VOLUME 1 ISSUE 4
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at a glance 4
Returning to Japan with Doug Bishop
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Rachel lets us look through her lens
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Oh Bulgaria! Now...where is that exactly?
A Love for Tokyo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Photo Shoot (Doug Bishop). . . . . . . . . . . 4 LightBox. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Thumbnails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
The Speers: Daniel, Katie, and Audrey
Through My Lens (Rachel). . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Snapshot (Emily Parrish). . . . . . . . . . . . 8
ON THE COVER: Haiti Funded by FWB Foundation Editor-in-chief: Clint Morgan Managing editor : Deborah St. Lawrence Associate editor: Kurston Ward Design by Melanie Poole
A Love for Tokyo My preparation for life in Japan began years before our family decided to move here. As a child, I grew up spending a great deal of time with Japanese products (Nintendo, Sony, etc.). I even began to regularly practice using chopsticks at our small town Chinese buffet. In God’s goodness, the first day of class during my senior year at Welch College, I met my bride Katie. I quickly found out she was from Tokyo. I told her, “I’d love to go there!” She responded, “Yeah, me too...” and thus our relationship began. Our dates back then often led us to sushi
by Daniel Speer restaurants. Long conversations exposed me to more of an understanding of Japanese culture. Our engagement led me all the way to Tokyo for three weeks in 2007 (to meet her family before proposing). When we made the difficult decision to pack up and move here, I had no idea what to expect. Visiting Tokyo for three weeks is one thing. Actually living here is something quite different. Katie even had some reservations herself. Although she spoke Japanese and understood Continued on Page 3
A Love for Tokyo Continued from Page 2 much about the culture, it had been more than nine years since she had lived in Japan. She had never lived here as an adult with a small child. Once we arrived at Narita airport in Japan this past September, it began a whirlwind first few weeks getting established. All three of us had jet lag. Katie was trying to dust off her Japanese after years of speaking mostly English. We were suddenly thrown into a whole new set of cultural rules and expectations, with all our belongings haphazardly scattered across the floor in suitcases. We are so thankful for the team of missionaries who stepped in and supported us right from the start. The Crowes, Hubbards, and McDonalds all have been amazing answers to prayer as we continue to run into obstacles in Japan (some even quite literally, as I ran the car into a curb just a few weeks back).
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Now that we have been here for a few months, we are starting to feel much more comfortable. Katie is encouraging and patient with me as I study the Japanese language. She is a valuable resource when it comes to cultural “do’s and don’ts” and quick language questions (this is how I discovered that mochikaeri means “to-go order”). Katie is also learning more about how things have changed since she has been gone and how to live here as a wife and mother. I am deeply grateful to see her excited about using what God has given her for His Kingdom in Japan. I am looking forward to the rest of our first term as we learn more about Japan, the Japanese people, and how to effectively share the gospel in Japanese culture, lead them to Christ, and make disciples.
Festival Dancing in Iruma
Consistency... Rev. Rolla Smith Rolla Smith had the unique responsibility of serving as general director of Foreign Missions twice, from 19591962, and again from 1975-1986. “Uncle Rolla,” as MKs called him, loved missions and demonstrated a consistent desire to take the gospel to the hard places.
Why not create your own missions legacy with
Daniel and Katie Speer arrived in Tokyo as missionary interns in September 2015. Katie is the daughter of missionaries Donnie and Ruth McDonald.
an endowment at Free Will Baptist Foundation? 877-336-7575 / foundation@nafwb.org
Audrey checks out the games in Tokyo.
Photo Shoot
HOT LINKS Getting to Know Doug
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Email Doug See the Bishops’ prayer card
Which do you prefer? Coffee
Tea
Mountains Beaches Facebook Twitter Instagram Movies Books Pancakes Waffles Marvel DC Is it soda, pop, or coke? One food he cannot resist: Good sushi Favorite Christmas songs: The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole and Silent Night
Doug Bishop since 2013
Serving in Japan
am Bishop
Husband to Miri
Father to Oliver,
Scarlet, and Hazel
Sandra Bishop, Son of Dale and pan Missionaries to Ja
Returning to Japan
Learn more about Doug’s childhood in Japan
LightBox
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Ministering to Teenage Missionary Kids by David Lytle If you’ve been around missionary kids (or MKs) you probably have had one of two conflicting thoughts: “This kid is really weird!” or “This kid is really cool!” The fact is, you’re right. I am. As a kid, I was consistently frustrated with being thought of as special, or being asked to sign Bibles (like I’m a 13-year-old Billy Graham), or being totally ignorant about certain aspects of American culture. While my experience is in some ways unique to me, these stories resonate deeply with MKs I have ministered to for the past five years. So, how can we minister to the teenage children of our missionaries? How can we minister to these teens who have a unique cultural background, but tend to feel frustrated by being seen as special, exotic, or spiritually elite because their parents are missionaries?
“The Lord has given me lots of opportunities to learn to laugh at myself as I make lingual or cultural mistakes.” Read about Megan Snow’s college experiences.
