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    1/8

    ^

    P o * r

    u

    no T e-gaiBi

    (Paul

    & Mark's Epistle)

    CENTRAL JAPAN CHRISTIAN MISSION

    .declare His praise in the

    islands."

    Isa. ̂ 2:12

    verseas/Address

    Paul

    Kathleen Pratt

    1210

    Kamikasuya, Isehara City,

    Kanagawa Ken,

    259-11* Japan.

    Ph.

    0463-95-1019

    friends,

    Forwarding

    Address

    Mrs. Mary Lou Bauer

    2910

    East

    98th St,,

    Indianapolis,

    Ind.,

    46280

    Ph. 317-844-3659

    C.J.C.M.

    -

    Campus

    Ministry

    Mark and Lynn Pratt

    3-4-19

    Mori no

    Machida

    Shi,

    Tokyo 194, Japa

    Ph. 0427-26-9778

    Vol. 22, No. 2. Spring, 1

    With

    the value

    of the dollar dropping we are very thankful to

    those of you who have

    your promised

    amount to

    us. Because of

    the

    prayerful

    regular support

    of all of

    special

    offerings our

    needs are

    being

    met.

    ... This is marvelous ... Psalm 118

    After

    a period of drought, v i have beep praising

    the

    Lord for our four baptisms during

    five

    months.

    What a thrill

    it

    was to be

    able

    to have Koichi Homori, our

    Timothy from

    Ka

    with us for our spring evangelistic meeting. As a result,

    two

    more b aptisms are in

    and more

    prospects are

    in

    the wings.

    Our

    church

    members

    may

    ha ve

    profited the most.

    Our Missionary team, likewise has seen good results from literature distribution and str

    We

    receive

    about

    one response

    per

    thousand requesting

    a

    Bible, directions

    to the

    church, asking for literature etc. Five have been enrolled

    in

    the Bible Correspondence L

    too.

    Speaking

    of

    literature distribution, how did we ever do without Harold and Neomia and Ma

    Akers

    arrived on

    March

    12th. Mary

    returned with

    roommate Jan Berte on

    April 2nd.

    Besi

    of

    the

    Sunday evening English services, Harold

    is

    right

    in

    the middle

    of the l

    distribution

    two

    days a week. Both

    he

    and Neomia have been able to counsel in Engli

    Kathleen has been able to turn over the

    culinary

    and household duties

    in

    favor

    of

    teach

    letter

    writing.

    Neomia with

    a reputation

    for tasty pies will

    also

    have many

    chances to t

    those

    who

    are making request. Mary

    came

    at

    a g ood

    time. Having

    had

    more

    classes

    passed

    at Obirin,

    I

    was

    glad to

    have extra help

    in

    teaching.

    She

    is

    teaching

    Junior

    Church

    so

    as

    well

    as

    other English

    classes.

    She will be with us through the

    summer.

    Do pray for Hark and Lynn during this time They have

    been

    lead to some good land rece

    and are imploring the Lord for

    wisdom

    and trying to get the

    price of

    the

    land reduced.

    M

     

    Preachers &

    Missionaries: J.

    Fleenor, Itagaki,

    Akada, Takamura, Fatton, M.&M. Debalt,

    M.£

  • 8/19/2019 Pratt Paul Kathleen 1978 Japan

    2/8

    f you realize that

    though

    Mark and

    Lynn

    will live i n

    the

    house

    i t

    will

    be the

    property of

    And our Constitution provides that i n the event of a disolv

    f the mission, the asset s will be tur ne d over

    to

    other missions of Churches of Chr i st.

    H a d y o u r e a d m y a r t i c l e on M i s s i o n a r y F r e e d o m in t h e F e b . 15t h i s s u e of Hor i z o ns? Let

    jus t a p o r t i o n

    of

    it.

    "I •

    o n c u r w i t h

    m y w i f e

    w h o

    o f t e n

    s h o c k s

    h e r J a p a n e s e f r i e n d s

    t h e m

    that she

    had

    an arranged marriage. 'Oh, y e s

    God

    was t h e g o-b etv;een for

    Paul

    , she explains. In this same way, is it not possible

    for

    a m a r r i a g e of t h e

    sent

    ones

    senders w i t h God and His

    Holy Spirit

    in the preeminent place

    w h i c h

    He

    d e s e r v e s ?

