Email sent August 23, 2008.        Email index

Dear praying friend,

Today (August 23) is a special day! I know it is probably a special day for you too, but I was thinking more of what it means to us here in Japan .

It was exactly 20 years ago today that Leona and I arrived in Japan . Brandon was a year old and we landed on a very hot humid day. Mr. Stobbe met us at the airport and then drove us to their home where we had lunch. It was our first trip to Japan so the trek through Tokyo with the jungle of buildings, elevated expressways (that bounced as trucks rolled by as we sat in traffic jams), train lines, huge billboards, etc. was memorable!

Mr. Stobbe took us to Karuizawa (a town in Nagano – the prefecture that hosted the Winter Olympics 10 years later) a small resort town where missionaries have gone for over 100 years to escape the humidity and heat for a short while each summer. With an elevation of about 1000 meters above sea level it was cool and very green. It was a very refreshing place and a moderate step into the culture to begin our acclimatization to Japan .

Harry and Millie Friesen, pioneer missionaries with MBMS International in Japan since 1950, were waiting for us. They had worked hard to prepare the 80 year old house that would be our home for the first 7 months of our two-year language program. Apparently they were concerned these new missionaries might not like Japan or be able to handle the rustic accommodations. Little did they know that over the next 20 years that house and that town have become an oasis for our family with loads of memories and blessings accumulated during summer vacations. Brandon says “Karuizawa is the best place in the world.”

Following our two years of language study there (We studied half-days and took turns taking care of Brandon ) we spent a year in Osaka working with a Japanese pastor in an MB church there. Then began the ordeal of finding a house in Toyota City in bubble-economy Japan . After 9 months of searching – and wondering if we should perhaps consider another city instead – God provided a wonderful house that would be our home for about 11 years. For the first year in Toyota City we concentrated on adjusting to our location, praying for contacts, and beginning English classes and Bible Studies.

Now fast forward to the present. We have been living on the church property for over 5 years and this fall our “new” church building will be 3 years old! We have an active, loving, and closely-knit congregation that is international both in its makeup and its reach. While most of our congregation is Japanese, we also have people of other nationalities who are married to Japanese and/or live here. Furthermore because of transfers, we have church members living in 3 other countries at present.

We are grateful to God for His grace and blessing over these years. God has been faithful to us! We are also thankful for your prayers, encouragement, and support. Without you, we would no longer be here. So thank you for being loyal partners in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If we have accomplished anything in Japan , we know it is because of God Himself and His people who are behind us. To God be the Glory! Eph. :3-10.

If it were possible we’d like to have another 20 years in Japan – but seeing that I’m 50 that probably won’t happen. But we invite you to pray for even more fruitful days and years ahead!

Thanking God for you!

Laurence (and Leona) Hiebert

3-1-11 Izumi-cho
Toyota City 471-0803
Japan
TEL (011-81) 565-88-3126

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