I can’t even begin to describe the joy God has given me at the chance
to return to Japan! Every day
I get one step closer to returning to the land God has put on my heart to love
so dearly. At this point, the only duties I am aware of receiving upon my
arrival will be teaching and tutoring English. I will be teaching first-sixth graders, a
majority of whom are past students of mine, which I am absolutely thrilled
about! I will also be tutoring two of my previous Japanese students in English
as they begin to take all of their seventh grade classes in English for the
first time. I will be helping them conversationally and with writing as they
start to write essays. There is always the high likelihood that I will take on
many other tasks while there. I am so excited about the new - and yet familiar -
duties I will be taking on!
My prayer is to be able to stay in Japan an entire
school year, unlike last time where I was only there for six months, meaning I
left in the middle of the school year. I have been invited and welcomed with
many loving and open arms to this idea. My correspondents and I have been
talking about me leaving in late August of this year and returning in early
July of next. In order for me to stay this long, I will need to raise a total
of $20,000. (With the funds I have raised so far, that leaves about $16,000 I still need to raise.) This will cover my travel, housing, utilities, food money, on-field
transportation, and other on-field ministry expenses. With this in mind, I ask
that you would support me in prayer that I would be able to raise these funds
before I leave. I ask that you would also pray to ask God if He may be calling
you to support me financially. While this may seem like a large sum of money, I
have assurance that God will provide for however long He wishes me to be there,
and that the support will come in His timing.
Should you feel God is calling you to help support me financially, please feel free to email me at flipflopsinwinter7@yahoo.com and I will give you the information you need. To put the amount of money I have to
raise into a different perspective, if 50 people pledged $30 to my account
monthly, this would cover all of my costs of living in Japan.
I would also like to ask for prayer for some friends of mine in Japan whose
daughter, Maia, has been experiencing heart issues since she was born almost
one year ago. She has a doctor’s appointment today, and they are praying to
finally receive a surgery date to repair the hole in Maia’s heart. (They
haven’t received a surgery date in the past because of other health issues.)
I would like to thank you for your prayers and support as I prepare to
leave. I can’t thank God enough for the loving church, family, and friends He has given me. I
have received so many loving words of encouragement, and I am incredibly
grateful!
If you would like to contact me about Japan, please
feel free to email me:
“I will instruct you and teach you in the
way you should go; I will counsel
you with my loving eye on you.” – Psalm 32:8
Through
Him,
Melanie
