
