November 2002

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of "compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles" (II Corinthians 1:3).

Precious Family and Friends,

You have been such precious companions and channels of God's care and comfort in our lives during these recent months. Thank you for your many expressions of love and concern for both my parents as well as for me and the rest of my family. We want to assure you that we are well in the Lord, and that through our time of suffering and grief, God has been so faithfully and lovingly comforting us and taking us by the hand. He has indeed, led us through "the valley of the shadow of death." We come from this valley even more convinced of God's faithfulness and all-sufficiency, and rejoicing even more of His victory over death and the grave. Indeed we shall join on that day to echo the words of Scripture, "Where o' death is your sting, o' grave where is your victory? Death has been swallowed up in victory…Thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!"

Anyway, that's briefly where we're experiencing at this moment. Many of you of course, know how feelings of grief seem to come in waves, often at the most unexpected moments. But we've picked a bright moment, a time when creativity seems to be flowing again, to get caught up with our long overdue correspondence through this newsletter. Please accept our apologies for those of you who haven't received our brief e-mail notices/ prayer requests as things have rapidly unfolded in our lives. Perhaps a recap of the summer will be helpful.

Just before the summer began, we had a wonderful, first-time opportunity to leave our children together on their own for a weekend away. With Joy, being a young adult now and ready to head out for college, we figured we better seize the opportunity to get away and celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary––my how the time has flown by! Anyway, as we were away from Bangkok, in peaceful Kanchanaburi, site of the Death Railway (Bridge over the River Kwai), we reflected upon the past 20 years and also upon what the next 20-year season might have in store. We talked about how gracious God has been to nurture and protect our marriage, give us our children, and help us to raise them for the next season, "launching" them like eaglets flying off from our nest. We thanked God as well for His wise, provident Hand upon us in preparing us and bringing us to serve in Christ's mission here in Thailand. It is awesome to even look back upon this brief span of time, which at one time seemed so long, and to see how God has indeed been "working all things together for the good that He has planned." What great peace and confidence we felt as we considered the next season, in which we realized the sadness of saying goodbye to our parents would be inevitable.

We have anticipated and have been so occupied this past year with praying for and working toward Joy's departure for her university studies in Chicago at DePaul University, but we sure didn't anticipate saying goodbye to Dad and Mom Fujii so soon. It was uncanny how we had just written a friend to share some melancholic thoughts about this "next season," and soon thereafter received the news of Dad's death. It was as if God had already been preparing our hearts, and so with an amazing peace, Leith returned to be at Mom's side in Hawaii and help with Dad's homegoing service—a very memorable time of worship and sharing at the Kaimuki Christian Church where Dad had come to know Christ and be enfolded in God's Family just seven years ago. Oh, what great peace and satisfaction we felt and especially saw on Mom's face, as she was able to see her beloved finally going home, freed of the many years of chronic pain.

In June, instead of going straight to Chicago to work before starting her studies at DePaul University, Joy decided to be Grandma's companion for the summer, and still hoping to find summer work at the last minute. And she and Grandma were able to have such a wonderful summer together! Joy was even working at Macy's when she came home that day only to find Grandma lying on the pavement outside her home, having collapsed after a massive stroke.

In the four weeks that followed we were all stretched to grow in many ways. These painful, though so precious moments of being with Mom as she finished her race, were filled with an awareness of God's presence and His grace to us. What a privilege it was that though Mom was paralyzed on her right side and unable to speak and swallow, we were able to communicate and express our love to her as well as to worship the Lord together on the journey home. In many ways Mom seemed too young and full of life to go, and yet she was so prepared––to be with Jesus and reunited with Dad. Thanks be to God, for His wonderful love and faithfulness! (Matthew11:28-30).

But oh, how strange it still feels. Mom and Dad were such a precious part of our lives and ministry. And Hawaii is suddenly not the same. Indeed, the home that Jesus has prepared for us means more to us now than ever before. Please know that we are at peace here in Thailand, secure in the Lord's hands and so very thankful for your many expressions of concern and prayers on our behalf.

With the Love of Christ,

Leith and Carol Fujii

The 2002 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 163