September 2007

Greetings from Tokyo!

The transformational power of personal concern

We want to share with you the following story Tom recently heard from “Steve,” one of the foreign prisoners he visits each month in his role as a Protestant chaplain. Steve had become very good friends with “Yoshi,” one of his Japanese cellmates, even though they had a hard time communicating with each other. Steve and Yoshi liked to draw people’s faces and cartoons together. One day several months ago, Yoshi was suddenly removed from their cell without any explanation. Out of concern for Yoshi, Steve asked the guards what had become of him, but was only told that he had been placed in solitary confinement because of some problem. Steve continued to express his concern about Yoshi’s welfare, but the guards refused to reveal any further information.

Entrance to the prison where Tom Hastings serves as Protestant chaplain once a month.

About three weeks ago, a haggard-looking Yoshi was suddenly returned to Steve’s cell. It turns out that Yoshi’s wife and young child had both died in an apparent murder-suicide, and a despairing Yoshi had tried to kill himself after learning this horrific news. To keep him from hurting himself, Yoshi had been placed in solitary confinement under 24-hour camera surveillance. At some point during Yoshi’s confinement, one of the guards told him that Steve, his former cellmate, was really concerned about his welfare and was asking for him almost every day. When Steve and Yoshi were finally reunited, Yoshi told Steve that, for the first time, he had begun to feel the will to live again after hearing about Steve’s concern. According to Steve, Yoshi is looking better and better each day. He is presently working on a large portrait of Steve’s parents from a photograph. After hearing this story, Tom told Steve that God’s Spirit was surely working through him. Steve quickly responded, “Really? I just feel so good about this! Now I know that it is much better to give than to receive.” Tom told Steve that Jesus had said those same words, and opened his Bible to search for the place. He knew it was in Acts, so he opened up to the New Testament, but they were both astounded when the very first words they set their eyes on were, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35b).

Children and worship workshop

Ann Piet Anderson, a nurse from Holland, Michigan, masterfully presents a workshop on involving young children in worship.

We were blessed to have Ann Piet Anderson as the leader for our sixth seminar on young children and worship this August. Ann is a nurse from Holland, Michigan, who has been working with the young children and worship program for many years. She masterfully presented stories on Jesus as the light of the world, the prophet Jonah, the church year, and the faces of Jesus. As we near completion of our translation of the Stewart and Berryman book, we want to thank you for your continuing support of this project.

An appeal for renewed mission vision

As you continue to pray for and support us, we want to let you know about Mission Challenge ’07, a big event that’s about to unfold in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). During October, 47 PC(USA) missionaries will spend a week sharing the stories of their ministry in 143 presbyteries. That’s more than 80 percent of our presbyteries!

There will be speakers in around 700 churches that month to share the news that every day, in Christ’s name—and thanks to your faithful support—lives are being saved, wells are being dug, and hope is being shared with people in need around the world.

Another part of Mission Challenge ’07 is an appeal to every church in the denomination to support Presbyterian missionaries like us. In mid-September a letter will go to the pastors and clerks of session in all 10,884 churches in our denomination. This will inform them of materials coming in early October that interpret the excellence of the Presbyterian Church as a mission-sending agency and invite them to offer financial support to Presbyterian missionaries through World Mission.

During the first week of October, a box will arrive in every church with bulletin inserts equal to the church’s average Sunday attendance. The inserts include a call to action, inviting all to participate in mission by praying faithfully and giving generously. These are accompanied by a DVD featuring our new director, Hunter Farrell. It contains two brief videos that bring to life a representative sample of our missionaries. We can’t send a missionary to every church this October, but we’re hoping that all churches will participate in Mission Challenge ’07 by choosing a Sunday to view the DVD and distribute the bulletin inserts. Will you please support and encourage your church’s participation in Mission Challenge ’07?

With thanks and blessings,

The 2007 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 249