August 2003

Greetings from the Land of the Rising Sun!

Part of our duties here in Japan is the taking care of mission property. Recently, Tim has been appointed to serve on both the property holding body for all of the Kyodan-related churches as well as that for the PC(USA) mission, which entails some non-Kyodan-related properties (specifically, those related to the Reformed Church in Japan and the Yodogawa Christian Hospital). These involve meetings in Tokyo and Kobe several times a year.

On a more concrete note (literally), the mission house in Tsukuba (where Harry and Kathy Burton-Lewis used to reside) is no longer needed, and so the decision has been made to sell the property and use those funds for needed renovation of property in Tokyo. As we are the local personnel, Tim has been spending quite a bit of time salvaging various items that can be used elsewhere before the building is torn down. Demolition is scheduled for sometime in September.

We're sorry to see it go, but it will be a burden removed once it's gone, as Tim has been the "de facto" caretaker of the property for several years. It was the house from which mission in the new "Science City" began in the late 1970s, and it served as the first meeting place of the Tsukuba church for the first couple of years. For the last nine years, since the Burton-Lewis' left Tsukuba, the house has been rented out short-term to several families while its future was being decided. We thank God for the role this property played in establishing mission here in Tsukuba. Please do keep this issue before the Lord in your prayers that the best buyer of several who are apparently interested will be chosen and that a good price will be had.

Tim and Juji Boyle

The 2003 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 178