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EXIE FULTZCORDS-OF-LOVE-BIBLE-PLACE

I have always liked my name, which in full is Exie Jane Walters Fultz. I was pleas^W-when I learned that my father, when he heard the name Exie, came home and told ray mother, I f we have another daughter her name is Exie. Four years later I arrived to claim myname. I was also pleased when I learned that i t was my maternal grandfatherthe onlygrandparent I ever sawwho said, Make i t Exie Jane. My maiden name, Walters, tellsme a bit about my lineage and-my married name, Fultz, is my love-namethe one I wearbecause the pe rson who could bestow i t loved me.Yet, there is a greater love-name that I wear. I t is Christian . I chose i t toobecause the one who bestowed i t so loved me. I t is not a name that was idly given.I t s a Biblical name that is packed with meaning. We read of other Biblical namesthat were chosen and given with regard to meaning. H^^e in Japan, too, we note thecare taken with regard to the meSning of the Kanji characters when a newborn is to benamed. The sound of the spoken name is also considered. So i t was with the name ofthe place where I work on the Island of Awaji in the land of Japan. What name wouldgive meaning as to the nature of the work to be done here? What name would define thenature of God to the people? And what name would sound pleasing in both English andJapanese. I like the name chosen* CORDSOFLOVE I LEPL CE or in Japanese:AI-NO-TSUNA-SEISHO-JO (as ee - no - tsu nah - sS ee shC - jo) . See Hosea 11:4.When I was on furlough in 1979, I spoke and showed plans fo r a building designed tobecome Cords-of-Love-Bible-Place-Chapel. Audiences were interested but, as yet, fewdollars have come in. Returning to Japan, I opened again ray girls classes, both juniorand senior high in my home and added a Junior-High boy's class and two special classeswith two fourth-graders and their parents. I contracted to have a garage unit put upfor classroom-office space that would be a permanent part of the overall chapel complex.Work was to begin May 15, 1980 but . as of now, August 20, 1980 no work has been started.There is also a problemone not fully explained to mebetween the contractor and theplumbers. However, the contractor assured me the other day that they can do the building and since I have used them before and since they made the blueprints for the chapel,I th ink bes t i f I wai t with a measure o f p atie nc e.Two new, hard-topped roads coming up from the coastal-residential areas to Cords-Of-Love-Bible-Place opened just this summer. They have brought much encouragement to thework as the site is now easily accessible to almost all who want to come. Increasedrequests for classes (which may begin in September) have also brought encouragement.Though Cords-of-Love-Blble-Place Chapel site still stands bare, I am not despairing.As I came from non-existence into existence to receive a name already prepared for rae,so I believe that a building can rise on the chapel site bear ing the name that hasbeen chosen for i t . I also believe that the love-name of 'Christian' will be given tothose who study there and who choose to accept the One who can bestow itbecause He soloves them. Pray for this work; I follow always as God dirftcts. [Field address:2709 Kururaa, Higashi Uracho, Tsuna Gun, Hyogo-Ken 656-23 Japan; Forwarding Agent:Frank and Hazel Conner, 67 Lanaghan Dr., Fairview Heights, IL 62208Designated fundsfor the chapel should be raarked hapel Fund .]

Write to Mission Serv ices Resou rce Department fo r a complete l i s t i ng of SLIDEPROGRAMS from miss ionar ies serv ing in Japan.Also avai lable is a map showing the locat ions of the missionar ies in Japan. Cost: 2.

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DSc 3FULTZ MISSION FOR THE MASTER

Awaji Is land Japan-Ov er se as A d d re ss : S t a t e s i d e Addre s s :2709 Kuruma Franl^. and Hazel ConnerHigashiura cho, Tsuna Gun 67 Lanaghan DriveHyogo Ken 656-23, Japan Fairview Heights, 111.

62208 If you win the one next to you.And I win the on e next to me.So win them, win them one by one.

Hymns of Pra ise, Wo. 2, Page I85. C. Austin Miles)So goes the chorus of an old hymn that I Joined in singing in church and Sundayschool years ago. Then I was predisposed to believe in i t s entirety but nowrealize that is but a hal f - t ru th . Evangel ism does res t upon the concern of theChristian for the one (or ones; with whom he has close contact, but the line, In notime a t al l we l l have them a l l i s not valid - - a t least not in Japan.During early furloughs, when Christians in U.S.A. asked me what I believed wasthe greatest reason for the slow acceptance of the gospel by the Japanese, my answerwas, Ancestral worship*. Veneration of the ancestors is a stumbling block and mayhold some to old religions and old ways, but I now believe that the majority o f thosewho remain in old religions do so because they have no real fa i th in Christ - - and nobasis for such a faith. Why no basis? Because Japanese culture, from ancient times,has been devoid of a Bib l i ca l nomenclature. This lack leaves the hearer of thegospel unprepared to accept i t .In th e beginning years of my ministry in Japan, I started teaching my classesfrom the f i rs t chapter of the gospel of John. I reasoned that i t would be good forthem to know, from the beginning, of the pre-existence of Jesus. This established,i t wou.ld not be long to chapter 3, when I could teach them of their need to be bomagain. The crux of the teaching problem came in chapter 2 with the proclamation ofJohn the Baptist, Behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.KJV Hon-existent in the Japanese culture and religions is a blood sacrifice (orany other s in -s ac ri fi ce for tha t matter). Non-existent also is the bel ie f t ha t theindividual has sinned and in need of a sacrifice. Wanting, too, is any Biblicalnomenclature that would give ready imderstanding of New Testament truths. Blood

