8/11/2019 Beckman George Ethel 1993 Japan

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Not-for-Profit

Corporation

Missionaries

George Ethel Beckman

Jenann Beckman

2-4-15Kiyoshikojin

Takarazuka,HyogoPref.

66 5

JAPAN

Phone 0797-86-1261

October 28,1993

Osaka

Bible Seminary

Forwarding Agents:

Roger BerylJohnson

3320Wesigaie Parkway

Rockford, IL 61108

815-399-3690

Dear

Christian

Friends,

TheLordreigns, let the earth be

glad;

let thedistantshores rejoice. In these troublesome

times

throughout the

world

it

is

good

to

know

that the

Lord

still

reigns

andthatHe

will

work

outHispurpose for

those who

love Him

The all Japan convention of the Churches ofChristwas held inKobe, July

23-25,

with the Ono

Church of Christ as hosts. The theme for the conventionwas Accordingto the Eternal Changeless Living

Word. There were about 400 in attendance. We attended the evening session on Friday. Jenann took a

loadofpeoplein the car on

Sunday,

butGeorgeandEthel

stayed

homeso theycouldhaveworship forany

who could not go to the convention.

As inthe United States the latter part ofJulyand the month ofAugust isthe time for camps. Since

the churches ofChrist have no camps for youngpeople in thisarea, our young people go to ShinshuBible

Camp northwest ofTokyo. Mr. Ikedawason the staff for twocamps

which

some of our young people

attended. Inthe firstcampMiyaKurioka,a firstyear highschoolstudent,went toShinshuBibleCampalong

with the seventeen young people from Tanabe accompanied by our daughter, Ruth Hinson, and Mr.

Yukawa, a kindergarten teacher ofthe Tanabe church. Inorder to savemoney theyrode commuter trains

which took over twelve hours making several transfers along the way.

In the second camp the following week MissesNaoko Ikebata and Seiko Miyake attended a study

camp for young Christians in Saitama Prefecture north ofTokyo.

Toward the end of August Miya Kurioka also attended a camp for junior and senior high school

students in Wakayama sponsored by Dave Hinson and Mr. Ueyama and the young people of the Kinan

Church of Christ in Tanabe. In this camp the campers did all the cooking and cleanup. Miya made her

decision to

become

a Christian and is now studying Thursday evenings with Mr.

Ikeda

in

preparation

for

baptism.

OnSeptember 15,a holidayhonoring the elderly,MegumiChurch had a special evangelistic meeting

with Mr. Takegawa of the Ono Church of Christ. In the morning

and

afternoon Mr. Takegawa held a

seminar with church members on the subject of evangelism. In the evening he preached for the special

meeting. There were 40 people in attendance for the evening meeting which is more than double our

regular attendance. Two women who are Christians and live in this community have

been

coming

frequently to Sundaymorning and one couple who came to the meeting for the first time came to worship

a week ago. They seemed interested and said theywould try to come as often as they could.

The semi-annual Kobe Women's Luncheon was held October 26.

The

special feature on the

program was Mr. Shinozaki who sang and gave his testimony. He told how while he was in the depts of

despair he met the love of Christ through the love of a friend. Miss Inoue, the main speaker, told howshe

was se t free from hatred for a man who had cruelly treated her in the presenceof the pupils inher classroom

and

was

able

to

relate that

love to

her

pupils.

The annual preachingconvention, knownasTanemaki Kai,(Seed SowingMeeting) at Osaka Bible

Seminarywillbe November 2and 3.Thisyear's theme isthe Crucifixionand Resurrection. Mr. Nakahara

fromShizuokaPrefecturewill

be

the first speaker, the evening

of

the 2nd. He is one of

our

non-instrumental

brethren. Mr. Ikeda,

preacher

of Megumi church, is the second speaker the morning of the 3rd, and Mr.

N.Saitoh, preacher of KamizonoChurch inNishinomiya, willbe the third speaker the afternoonof the 3rd.

Besides her regular classes Ethel has beenwriting lessons for the Naomi Kai (Women's Fellowship)

of Megumi church, they have been studying the book of Exodus this year. Since there is no material in

Japanese for such a study, Ethel has beenwriting the levssons, with Jenann's help ingetting them into better

Japanese, and the women take turns leading them. Ithas been rewarding tosee howthe women havegrown

in their study and ability to add to the material to make it a good lesson.

May the love and encouragement of the Lord be with each of you.

Yours ministers to Japan,

GEORGE

ETHEL BECKMAN