27 JANUARY 2000 - PRAISE & PRAY from the HILLS of JAPAN

This past Saturday I started meeting with Yoshiya (sounds like Joshua)
Okita. He is the son of Pastor & Mrs. Okita. It has both discipleship
and leadership training in view. One of his dreams is to be an AWANA
Commander. He has also told me, several years ago, that he'd like to
be a pastor. Whether that goal is currently active or not, I've not heard
recently.

Pray for us as we meet together. We hope that one other Junior High
Awana leader will join us. One senior Japanese pastor, who is being
used of God, has said that we must reach and train young people at the
Junior High level in Japan. This society calls for key life decisions
during this stage. Your choice of high school will have a great affect
on the direction your life is going. Jesus said, "Suffer ('allow') the
little
children to come unto me." Junior Highers do not "feel little", in fact
Yoshiya is taller than me... or nearly so. But his heart is ready now to
be trained. Striking while the iron is hot....

By the way, Yoshiya (and yes his parents did choose his name because
of its likeness to Joshua), has chosen not to participate in school clubs
so that his participation in Awanas and other church events would not
be affected.

Regarding the urgent "unspoken" request of this past couple of weeks.
The Lord has brought healing, though there is still much to go. But
rather than leave ministry, this family is pursuing another avenue of
ministry for which they are highly qualified and well suited. Thank you
for your prayers!!!

This coming week:
WEDNESDAY - 26th:
Prayer and Prep day... Odds and ends done around the house too.

THURSDAY - 27th:
Today: Errands this morning and office time.

High school and Adult English in the evening.

FRIDAY - 28th:
Housekeeping, some final preparation for Jeffrey's evaluation time with
the Institute for the Achievement of Human Potential staff and Sermon
preparation.

Date time with Cheryl, out this time for those keeping us accountable
(thanks Jim & Kerry for that too!).

SATURDAY - 29th:
Awana Club in the afternoon. Victory Prayer Meeting in the evening.

SUNDAY 30th:
Worship together at Midorino Chapel. I preach there on "Blessed are
the Peacemakers".

Another try at meeting with the Soeda's. Previous date changed to a
sudden need to see the dentist by one in their family. Miss Tomoko
Otake will be with us too.

MONDAY - 31st:
Help a missionary friend move and clean house. Host Megumi Ichikawa,
a friend of Abigail's for a stay over as her parents take their other
daughter to some testing for a private Junior High.

TUESDAY - FEBRUARY 1st:
Office in AM.

To Ikedas to help with Takashi's rehab program in the afternoon.

Children's & Jr. High English in the evening.

UPDATE ITEMS: (refreshed on 27 Jan 00)
* ERIKO KOIZUMI *
Eriko meets with Pastor Okita weekly for discipleship. Pray for her
continued spiritual growth. Pray also for her father, Mr. Koizumi's
complete healing after cancer surgery. Eriko has sent her application
in to Western Mennonite School in Salem, OR. Pray for God's results,
and for weekend homestay host needs.

* ERIKA MORIGUCHI *
We speak with her almost weekly on the telephone. Her top request is
that she will understand the classroom English. She has entered
regular studies now and the speaking pace is a lot faster then the ESL
classes. Pray that she will give witness of her faith in the next month.
And also, that she will soon be baptized. Pray for her mother's
salvation who is here in Japan. Pray for us as we miss her
"extremely".

* SANAE HOYA *
In Ogden with Nobue and Erika, studying at Weber St. Univ. Pray that
she will have the courage to make a public confession of faith in Jesus
and that she will respond to Nobue's spiritual leadership.

* AKI TAIDO *
She has returned. Pray we will have opportunity to witness to her
here.

* NOBUE KONNO *
Nobue is ministering together with Washington Heights Baptist Church
and MTA missionaries Robert & Karen Nakaoka. Pray for her as she
gives spiritual leadership to both Erika and Sanae.

* NOZAKI FAMILY *
Pray for fellowship with this family and their salvation.

* RYUNOSUKE NOZAKI *
Thanks for your ideas!!! Any more please send them my way. He
desires to work in the USA if possible using his excellent language
skills with his engineering background. DO YOU KNOW OF ANY
JAPANESE COMPANIES OR COMPANIES DOING BUSINESS WITH
JAPAN near you he might apply too? We are praying that he will be
near Christian friends of ours. He also attends 2 Bible Studies and
other events organized by Robert Nakaoka & Washington Heights Baptist.
Church. Pray that Ryunosuke will choose Jesus Christ as his special
friend.

* CHERYL (the Mama) HILL *
Unless otherwise indicated, Cheryl is always the one running Jeffrey's
program and there is ALWAYS A SPECIAL PRAYER NEED for her.

Jeffrey's "revisit" starts February 2nd and we will be back and forth to
Tokyo several times over the next 3 weeks. Pray for strength,
patience, and a calm spirit in all this coming and going.

Thank you for your ever faithful prayers. We praise God for you!

Your Compatriots in Christ's Kingdom,

The Hills: Abigail, Jeffrey, Cheryl & Leon