sacrifices were Imown in.the Greco-Roman world where Christianity began. Historicalevents of the Old Testament, and i ts nomenclature, were also well known. The area-wasready fo r th e g os pe l.From the beginning of the Old Testament we find God building up a nomenclaturethrough early animal sacrifice; His command to Abraham to sacrifice his son; and theinstitution of the Passover, with the Israelites being saved by the blood of the Lamb.Long years passed until the day when John the Baptist could say, Behold the Lamb ofGod, and expect his audience to understand. I now believe that i t is the lack of :this Biblical nomenclature that is the greatest hindrance to the winning of souls forChrist in Japan. Had Japan been colonized by a western (Christian) power, Biblicalnomenclative might have entered the culture from that source. Japan, however, wasnot colonized. One of my own young men, who became a Christian and later a churchleader, told me that he had no sense, or feeling,, of being a sinner -- until he knewthe Bible. Another one, on the evening of his confession of Christ as his Savior,prayed, Lord forgive me of ray sins. He hesitated and then continued in all honesty,I don t really understand what sin is but forgive me and give me understanding.God answered and today that young man is among our soul--winners in Japan.Jt may take years and years of teaching before Japan is white unto the harvestbut we continue to teach for the sake of the one (or ones) who will come early intoChrist realizing all the while that part of our ministry is to help build into theculture a Biblical nomenclature for others who may come later.With John the Apostle I say, Even so, come. Lord Jesus. KJV) When the Father

has decreed your coming, so let i t be. I don t say, Come, quickly. Lord Jesus for we don t have them a l l yet.

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My teaching week begins on Sunday morning a t 9:00 a.m. when a lovely high-school senior comes to my home to study. We sing hymns. I pray. She quotes hermemory work (NIV). read the Bible story and then the English Scriptures (NIV)and discuss word meanings. The delightful hour pas se s quick ly . Worship i s a t10:30 a.m. a t the l i t t l e Kariya Church of Christ down by the bay. Sunday afternoona Bible class of four Junior-High boys meet*in my l iving room. They usually stayafter class and play shogi. They bring their shogi board with them. I don t mindhaving them. To me they a l l look l ik e po te n ti al preachers.

Monday i s my L day. I t s for laundry, le t te rs and loafing.Tuesday evening at about ki O p.m. depending on when they can get away fromschool) I have a class of four Jiinior-Hi gir ls . They are ray o ldes t s tedent s from the

standpoint of t ime of s tu dy w it h me. They are a charming group.Wednesday afternoon i s Bible Study a t the Kariya Church of Christ .Thursday i s C day. I t s for cleaning and class preparation. I t might be

ca ll ed ca tch-a ll day since there i s a rush to get ready for the week-end.Friday evening, one of ray youngest students, a fourth-grader, studies from7:00 to 8:00 p.m. She is brought by car by her mother from the southern end of theisland about an hou r s d riv e each way. She i s a l i t t l e g i r l who went to a Catholickindergarten and is now in public school - a somewhat slow learner in school. Onewho hates sports - and is not good a t them. I could very well re la te to her on thelast-rensmib6rl,ng the days when I was th e youngest and smallest in the c la sses and

always the l as t one chosen in a choose up sides game. No one wanted me and Iwasn t good. But sports is not a l l there i s to l i fe , and I hope this l i t t l e onelearns the more meaningful things.Saturday afternoon a new class is to open fo r some f i f th and sixth grade gi r l s .More about that la ter . Satuirday evening from TiOO to 8:00 p.m. another fourth grader is brought for study by her father. This young one sings, God is so good. inEnglish and does very well but when she reads, Mary is looking up. (in the pictureof the annunciation) her is becomes yis . At the close of the las t class sessionher happy father noted, Woll, oho o do ing bet ter . I assured Mm t ha t indeed, she

was doing be t t e r .Furlouigh 79 was one of my happies t . I experienced some of the swigetestChrist ian fellowship I have ever known. To a l l who helped enter ta in me, who hadme in t h e i r homes .and. all those who sen t me on my way with f i nanc i a l backing andprayer I want to. say Thank You I I have thoiight of each one of you ove r he re asI have re l ived ray furlough. I love you a l l and have to ld the Lord so. Each moment

I was with you i s a memory-gem. I hope to be in touch with you a l l by personall e t t e r s from here on the f i e ld . I c an t always seem to make tha t goal but I w ill t ry .One of my memory-gems from the l e t t e r s of soldier-husband, I would l ike toshare with you. He wrote, I t seems i t s time fo r me to t e l l you tha t I love youbut I see that I said tha t ju s t l ine before l a s t . I think I ll say it again anyway.

I love You.So it i s with me to you

CENTRAL CHURCH OF CHRIST103 Al ice Drive

In The Lord,Ex i e ultz

O Fallon, I l l inois 62269Return p os ta g e g u ar an te ed

Non-prof i t Org.U.S. Pos tage

PAIDO Fal lon , 111.Pe rm i t No. 5