Greetings from Hitachinaka, Japan.
At the end of September of this year we will be returning home to Canada, 33 years after our initial appointment to Japan in 1992. We will spend October to December, 2025 visiting with family, looking for an apartment in the Waterloo area, and setting said apartment up for the next step in God’s plan for us. After all these years in Japan, the only things we have stored in Canada is Rob’s fishing stuff! We will ship a few boxes of sentimental value through the amazing Japan Post Office. The rest of our “earthly goods” will be given away or tossed!
Kathryn has been offered a missionary position on the recently formed Fellowship International Peer Care Team. She already has been doing this kind of ministry informally with missionaries here in Japan, but is seeking God’s leading as far as continuing with Fellowship International. Please be in prayer for her concerning this. We hope to finish well here in Japan, and we will set up in Canada before Kath makes any decision on peer care work.
From January-August of 2026 we will visit our 25 supporting churches spread out from Ottawa to Cranbrook, and hopefully connect with many of our individual supporters as well. Some have been with us on this journey from the beginning.
But we are far from finished in Japan, though the time seems to be slipping away. Rob has been keeping up his regular preaching ministry in 5 small churches, and focusing on our original church-planting work in Hitachi City. Pastors are very hard to come by in Japan, but Hitachi, after many years, seems to have found their first. The second-floor apartment of the church, built by volunteers from Canada in 1998 was in disrepair, but Rob and an elder in the church, Mr. Yatabe, have been spending each Monday renovating the apartment to be ready for this new step for Hitachi. This has been fun for Rob, and has been a chance to disciple one and other.
Kathryn is starting up a new Discovery Bible Study this Sunday evening with two ladies H and J. They are a mother daughter duo. We first met H 20 years ago when she was a regular at the outreach we held in our home. Last year she asked if Kath would teach her and her mom English. That started a year ago and when they heard the classes were coming to an end they asked if they could continue via zoom. Kath declined but as they kept asking, Kath offered a DBS style English class which means an investment in preparation time on their part. They are enthusiastic to meet in person for now.
Let me experience your faithful love in the morning, for I trust in you. Reveal to me the way I should go because I appeal to you. Psalm 143:8
We meet with all sorts of reactions to our retirement. Kath’s “sort of Christian” Japanese friend who is sad to say good-bye was quite shocked at a Bible verse Kath recited to her and said to Rob, “Kath is more powerful than Jesus!” What?!?! Kath’s long time hair dresser who is, in her own words non-religious whispered “Are you going to retire because the Pope died?” Once again, another opportunity to tell the story of Jesus. Please pray for Japan!
One thing we will be needing to find is a vehicle when we arrive at least for the short-term. If anyone has a lead in this area we are looking to buy a used car. Thank you so much for your continued support as we make this big transition. We have been in Japan over half of our lives.
With gratitude,
Rob and Kathryn