Greetings from Asuncion, Paraguay

Paraguay is sometimes called "the heart of South America" because of its geographical position in the center of the continent.  I love being here with missions pastor, Koki Nowada and his wife, Mari. 

(Pictured: Asuncion Thursday night dinner and discipleship group. Tonight!)



Pastor Koki and Mari sensei are faithfully serving the Nikkei community here despite many challenges.  It is an opportunity for me to hear how God is working in their church, and how JEMS can support and partner in their ministry. 


The past week has gone by quickly.  We departed LAX surrounded by friends and family and arrived just last Thursday. 

The ministry started right off at Camp Shalom, joining the Okada family and Greg Oda in the youth program.  Camp Shalom is an extremely rustic version of Mount Hermon.  But how great to be able to be in Brazil with one of my long-time friends, Mark Okada.

After an overnight stay at Shalom, we traveled to the city of Sao Paulo and began preparations for the JEMS basketball ministry.  We estimate that in the two days of competition, almost 300 either came to watch the games or participated directly.  Many new contacts were made on behalf of the local churches here.  And the team was blessed with new friendships.  They continue their ministry this week in Londrina and next week in Pompeia, Brazil.




On a personal level, it was wonderful to connect again with long-time friends.  Many of them now married and with children.  Several I spoke to are now involved in church planting ministries and other ways that enlarge the kingdom of God.




Sunday morning began early for team member, Daichi Tsuruta and me as we were paired to serve at the Liberdade Holiness Church in Sao Paulo.  Daichi was able to lead the congregation in worship. 

Following Daichi, I preached the morning message in Portuguese!  Thank you for all your prayers. I think that it was well received.

(Above):  PJ pictured with Pr Key Yuasa of the Liberdade Holiness Church.  Below, PJ preaching with interpreter (to Japanese).


A very special blessing came after the worship service as Pr Key Yuasa invited the leadership of the church to join together in the laying on of hands and prayer for me.

Also following the service, Daichi graciously responded to a last minute invitation to share with the college and professional Sunday School class of over 70.

Tuesday evening, I met with Margaretha Adiwardana (pictured below, right), the president of AME (Associacao Missionaria Esperanca - Hope Missionary Association) to discuss possible future ministry partnerships with JEMS.  Much appreciation to long-time friend, Ullisses Shimizu for setting up this meeting.

In reviewing this post, I noticed that I wrote "long-time friend" many times.  It is a measure of how ministry is cultivated in South America, through the relationships that have been formed over the years.  Thanks to God for these relationships and lasting contacts that form a basis for ongoing ministry.


Blessings to you,
Pr John

Close to launch

Leaving for Brazil on Wednesday, July 21st with the JEMS Evangelistic Basketball team!  Woo hoo!  Please pray for our safe travel!  And for language rebirth.  Why?

I received an email from Brazil this past Sunday.  It came from the Liberdade Holiness Church where I will be speaking on July 25th:

"PJ,
Quick question: during the Sunday service, will you speak in Portuguese during the sermon?  We need to know so we can arrange an interpreter. For us will be easier if you speak in Portuguese, since we have to have an interpreter translate to Japanese."

Oh my!  Preaching in Portuguese on my first Sunday in Brazil, just a few days after arriving.  You can pray with me that God will turn that part of my brain back on!  Really!  An almost ten-year layoff from ministry in Brazil creates some uncertainty and anxiety in my heart.  At the same time, I know that God is faithful.  Please pray for the ministries that I will be involved in this summer.  

In addition to accompanying the JEMS basketball team after their arrival in São Paulo, I hope to visit Greg Oda and the Okada family who will be ministering at the Holiness Youth Camp at Shalom Camp about an hour from the city of São Paulo.  

The basketball team and I will go our separate ways during the second week of ministry.  The team will go to Londrina, a city of almost five-thousand Nikkei families eight hours south of São Paulo.  

