October - December 2019 Update

THE MONTH OF OCTOBER
October was a long and busy month! Bible college was in full swing and I was teaching classes and taking classes as well. The beginning of the month I had to prepare for midterm tests that I was taking and even midterm tests that I had to make for my 1st-2nd Samuel class. 


One of my students had to leave suddenly during this month for a week due to a family member passing away. It was big news to her and she was flown out during class time, right in the middle of the semester. Please keep her and her family in your prayers! 


This semester has been interesting and reminded me the importance of pouring into the people around me. The Lord showed me that I need to pour my whole life on these students! With the Bible college students, there are so many different personalities and there can be friction but the Lord really reminded me to love them and pour into them— and to think about how Jesus lived His life. In Mark 10:45, it says not to be served but to serve others! Ministry here with the Bible college students is to simply live life with people and showing them how to live with a heart for the Lord! Interaction and love is key with Jesus and that is what I am trying to do this semester! 


In the later half of October, the church put on a Missions Conference (“KOINONIA CONFERENCE”) celebrating 15 years of the Church and many missionaries sent out from this place. Man, it was a blessing getting to see all the missionaries sent out from here. Not only that, but it was a great opportunity to serve them and glean from them as they had so much wisdom about the Lord and just doing a work in Japan. At the end of this month the students left to go on their semester Mission’s Trip to Korea and I had the pleasure of stay back and serve here in Okinawa, to make sure that that everything was still up and running while the Pastor & the students were doing a work in Korea.


THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER
November was just as busy— the students came back from Korea. We continued the classes that I was teaching and I continued to take classes as well. I taught the books of Samuel, and that included grading, which was more work than anticipated! I continued my Friday night bible study. This month, for one time at my bible study, I decided to have a worship night at OCSI (Okinawa Christian School International), which is a private Christian International school 45 minutes away. We then celebrated Thanksgiving with our church family, with a potluck, and it was a small taste of home away from home. After the month of November, the semester was drawing to a close.




THE MONTH OF DECEMBER 
The first part of December was all about wrapping up the classes I was taking and the classes I was teaching. With thankfulness in my heart, I am proud to say that all of my students did well in class, and I pray that they took a lot out of my class. We all celebrated, because two students, Micah and Andy, graduated the CCBC program and the celebration continued as we licensed new pastors. 


As the students started to leave, it was really bitter sweet. It was a relief because when the students are around, as teachers and mentors, you have to be ready and available to do anything. But I had been building a relationship with them and pouring my life and the Word of God into their lives so it was hard to see them leave. But I know that we will meet again, but if not here, then for sure in the air! I am a firm believer that God puts people into your life for you to pour into them and be encouraged by them, sharpening each other like iron. I am excited to see them again sooner or later. 


The week after class was over was a time of rest. But our days always start early as we continued to meet for breakfast and morning devotions together! And as always we have our different weekly services and my bible study continued to not only maintain but cultivate and grow. So as much as I would like to say I did nothing for my break, I am always busy with the Lord’s work! We also celebrated Christmas with the missionaries here and had a little party and spent time to just remember the Lord and how He has blessed us with each other! Although I would have loved to go home to visit my family and you guys in Houston, I am blessed being here with the body of Christ in Japan. Furthermore, I am blessed by simply loving & doing my best to bless my brothers and sisters that I serve with. On Christmas Day, we held a service with a special Christmas message geared for children and just continued to fellowship. And for New Years, we are having a New Years Eve service to fellowship and eat food together! 


In this next coming year, I will continue to serve the Lord with everything I am. I am excited for a new year with even more new adventures and new people to serve and pour into. God has inspired me to be excited in anticipation for new things on the horizon! I am confident that the Lord will do some fun things here in Japan and I am excited to see it all unfold! And I am excited to give you guys an account of the work being done here in Japan. Thank you as always for supporting me with prayer and even finances! Be blessed.
-Jona

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