    As comma

    to b e

    given,

    He hands

    t h e m

    down. As control is in order,

    he

    maintains it. Needless t o

    c o m m u n i c a t i o n

    is

    t h e k e y t o u n d e r s t a n d i n g

    a n d

    h a p p i n e s s i n m a r r i a g e , t h e t w o p a r t i e s

    m

    a

    d i a l o g u e . "

    R e a d

    t h e

    e n t i r e

    a r t i c l e

    a n d

    w r i t e m e y o u r

    c o m m e n t s .

    Meet Asako Niwano. She is 37, married to

    a truck

    driver

    and

    they have two children.

    to

    talk and she tells all that

    is

    on her heart. She is

    so

    different

    from

    other Japane

    b e e n

    h o s p i t a l i z e d f o r

    b r a i n s u r g e r y

    a n d f o r n e u r o s i s . She

    w a s

    at

    h e r

    v / i t s

    e n d h a v

    v a r i o u s r e l i g i o n s , w i t h o u t s a t i s f a c t i o n . E i g h t e e n m o n t h s a g o

    s h e c a m e t o

    t h e

    S a n n o b

    has

    come

    ever since. "The

    Bible is different. It

    speaks to me

    and

    to m y

    need. F

    wit

    people w h o

    listen

    t o m e and take me s e r i o u s l y has m e t m y need. Even if

    I

    try st

    here," she testifies. She has nov; profes

    still lives, and

    He

    is accomplishing

    His

    grea

    away

    I

    t h i n k of your services and

    v/ish

    I was

    in Christ and will soon be baptized.

    God

    of

    w h i c h he

    spoke. We

    Praise

    His

    I^ame

    You

    m e t

    M a s a r u Shi r a ki (Jan ., 1977 Epistl e) . He w a s t h e m e n t a l

    p a t i e n t

    v ; h o s e d a d t h r e a t

    and

    attacked him

    with

    a

    hammer.

    He is

    a

    new

    man,

    now,

    as

    he

    says, "by God's grace".

    He

    mi s s e d a n evenin g service (w o r k s d a y s ) f o r the past seven mo nths, wo rk s

    r e gul a r l y

    an d i n

    m i n d . r e j o i c e s

    daily

    in God's presence, "..in

    Christ he is

    a n e w

    c r e a t u r e " .

    Praise

    God

    ^

    This

    year's All J apan C hris tian Co nventio n (Apr i l ?S - M a y 2)

    s h o w s

    growth

    in

    Japanese churches that we've never seen before

    It

    was

    so

    ex

    t o

    see

    people gather Tor t h e Sunday

    w o r s h t p "

    service. This is

    recent

    attendances Not

    only have the numbers

    increased but

    there

    to be

    more

    maturity

    among

    the

    Japanese preachers and

    more enthusiasm

    Oj

    —I

    (\J

    -p

    CO

    o

    m

    commitment among

    t h e

    lay people.

    It's

    been a

    slow,

    s t e a d y

    c l i m b

    w i t h

    indication that churches will be g r o w i n g

    in

    quality and

    q u a n t i t y ,

    CO c c

    VD

    C O

    OJ C. 3

    CENTRAL JAPAN CHRISTIAN MISSION

    1919^

    Helen St.

    South

    Be n d ,

    I n d i a n a , 46637

    Yukiya

    Shimokawa

    baptized

    Feb. 26.

    Winter,

    '72 Epistl e^

    A Non-profit

    Organization

    Address Correction Requested

    Another

    family

    united

    in

    Christ

    BULK RAT

    U.S.

    POSTA

    PAID

    South

    Bend, I

    Permit

    No. 3

  • 8/19/2019 Pratt Paul Kathleen 1978 Japan

    3/8

    CENTRAL

    JAPAN CHRISTIAN MISSION

    ForwardirxK Address

    Mrs. Mary

    Lou

    Bauer

    2910 East 98th St.,

    Indianapolis, Ind., ̂ 6280

    Ph. 317-844-3659

    Overseas Address

    Paul Kathleen Pratt

    1210 Kamikasuya, Isehara City,

    Kanagawa Ken, 259-lli

    Japan.

    Ph. 0463-95-1019

    C.J.C.M. -

    Campus Ministry

    Mark and

    Lynn Pratt

    Morino

    Machida Shi, Tokyo

    19^<

    Japan

    Ph. 0427-26-9778

    Dear friends,

    ( 7 ) K

    P

    o - r u no T e-gami

    (Paul & Mark's

    Epistle)

    B

     ..declare His praise

    in

    the

    islands."