I will be meeting with Pastor Koki and Mari Nowada, a missionary couple serving at the Asunción Free Methodist Church in Paraguay.  JEMS hopes to continue this partnership in Asunción.  Paraguay is known as "The heart of South America" due to its central geographical location on the continent.

 


The third week of ministry should find me back in Brazil and on my way to Marilia to visit JEMS six-month worker, Justine Morey. (click here for Justine's prayer blog)

After spending time with Justine as well as the pastor and leadership of the Marilia Free Methodist Church, I will move on to the city of Pompeia, to meet up again with the basketball team.  

Pompeia is about one-half hour from Marilia and six hours from São Paulo.  Our host church there is one of the largest churches in the Brazilian Holiness denomination with an average Sunday worship attendance of 700 (mostly non-Nikkei). 

Our ministries will wind up with debriefing in São Paulo on our last day (August 9) and our departure from Brazil and return to LAX on August 10th.


Please pray for the many miles and varieties of ministries this trip will call for.  Flexibility and a strong sense of dependence on God will be an important ingredient to pack in our luggage and hearts as we will define ministry tasks sometimes in the spur of the moment.  

Remember Marc and Tami Takamine, Matthew Asami, Leighton and Lilly Okada who are serving in South America for the very first time.  The other team members and teams have all had prior experience in Brazil either through JEMS or through Holiness Youth Choir trips.  


Experience notwithstanding, we appreciate every prayer that you can lift up for us even now.  Last minute preparations include message, testimony and lesson preparations, material and craft purchases, prayer letters (like this one), omiage selections, making sure our packing is under weight limitations.  It's a combination of the ministry and the mundane, but all of it is so important.


Thank you again so much for your prayer AND financial partnership.  Without your financial support of our JEMS teams and my own ministry, this would not possible.


God bless you!

July Calendar (Click on calendar image to enlarge)




August Calendar (click on calendar image to enlarge)

JEMS Basketball Team flyers from Brazil

Publicity for the city of São Paulo (click on image to enlarge)

Publicity for the city of Londrina (click on image to enlarge)

Summer Ministry

The JEMS Board of Directors and Celebration church in Camarillo have approved Pastor John Katagi's mission to South America this summer. Please be in prayer as PJ accompanies teams and visits workers, pastors and leaders. The schedule is tentatively as follows:

July 21 - Depart from Los Angeles with JEMS Basketball Team

July 22 - Arrive in São Paulo (Guarulhos) - Training and Acculturation Day

July 23 - Training and acculturation.

July 24-25 - Sao Paulo Basketball Tournament. Please contact Wellington Tsutsumida, William Tsutsumida or Teo Imuta for local time schedule and venue information.

July 26-27 - PJ in meetings with pastors and leadership in Sao Paulo.

July 28 - PJ travels to Asuncion, Paraguay

August 2 - Return to Sampa

August 3 - Travel to Marilia to meet with JEMS short term worker, Justine Morey

August 3-8 - Visit Pompeia for the JEMS basketball tournament and other ministries.

August 9 - PJ and BB team return to Sampa

August 10 - Return from Sampa to Los Angeles

All in all, a busy schedule, but please take time to pray over travel, meetings, ministries and other informal opportunities to meet over cafezinho or a meal. May God use these JEMS teams and workers to honor him and to make Jesus known in the communities in which they will serve!

God bless! And if you're in Brazil, I hope to see you soon!

Pastor John

Short Team Video from JEMS website 

Invitation to serve in South America July 2010

Please take a moment to watch the newly created video inviting friends of JEMS and South America to serve this coming July. It's only a minute-and-a-half in length.

If you or someone in your church is thinking about a two to three week mission project this summer, JEMS would like to invite them to serve the Lord in Brazil or Paraguay. Teams are being variously organized to teach conversational English, to lead VBS, youth sports outreach, cooking classes, hip-hop dance and other creative ways to reach seekers for Christ. Our deadline is very quickly approaching. 

Specific ministry opportunities are listed HERE (please click)

If you or anyone you know might be interested, please have them contact me at JEMS:   johnk (at) jems (dot) org

Summer 2010 is just around the corner and JEMS needs you!

