Connecting for Ministry in a Socially Distanced World

Globalization—and the current pandemic—have tied together intercontinental personal relationships and socially distanced ministry in ways we would have found difficult to imagine not so many years ago.

The following true story from one of our Asian Access Japan staff highlights how intercontinental friendships and digital media can partner together in ministry even in a “shelter in place” world. Thank you for your prayers for our Asian Access family as our members share God’s love through every means possible.

Here is their story I wanted to share with you...

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A Japanese university not far from our current home in Japan has had a sister school relationship with my alma mater in the USA for over 50 years. Decades ago, before my husband and I responded to God’s call to serve overseas, we were a “friendship family” to four young women from this university who were involved in short-term studies at my alma mater.

The sister school relationship continues today, and every year dozens of international students participate in the USA study program. Thirty-five years ago, little did we know that we would (unofficially) become a “friendship family” again, and this time in the home country of two students in the program!

How did that happen? At the beginning of this year we met Mariko* and Kimiko*, who at the end of 2019 had just completed their USA study program. Even before they returned to Japan, a married couple at our home church in the USA contacted us about these two young women. The couple serves as volunteer InterVarsity staff reaching out to international students at my alma mater.

So when Mariko and Kimiko attended a Christmas outreach at our friends’ home last December, the wife was surprised to learn that Kimiko lives in our city! Mariko lives a bit further away, but she can get to our home within an hour by train. Both said they would love to connect with us and gave permission for us to have their email addresses.

We got in contact with them, but Kimiko was busy with family activities upon her return to Japan. So over the New Year’s break, Mariko, who is outgoing, loves meeting new people, and takes every opportunity to practice her English, came by herself for lunch and a fun afternoon hanging out. During her time in the USA, Mariko had heard the gospel several times. That afternoon, we found that Mariko seems to be noncommittal about faith in general, but says, “My family is Buddhist. I don’t necessarily believe in the traditions we practice, but they are important for me as a Japanese person.”

In February, both Mariko and Kimiko came for lunch. Kimiko was more reserved than Mariko, but she seemed to be more interested in spiritual discussions. Kimiko told us she had been reading the Bible that our friends had given her, but had many questions. At the end of the visit we gave both Mariko and Kimiko Japanese copies of Manga Messiah (a life of Jesus presented in visual book style that so far has been translated into 27 languages).

Our next planned meeting was in March, but as concern about the spread of coronavirus disease had begun to increase, Mariko decided not to come because of how many people she would come into contact with on her train ride to our house.

But Kimiko could get to our home in about fifteen minutes by bicycle, so she was happy to take her turn to come by herself. We were able to share the gospel with Kimiko that day and she seemed to connect intellectually with it. More importantly, she agreed to meet with us again to study more. But with the option of meeting in person no longer possible with the spread of COVID-19, Kimiko welcomed a weekly Bible study with us by video. We’ve already had three meetings with Kimiko, and each time she thanks us for this time of introductory Bible lessons explaining the gospel.

At the same time, we began weekly “keeping in touch” video chats with Mariko and Kimiko together—meeting more often than we would have in person! Amidst all that is terrible about this coronavirus disease, we’re looking forward to seeing how God will “work this together for good” in our accelerated relationships with these two university students.

*Not their real names

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Rev. Joseph W. Handley, Jr., Ph.D.
President

Joe Handley This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
@jwhandley
@jwhandley

Content Original Link:
https://asianaccess.org/latest/blogs/from-the-president-blog/1720-connecting-for-ministry-in-a-socially-distanced-world

This is Why We Go Together

Our value for community and the importance of partnership

We often exhort one another at A3 with the proverb, “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” While the exact origins of this proverb are murky, the truth of it is undeniable: for sustainable ministry (and really, life in general), we need each other.

And just days before departing with our 2023 Summer Short-Term Team, I experienced this truth in a profound way.

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For several years, you’ve become familiar with new ministry streams such as A3.business and Young Professionals. But today, I am excited to announce that our missionaries in Japan have a new descriptive name. We are now calling them “Missional Partners”.

Beauty Before Me

As much as I’ve tried to process, ponder, and pick stuff apart, I’ll simply say for now that the last seven years or so have been disorienting. I won’t go as far as to say I’ve been deconstructing, as that word is a bit loaded and a lot dramatic compared to what I’ve been doing. At the same time, I don’t want to understate the amount of disappointment, confusion, shock, anger (occasionally bordering on rage), and deep sadness I have felt toward certain branches of the stream of Christianity I’m a part of. Perhaps detangling is a better term. But I’m not wanting to go into that a ton here. Not yet anyway. 

What I am wanting to do is practice being more of a noticer—seeing people who don’t seem to be flailing around in choppy waters like me but instead are more like anchors. People like my mom: a woman who is stable and steady, who sees similar things as me, yet keeps on watering her flowers, making food for people, playing the organ at church, showing up for her friends, and volunteering at a thrift store that employs people in the penitentiary system. She keeps on making music, meals, and memories, keeps on listening to Reactionary, Big Feeling Me, and keeps on being her steady self.

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A3 (formerly Asian Access) began decades ago with a thriving short-term summer program called Scrum Dendo. Every summer, multiple teams would come to Japan, partner with Japanese churches, and create bridges to each community through English language outreach.

At the beginning of 2020, we had high hopes of reviving these summer mission teams, partnering with churches who wanted to do major outreach work surrounding the Tokyo Olympics.

We had no clue what was coming that year.

I Come Bearing Gifts

For over a decade, February 1, 2011, remained memorialized in my mind as my “Japanniversary,” the day God took me to Japan, one month before the Triple Disaster. Each passing year, I have acknowledged this date in some way—karaoke with friends, a Facebook post, or a quiet prayer to God.

But 2022 was the year I wrapped up over a decade of life in Japan and moved “home.” In 2023, to recall my arrival date in Japan, I had to look at my 手帳 (techō, my pocket schedule book). I was too late! The day, March 16, had passed by me without so much as a wink.

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FROM THE PRESIDENT

Stories from Joe Handley, president of A3