    ^2:12

    juN.

    ^

    Vol. 22, May 1978

    Convention

    This

    year's

    all

    Japan Christian Convention was

    held

    in

    Okinawa.

    All

    year

    long

    we

    get

    good-and-starved-up

    for this

    feast. Then we sing (in English )

    till our throats

    are

    sore, take in some spiritual food (instead of giving it

    out, for

    a change), and

    sit

    up

    till all hours of

    the night just talking with missionary friends we rarely

    see.

    Over

    ttended

    t h e

    combined Japanese-English convention.

    Land News

    Money for

    the land

    fund has

    been

    coming in steadily

    since the

    end of January—thanks

    to all

    of

    you

    On

    May

    12 v j had a meeting

    with

    a

    land owner.

    We

    had been looking

    at a

    giant map of the Obirin area

    with

    Mr. and Mrs. Takagaki, our fr iends who

    teach

    at

    Obirin.

    There appeared to be very few possibilities.

    No

    wonder

    we

    had

    run into so

    many

    dead-ends

    \itth

    the

    realtors.

    So

    the

    Takagakis

    offered to

    try and find

    out who owned

    the

    lots

    that

    seemed

    available,

    so

    we

    could

    talk personally to

    them (and skip

    the

    realtors).

    A meeting was arranged

    with

    one man who owns two or three available places near

    Obirin. This first meeting was

    mainly

    to meet each

    other

    and

    explain

    what

    we

    are look

    ing for. Nothing was said about

    money.

    The

    Japanese

    like to take their time about

    these

    things;

    we

    are to "think" for a while, then meet

    again.

    We are keenly

    aware

    that

    this

    whole land

    business

    is in

    the

    Lord's

    hands.

    We have no

    s t r i n g s

    t o pull, n o large sums of m o n e y t o f l a s h around, n o special p o w e r of

    p e r s u a s i o n .

    We must simply do what we know to do, then wait

    and

    s e e what the Lord will allow to or

    cause

    to happen.

    Intern

    We

    are always wishing

    for more

    workers

    in

    Japan. This summer we

    will

    have

    a young man helping

    us

    for about six weeks. He is M̂ k

    Monroe, a student

    at

    Great

    Lakes

    Bible College. Mark

    is from

    one

    of our contributing churches,

    St.

    Louis Church

    of

    Christ,

    St.

    Louis,

    Michigan.

    We

    are anticipating

    a

    busy and happy time.

  • 8/19/2019 Pratt Paul Kathleen 1978 Japan

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    News Involvin/y Dad

    Dad and I h a v e b e e n i n v o l v e d in a special e v a n g e l i s t i c p r o g r a m t h a t

    d e s e r v e s

    t o be

    mentioned. It works

    like

    this: s everal of

    us

    from the Tokyo area meet

    a t one

    of our

    h o m e s .

    W e

    p a r t i c i p a t e

    in a

    m a s s

    t r a c t

    d i s t r i b u t i o n ;

    w e s t a n d in

    t h e

    l o c a l s c h o o l y a r d s

    t e l l i n g Bible stories w i t h

    g i a n t

    p i c t u r e rolls

    a s

    v i s u a l s ;

    w e

    pass out s u r v e y c a r d s .

    The idea is to make contac t w i t h interes ted pe rsons for

    the

    missionary in that area.

    We re joice

    with

    M o m and Dad over

    2

    recent,baptisms—Miss Tokeshi, a young nurse ,

    and Mr. Shimokaw a,

    whose wife

    h a s

    been

    a

    Christian

    for several

    years.

    College

    English

    c l a s s

     birin

    Nev/s

    You

    will

    r e m e m b e r t h a t

    I h e l d

    a n English

    B i b le c l a s s a t O birin,

    m a k in g

    u s e of t h e

    m u sical, Natu r al

    High.

    W ell, t wo

    g uys

    f rom th at c l a s s r eq u e s t e d anot h e r c la s s t h is

    t e r m , so I h av e b e g un one. In a d dition,

    two

    f r e s h m a n girls v / e r e int e r e s t e d in

    a

    s p e c i a l

    class but

    h a d

    schedule conflicts so I began a second class.