While I’m sure there are many ways to do this well, I suggest one simple solution—build a relationship by having a conversation. MKs don’t need Kool-Aid packages (usually); they need people who care enough to listen to them. How can you develop a good conversation with an MK? What should we expect from a good conversation with an MK? 1. Ask the right questions. 2. Expect an answer that is interesting to you, but not necessarily to them. 3. Expect depth. 4. Expect Pain. 5. Be there for the long haul.
Read about Megan’s thoughts on growing up overseas.
Read why Megan says “Please pray for MKs.”
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Thumbnails Ana Johnson, daughter of Tim and Kristi Johnson, shares some of her favorite things in Spain.
What is a typical day like for Alejandro Johnson?
“It’s very challenging to be a Christian here (Japan).” Learn more about Caroline McDonald’s daily life in Japan.
What is Ana’s favorite Spanish tradition and what does it have to do with green grapes?
“I must leave the house at 6:30 and ride the trains to school.”
A Day in the Life of Alejandro Alejandro Johnson shares about his daily life in Spain.
“I go to an International Christian school.”
Through My Lens Raising Children Overseas By Rachel The first day of first grade was quite an emotional one as we walked our oldest son to school and stood in the courtyard waiting for the bell to ring. This didn’t look at all like what I had imagined. When I was a kid, I dreamed of getting married, having kids, and being a very involved stay-at-home mom, much like my own mother. As an adult, I gave all my hopes and dreams to God. He eventually fulfilled all of them and more, but they ended up looking nothing like my childhood dreams. Why? Because God led us to do life in another culture. Even before we were married, my number one concern about living overseas was never safety or communication or isolation; it was educating our children. After 12 years of marriage (nearly 10 of those as missionaries), that’s still true. Thankfully a wealth of resources and helpful counselors are available to guide parents in cross-cultural situations as they seek to make sound decisions for each child in each context. After much research, thought, and prayer, we chose public school. We were nervous for our firstborn that first day of school, and we gently reminded him to just copy what the other kids were doing since he didn’t understand the language. He saw another kid crying and clinging to his mother and said, “Why is he upset?” As we were trying to formulate a good answer, he shrugged and said “I’M not nervous!” We watched in awe as our son fell in line with his class to enter the First day of first gr building, and we commenced to prayer ade. Le arn what the boys walk the city block around the school. lo We’ve always desired to strike a good
about living overse
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balance between owning and appreciating our American heritage while also embracing and participating in the culture around us. Life overseas is a constant tension, but it has strengthened our identity in Christ first and foremost. We daily embody the reality that we are “aliens and strangers” on this earth, that this world is not our home, and that we live in the present with eternity on the horizon. It took some time, but our son made friends (as did we). He became fluent in the language (despite our challenges at helping him with his first grade homework). He gained a larger perspective of the world. Our children now have friends from five continents. They don’t care what color skin their friends have, or how well they speak the language, or whether their family is Christian, Muslim, or Atheist. Our boys are beginning to see people as Jesus sees them and to appreciate the differences in culture between these diverse people who are all created in the image of God. Some lessons can be taught; these lessons have to be lived. I can think of no better education for my children than life overseas. Thank you, God!
International friends around our table sharing a meal— a common occurrence
on three E-TEAMs in high school, but that was for two and a half weeks. But six? By myself? I seriously considered changing my mind and staying home. Each time I was tempted to back out, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart, urging me to overcome my fears and trust in God’s strength.
“Oh, Bulgaria! Now...where is that exactly?” by Emily Parrish I heard this statement innumerable times when raising funds to go to this seemingly unknown country this past year. To answer the question for one final time, Bulgaria is a country in Eastern Europe, nestled into the Black Sea. I spent six weeks last summer in Bulgaria, and in those six weeks, it became much more to me than a piece of geographic trivia—it became a country whose people would forever have a piece of my heart. Through International Missions’ OA (Overseas Apprentice) program several college students are given the opportunity to spend anywhere from six to nine weeks on a foreign field. I must admit, when I first realized I would actually be spending six weeks in a country to which I had never been, I was less than enthused. I had been
During my time in Bulgaria, I helped with English classes and clubs. I spent most of my time in Svishtov, but also took a weekend trip to Varna to work with the Trifonovs and the New Life Church there. The Hanna Project sent a team for a week and a half during my stay, and I worked with them—teaching at an English camp during the day and a youth sports camp in the evenings, while their parents and other adults attended a parenting seminar. I also had the interesting opportunity of being in Bulgaria when the Provows arrived for the very first time. I was able to see firsthand the many things that must be done when a family arrives on the field. The majority of my time in Bulgaria was not necessarily spent on events, as I had imagined it would be. I simply lived, alongside our missionaries and alongside the Bulgarians. I practiced and eventually learned the Slavic alphabet. I fought through feelings of loneliness when family (and a fiancé) seemed very far away. I had too many cups of coffee with a
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Bulgarian woman who needed a listening ear. And I allowed God to show me the need these people have for a Savior. As trite as it sounds, there’s not a day goes by that I don’t miss that forgotten little country by the Black Sea. And as it turns out, six weeks wasn’t so long a time after all.
Emily Parrish
Bulgaria
Emily enjoying the view of Svishtov
How can she hear,
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they
be
except
sent? Romans 10:13-15
April 24, 2016
Save th e Date
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