December Newsletter

                 “This last day of waiting,” Albert texted me, “is so intense.” I knew exactly the nervousness he meant. Within 24 hours we would know if a path was opened to Japan or if we would go to Hawaii. An email soon came saying that our liaison had talked with the Japanese Immigration Office. After 4 months of waiting a decision had been made on our visas, but we would not know the result for another day. This was a huge answer to prayer; we could move forward sure that God had opened or closed the door.
                I sat wrapped in a blanket on a conference call with the team when our months of waiting came to an end. Our visas to Japan were denied. It was a huge disappointment to all of us. Our hearts had touched by the needs in Tokyo and a love of the culture. I think we all wondered what God could accomplish by sending us to Hilo, Hawaii. You can read more about our leadership’s decision in the letter from Shane on the back. In the midst of my life and ministry being clearly re-routed by God, I found myself doubting His care for my heart.
                Arijaan scrambled to buy plane tickets for us, the team met in LA for a few days of planning, and not even a week had passed before we were on a plane to Hilo, the big island. We were met at the airport by Lehua and Mat, two students at the University of Hawaii - Hilo, who draped us in leis (picture on the left). They offered to drive all of us and our baggage to an inn which Neil, the owner, had offered at a great rate for the week. Our coming here continues to be blessed by God.
                The next day I wrote in my journal, “I wondered not if God would use us – it was clear He had something in mind – but if He cared for me aside from my position as leader and servant. With that doubt in my heart, I find there is no fitter land for God to show me the opposite is true and woo me with His love.” The island evidences God in its natural beauty, but the work of the gospel is far from done.
                Pray that the current mesh of Asian and New Age religions holding the islands be overtaken by the Kingdom of God. Pray for us as we navigate a highly spiritual but ungodly culture. I praise God that He has planned and directed our steps, and thank you for your partnership in sharing the gospel. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
                                                                                -Sarah

Thanks to all of you who prayed for me and my team over the weekend. On Tuesday, just before we were going to make the decision to to do ministry somewhere outside Japan, we got a call from our Japanese liaison. Long story short they received our paperwork from the government, but we were all denied work visas. That allowed us to move forward on our alternate location with full confidence that the door to Tokyo was closed. Though not the answer we were hoping for, peace about our decision was a huge answer to prayers.
So on Tuesday I will be leaving to the next closest place where thankfully we can skip time processing visas: Hilo, Hawaii. There are a lot of reasons Hilo was chosen by our leadership, not the least of which is the large Japanese population, but I wanted to post a letter from Shane:

Thank you so much for your investment in our
Stinter going to Tokyo, Japan. As you may have
heard we found out we will not be able to send to
Tokyo this year. This has never happened before
but we do believe God has clearly shut the door for this current school year. This
situation, the government denying the visas, has been completely out of our
hands. As we have prayed and looked at the needs around the world we have
landed on a new location for your missionary. We do desire to send this team to
a place that will have a direct and strategic impact on Japan.
We will be sending this team to the University of Hawaii, Hilo. For decades
Hawaii has been referred to as "The Gateway to Japan". The cultures are similar
and we believe this will be a great fit for this team. We have one staff couple with
Cru working on both the main UH campus as well as the junior college there.
Our prayer is to have this team do what they were going to do in Japan- share
Jesus with lost students, build them up in their faith, and develop a local-led
ministry. We will intently partner with local churches in reaching students as well.
I am personally excited for this opportunity this team has as I have seen how
students from Hawaii have had a direct impact over the last several years in
reaching students in Japan for Christ. This will be a purposeful year for this
team. We are doing everything we can to provide your young missionary with the
best possible care and support through this situation and for the rest of their year.
We are excited to hear many great stories of how God used this change of
course, and the unchanging mission, for His glory.
Please do not hesitate to call or email me with any questions, thoughts, or
concerns you may have. I am available. Thank you so much for your prayers
and support. God will use this team to build His kingdom.
Gratefully,
          Shane Sebastian

I am excited to be moving forward. The guidance from God has been clear and I am sure the result of our labor will bring Him glory in Hawaii and Japan as well!
More to come,
     -Sarah

November Newsletter

                 November 15^th, the extended deadline for our papers to be processed, went by without word from Japan Emigration or reply to our liaison’s questions about the delay. We’ve been assured that our papers are going to be processed, but there seems to no longer be a timeline for what we can expect. All of this has led our Campus Crusade leadership to see a need for alternative plans. If our papers still have not come from Japan by December 6^th, my team will go to a different country. The decision of what country will be approached this week.
                For me this decision comes as both a relieving end to months of waiting and a disappointment that my desire to minister in Japan may not be realized. Reflecting on the time of waiting, it is so clear to me that God has used it. Since June, God has been telling me that this Stint year would be a refining process. Refining does not happen when things go as you want, but when you learn to want God more than your own plans. As a team we’ve been reading A. W. Tozer’s The Pursuit of God; this quote stuck out to me, “We need not fear that in seeking God only we may narrow our lives or restrict the motions of our expanding hearts. The opposite is true. We can well afford to make God our All, to concentrate, to sacrifice the many for the One.” As I let go of my own plans, I am excited at the potential for these changes to give God glory. It’s going to be an amazing adventure.
                Your prayer as we go into this time is vital! My team is working to set up 24 hours of prayer on Monday; I'll post more on that soon. Pray for wisdom and an understanding of God’s will for Arijaan, Shane, and Cam, the people deciding where we will go.  Pray for Albert, my co-leader, and me as we shepherd the team through this transition. Pray for the people of whatever place we go: Tokyo or another city. Finally, pray that the gospel would go out in Japan; we are not the only missionaries with delayed visas. May God continue to call Christians to go there.
           I am newly excited for the things God has planned! By December 10^th I will post where we are headed.  I’m so thankful for your partnership in the things God has called me to do. God will be glorified.
                                                                                -Sarah