    I continue to teach English

    a s

    part of the regular college curriculum

    (as

    well

    a s

      k i n d e r g a r t e n

    and junior high) . I don't know how to say

    this

    and rem ain humb le, but

    anyway—one college

    boy had he ard t hat

    my

    English

    class

    last year was

    so good, h e

    wanted

    to m ake sure he got into

    it this y e a r . ;

    When t h e kids

    come

    to m e , it's a

    s t e p

    up .

    La st

    week,

    for

    the first time,

    I went

    to watc h

    a n

    Obirin Junior

    High baseball

    game.

    I r e a l l y feel

    t h e n e e d t o show t h e students tha t I'm

    i n t e r e s t e d in

    their e x t r a c u r r i

    cular activities.

    I

    must try and

    do

    this k ind of thing more often in my spare time.

    Furlough

    We

    have

    scheduled

    a

    furlough t o be gin in October of

    1978.

    Regular contributors

    will

    b e rec eiving

    sp ec ial info

    on

    t h i s . W e

    ho p e to s e e many of you

    t h en .

    J i j

    JjlPlCxT

    ^LmjC

    -We. w o r k f i d L F A / f A

  • 8/19/2019 Pratt Paul Kathleen 1978 Japan

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    P

    o

    - r

    u no

    T e-j^ami

    (Paul's Epistle)

    _  

    C E N T R A L

    J A P A N

    C H R I S T I A N

    M I S S I O N

    Ŝ t

    ^ • • d e c l a r e H i s p r a i s e

    i n t h e

    i s l a n d s .

    ' O v e r s e a s A d d r e s s

    F o r w a r d i n g

    A d d r e s s

    Paul & Kathleen Pratt Mrs. Mary Lou Bauer

    IHIO Kamikasuya,

    Isehara

    City, 2910 East 98th St.,

    Kanagawa Ken,

    259-llt

    Japan. Indianapolis, Ind.,

    ^ 6 2 8 '

    Ph. 0463-95-1019 Ph. 317-844-3659

    Forwarding Address

    Isa. ̂ 2:12

    C.J.C.M.

    -

    Campus Ministry

    Mrs.

    Mary

    Lou Bauer Mark and Lynn Pratt

    2910

    East

    98th

    St.,

    3-'+-19 Merino

    Indianapolis, Ind ., ̂ 6280

    Machida

    Shi,

    Tokyo

    19^, Jap

    Ph. 317-844-3659 Ph. 0427-26-9778

    Vol. XXII, Fall,

    19

    August 12th was a

    milestone

    for the

    Pratt

    family. On that a e ^ y , 20 years

    a g p ; ^ u r

    freight

    Canada

    Mail moored

    in Kobe harbor

    and

    our tour

    began.

    On

    t h i i s - a n n i v e r s a i ^

    day we

    were

    s

    Mrs. Inoue a n d her daughter who b r ought flowers and gifts to our doo r, helping

    us

    the o c casion. At that time, Mark

    revealed

    that

    he

    was the first one to

    set

    f o o t

    on

    la

    After

    20

    years

    do you

    think

    ve deserve a

    raise?

    A

    few

    of our

    churc hes have

    recently rai

    to

    our work. Let

    me

    b reak

    d o w n

    f o r you

    how the

    dollar has shrunk in

    Japan.

    In

    1958

    $1.00

    = 560 Yen

    Japan In 1978 (Aug.15 )

    $1.00 = 186 Yen

    $.50 A

    hair

    cut $6.00 to $10.00

     .50

    Gasoline

    (per gal.) 2.00 +

     .30

    Bread (large loaf) 1.70

     .09

    Aerogramme

    (to

    U.S.)

    $

    .55

    our obligations have recently increased, JUST NOW WE ARE

    COMPLETING

    A LOAN AGREEM

    BUY

    A LOT

    FOR

    THE

    CAMPUS

    HOUSE,

    Kathleen

    and I

    alone

    will need

    more

    than $500

    a month so

    ulfill our obligation on that loan, MAY WE REQUEST THAT

    OUR

    REGULARLY PROVIDING CONGRE

    INCREASE THEIR

    PLEDGES

    BY

    50 to lOC^

    IN

    ORDER

    TO HELP

    US

    MEET OUR

    BUDGET.

    It is a

    gr

    that

    is

    opening

    to

    us

    in behalf of the Campus Ministry,

    We just kn o w you will aid us.

