Russell & Sandra Board       

Overseas Ministry Coordinator for Asia              

Missionaries to Japan         

IphcJapan@aol.com

September 2007

Greetings from Japan! Summer is drawing to an end, and we are hopeful that both the temperature and the pace of our schedule will soon be cooling down! Some summer highlights:

BANGLADESH

From KL Russell traveled to Dhaka to do pastoral training and teach in the new Bangladesh Bible Institute. This Bible school opened in February, under the sponsorship of the Mid-Atlantic Conference, who are assisting with curriculum, teachers and funding. Russell was also able to preside over the first ordination of an IPHC minister in Bangladesh. Minister’s licenses were issued to five men, and mission workers’ licenses to twelve candidates, including two women. We thank the Lord for the continued growth of our ministerial force in Bangladesh, who labor faithfully under difficult conditions: poverty, flooding, political instability, and persecution.

PRAYER REQUESTS

¨      Pray for strategies and opportunities to reach out to the hundreds of millions of Muslims living in Indonesia, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and other Asian countries. They need to know the love and grace of God revealed in Jesus Christ!

¨      Pray for the children and youth of Japan, growing up in a society where social structures are disintegrating and most look ahead to a future devoid of hope and meaning.

¨      Asia is home to 60% of the world’s population, and the vast majority of unreached people groups. Pray for more missionaries and resources to be mobilized and channeled to Asia!

MALAYSIA

Russell traveled to Kuala Lumpur in June for the official opening ceremony of the LifeSprings School of Ministry and Prayer Center. This training school uses curriculum developed by the South Carolina Conference School of Ministry, under the leadership of Rev. Dean Morgan. An Associate of Practical Theology degree is awarded to graduates of the three-year program by Advantage Bible College in California. The school will train future pastors and leaders of our churches in Malaysia, as well as missionaries to be sent to other nations in Asia. We thank the Lord that more than forty students have enrolled in the inaugural class!

JAPAN

Immediately upon his return, Russell joined Sandra for a weekend children’s camp, led by our daughter Eryn and her husband Hiro, with assistance from missionary Laura Clark and SOWer Bill Cleary. Some 55 children attended, all from non-Christian families. Following Hiro’s presentation of a simple gospel message, nearly all of the children prayed and asked Jesus to erase the sins in their heart!