Merry Christmas from JEMS Headquarters Staff

Wishing our friends and supporters all the joy and blessings of the Christmas season!

JEMS South America 2013 Calendar

As we come to the end of 2012, I am grateful for so many who have supported my ministry through their prayers and financial support in this past year.  As an expression of thanks, I will be sending a 2013 calendar representing JEMS South America ministry to those who have contributed $100 or more to the Katagi support fund during the past 12 months. 

Click to enlarge

The color calendars include photos of Brazil, of JEMS' ministry and of people for whom you may be praying.  Each month will include a special prayer request.

If you would like to receive this simple calendar as my "thank you," you still have time send your gift as the year draws to a close.  Please indicate your support gift to JEMS:  Katagi support. (Click to connect to JEMS Giving Page)

Thank you again so much!

Blessings to you!
PJ

Past articles:
Invitation video for 2013 missions - Link 
Invitation to serve in 2013 - Link
Open doors and open hearts - Link
Justine transition - Link

What? Is it THAT time already? (VIDEO)

The challenge of serving in a missions organization is having to depend daily, moment-by-moment upon the Lord, while at the same time,  thinking a minimum of six months ahead.  

It feels like our teams have just returned from serving this past summer in Brazil.  My thoughts of Argentina and Paraguay remain clear and freshly warm.  We are getting our first cold weather of the fall here in southern California and I just used my heater for the first time a few nights ago.  How can we be possibly thinking of summer missions already??

One major reason for our early start in publicizing next summer's program is due to JEMS' plan to participate at the Urbana Student Missions Conference at the end of December this year.  The conference, hosted by InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, will be held in St Louis, Missouri.  Four or five members of JEMS staff will be in attendance. 

The JEMS booth at Urbana will be available to field questions about missions opportunities in Japan.  (While we are open to the same opportunities for South America, my department is not quite mobilized for a national training program.  That being said, please pray for God's provision of a missions coordinator for my department!)


As we prepare for next year's ministry in South America, I have prepared an invitation video, encouraging folks to prayerfully consider an opportunity to serve the Lord there.  The dates will be from July 7 to 31.  


We are hoping to send six teams to twelve churches during 3-1/2 weeks of ministry.

If you have any friends who may be thinking about serving this summer with JEMS South America, please feel free to pass them the link for this blog or to Youtube.  

Application deadline is February 28, 2013.

Enjoy the video!  (for best results, please feel free to dial up the resolution using the settings icon at the bottom of the video).




Other November links:
Open doors and open hearts - Link
Justine transition - Link
PJ Health - Link 

Praying for open doors and open hearts!

Passport. Check!

Visa. Check!

Tickets. Check!

Prayer. Please!!!

Prayers are requested for JEMS Executive Director, Pastor Rick and me as we prepare for our January 2013 ministry in Brazil and Argentina. Rick and I will be attending the annual Brazil Holiness Pastors' Conference (located about 10 hours by bus from the city of São Paulo). We see this as a strategic opportunity to meet with close to 100 pastors and leaders from the largest Nikkei denomination in Brazil. We will meet to hear their vision to reach their community for Jesus Christ and hope to affirm our continued partnership in ministry with them.

After a brief stay of two days at the Pastors' Conference, we will return to São Paulo to meet with pastors in that city before flying to Buenos Aires, Argentina on January 11th. I am so pleased to have received a welcoming letter from one of the Nikkei pastors I met this past August.

The pastor writes:

En relación a su propuesta con mucho gusto los estaremos recibiendo, lugar para el hospedaje disponen en Nozomi-En y también probablemente en la Iglesia Metodista Libre Nikkei.

En cuanto a las actividades a realizarse pensamos en un campamento de niños en Nozomi-En con niños de los barrios de alrededor y que son en su mayoría Nikkei, nuestra preocupación es el idioma para la necesaria comunicación con niños y también por ser un tiempo de vacaciones no contar con suficientes ayudantes de nuestra iglesia. Como segunda alternativa estamos consultando con los jóvenes de nuestra iglesia y otros para un campamento juvenil.


No interesaría conocer es mas en detalle lo que estarían realizando en la escuela bíblica y las otras actividades.


Oramos y estamos a disposición de Uds.


Dios les bendiga
(Translation)
In relation to your proposal we will receive you with pleasure, a place for lodging can be made available in (Camp) Nozomi-En and also probably in the Nikkei Free Methodist Church.

As for the activities being suggested, we are thinking about having a children's camp in (Camp) Nozomi-En with children from the surrounding neighborhoods who are mostly Nikkei. Our concern is the required language for communication with children and also being vacation time, we may not have sufficient summer vacation helpers from our own church. As a second alternative we are consulting with the youth of our church and others for a youth camp.