    Ma ny thanks, Harold and Neomia Akers You

    cl osed

    your First Missionary Journey with

    a'w

    T h e y

    are

    b a c k

    in

    harness again

    at

    the

    Milburn

    Blvd. Church,

    Mishawsika, I n d. as minis

    conservation. Love's message f o r

    them

    got

    thru

    the barriers of

    ra ce

    a n d language. Their

    to remember each

    one's

    name provided

    an

    important

    key. During

    their stay they w

    to

    attend five ladies meetings. Neomia gave her testimony

    a n d

    demonstrated

    the baking

    She

    inherited a

    bigg er house a n d another

    family

    to

    help

    look after for

    a

    per

    five months.

    Harold

    b e c a m e

    Sannobara's Sunday

    PM preacher,

    distributed

    thousands

    of trac

    with the team, called and took care of various house repairs

    a n d

    weekly church cleaning

    n i c e send-off party and numerous gifts our people provided for

    them

    are testimony

    of

    how

    people came to

    love and

    respect

    them. Contact them at

    4115 W. Washington

    St., So.

    Bend, I

    1

    arold Neomia

    adopted

    b y

    Japan

    One

    year old

    beauty

    Shara

    Coyle

    Ojizo -

    Guardian deity

  • 8/19/2019 Pratt Paul Kathleen 1978 Japan

    6/8

    Preacher

    Shitnada

    and

    Sannobara's

    annual

    Retreat group

    August brought

    with it

    daily

    temperatures in the

    90's

    and a full

    schedule

    at

    the chur

    Fourth Annual

    Retreat

    with

    Mr.

    Shitnada

    teaching

    us was a

    great

    boost. This was followed

    first Daily

    Vacation

    Bible School. It was a great success

    in

    terms of the

    enthusiasm g

    ated on the part of the

    teachers

    and workers.

    Mr. Yamada

    is

    a

    teacher.

    He was

    crippled

    by

    polio

    at

    26.

    His wife of eight years had

    w

    in a Christian bo ok store. Both of them had been sprinkled ye ars ago, so patiently we tau

    about Jesus'

    example

    and the meaning of

    baptism.

    It

    was

    a great day when they both obe

    will

    on

    August 20th.

    They

    will

    be

    good leaders in our group.

    Mark

    and

    Lynn

    and the

    kids

    will be going

    Stateside for

    furlough in

    October.

    Contact

    them

    Lou's

    address

    or

    thru Hubert Lusby, R.R.

    1,

    Williamstown,

    Ky., ^1097.

    Mary Joyce has

    gone back after a wonderful 5 month

    stay

    with

    us.

    It'll be lonesome

    all of a

    sudden.

    Mr.

    Carl

    Bruce, Treasurer

    of the Clear Creek Church,

    Ashland, Ohio sent

    a contribution a

    Memorial

    to Mrs. Nellie Bruce. It will

    be applied toward

    payment

    on

    the land.

    Our Missionary

    co-op

    team (Kanto

    Evangelizing

    Ass'n.) spent three

    weeks in

    what

    we call

    hous

    evangelism'. Crouds flock to the

    beaches and

    to the

    mountains

    in

    the

    heat of A

    Many come to Old Karuizawa and nearby

    Mt.

    Asama. Many Japanese workers joined us th

    Fleenors have a camp house within 500 yards of the main drag. Tables are set up

    with ornamental oil

    lamps.

    Hot coffee

    and

    home-made cakes are

    prepared.

    O

    goes out during the

    afternoon

    with

    prepared

    invitations and hand

    mike

    to do the inviting

    group goes out to call them

    in

    near 7:00

    PM,

    the time

    of

    beginning.

    Another team sta

    preparing

    to

    talk with those who

    come

    while ea ting and

    drinking t ogether. One young man

    c

    night this year.

    He

    was baptized before the

    last

    week ended.

    In

    addition, many meani

    l contacts

    were made and several Bibles were

    given to

    those who promised

    to seriously study

     God really lives

    and answers

    prayerl This was

    one

    man's response upon hearing from M

    how He

    provided

    the

    needed land

    for the

    Obirin Campus House aft er months of prayer coup

    the hours of

    labor

    in seeking land. It is a bit larger t hen we planned

    but

    some of it

    taken

    for

    a future road.

    It

    is

    just

    two

    bus stops

    from

    the Obirin

    College

    Campus or a g

    It is 50

    yards

    from the

    bus stop and

    200

    yards

    from a prominant intersect

    is a junior high

    school and

    an

    elementary school nearby and

    a park

    for

    children. There

    older

    and

    new housing throughout the

    area so

    great possibilities for a

    church,

    too. Wo

    step

    throuth this open door with

    us

    by your assistance

    and

    prayer?

