FLEMINGS SAY GOODBYE TO JAPAN.
This is our final prayer update from Japan, our home for 32 years. The Yatabe’s, friends for 30 years from our Hitachi church plant will drive us to the airport on September 18. In 1988 we came on a one-year teaching assignment and were appointed long term in 1992. After over half our lives in Japan we are sad to leave, and thankful we came.
Rob’s regular preaching ministry in five small Japanese churches has come to an end, as has his 20-year involvement at a Japanese seminary. His vegetable garden near our house has a new caretaker. Pray that these churches, with only one soon to retire pastor between them, averaging 25 believers each would continue to grow and wreak havoc on the kingdom of darkness. We enjoyed wonderful farewell parties with each church, but wonder what the future holds for them. During these past five years there have been a few new believers added and some Christians have been growing in their faith.
Kathryn’s situation is different. She has seen God do some special things over the past 5 years, and some of her Discovery Bible Studies (DBS) will carry on without her. She will also continue some via Zoom from Canada. Two Christian ladies will continue to meet and are praying how God might use them to reach out to people who are occasional attenders at church and close to following Jesus.
Miss Y has been meeting with Kathryn regularly for the past 5 years. They combine walking in the park with DBS; physical, spiritual, and emotional health focus has been transformational in their lives. Recently Y said, “I can’t really grasp the miracle of Jesus healing the man’s cut off ear, but I see the way God is helping you, and providing for you as you transition back to Canada and isn’t that a miracle!”
Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful. 1Thessalonians 5:23,24
Kathryn wants a disciple making movement to happen in Japan and has been praying and working to that end. At our annual missionary retreat in April, Kath said in our retirement send-off, “I wanted to see a movement but there is no movement.” She was rebuked by a Japanese Christian colleague who has been doing Discovery Bible Studies since Kathryn introduced it to her just one year before. Here is her kind rebuke. “My DBS is going great! We celebrated 1 year together in May. We started with 3 members, now we have 8 members, all unchurched ladies! Two more ladies want to join the group. While it is a good problem, I am thinking the best thing is to split the group in two so we could have rich Bible study time for everyone. All the members are thankful to have local DBS group.” Another Japanese missionary asked her about DBS last summer so she explained it to her. This lady started using DBS and several women came to faith in Christ through that study! Pray for more Japanese Christian women to take up the challenge.
Fellow missionary Janet Brown’s stained glass farewell gift with these words etched in from the hymn, “The Love of God is Greater Far”.
Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made;
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.
So, what is next? We pray and are confident that God has more good things in store for us! The first step is to get back to Canada. We have already shipped 20 boxes door-to-door via the Japan Post Office’s wonderful sea-mail service. Kath’s sister and her husband have kindly agreed to receive the 25kg boxes and us in Wasaga Beach until we can find an apartment to rent long term. We hope to find a place in the Kitchener/Waterloo area, close to family. We realized when packing the boxes that all we have waiting for us in Canada is Rob’s fishing stuff! We have been gone a while. We hope to be settled in Waterloo by the end of 2025.
We will need a car soon after arriving in Canada. If you know of something used and reasonable for sale or to loan short term, connecting us to a vehicle would be a BIG help! We have benefited from “furlough car help” so many times in past years, but since this is our last home assignment, things are a bit different.
Yes, home assignment. From January-August 2026, we hope to visit our 25 supporting churches and individual supporters one last time. Most have supported us for 30 years or more! We are asking, realizing churches have mission policies that might prevent continuing ongoing support during this final home assignment, that support could continue until August of 2026. If not, we understand completely, and are just full of thanks to God for all our supporters for being a part of God’s work in Japan and for keeping us here for so long!
With Gratitude,
Rob and Kathryn Fleming
Tess and Jacob continue to live and work in Toronto with Raphael turning two in September. Grady and Britt are Fellowship International missionaries in Manila with Mia who turns two in October. Baby #2 expected to arrive in February. Julia is living in Waterloo and working most days in Toronto or St. Thomas.
Nana and Jiiji (Japanese for grampa) enjoying a visit in June with Mia in Japan.