JEMS is currently recruiting volunteers to serve in Brazil and Paraguay during July 2010.

We have received requests from various cities and churches asking JEMS to send teams to serve at youth and children's VBS programs, hip-hop dance programs and to conduct an English language camp. JEMS Sports Ministry is also organizing an evangelistic basketball team.

In spite of the current recession in the US, we are hoping that some will answer the call of God to serve for a two to four week project in South America. If you are interested, or know of any who may be interested in serving this July, please contact Pastor John Katagi at johnk (at) jems.org

Basic requirements:
1. Love for Jesus and for people

2. Complete JEMS' written application process and interview. 

3.  Approval by your local pastor and the JEMS Board of Directors.



4.  Raise prayer and financial support before departure. (Approximately $2300-$2500)

5.  Receive cross-cultural and ministry training through JEMS.

Project Opportunities:

--- One hip-hop dance team is needed to work with two churches in Sao Paulo, Brazil.  

• Dates are July 12 - 25, serving consecutively in the two churches.

--- Two 4-6 member VBS teams are needed to work with children and youth in Paraguay). Japanese and or Spanish language skills would be helpful.

• Asuncion Team - July 10 - 27 (3 Sundays inclusive)
• Pedro Juan Caballero Team - Dates TBD

 
--- One 4-member VBS team is needed to work with youth and children in Manaus, Brazil 

• Dates are set for July 12-25.

--- One English camp team is needed in Manaus (5-6 native English speakers) - 

• Dates: July 14 -21

 
--- One six-member team to serve in a camping ministry outside of the city of São Paulo at Camp Shalom.  The setting is rustic and the ministry requires some energy, but it has been a real blessing.  Campers are ages 11 to 17. 

• Dates: (not confirmed, but leaning toward July 12-24)

--- Five basketball players are needed to complete a team of eight which will travel in southern Brazil playing in tournaments, offering clinics and working with children and youth. If interested in the basketball ministry, contact Marc Takamine, JEMS Sports Ministry director at marct (at) jems.org

• Dates July 21 - August 9

Even if circumstances don't permit you to GO this year, please PRAY! It will be amazing to see how God will work!



Thank you,
Pastor John

Do you know this person?

Please meet Justine Morey, a recent Wheaton College graduate and attending Peninsula Free Methodist Church in northern California.

Justine has been accepted by the JEMS Board of Directors as a six-month short-term worker to serve the Lord in Brazil. Justine is currently in the process of raising her financial support and would appreciate your prayers for her preparation for this ministry. 

She writes:
"Two and a half years ago, I had the opportunity to go to Brazil and Paraguay on a 2-week mission trip with the Wheaton College Women’s Soccer team. It was an amazing trip, and through that experience I fell in love with the country of Brazil, the people and the culture. I remember sitting in the airport of São Paulo getting ready to board the plane home and promising myself that some day soon I would return to this country . . . "

"The past six months have been a rollercoaster of ups and downs regarding my potential going to Brazil. But with the conviction of God and a passion for Brazil in my heart, I have decided to go with JEMS in mid-June for six months. I will be working with a Free Methodist church in a city called Marilia, which is located six hours by car from the city of São Paulo. I will be partnered with the church, conducting soccer clinics, teaching English, potentially leading some Bible studies, and helping out wherever I can."

Justine has so much more to share about how God has brought her to this place of decision and service. If you would like to learn more about her ministry and how you can support her prayerfully and financially, please reply to this note or to me directly at johnk (at) jems dot org

JEMS will continue to keep you updated on her preparations and her ministry progress once she arrives in Brazil.

Justine will need to raise a little over $1000/month in financial support in order to be in Brazil by mid-June. If you would like to partner with her in this ministry, please contact me.

Blessings on you and thank you for your prayers!

Rev John Katagi
JEMS


Gostariamos de apresentar Justine Morey, que formou recentemente da Faculdade Wheaton College (perto de Chicago) e um participante da Igreja Metodista Livre Peninsula (Redwood City) no norte da Califórnia.