    JAPAN CHRISTIAN

    MISSION

    1919^ Helen St.

    Sout h Bend, Indiana, ^6637

    Research Dept

    BULK RATE

    — Mon-Prof^

    Organization

    Address Correction Request ed

     

    Missions Services

    Box 177

    Kempton, Tnd* i 6 i ; 9

    U S

    POSTAGE

    PAID

    South Bend,

    Ind

    Permit No. 316

  • 8/19/2019 Pratt Paul Kathleen 1978 Japan

    7/8

    CENTRAL

    JAPAN CHRISTIAN MISSION

    Forwarding Address

    Mrs* Mary Lou Bauer

    2910 E.

    8th

    Sto

    Indianapolis, IN

    46280

    Ph. 517-B44-3659

    Overseas Address

    Paul Kathleen Pratt

    1210 Kamikasuya, Isehara City

    Kanagawa

    ken

    259-11» Japan

    Ph.

    046>95-1019

    NEW CAMPUS MINISTRY ADDRESS

    Mark Lynn Pratt

    3182 Tokiwa, Machida City

    Tokyo 194-02,

    Japan

    Ph.

    0427-97-191^

    Temporary Furlough Address

    Mark Lynn Pratt

    e/o

    Hubert

    Lusby,

    Rt.

    1,

    Williamstown, KY

    41097

    Ph. 606-824-5552

    /S3̂

    P o -

    r

    u no T e-c^Bd

    (Paul

    e

    Mark's

    Epistle)

    Vol. 22, November, 1978

    Dear friends.

    We're now

    in

    the

    good

    ole'

    U.

    S.

    of

    A.

    on

    fxirlough.

    September was very

    hectic—

    moving, closing the land deal, preparations for

    furlough—all

    on top

    of

    our

    r e g u l c u :

    schedules; but we survived. The hill s of Kentucky are n ow givi ng us a

    much-needed

    change

    from

    Tokyo.

    Lynn's parents

    did

    a terrific job of

    remodeling their

    basement

    into a

    nice ap artment

    for us. And we are

    enjoying

    being

    together with

    the

    members

    of

    our family here

    in

    the

    States.

    It was a misty-eyed moment

    when

    we saw the

    Western

    coast of

    America from

    the air

    —home

    sweet

    home. Yet there are some things we must get used to again. The size and

    weight of J a p a n e s e

    yen

    is different

    to

    that of dollars

    a n d

    cents.

    So

    the first few days

    of

    dealing in American money created a strange sensation. After seeing practically no

    yard space at all

    i n

    Japa n, every yard here looked big. S ome of these reverse culture

    shock

    experiences

    are dangerous, though.

    One afternoon

    I

    bsent-mindedly started

    driving down

    the left

    side

    of

    a

    busy streetI

    We brought the Hiromichi Kara family with

    us to

    the States. We had about one

    week

    to visit

    with

    my

    brother and

    cousin

    and

    their

    families

    in the Los

    Angeles

    area.

    Then

    on to Kentucky for three weeks. It was really

    fun

    showing the Kara fa mily around

    the state and watching them enjoy Mom Lusby's down-home cooking, i b ? Kara picked up a

    lot of authentic

    ideas

    for

    his Kentucky

    House Restaurant in

    Isehara. They

    visited

    several

    of our

    c h v u ^ c h e s with

    us, so many

    people

    got a real treat

    when

    they

    heard

    the

    testimony

    of

    this

    fine Christian

    family.

    Our home

    in

    Japan

    is

    certainly not standing idle. While we continue

    to

    pay the

    rent and utilities there. Miss Sarah B urney

    is

    li ving there

    and

    carrying on with our

    work.

    She

    is maintaining our

    regular

    classes and has taken on a few additional

    ones

    of

    her

    own. These clas ses provide her finan cial support. Sarah is helping

    some

    with

    Dad's

    church

    on

    weekends, as well. We thank her

    for

    doing such

    a

    good

    job, so that the

    tension

    of

    worrying about the work

    i s

    not hanging over us while we're away. (Oops2

    Just got a note

    from

    Sarah—she dented the car

    door

    on a guardrai l )

    L«t us fill

    you in on

    where

    we ve

    been in

    October and

    November.

