Ministry Updates and News from the Mehns
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…
We are not yet used to Thanksgiving or Christmas traditions in the US. But we are anxious to set new traditions during this transition to living back in the USofA. The decorations are already up with lights soon to illumine our house on John St. in Pecatonica, Illinois. This Saturday the city has a Christmas parade that goes right by our house. Pray as we share this global Christ with our new friends in our…
PRAISE God for the great trip to see all our friends at Fox River Baptist in Appleton last month. We enjoyed sharing updates from our lives and ministries. PRAISE God for the over 120 people that took part in the 2021 Church Multiplication Vision Festa online 11/27. So many great stories of church reproduction, training in disciplemaking, and new initiatives for growing the church in Japan. Pray that next year there will be an face-to-face…
“John, you cannot retire”, I was advised by several people that I admire. They saw my role in ministry in Japan and beyond as being too crucial to just abruptly stop. My family also knew that I could not just stop working and tinker with my hobbies. So we prayed and God led John to this new ministry of continuing many of our connections and John joining the Converge’s Asia Impact Team to broaden the…
PRAISE We have been really encouraged in locating a home church this month. Nothing but good news. PRAY Several weeks ago John got an invite to attend the Global Church Planting Network (GCPN) global facilitators gathering in London this month. John will be representing the East Asia region which includes Japan. This came as a short notice as travel is now starting to open up. This will mean more ministry opportunities. Our partner is South…