It would be interesting to know more in detail what would be done in the Vacation Bible school and other activities.

We pray and we are available to you

God bless you!

The campground that he mentioned is one hour west of Buenos Aires, in a small town called Moreno. The camp is an extension of the Iglesia Evangélica Japonés and looks pretty rustic, based on my August visit (click on photos to enlarge):








Please also pray as plans are still in progress and uncertain with two months remaining. It appears that the pastors are not accustomed to corresponding by email.

In an exciting development, JEMS has informally created a missions opportunity for Brazilian young people to serve together in summer ministry this January in Argentina. Two young people are confirmed to accompany Pastor Rick and me, with a possibility of an additional three young adults from the Brazil Free Methodist and Brazil Holiness Churches.

As mentioned above, depending on the number of team members, the JEMS - Brazil hybrid team will offer a two-to-three-day VBS type program to the Nikkei churches in Buenos Aires. Additionally, the team would like to do some relationship building with the members of the Centro Nikkei Argentino, a key Nikkei community organization.

And yes, you can definitely pray for my non-existent Spanish ability. Thank the Lord that Pastor Rick speaks Japanese and some Spanish. I hope that his Japanese will be helpful among the 3rd and 4th generation Argentine Nikkei.

Pastor Rick will spend three days in Buenos Aires before returning to LA. I will be in Buenos Aires for the full week and then return to São Paulo for another month and a half of ministry with national churches.

Please pray for our preparations and for our international planning to be finalized in good time.


Thank you,

Pastor John


Other links:

• Justine transition - Link
• PJ Health - Link
• Secure Financial Support Link

For the most current update of Pastor John's ministry, please click to return to the main page.

Opportunities to share about South America in October 2012

It's been great to visit with churches and interested groups in order to share about JEMS' ministry in South America.  I'm grateful for open doors and invitations extended over the past month.

October was a busy month as I had the chance to share in various churches:

South Bay Presbyterian Church (Torrance) on Sunday, October 14th.  Pictured here at lunch with the SBPC Missions Committee:

South Bay Presbyterian Church Missions Night, October 20th
Pictured with JEMS South America alum, Karen L and Pastor Wayland W

Santa Clara Valley Small Group at the home of Walt and Elsie, October 26th

I also got to see our JEMS 1992 and 1994 Brazil Summer Worker, Ken:


Many thanks for their organization of this get-together, Walt and Elsie:

On Saturday, October 27th, I was blessed to meet with three long-time friends, Pastor Curt, Rob and Lani.  Pastor Curt and Rob went with me to Brazil in 1994 and 1995 respectively.


On Sunday, October 28th, I was given the opportunity to share briefly at the San Lorenzo JCC.  Always good to see my old Talbot classmate, Pastor Rod.


On November 4th, I had the opportunity to guest speak at the LA Holiness Church.  Thanks to Pastor Seigo for the invitation.  

I am working very hard to raise awareness of opportunities in South America and to solicit prayer and financial partners in this ministry. If there is a chance for me to share at your church, please let me know.  

Also, please remember Justine as she transitions from the JEMS South America staff position.  READ more here.

For the most current update of Pastor John's ministry, please click to return to the main page.

Thank you!
Pr John

Transitions for So. America staffer, Justine

Justine pictured (second from right) with JEMS South America alumni
during May 2012 summer worker training 

Prayers are appreciated for JEMS staffer, Justine, who experienced significant personal challenges as her mother was diagnosed with leukemia.  The call for donors to screen for a potential bone marrow match on her mother's behalf went out in late spring.  

While Justine actively served in the training and preparation of the 2012 summer team, it was clear that her priorities and heart were with her mother.  To that end, she remained stateside and chose not to serve as a team coordinator in Brazil this summer.  

We praise God that a compatible bone marrow transplant donor was found and we wait to hear the results of the transplant which took place in early October.  At this writing, there are still medical challenges ahead.  

Given the uncertain nature of her mother's condition, Justine returned to the bay area.   She has written to JEMS requesting to transition from her paid position to a volunteer status.  This also means that she will suspend support raising until such time that her family situation becomes clearer.  The impact of this transition means that we will no longer have her presence and ministry support in the JEMS office.  

Please pray for Justine and her family during these days.

I also ask that you pray for the JEMS South America department as we begin a search for a part time staff person to serve administrative functions in the LA office.  