    Garden Grove

    Church

    of

    Christ, Garden Grove, CA; Church of Christ,

    Harrison,

    OH; Lystra Church

    of

    Christ, Williamstown, KY; Williamstown Christian Church (county-wide meeting), Wil

    liamstown, KY; Milburn Blvd.

    Church of

    Christ, Mishawaka,

    IN;

    Central Christian Church,

    Carmel,

    IN.

    An interesting note on the visit at

    Carmel—There,

    listening

    to our

    pro

    gram

    about

    Japan,

    was a Japanese lady. She

    had

    already made her decision and was bap

    tized the

    following week. We

    also

    spoke to:

    Attica

    Christian

    Church,

    Attica, IN;

    Celin a Church

    of

    Christ, Celin a,

    OH;

    White Oak Christi an Church (Primary and Junior

    Church),

    Cincinnati, OH. It's

    been exciting seeing old

    friends

    again

    as

    well

    as

    presenting

    our

    work

    to

    some new

    jieople.

    We thank

    all of

    you who have

    welcomad

    us

    and

    especially

    to

    those

    who

    have had

    us i n

    your homes.

  • 8/19/2019 Pratt Paul Kathleen 1978 Japan

    8/8

    There's been

    lot of

    interest shown

    toward our

    land project.

    It's veiy

    time

    ly for us

    to

    be back here now

    to

    talk

    to many of you

    in

    person

    about this.

    Since

    there

    is so much money involved,

    we're eager

    to

    give a clear,

    detailed

    explanation when we speak to your chur

    ches. We've

    been able

    to

    answer

    lot

    of

    questions.

    This

    helps clear

    up any

    mis

    understandings and keeps

    the

    missionary-

    contributing church relationship in

    a

    good

    position. The payments on

    the

    land

    run

    over

    $700

    a month;

    and we are needing

    extra funds

    for

    this. Our regular con

    tributions cannot cover this expense.

    Remember that your gifts are

    tax

    de

    ductible—and

    even a small gift will

    help

    a

    lot.

    Karis and Cason are cashing in

    on

    all

    those hugs

    and

    kisses Granny

    and

    Papa

    Lusby

    sent in

    their

    letters

    We're

    confining our speaking engagements

    mostly to

    the weekends. During the week

    I'm working on my master's thesis in order to receive my

    degree

    in

    May from

    The Cincin

    nati Christian

    Seminary. The class work for

    this

    degree

    was all done before

    we went to

    Japan. Now only the thesis remains, but the deadline

    is

    this year.

    My

    topic

    is,

    "The

    Concept

    of

    Sin

    in

    Japan."

    I'm literally locked

    into

    the basement every morning to

    work

    on

    my thesis. Karis

    is

    happily

    away at kindergarten

    in the mornings; b ut Cason wants to

    come down

    and

    play with Daddy. So I lock the door. The only

    problem

    is that the lock is

    on the

    other

    side,

    so

    when

    I ant out I have

    to

    go

    up the stairs and

    beat

    on

    the door

    and hope

    someone lets me out

    If

    I'm down there too long,

    I

    come

    out talking

    like

    the

    Zen

    masters: "Empty-handed, I hold the spade; walking, I ride

    on

    an ox."

    Good

    grief'

    No doubt, everyone

    is tired

    out from all

    the

    Christmas shopping

    this season.

    For

    tunately

    we

    shipped some Japanese

    items for

    gifts,

    so

    we wouldn't have to

    do

    much

    Christmas

    shopping.

    We

    do

    have

    another

    kind of shopping to

    do,

    however. With the high

    j n i ^ i c e s

    in

    Japan,

    we bought virtually no clothes and did without

    several household items

    for our

    t h r e e years

    there. So now w e r e

    o n the

    lookout

    for sales

    so w e c a n

    stock

    up

    on

    a

    three—or—four—year supply of clothes and

    other

    necessary

    things.

    Furlough time

    is

    not a vacation; it's j u s t a different

    k i n d

    of work. These a r e

    v e r y b u s y d a y s for

    u s .

    W e a s k y o u r

    p r a y e r s

    for o u r h e a l t h a n d

    s t r e n g t h

    a s w e l l a s for

    Sarah and

    the

    work in Japan.

    w i s h y o u

    a l l

    t h e j o y s

    o f

    C h r i s t m a s

    a n d h p p i n e s s

    o r t h e

    n e w e a r