Ministry Updates and News from the Mehns
Ask God to bless the relationships on John’s road trip to Colorado for the Leaders’ Summit, REACH Conference, visiting Churches and partners. PTL for the smooth first trip through Asia in over two years. The airflights actually took John around the world! We were able to navigate the Covid-19 protocols getting in and out of one country, Japan, and the US with visas and permissions. Ask God for the Asia Impact Team to bless the…
After two years of waiting! Finally, John gets to head back to Asia. This month will mean John’s first trip to Asia since the beginning of the pandemic and since we relocated to Northern Illinois in April 2020. FOCUS ON ASIA Visas are received, flights and hotels booked, schedules checked and a bit of packing. Still much training and preaching preparations to continue. John will be gone for about three weeks. Elaine will not be…
Let me introduce one of our friends. Pastor Kee Thang is the pastor of the Myanmar congregation of Crosspoint Church in Rockford, IL. John took part in his ordination council last fall and last weekend his congregation celebrated their 10th anniversary! Pastor Kee assists other Myanmar congregations in Milwaukee Wisconsin and Wheaton and Moline Illinois. He also assists many Myanmar pastors with online training. Please pray for him and his congregation as they seek to…
Please pray for the planning, preparation, flight arrangements and other details for this Asian trip in late April early May. There are always many details to understand and plan. Many online mentoring, Bible study, strategic planning, and other meetings continue for both Elaine and John. Pray as things continue to bust out that John has trips planned to Colorado in June, Pennsylvania & Ohio in July, and several trips to Asia this fall. We asked…
It’s been very weird at home the last two days. Both Elaine and I realize that I am actually going to Asia next month. I have waited two years to go, now it is happening and it is a bit hard to believe. Yesterday we had confirmation from our partners in Asia that our team has rescheduled our trip for late April early May. John will also tag on an important trip to Japan on…
Please pray for the planning, preparation, flight arrangements and other details for this Asian trip in late April early May. So many moving parts. Especially pray for the visas to enter one Asian country. Also pray for the visas to enter Japan (due to Covid regulations). PRAISE Elaine’s new computer was finally repaired, and she is able to meet online with many in Japan and elsewhere. Pray as things continue to bust out that John…
Wisely our national partners in India have postponed John’s training trip this month due to the Covid Omicron variant. The trip is not cancelled so we anticipate our Asia Impact Team (AIT) going in a time frame from March to May. Pray for clarity in these decisions. Even though we are not yet going, God seems to be working several miracles in relation to this trip. With Covid you Pivot. John would have been in…
Due to Covid and winter weather Elaine has had to postpone her Japanese cooking classes. Continue to pray for her Bible studies, some that have been postponed due to her broken computer (being repaired now). Thank you for praying for us and our family. Tim and Beth and her family have all been doing well. The combination of covid prevention and winter makes for interesting weeks. Elaine and John are considering an “away-cation” to Iowa…
Happy New Year! Probably like you, we continue to experience the changes brought on by COVID-19 along with our continuing transition to life and ministry in the US. We love our role changes as non-resident missionaries and movement catalysts. Even the Illinois snow and cold reminds us that we are in a new home. God has much in store for 2022! FOCUS ON ASIA Our team is on the move into Asia in a few…
Continue to pray for John and the AIT members as they prepare for the pastors’ conferences in February. John has been working hard writing another book on “The Japanese as an Unreached People Group.” Pray for John’s use of time and the endurance to complete this vital writing project early this year. Praise to God as we all enjoyed an encouraging visit after Christmas from Elaine’s sister from Kentucky. On January 18th, the Japan Church…