1

SEP

T—

DE

C 2

019

VO

L. 7

0

NO

. 4

In the summer of 2008, God created in my heart, a

deep passion to reach Japan with the Gospel. As the

Chairman of the OMS Holiness Executive Council, I

spent two weeks in Tokyo to discuss with the Japan

Holiness Conference the possibility of receiving

one or two pastors from Japan for our Nichigo

(Japanese speaking) congregations in the US.

During my stay in Tokyo, I spoke to a sociology

professor/pastor, Saito-sensei. He briefed me about

the various societal ills, issues like suicide clubs

that would bring people together to commit suicide

as a group, the divorce rate, the mental challenge

of depression among many Japanese, and the social

recluse syndrome known as “Hikikomori.” I also

learned for the first time that out of 127 million (at

that time), less than 1% are Evangelical Christians.

Some people “love” the Dodgers, the Angels, or the SF Giants, or maybe the Lakers, etc. I personally love JAPAN. God touches people differently when it comes to having a deep burden and passion for the lost.

glass window. At that point, I started to weep.

Uncontrollable sobbing overcame me. It was

actually rather embarrassing, but I could not

stop myself. My heart ached as I saw my non-

believing relatives on the other side of the glass.

Thankfully I was able to regain my composure

before I reached the customs area.

Rick Chuman, JEMS Executive Director

Greetings from JEMS!

Truthfully, even though I had been a pastor of a

predominantly Japanese American church, I had

never heard of all these things happening in Japan.

My relatives took me to Narita airport so I could

fly back to Los Angeles. While descending on an

escalator, I waved good-bye to them through a huge

My heart ached as I saw my non-

believing relatives on the other side

of the glass.

God used those two weeks in Japan, and that

experience at the airport to prompt me to leave

pastoral ministry and become the JEMS Executive

Director. Who says a short-term mission trip isn’t

life-changing! Since then, God has grown JEMS

from 3 full-time missionaries to the current

38 career missionaries. This summer, we had

58 short-term missionaries in Aso, Hokkaido,

Nagoya, Toyohashi and Tohoku. God had a special

plan for JEMS these last ten years. Now that I am

in my 10th year at JEMS, I am prayerfully asking

the Lord what He desires us to focus on next.

We want to expand the care of our missionaries

and seek additional staff for the growing AACF

Campuses and Pacific Northwest ministries ,

including the other domestic programs such as

our Senior, Nichigo, Sports and Music.

I definitely covet your prayers. Please continue to

pray for JEMS. I know that JEMS started because

of prayer and the support of many pastors and

their churches. This reality continues today.

Thank you for your partnership with us.

2

Royden Toma, Japan Missions Director

In John 4, it is recorded

that Jesus “left Judea and

departed again to Galilee.

But He needed to go through

Samaria.” I love this story of

Jesus stopping off in Samaria

where He encountered the

woman at the well. This

woman was an outcast in that

community.

She said, “I know the Messiah is

coming (who is called the Christ).

When He comes He will tell us all

things.” Jesus told her that He is

“the living water” from whom she

would not thirst again. This woman

came to realize that the person

she was talking to, was indeed the

Savior of the world and the forgiver

of sins. She went back into the town

and told the people. John 4:39, 41

says, “And many of the Samaritans

of that city believed in Him because

Look at the Field, for they are Already White for the Harvest

JAPANMISSIONS

“Behold, I say to you, lift up your

eyes and look at the fields, for they

are already white for the harvest!”

As they looked at the people

approaching, I imagine it was like

Billy Graham looking at the crowd

during an altar call at one of his

crusades.

As I reflect on this passage, I am

reminded of God’s goodness and

provision. There is a great harvest in

Japan and in the world. God is “not

“Behold, I say to you, lift up

your eyes and look at the fields,

for they are already white for

the harvest!”

of the word of the woman who

testified... And many more believed

because of His (Jesus’) own words.”

Jesus then said to his disciples,

JOANNA TIEN

LILY SUZUKI

SARAH PARK

Retired teacher, widow, mother,

grandmother, great grandmother, and

JEMS missionary in Amakusa

(2005 to present)

I am also thankful for Sarah Park

who is finishing her last year of

college and is raising support for

her mission in Nagoya. I am thankful

for those that have left children,

grandchildren, and even great

grandchildren to share the love of

Jesus Christ in Japan. I am thankful

for our 37 missionaries who brought

along their 25 kids to follow the

call from God to GO. I’m thankful

for the hundreds of people that

partner with us financially and in

prayer to send these missionaries

into the harvest.

wishing that any would perish, but

that all should reach repentance”

(2 Peter 3:9). I am thankful and

blessed by the faithful servants that

have answered the call go into the

harvest. I am thankful for Joanna

Tien, who graduated from college

last year and is now in a one-year

missionary term in a small town

in Kyushu called Aso, and has the

desire to go anywhere in the world

to church plant where there is not

a church.