This position will require English and some Portuguese or Spanish language ability, as well as experience in the Brazilian Nikkei church environment.  This ministry staff person will be responsible to raise support for their salary, ministry and overhead expenses through donations made to JEMS and designated for their position.  

For additional information, please contact the JEMS office and ask to speak with Pr John.  Contact information may be found on the JEMS website.  

For the most current update of Pastor John's ministry, please click to return to the main page.

PJ and kidney concerns

I have a specific prayer request related to my health.  Since 2006, my doctor has had some concerns about my kidney function.  I was sent to a specialist and have been monitoring this very closely. 

The specific causes of the reduced kidney function may go back decades to a time when I had undiagnosed  high blood pressure.  The high blood pressure damaged my kidneys, and although my BP is now under control, kidneys don't self-regenerate. 

At the same time, while the underlying causes of the kidney problems are gone, I'm left with the damage.  Two years ago, I underwent surgery to create an AV fistula in my arm to prepare a shunt for the possibility of beginning hemodialysis.  My kidneys haven't degenerated to that point yet, but should I need to begin dialysis, it would change significantly the nature of my ministry.  

As God has blessed and gifted me for this work in South America, I ask for your prayers that God will either bring complete healing or will not allow my condition to worsen.  Will you join in praying for my health and that God would provide good results as I undergo testing over the next two months.

Thank you,

Pastor John

**For the most current update of Pastor John's ministry, please click to return to the main page.

A page view of PJ's latest prayer letter

The following is a page view of Pastor John's October 2012 Prayer Letter.  The prayer letter has not been published in its entirety online to maintain the integrity of relationships that are currently being constructed within the national community.  For more detailed information, please contact Pr John for a print version of this Prayer Letter.  Thanks!

To enlarge the page view below, please click on the photo.

Pastor John is aiming to go fully digital with his next prayer letter.  If you are not currently on PJ's email distribution list and would like to be added, please let me know by dropping me a note.  

A limited number of print copies will be made for those supporters who do not have email, but by-and-large, the prayer letter medium will be changing to an online electronic version.  This is being done to reduce printing and mailing costs which can run anywhere between $200 and $300 per issue.  

You may contribute toward Pastor John's ministry via JEMS secure weblink.  LINK  

Your prayer and financial support is very much appreciated!

For the most current prayer update, please return to the main page.

Remembering the 2012 Summer Mission

This video was created to use as a tool as I travel to various churches and small groups this fall and winter to share about God's goodness this past summer.  

If you are interested in scheduling a meeting with me so that your church or small group can learn more about the ministry, please email me by clicking on this LINK.


Please enjoy the low resolution version of the video:




For the most current update of Pastor John's ministry, please click to return to the main page.

Last few days in São Paulo - September 2012

It's with mixed feelings that I bring this mission to a close.  There is so much yet to do, and doors have been opened for JEMS and for the sharing of the good news of Jesus.  

By way of update, I was able to welcome our last JEMS summer mission worker, Loren, to Guarulhos International Airport in São Paulo on Saturday morning.  He arrived with an eager heart and a willingness to serve in whatever way he could.  His enthusiasm will mean blessings for the churches in which he will serve.

Please pray for Loren as he serves in three churches during his stay here.  He will work with children's social service agencies in the cities of Suzano and Itaquera.  He will also share and serve at a church retreat this coming weekend and minister to youth of the church in São Bernardo do Campo, a city which is a part of greater São Paulo.

On a broader note, looking ahead for South America missions, please also pray about possible participation in ministries in 2013.  A tangible result of my ministry this July and August has been the opening of many new doors in new cities and possibly new countries.  

Specifically, I am looking to put together a study team to travel with me to Buenos Aires in the second half of January to confirm a ministry project for next July.  The team will be composed of four to six members and should be fluent in Spanish.  Please pray with me about this.  I still need to talk with the JEMS executive team about this open door. 

Thank you for your prayers for my health.  There has been some concern about the state of my kidneys in the last year or so. But God has been faithful to sustain me during this trip.  Please pray for good results as I return to the US for further testing in the fall.

Normally, I wouldn't do this, but I want to especially thank God for friends in São Paulo who really assisted me both materially and in their emotional support of my ministry.  Sometimes I forget that I'm not such a young guy anymore.  But these folks have done much to help me keep a youthful outlook.  A very special thank you to these dear friends:

    

    

And for their incredible assistance in Argentina, major thanks to Paty and Sebastian!

More to come after I return to the USA on Tuesday, September 4th.

Blessings to you and thank you for your prayers and financial support!
Pr John

For the most current update of Pastor John's ministry, please click to return to the main page.