Our lives have never been fuller and at times, if anything, more stress—but maybe that has something to do with being on the aging trajectory and the hands on the clock keep moving faster.
We had another enjoyable experience traveling to Ishinomaki, the site of such devastation precipitated by a 9.0 earthquake at the loss of some 20,000 lives five years ago. How was this time different? We always have follow-up ministry, but we had a lot of family time this time. Twice Jennifer exclaimed, “Haven’t we taken you there before?” So we got to see some of the other side of Ishinomaki, attended another Sports Day with two grandchildren participating, and also traveled to Sendai for two ice hockey games they were involved in.
One site we visited was the park land that is the mountain which divides east and west Ishinomaki with a mile of tunnel separating the city—this was also the way the tsunami was divided between crashing ashore on the east side and moving up the river on the west side. The day before we had been taken to a high point overlooking the city, where the gentleman pictured came up and began a conversation. He exclaimed he did not have time to look back as the tsunami followed him and he achieved safety with water lapping at his feet.
As surely as our son-in-law Chad immediately responded to our Hanshin disaster 21 years ago and became frustrated in his efforts to be helpful, he responded immediately with vigor and in planning for the Ishinomaki tragedy. As you might imagine, he immediately made plans for Kumamoto but their early morning departure was frustrated by a call to the city office. People wanted to help and were frustrated that the government had not yet dropped the tolls for aid workers (very costly especially for such a distance)—nothing could be done about it. Between them, two individuals gave them $1,000 to help with their costs!
The Kumamoto disaster has followed the Ishinomaki disaster right on five years. Chad had been moved by the emotional response of those he had been around helping, but it well brought to mind as we shared with him what I have long considered a part of our human DNA. As a youth in Japan I remember in our family devotions my Dad reading the 25th chapter of Leviticus. I wondered to myself, “Why doesn’t my father ever take a sabbatical?” In the middle time of our ministry at Lake Tahoe, California, we took a sabbatical from which the years have followed. We can watch these seven-year patterns (5,6,7) occurring in our lives with major events and circumstances—it takes the five years to get beyond them into that 7th year of a freshened beginning.
We are excited to see the resurgence at Osaka Bible Seminary. Brother Kishimoto’s leadership is bringing an influential ministry to the Church in Japan (particularly through seminars) as well as developing into servants for the harvest those the Lord brings to campus as students—and, as well, others online. Brother Kishimoto is playing a role also in helping the Korean Christian Church leadership toward organizing the 2016 Korea International Restoration Movement Convention, August 14-17, 2016, Seoul. We will have a good delegation going from Japan and I will be attending also.
Our International Nights have been a joy for us over the years and we appear to have moved through a significant time of transition from what it was to what it has become presently. Around the world there has been a significant house church movement and, in that respect, we have virtually become a monthly house church. While Christians of Japan don’t seem to break out of their own circles (a cultural matter), our “home parties” bring believers and guests from all over our area. Particularly we have been encouraged to see the Lord bringing an increased number of those needing to come to faith in our Lord Jesus.
Representing Osaka Christian Mission I have been on the Kansai Christian School Board from the time of our arrival. OCM was one of the founding missions and we always had children in the school until we graduated our last, Jonathan. We have been involved 31 of her 46 years of history, Rickie being the Executive Assistant from the time of our arrival as well. From a rented old missionary house, we now have a respectable campus—it has always been our heart’s desire to be recognized by the Japanese government and become accredited, but it hasn’t been until this present hour we could see possible the impossible. Anyone acquainted with accreditation procedure knows the work involved (Rickie was the LCC&S secretary to the Dean when they went through accreditation, and knows well). The ACSI Brother Tim was most impressed with KCS! Pray for us!
I speak regularly in OBS chapel. I take this very seriously as my best opportunity to reach our students and encourage our staff as President Emeritus. I preach regularly for our Nakaburi congregation as well—then there is International Night. I was most pleased to be asked to begin preaching monthly for the Kamizono congregation. Nakaburi and Kamizono are messages in Japanese—that’s a trial and effort! Thank you for your prayers! J Preaching for Kamizono, though, is so special because I spent my last three years in Japan as a teen-ager traveling to Kobe from Osaka to work with missionary Exie Fultz every Lord’s Day, which resulted in the Kamizono congregation today.
I guess to make this long epistle complete, I would do well to mention Mongolia. We are pleased that the Centurions Ministry’s Command Center has been finished out. We have received significant funds for its furnishings (we would welcome any further contributions)—they continue to report a heavy, busy focus on evangelism and discipling.
Remember to read the one-page attached eUpdate with the pictures and stories.
Unto Him,
Paul and Rickie Clark
Osaka, Japan