3

FROM BR A ZIL

Brazil National CoordinatorPastor William Maki Suzuki (pictured with PJ and Pastor

Rick), has been pastoring in the Brazil Evangelical Holiness

Church since 1988. He is currently the senior pastor of the

São José dos Campos Evangelical Holiness Church, an hour

north of São Paulo city.

Pastor Maki has been married to wife, Katia since 1991.  Katia

has her theological formation at Londrina Biblical Seminary

Institute (ISBL).  She served as a pastor until marriage and

has since served jointly with Maki in a pastoral capacity. 

They have four children.

In addition to his pastoral role, Pastor Maki serves on the

interdenominational Evangelical Pastors Federation of

Brazil  (FENB), networking with leadership in various Nikkei

denominations in the country.

On September 7th of this year, Pastor Suzuki was officially

recognized by the Holiness Church of Brazil at its General

Assembly to serve as the JEMS National Coordinator in Brazil. 

We are happy and blessed to have Pastor Maki serving with

JEMS. He will continue to serve as the senior pastor of the

São José dos Campos Evangelical Holiness Church.  Please

pray for the responsibilities he will assume.

New and Ongoing Ministries in South America Rev John Katagi, Director of South America Missions

FROM ARGENTINA

Letter from Guillermo HokamaGuillermo Hokama, senior elder of the Iglesia Evangélica

Japonesa of Buenos Aires writes: Last Friday our dear friend,

Pastor John Katagi visited us again traveling from Paraguay

and Brazil.

Despite his state of health and the dialysis to which he is

subjected, he was with us providing leadership training on

Saturday morning and instilling a vision for joint ministry

activities in the future together with the Evangelical Holiness

Church of Brazil. On Sunday he ministered the Word of God

to both congregations, in Japanese and in Spanish through

interpreters.

SOUTH AMERICA MISSIONS

LEADERSHIP TR AINING AND JAPANESE WORSHIP SERVICE

Spheres of Influence Jon Liu, Director of AACF (College Ministries)

AACF

All Christians are on mission. As disciples each of us have

received the Great Commission from Jesus Christ, “Go

therefore and make disciples of all nations…” (Matt 28:19). We

have been called and are sent to proclaim the Gospel to the

corners of the earth. You can be light in the neighborhoods

and in the communities where God has placed you. Think

about your spheres of influence; where can you make an

impact for God’s glory?

College is a significant disrupter. It pulls young people out of

their comfort zone and places them in a whole new world: new

city, new people, new schedule, new found independence,

new challenges, and new opportunities. Outside their comfort

zone, these college students test (affirm, adopt, amend, and

abandon) the values they were taught. Part of the ministry

of AACF is to help these young people align their values with

Scripture, with the true Gospel. AACF wants young people to

become a disciple of Jesus Christ; we guide them to embrace

the truth of the Gospel. This is AACF’s sphere of influence.

Our mission is to proclaim the gospel on the college campus

so that people’s lives will be changed; we want to educate

and equip them for service and witness in their spheres of

influence. God has placed them in a new sphere to impact

them and their new community.

In recent years God has been expanding AACFs’ spheres of

influences. In the last three years, God has blessed us with

four new chapters: USC, UW Bothell, CSU Northridge, and CSU

Fresno. We are currently at 20 AACF chapters, representing

nearly 700 students. God has connected us with ministries in

Japan and Hawaii. In the last two years we have sent 10 short

term teams to Japan, including Hawaii, to serve churches

4

and ministries overseas. Each new AACF chapter represents

students, campus ministers, and local churches who have

responded to God’s call to make disciples. Each ministry or

church that AACF works with overseas is an opportunity to

make an impact in a new sphere. Two of our short term team

members have committed to spend a year in Japan: Joanna

Tien (AACF UCLA) has started her yearlong commitment and

is currently serving in Aso. Jocelyn Leung (AACF UCSB) is in

the training and fundraising process to serve for a year in

Sendai. Pray for them as they continue step outside of their

comfort zone to do ministry in a different country that has

so few Christians.

Who has God placed in your life to so that they can hear and experience the Gospel

through you?

It is exciting to see God grow and deepen of the ministry of

AACF. God is asking us to go beyond our comfort zone: to go

overseas, to continue to pioneer and plant ministries, and

to continue to develop partnership with local churches and

ministries. We are better together. Together, we bring glory

to God.

Who has God placed in your life to empower you? Who has

God placed in your life to so that they can hear and experience

the Gospel through you?

You, our prayer supporters have empowered us. You’ve

emboldened us to continue to do the good work which God

has prepared for us. Many of you are also generous donors.

