I'm goin' to Japan, I'm goin' to Japan

September has seen me a little discouraged and a little frustrated, but also blessed richly by our faithful Father. There wasn't much that I could do this month because most of it was spent waiting for some silly (but curiously essential) papers for my visa. God continued to bless my fundraising efforts -- I am now very close to my goal of $1600 per month. The Cheyenne Church of Christ generously provided the $2000 I needed for travel and other start-up costs with a special contribution at the beginning of the month; I also have received a little over $1400 in monthly donations and pledges.

I had many opportunities to spend time with my christian family here in Cheyenne this month. I have been supported and encouraged immeasurably by the family here, and they have joined with me in rejoicing that God has revealed his perfect timing in making it possible for me to leave for Japan very soon. Over the next few weeks I will be traveling and visiting family and friends from Wyoming to Indiana. I will leave my car (and most of my worldly possessions) with my mother in Indiana and will depart for Sendai from there. I will be leaving Cheyenne on the 8th of October and hope to be flying to Japan sometime before the end of the month. [side note: if you are living somewhere along the way, I would love to see you before I leave the states, if possible -- so please email me or give me a call.]

When I arrive in Japan I will be living with Debi, who has been working in Sendai for one year. Even though Crimsen will not be with us, I will be doing the same kind of work that we were originally planning for me. We have decided that I will be able to get the guidance and support that I need, so I am still able to continue with my plan to work in Sendai for one year. I will be doing some one-on-one English and Bible studies and also working with some group activities and classes, as well as studying the Japanese language and culture.


Please pray . . .

~a prayer of thanksgiving that God has opened a door for me to serve him in Japan.

~a praise to God for the love shown by his children in Cheyenne, who have taken on the task of being my sponsoring congregation and have opened their homes and their hearts to me over the past two months.

~for Crimsen's mother, Shelley, as she begins her chemotherapy treatments and for her family as they support and encourage Shelley and one another.

~for safe travels over the next few weeks as I visit family and, ultimately, travel to Sendai.

~that God will open the hearts of the people in Sendai, so that they can hear of his amazing love.

Listening for His Guidance

The Lord has been blessing me richly over the past month. I was blessed at the beginning of August by a spiritually refreshing time at Wyoming Bible Camp. I have been blessed by the love that the Cheyenne Church of Christ has shown me as I have been among them for the first time in several years. I have been blessed to be able to spend time with old friends. I have been blessed and encouraged by new friends. And God has showered many more blessings on me, more than I can count or list.

I have also been blessed by the unexpected generosity of so many people. I now have received approximately $800 in one-time donations and about $800 per month in pledges. So I am a little over half-way to my goal of a monthly budget of $1600.

God has also challenged me this month. Crimsen, the missionary who was supposed to be supervising my internship in Sendai, will probably not be returning to Japan at the time when we had planned for my internship to begin because her mother has cancer. On Friday (Aug 24th) doctors surgically removed all the cancer that they could, she will soon begin about six months of chemotherapy. (For more information and specific prayer requests visit www.caringbridge.org/visit/shelleywheeler.)

Since Crimsen, understandably, must change her plans so that she can be with her family, I have to seek what God's new plan is for my work in Japan. I am continuing to move forward in my fundraising and the application process to get my visa.

Please pray . . .

~a prayer of thanksgiving with me for the many blessings that God has given me this month including spiritual renewal, opportunities to share God's love and the financial blessings that God has provided in my fundraising.

~that God will continue to provide the funds needed for me to go and serve him in Japan.

~that Crimsen and her family will be filled with peace and optimism as her mother continues to be treated for cancer and that Crimsen's mother will be healed.

~that I will be patient and still as I listen for God to reveal his will for my future work for him.

Ah, the money . . .

Today I am finally able to let you all know how things are going in the fundraising department; God has provided about $420 in one-time donations and $85 per month in monthly donations. I know of some more support that is on the way, but I am feeling overwhelmed by how far I am from my budget goal of $1600 per month. Please continue to pray for my support as I still feel strongly that God has called me to Japan, but more importantly pray for the work that God continues to do in the hearts of the Japanese people, whether I get to be part of that work or not. (Also, prayers for the process of obtaining my visa would be good.)

If you would like to support me financially or would like more information about the work going on in Japan, please email me at sashainsendai@yahoo.com. Thank you so much for your love and support.

My First Blog, ever

Welcome to my blog! I have set this up to keep my friends and family up to date on the mission internship that I am preparing for and to eventually post reports on God's work in Sendai, Japan (once I am there, of course).

Right now I am in the beginning stages of the fund-raising process. Please join me in praying that God will provide the funds needed to get me to Japan in September. My sponsoring congregation is the Cheyenne Church of Christ in Cheyenne, Wyoming -- if you would like more info about them please visit their site at www.cheyennechurchofchrist.org. And if you would like to become one of my financial supporters, please email me at sashainsendai@yahoo.com.