Dear partners in the Gospel,Our life in OsakaOur children’s primary school held their annual sport’s day in October. We missed it last year as we arrived in November so it was our children’s very first Japanese sport’s day. They were practising every day and were excited about it. All students will be divided into either Red or White teams and they compete. In their every day school life, they often work as groups and classes. Sport’s day is the best example that the students are instructed by orders and commands. When they move, they move with a command. It was good experience that our children learnt that they needed to keep the order and work together to achieve some things together.   I have reduced the time I support our children in their classes at the school. I have completely stopped supporting Setsuli from October. I still support Natan’el one or two classes a week. He has courage to put his hand up to answer in classes but he struggles with the Japanese history class.
 

Why ‘Go Osaka’?

This newsletter has been named ‘Go Osaka!’ Why is that?

In Japanese, the short-form word for Australia sounds like our English word ‘go’. Japanese are as fond of a good pun as many Aussies so we decided to create a bilingual pun!

There is, however, a deeper meaning. Our ministry in Japan depends on building partnership between our Aussie supporters and the Osaka Christian Church. It is, therefore, an ‘Australia–Osaka’ partnership (which is the meaning of the Japanese writing in our masthead.)
 
 
Church Life

Our presbytery held a retreat in September. Our church elder who is a linguist was one of the speakers on new translation of Japanese bibles. A lot of work was required and it is now published. We were asked to look after the children programme and seven children attended. Please pray for especially me that I will become good at teaching children.

Children’s ministry, Crayon, will be held on Sunday the 29th of October. In September we did the same theme, “どっちがどっち？” meaning, “ Which is which?” We use English and it is Australia vs America. This month we target older children in grades four to six. 

We are having many rainy days in October. We had almost no rain in Summer in Osaka when we needed but another typhoon is approaching Japan this weekend. Sunday the 29th will be very rainy and the children’s event might be called off. Please pray that the typhoon will clear and that we can safely have a normal Sunday service and the children’s event.

Nathan has been studying Japanese and has been working as IT consultant. It has become very hard and tiring (not enough time to sleep) for Nathan to do both as working takes a lot of time, especially, at night time and his class proceeds much faster pace than the introduction class.

Our church is holding a BBQ picnic in the early November. We have invited non Christians who have attended our church events and their families to join us. My mother and her two sisters are very keen to come along.

Yours in Christ Jesus,

Tomoko Stewart,

Osaka.
 
 
For your prayers
 
Thanksgiving
  • A fourteen year old girl who has been regularly attending Sunday School will continue to come to church.
Petition
  • that we will have full support so that Nathan does not have to work as a business consultant to support us so that he can focus on his language study
  • that we may build deep and effective gospel partnerships
  • that we will remain patient and trusting on his provision and timing
  • that we will not neglect daily prayer
  • that the Lord will forgive our sins and cause us to depend on him
  • Natan’el and Setsuli have gone back to school. Term 2 has started since the 25th of August and the term lasts until Christmas Day. This is the longest term in Japanese schools.
  • Non Christians will join us with the BBQ picnic in the early November.
 
PDF available for printing
 
Go Osaka! is available for download in printer-friendly portable document format from our website. If you would like to print copies for distribution please download and print the PDF.