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December 1999
Greetings from the Land of the Rising Sun!
What a busy time we have had the last few months! Our last letter
was in May, and so we are definitely overdue. We have just returned
from a very exciting trip to Israel with several members of the
Tsukuba Church. It was a real "whirlwind" tour (though
not quite what Ezekiel had!), as we visited numerous biblical
sites in just four-and-a-half days. Not only does such a trip
give one a better appreciation for the world of the Bible, but
also for the present situation and the tension that exists there.
We are glad we went before the huge influx of tourists expected
during 2000. Tourist spots were crammed enough as it was, and
so it’s not hard to picture the chaos that is likely to occur,
especially if some fringe group tries to "hasten" the
second coming of Christ with something outlandish. It’s easy
to see why the Israelis are so uptight about sinister possibilities.
Among the group were the mother and aunt of Yuki Namekawa, the
young lady we mentioned in our last two letters, whose tragic
death from cancer earlier this year was used by God in such a
powerful way. Cancer also claimed the life of another active church
member just before we left on the trip. While almost twice the
age of Yuki, 53-year-old Kazuyo Fukuda died before her time, leaving
her family in grief. An outstanding scientist in her own right,
she left behind a husband and two grown children, none of whom
are yet baptized believers. Her illness and death has brought
us into frequent contact with the family, and her husband has
been attending church seeking comfort. Please lift this family
up in your prayers that they may be drawn to their Creator through
this trial.
In our last letter, we mentioned the evangelistic meetings to
be held at Tokyo University and elsewhere with astronomer Hugh
Ross at the end of May. The large lecture room was packed on both
days, and the Christian student groups that sponsored the event
were thrilled with the success. Tim’s translation of his
book, Creation and Time was published by one of the leading
Christian publishers in Japan and has been well received. We are
planning on another series of meetings next March, when Tim’s
translations of his book, The Genesis Question and his
award-winning video, "Journey Towards Creation," are
scheduled to be released. Please keep this important event in
your prayers as well.
The other upcoming event we related in our previous letter was
Jennifer’s summer in Europe with "Royal Servants."
A group of about 80 high-school students, mostly from North America,
camped out at various sites in Europe working with local churches
in outreach events. It was a great experience for Jennifer, strengthening
her faith, and along with her older sister, Lisa, she feels called
to pursue an education leading to full-time mission service.
Tim also took a trip in October to the United States to represent
Japan at the annual convention of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Established in 1980 in Phoenix, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has
grown into a worldwide organization with branches in 20 countries.
The organization’s purpose is to minister to children with
life-threatening illnesses and their families by providing a network
of volunteers to endeavor to make the wish of the child come true.
By bringing a smile to the face of a youngster who has often experienced
a lot of pain and discouragement, we are able to bring a spark
of hope that often makes a significant difference in the treatment
of the disease. We can often rejoice when medical science and
an immune system strengthened by hope and laughter result in a
cure. Even when a child dies, however, the family has memories
of something other than sterile hospital corridors, and they find
great comfort in the happy memories the wish leaves with them.
Already, over 75,000 wishes have been granted worldwide, with
about 150 here in Japan.
The Japan branch was organized in 1993, with Tim as one of the
founding board members. While not specifically a Christian organization,
MAWF is based in Christian principles, and it is our desire to
get as many Christians involved as we can. Tim recruited the first
and still chief staff member, Ms. Hisako Ono, through church channels.
Volunteerism in general is a recent concept in Japan (even the
word they use for it is a modification of the English term), and
MAWF Japan has received a great deal of publicity in the media
as an ideal for volunteerism.
We are looking forward to a very busy Christmas season, and by
the time many of you get to read this newsletter, it may be already
long gone. Every year, we decorate the Christian center and the
surrounding area in American-style Christmas lights, something
that has just recently begun catching on here in Japan. The number
of people who stop by to view the lights and to come into the
Christian Center for some holiday treats during "Open House"
has continued to grow year-by-year.
We again wish to thank you all for your continued prayers in
our behalf and your financial support through either the United
Methodist Church or the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) that allows
us to have the privilege of serving the cause of Christ in Japan.
May you have a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year (and
millennium)! (And may your Y2K bugs be squashed!)
With Love,
Tim, Yuko (Juji), Lisa and Jennifer Boyle
The 1999 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, page
167
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