Justine foi aceito pela Diretoria Executiva da JEMS para servir ao Senhor no Brasil fazendo um trabalho de curto prazo para um período de seis meses. Justine está atualmente no processo de levantar seu próprio sustento financeiro e ela agradeceria as suas orações para sua preparação para este ministério.

Ela escreve:
"Dois anos e meio atrás, eu tive a oportunidade de ir ao Brasil e Paraguai sobre uma viagem de 2-semanas de missão com a equipe do Futebol Feminino da Faculdade Wheaton. Foi uma viagem incrível, e através dessa experiência que eu caí no amor com o país de Brasil, o povo e a cultura. Lembro-me sentado no aeroporto de São Paulo se preparando para embarcar no avião de volta e prometendo a mim mesmo que algum dia logo eu iria voltar a este país . . . "

"Os últimos 6 meses têm sido uma montanha-russa de altos e baixos sobre meu potencial indo para o Brasil. Mas, com a convicção de Deus e uma paixão pelo Brasil no meu coração, eu decidi ir com a JEMS em meados de junho para 6 meses. Eu estarei trabalhando com uma igreja Metodista Livre numa cidade chamada Marília. Estarei servindo em parceria com a igreja, conduzindo clínicas de futebol, aulas de Inglês, potencialmente levando alguns estudos bíblicos, e ajudando sempre onde que posso. "

 Justine tem muito mais para compartilhar sobre como Deus a trouxe a este lugar de decisão e de ministério. Se você quiser saber mais sobre seu ministério e como você pode a apoiar com sua oração e financeiramente, por favor responda a esta nota ou diretamente para mim. 

JEMS continuará a mantê-lo atualizado em sua preparação e seu progresso em ministério, ainda depois que ela chega ao Brasil.

Justine vai precisar levantar um pouco mais de $ 1000/mês em apoio financeiro. Se você gostaria de fazer parceria com ela neste ministério, favor entrar em contato comigo.

Bênçãos sobre vocês e obrigado por suas orações!

Rev John Katagi
JEMS

Our first Sunday in our new sanctuary!

Today marked our first worship service in our new sanctuary.  With seating for 158, we see this as a great opportunity to grow his church.  We are grateful for your prayers on our behalf. Please enjoy the photos.

 

  

 

 

January 17, 2010 - Construction Update

We thank God for the good progress that has been made on our new worship center.  We have expectations that the city of Camarillo will issue permits to allow facility use this week.

Interior painting was completed during my absence in South America.  Carpet and tiling were completed yesterday, as well as external concrete walkways and patios.  

Have a look.

Separate soundproof room for moms/dads and infants

Tech fails

But God never fails.

Apologies for the lack of updates. Between the lack of access to the internet and, in particular, photo posting problems here on blogspot, it has been frustrating to not be able to keep everyone posted. In something of a surprise, Facebook has been the best vehicle for communication on this trip.

We are back in Sao Paulo, but both of us are struggling with symptoms of food poisoning this morning.

We met last night with three possible local coordinators for a JEMS basketball tournament in July 2010. We have three important meetings scheduled for today, so please pray that Rev Rick and I will be restored in order to meet with these key leaders.

Thank you for your prayer and financial partnership with us. Our meetings have been very productive, and are laying the groundwork for continued future ministries.

If you have a Facebook account, please go there to see this mission trip in pictures.

God bless you!

Update midnight Tuesday

Three friends, Tadashi, Claudia and Noemi were very kind to bring over a care package for Rick and me on Tuesday.



It included water, Gatorade, coconut water, apples and crackers.  Isn't that sweet?

They also took us to a Japanese restaurant where we could order ochazuke (rice, hot water, umeboshi and nori).

We returned and are trying to feel normal again. Rick seems better, but my stomach is still a little queasy.  We will try to fulfill two important commitments tomorrow, but will not go to the city of Sorocaba (2 hours away) on the basis of Dr Claudia's medical advice.