Your sacrificial gifts have allowed us to provide our staff

and students with resources such as training to be more

effective for Christ on their college campus. Thank you for

empowering us to reach the college campus with the life-

changing message of Jesus Christ.

as I trust. Knowing in whom my hand is held– He is hope,

strength and assurance.

I have not walked this path alone, but with travelers

with a shared heart and purpose. Beloved companions

together we journey with Christ. I am grateful for your

friendship, prayers, gifts for support and living out the

gospel together. What a privilege to have taken that first

step, a walk, that has turned to years and now decades.

This is life as God intended together with God the Creator,

the Risen Lord Jesus, and the promised Holy Spirit in the

company of the ever-increasing Family of God. To God

be the glory!

“Now faith, hope and love remain, but the greatest of

these is love” I Cor. 13:13

In His grace,

5

PACIFIC NORTHWEST MINISTRIES

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ – this is my last entry

for the JEMS Journal as I complete my service as the PNW

Regional Director for JEMS and AACF at the end of 2019. I

have come to love the labyrinth as a path for prayer. I will

use its design to capture my thoughts and heart.

The journey is a privilege – to take that first step…to

breathe, smile, cry, and sigh, to listen, express, wonder

and hope. It is a journey in – moving toward the center.

Slowing down and becoming aware of self, meaning and

call. Thoughts and feelings emerge as one ‘communes’

with God in this sacred space. Once at the center –

“Stop. Rest. Be.” I am re-centered with God. With mind

stilled and heart wide open - to listen and receive gifts

of peace, assurance and love. The eyes of my heart gaze

toward the heavens -the eternal things. Fresh winds of

the Spirit meet me as I bow down to kneel for the fields

of the harvest. Arise, begin again, one foot in front of the

other - journey out. Stepping forward with a lighter load

Labyrinth Walk at Warm Beach 2019Rev. Carolyn Shimabukuro

v

Is it...• Not in running condition and you don’t need it?

• Attached to many fond memories and occupying space?

• A car you wanted to restore, but you haven't had time?

When you donate your vehicle to JEMS, you choose which ministry or fund to donate to. Includes free towing and processing of DMV paperwork!

Vehicles donated and sold on or before Dec. 31 may be claimed in 2019 taxes!

Extend the life of your automobile!

2019—2020

JEMS Event Calendar2019

October 6—December 8

WINTER BASKETBALL LEAGUEStevenson Park: 17400 Lysander Dr, CarsonThere are 3 leagues each year. Email: info@jems.org

December 7, 4:30pm

SOCAL FEDERATION— JEMS NICHIGO CHRISTMAS GOSPEL CONCERTFaith United Methodist Church: 2115 West 182nd Street, Torrance

2020

2020 SOUTH AMERICA MISSION TEAMS(1.09% OF THE POPULATION IS ASIAN)

Team composition may be made of church teams, campus ministries, or assembling a team of interested individuals.

Interested? Contact Rev. John Katagi: 213.613.0022Email: john_ken_po@yahoo.com

Join Our Elite Group!

The mailing of 10,000 JEMS Journal is very expensive. Partner with us to save trees and postage costs! JEMS is also asking those on our international mailing lists to join our email family for JEMS newsletters, prayer letters and event notifications.

Thank you very much, JEMS

February 20—22

19TH ANNUAL RJC INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE“Let Light Shine Out of Darkness”

Calvery Chapel La Habra: 1370 S Euclid St, La HabraRegistration: www.RJCNetwork.orgInfo: 916.698.8336

Speakers: Pr. Noritaka Kunisawa, Texas Int. CCPr. Makoto Fukuda, Grace City Church, Tokyo, Japan

April 4

JEMS CO-ED VOLLEBALL TOURNAMENTLong Beach City College Gymnasium4901 East Carson Street, Long Beach

Registration opens: February 4, 2020.Registration forms: jems.org/general-eventsRegistration deadline: March 16, 2020 Full registration: 25 teams, 5 pools

June 28—July 4

MOUNT HERMON CONFERENCEFamily Camp and Nichigo Camp Jr High, Inter High, Sr High, College

and Special Camps

Registration: Opens end of January

An easy way to

support our ministries!

info@JEMS.org 213.613.0022

Email your information to: Info@JEMS.org(and save a tree)

8

God has blessed many of us financially. God also desires

that we be stewards (managers) of those finances. God

desires that we re-invest his blessings into Kingdom

work. He wants us to accomplish the Great Commission

(Mt. 28:18-20). JEMS is actively doing this here and

abroad. Currently, we are creating a giving campaign

which will multiply your donation to directly impact our

missionaries in Japan, our ministries in South America,

our AACF student leaders and the Mount Hermon

summer conference. Please be in prayer to see if

God would desire you to participate in this year-end

investment. More information to follow!

Year-End Investment Opportunity…