Trip to LA

We were enjoying the vacation time at the end/beginning of the years, when everything started up full speed again!  Breaks end so quickly!
I have been on a conference trip to Singapore that I am already back from and just realizing I didn’t get off a prayer request about that!  My bad!
About 40 leaders with CCC in our east asia area and from Orlando HQ with the Jesus film were in Singapore planning and sharing about our next couple years of mass evangelism and movement building strategies.  I was joined from Japan by Weng Kong Loh, who will replace me in these areas for Japan CCC, and Cho Young Sang, who will be assisting him while developing local city networks for evangelism and disciple building (he is working on a model city in Hiratsuka, south of Yokohama).  While for me it was turning over a lot of responsibilities, there were also the reminders of work still on the list of to-do’s!
I spent several good discussion over meal times with the Jesus Film staff and one staff from CCC’s Vice Presidents’ offices from Orlando, being recruited to come work with them for positions related to Japan and Asia.  I also worked through some of the expected changes with Weng Kong, since he is actually on furlough in Singapore, his homeland, and wont be back in Japan until Feb 23rd.
That was a great trip, and I am about to go off on another short one.
I will be heading to California to join the Reaching Japanese for Christ conference in Torrence, CA.  I will just be going for the short trip, but expect to see family and my home church friends over that weekend, then head right back.
The RJC Conference in L.A. area is a branch of the original conference in Washington state that for the last few years has brought many Japanese in the US and those who are seeking to reach Japanese in the US together for training and input and fellowship/networking.  This L.A. area conference will include presentations by George Gallup, Jr. about the recent Gallup poll on Japanese morals and religious lifestyles 2001, that I have had a hand in related to possible uses of the information for evangelism.  This survey reports that 4% of adults and 7% of teens polled reported following Christianity, (though not much has changed in terms of people in church on Sunday so far).  This is a significant challenge and encouragement to the church and missions in Japan, though it implies a more responsive population than before.  We need to work through how to connect more effectively with people who are interested or at-home believers.
I appreciate your prayers for another safe trip, good networking, and direction for the comments I will make at the conference.  Pray also for Rochelle and the family while I am gone, as Rochelle reports it will be a pretty busy time with some school related events.
We are still enjoying watching Ben’s senior year basketball season – Ben is contributing greatly to his team, and they pulled out a beautiful couple of wins this week – fun!  Pray for Ben as he works through his college applications too!
Thanks so much for praying for us!
Steve