December 2002

Dear Family and Friends in Christ,

This calendar year has passed quickly for us here at Kwassui Women's College in Nagasaki, Japan. We always seem to be moving into a new month with more activities. Yet at the beginning of this month there is also the sense of a fresh start as we pause to remember the Advent of God at the time of the birth of the baby Jesus who was revealed to be our Savior and Lord. The Holy Spirit brings us an assurance that, whatever the world may decide to do, God will continue to reign. This is also a time for me to express my thanks for your continued support of mission activities.

December is a time to reflect on the calendar year that has passed and to think about the time ahead. Very often the Japanese and Western schedules of events are rather different, as the academic and business years here begin in April. This means that at Kwassui Women's College we started second semester classes two months ago.

However, the differences in schedule are less clear at the end of a year. Japan celebrates Labor Thanksgiving Day on November 23 every year, so in the chapel hour services that week I talked in Japanese about various (American) holidays which give us occasions to stop and give thanks.

It is the spirit of "always for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father" (Ephesians 5:20) that encourages us to keep going with a sense of joy through the regular routines. Your prayerful support is always very much appreciated by mission workers everywhere.

The workday atmosphere in Kwassui lightens some as Advent approaches. The Nativity scene is set up each November in the main building by our YWCA students, some of whom are also members of our dormitory English Bible class. An evergreen tree outside is decorated with lights and a star on top in order to remind the neighborhood that Christmas is coming. Because classes stop a week before Christmas, special dormitory and chapel hour observances are all finished by the middle of the month. After that, the churches continue to mark the season, celebrating with worship services and fellowship meals on the Sunday before the 25th. This is followed by candlelight services on Christmas Eve. Then, in most cases, the focus shifts quickly to New Year preparations, since the 25th is not a holiday in Japan.
There may be some changes in emphasis in local congregations in Nagasaki this year, as three pastors have been newly installed this autumn. Another will be moving into a full-time teaching position at Kwassui High School in the spring, while still pastoring a local congregation.

This year we have been happy to welcome a Chinese exchange student, Maggie, to the dormitory Bible class. At the end of February, if all goes well, I shall be escorting ten of our students to the University of Evansville (Indiana) for a new short-term home stay program. Another group plans to go to Nottingham, England. We are praying that the world will be closer to a just peace by then.

From mid-July to mid-September I expect to be in the United States on home assignment, but so far there are no detailed plans. If you wish to make any suggestions, I will welcome them. (E-mail: easton@kwassui.ac.jp)

Finally, please continue to pray that the love of Jesus Christ will become increasingly known in Nagasaki and throughout Japan and the world, and that Kwassui may play a part in this.

Looking forward to God's Advent,

Barbara Easton

The 2002 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 178