We need leaders today about whom we say, “They were lost in God!” - C.B. Samuel
A few weeks ago, Asian Access held our Global Leaders’ Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia. It was one of the best summit gatherings of my nearly eight years of ministry with Asian Access! The fellowship and partnership with one another across eleven nations is strong, the sense of community grows year after year, and the mutual support and rallying behind one another is second to none. We had a powerful week together. One of the highlights is captured in this quote above by C.B. Samuel who helped start Asian Access/India and who serves on our India Council of Reference. Each day C.B. shared...
Being in India this week has truly inspired me. The alumni caught the vision of being community and even more importantly of living in a love relationship with God: They are ALL IN with God and they LIVE Community! They are also all committed to Accelerating Kingdom Leaders
BUT, it’s important to note that this only flows out of our/their...
I had the privilege of welcoming the newest group of graduates to the Asian Access family yesterday: “a vibrant community of servant leaders… leading the Church across Asia… to unite the Church, multiply leaders and congregations, and extend the transforming power of the Gospel.”
This group inspired me as they shared the...
Last week, the Asian Access family gathered for a rich community experience. We were in Jakarta, Indonesia for our Global Leaders’ Summit. What a fantastic week we had together. It was one of my all-time favorite summits!
What made it so special? - COMMUNITY!
This is one of our three core values at Asian Access: We LIVE Community! You...
Asian Access recently reviewed our values as a mission. What a fascinating journey and valuable learning experience it was! We spent hours in dialog throughout the movement at every level: volunteers, staff, alumni, faculty, board and reference council. It was nothing short of amazing to see things come together. As we honed the various nuances and prioritized down to three core characteristics, we came up with three core values. The first is...
I’ve been reading a lot of news lately… The election has been on my mind a fair amount and most of you know where I stand there. At this point, it’s looking like I’ll be voting for a third party candidate or making a write in vote!
More important than all of that though, is what I’ve been reading about where the world...
Several times while teaching for Asian Access, I am reminded of this quote by Brother Lawrence who reminds us of how we can always be in God’s presence, even in the most mundane tasks. As I head to India tomorrow, this rings true once again as the community there washes the dishes together after every meal. It’s their corporate way of reminding themselves that they are servant leaders as pastors, husbands, and fathers. This same practice happens across many of our countries...
Last year Asian Access made a pivotal and strategic shift. We changed the role of one of our vice presidents. Why?
The world is changing rapidly. The Global Church has shifted from West to East and from North to South and we have entered a new era of missional engagement. It is no longer from the West to the rest as many have pointed out. Rather,...
I felt an urgency to get this letter to you immediately! A generous, kindhearted donor has recently offered a $100,000 matching gift for earthquake relief in Southwest Japan. So now I want to give you an opportunity to respond to this huge need, starting with assisting Pastor Yoji Nakamura of Kumamoto Harvest Church. But let me provide some...
From Jakarta, Joe Handley puts a wrap on the A2 Global Leaders' Summit:"Thank you everyone for praying for us this week we've been here in Jakarta, Indonesia for our Global Leaders Summit with Asian Access and it has been a fantastic week... C.B. Samuel from India has been investing deeply in our lives, helping us grow stronger in Christ, grow stronger in community, and helping us as we build capacity of those leaders that we work with, so that we can be about investing those things in others' lives across the Asia. Today folks are going home to twelve different countries, and I pray that...
Dear Friends,
I asked Yoshiya Hari, Assistant National Director of Asian Access Japan about his highlight from day 3 of the Global Leaders' Summit wrapping up in Jakarta. Yoshiya was honored to lead worship—the first time he's ever done so in English—today for the group of leaders from a dozen countries.
Yoshiya appreciated C.B. Samuel he...
Throughout the week, I share the story about my faith journey A LOT. As a mobilizer with SIM, I’m one of the first conversations people have with us as they seek to discern God’s calling for them in His kingdom work around the world. An important part of every conversation is getting to share my journey and inviting the person on the call to share theirs.
A favorite line I like to share in my story is “If you don’t have a firm sense of your identity in Christ, and you don’t have a firm sense of His calling on your life, then you probably shouldn’t try to teach middle school English!”
I first heard about what God was doing on your campus on Friday, February 10. At the SIM USA sending office, we take our motto By Prayer very seriously. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, we come together corporately for a chapel service to pray over each one of our fields and our missionaries. On Mondays and Fridays, we do the same, but this time we gather in smaller groups by our departments. One of my coworkers brought up what God was doing on your campus, and we began to pray for you.
By Linda Koyama
Hi, I’m Linda. Nice to meet you. I’m currently writing from Yamagata, Japan, where my family is partnering with a local church. You’ve probably never heard of Yamagata. Don’t worry, neither did I until it was presented as one of the potential prefectures we’d be serving in.
So where exactly is Yamagata? Think north of Tokyo about 200 miles (300 kilometers), or a 4 1/2 hour drive by car. It’s in the southern part of the Tohoku region, closer to the Japan Sea side (rather than the Pacific Ocean side). It’s definitely not one of Japan’s hot tourist spots, but this region is known for its ski slopes, onsens, and delicious fruits.
By Tia Blassingame
Okay, if you look like me you probably started singing that song title and know exactly where I got it from. Perfect, because it has been playing in my head all week! This is truly a different world. Right now, I am at a homestay with my onēsan (pronounced ohnay-sahn) and her family. That term right there is already different vocabulary for you I’m assuming. Onēsan is “older sister” and a “homestay” is when you stay overnight (or more than one night) with a family. In basic “Tia terms” (that’s me), I’m at a sleepover with my sis and her fam. Let me backtrack a bit...
Leaving what I’ve found:
You helped me find my true self.
Wishing you were here.
During one of my first annual Asian Access retreats in Japan, Dr. Sue Takamoto led all of us first-term missionaries through a special training specifically designed for our experience. One of her warm-up exercises had us flexing some of our creative muscles: we were to write haiku that showcased our experiences during our first term. I wrote the above haiku for my church family back home in St. Louis.
By Kent Muhling
I sometimes pray Psalm 143:8 at the beginning of my morning devotions. It reads,
“Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,
for in you I trust.
Make me know the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul.”
International (A3) — Asian Access, known widely as A2, is expanding its ministry into some of the most dangerous and volatile parts of the world.
February 3, 2023
Friends of Asian Access,
I am thrilled to announce today that Asian Access has a new name. I have been waiting a long time to tell you, and I have simply been bursting to get this out there!
February 3 (2.3.23) is the day we have targeted to share the news of the ministry's expansion which is also driving the moment for a new name for the organization. I think you'll agree it's a wonderful connection to the past and a bridge to the next era of ministry to which we're called. Stay tuned for this exciting news!
go2japan is proudly sponsored by a strategic partnership for Japan . . .
