Some History

Below is a letter I wrote to Toru in 1999. He and Talo were still in Hawaii, preparing to come plant new Hope Tokyo. Talo recently found it while going through some old files. Things have taken longer than I thought they would, and Tomomi and I aren't a "childless couple" any more, but it's amazing how close the letter is to what is actually happening almost six years later.

August 5 [1999]

Dear Toru,

Thanks for the phone call the other day. It’s always great to talk and pray with a bro in the Lord. I’ve been thinking a lot about the move to Tokyo and the new church. I’m interested to know what you and Talo are thinking that our (Tomomi and I) roles and responsibilities will be.

I’m doing a lot of dreaming and thinking, but I’d like to know if it fits with the overall vision of New Hope Tokyo and our roles as you see it. We are particularly interested in working with children (especially preschool age). Here is what I’m thinking so far:

• A Sunday School program for preschool children. Something fun, simple interactive, easy to understand, and especially, Christ-centered. We want to teach people from a very young age that Jesus is relevant to every area of their lives, not just Sunday mornings.

• A child-raising class/support/care group for parents with young children. Parents these days in Japan (and everywhere else) need help raising godly well-balanced children.

• Family activities for young families. I think it is important for families to fellowship together, not just adults with adults and children with children.

Out of these church activities and the experience gained from them, I believe that with God-led vision and planning, over time, a preschool (youchien or hoikuen) will develop. A preschool and Sunday School program has many advantages over a Sunday School program alone. For example:

• In a preschool we can disciple children in God’s ways five days a week throughout the whole curriculum, not just “Bible time.” This will have a much greater impact on their loves.

• A preschool will attract non-Christian families in ways that church never will. If we run an excellent international preschool and produce graduates who are well-equipped for elementary school, parents will gladly send their children to us whether they are already Christian or not.

• PTA and parenting seminars will make natural friendships between non-Christian parents, and Christian parents and teachers.

Of course all this is just dreams now. It is subject to the approval and covering of leadership, and there is no way that Tomomi and I can even begin to do all of this ourselves. (How could a childless couple teach a child-raising class?!?!) It would take a large group of people moving in unity, but at least the seeds are there in our hearts and, who knows, maybe other people's as well.

For the time being, we are planning to move to Tokyo in early November. I want to continue my Japanese studies there, and I’m thinking about starting an afternoon English [the letter continues on a second page which is lost].