Reaching for 2015

Robert Browning wrote the immortal words, "Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?" It speaks of the necessity of setting goals that may seem improbable, but provide us with a potential trajectory for future plans and dreams. 

13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”  (James 4)

January, February and March
JEMS South America missions recruitment and invitation. I plan to travel to US churches within JEMS' sphere of influence to share and encourage participation in our JEMS Summer program to South America. 

The goal is to assemble a minimum of three teams to work in various cities and churches in Brazil this July.  Requests have come from South American churches asking for JEMS workers. 

Learn more:  http://youtu.be/fV_sLCu1NRU

Beginning Your Application Process Link  

April, May and June
These months will be devoted to the training of workers in preparation for service overseas.

July
In addition to leading teams into South America for JEMS' own summer mission program, I will be assisting the Holiness Youth Choir in preparation for their Brazil Concert Tour in July.

August
August 5-8
                                    

COPANI (the Convention of Pan-American Nikkei) will hold its biennial conference in the Dominican Republic. COPANI is a community-based program that explores the question of culture and tradition within Nikkei communities outside of Japan. 

Though it is not a Christian conference, in 2013 COPANI was the catalyst for JEMS to establish initial contacts in Peru as well as to strengthen its newest community bonds in Argentina. As JEMS South America has an interest in making contact with the Nikkei community in Bolivia, COPANI may potentially serve as a networking resource.

August 10-30

I am prayerfully considering an invitation to visit (with Pastor Rick) a Brazilian church ministering to a dekasegi community near the city of Nagoya, Japan. The Brazil Holiness and Free Methodist churches have established churches in Japan to reach the over 250,000 Brazilian, Peruvian and other Nikkei who are working there as contract laborers.