Tsushima Volunteer Mission Report – April 2022
Jehovah-Jireh
Praise be to the name of the Lord! Ten years have passed since we moved to Tsushima to share God’s love with the islanders who do not know the Lord.
When we first came to this small remote island of Japan, I was really worried every day about whether I would be able to make a living as a volunteer missionary without a fixed salary and whether I would be able to support my family. But looking back over the past 10 years, the Lord has indeed met all our needs in wondrous ways and paved the way for us in the wilderness.
Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established. Proverbs 16:3
The Lord has answered our prayers and given us facilities to help children who cannot go to school, as well as farms to provide healthy fruits and vegetables to the islanders. When we prayed for a car that would not cost much for fuel to take a disabled person to the hospital free of charge, the Lord also provided us with an electric car that could take us to and from the hospital at less than half the cost of a gasoline-powered car.
Looking back, I am convinced that each of these events are miracles from God. And because the Lord always walks with us, we have been able to continue working as volunteer missionaries for 10 years. I would also like to thank our brothers and sisters in the Lord who have supported us and prayed for us.
Beautiful Japanese Spring Awakens
The cherry blossoms started blooming here last week and the weather has been warm every day. In spring, various plants begin to wake up, reminding us of the strength of life that God has given us.
Also, every year around the end of March, comes the very moving sight of more than 10,000 cranes flying over our house from Kagoshima in the south of Japan on the way back to Russia. Migratory birds have no borders or conflicts, and their flight back to their home in Siberia is so impressive that it seems to give us hope that one day we too will return to our heavenly home with Jesus.
On March 18, the graduation ceremony for Hiro, a child we have been supporting, was held at the Educational Support Center.
Although there was only one student, the graduation ceremony was attended by the principal of the local elementary school, Hiro’s family, and supporters, making it a very heartwarming event. When he was in the third grade, he was so scared of many things that he could not even get his hair cut, and it was hard for him to talk to strangers. In the 6th grade, he never missed an activity with me because of God’s help and guidance.
Little Boy Pilot Gets Courage
In fact, Hiro has been practicing flying on an airplane simulator for about a year now, with the goal of flying a radio-controlled airplane on his graduation day. He had crashed more than 1,000 times in the simulator, but he still practiced and worked hard for the real thing. Finally, after the graduation ceremony, we went to a large rice field nearby with his family. On the way to the rice paddies, however, fear suddenly overcame Hiro, and he lost confidence, fearing that he would crash the plane and destroy it. But he prayed with his mother for God to give him courage. We also encouraged him that even if he crashed and broke the plane, he could try again.
However, when we arrived at the rice field, the wind was stronger than expected that day and it did not look like we would be able to fly the plane safely. So I prayed to God for a flight, and gradually the wind subsided. I was so thankful to God and strengthened by His presence, that at first I flew the plane for him. When I handed the transmitter to Hiro, he was so nervous at first that he almost crashed. But gradually, his courage grew and he was able to fly the plane and finally land it successfully. His father and mother were overjoyed, and his sister was so moved that she shed tears.
Just as God gave the boy David courage, God also gave Hiro courage and he was able to feel the joy of achieving his goal. If it is God’s will, we hope that he will have a big dream to become a missionary pilot working for the gospel mission in the future.
We need your continued support and prayers to help children like Hiro in our school. From the new fiscal year in April, we will be busy again with educational support activities and farm work, but we will remember the Lord in each of these activities and put Him first as we walk this year.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the Lord and depart from evil.
It will be health to your flesh,
And strength to your bones.
Proverbs 3:5-9
How to Help
If you would like to assist the work of Tsushima Volunteer Mission, you can give directly to Kimiyoshi and his family via PayPal which enables donations to be received more expeditiously.
Or if you prefer, you can donate via Gospel Ministries International which will provide you with a tax deductible receipt. You will find the contact information and links for these two options below. To give directly to Kimiyoshi for the Tsushima Mission Project via PayPal please click here.
OR
Make checks payable to:
Gospel Ministries International
Send checks to:
GMI (Gospel Ministries International)
P O Box 506,
Collegedale, TN 37315-0506
(Be sure to specify donation is for “Japan Christian Service Int’l†(JCSI)
Online Donations:
You can donate online through paypal: https://gospelministry.org/donations/
And select “Japan Christian Service Int’l (JCSI) Projectâ€
Phone: 423-473-1841 Ask for Tim Tillman
Thank you for your prayers and support!
