Brownell Report

Welcoming a new Japanese student to Hope

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 18:23:17 +0900

We were very glad that Rev. Andy Nakajima, pastor of the Japanese Worship Service at Holland Michigan, arranged for a welcome to Holland for one of the students whom we were able to help send to Hope College. We could also meet the Inoue family again. Thank you to everyone who so warmly welcomed us during our brief furlough this past summer.

Visiting Gordon and Evon Laman

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:44:17 +0900

We were blessed to be able to visit with the Laman’s at in Holland Michigan. The Laman’s are retired missionaries to Japan. Of course they are always actively supporting the mission in Japan. We grateful to God that we can actually meet many of the missionaries who have served before us. On this visit we were also able to meet the Hesselink’s and the Norden’s.

2009/04 Dear Friends Letter

Sun, 17 May 2009 19:23:11 +0900

Dear Friends,
We thank you for your faithful support. We are entering our third year in youth mission here in Japan. We are proclaiming the Gospel to the young people in Yokohama and working with the local churches. We know that God is working through us.

The Green House Youth Center is growing. In addition to the junior senior high school student outreach and the Children and Worship programs we have begun a new initiative. Twice a week we open the Green House to the mothers of the pre-k students enrolled at Yokohama Union Church. We are responding to their heartfelt need for a place to be during the time their Children are at the Pre-K. In this way there is now a time and a place to share the faith. We have set up a small Christian library in both English and Japanese and we hold family based activities with Christian music setting the tone. Many of the mothers have some knowledge of Christianity through Christian schools they’ve attended, but it is a new experience for them to meet Christ on personal level. By welcoming both Christians and non-Christians to casual fellowship here at the Green House, the conversations often naturally lead to joining the church activities with their children.

We are also thankful that recently several church related publications are picking up the story of the Green House. It is very significant that local church pastors are helping share the hope of this vision for the youth. In Japan it takes a while to build the trust but now local leaders can see that we are open and eager to work with them for reaching the youth. As a result of the positive publicity, one more mission school in this area opened up to sending their students to the after school youth gathering. Now we have students from four different junior and senior high schools attending. We are grateful for this opportunity to reach out to the youth in this area.

This March, Nathan helped lead the missionary retreat. (*mission retreat photo) Nathan continues teaching at Ferris Girl’s junior and senior high school, which is a great opportunity to learn firsthand the situation of these students. He continues to minister through stories included in his lessons, through chapel talks, and at GreenHouse. (*Anna Herzog - RCA mission associate teaching GreenHouse students sign language for the song “God will not forget your name”). Nathan is reaching some parents through sharing in the Bible study group. He also plugs himself in to the local pastors study/prayer group and continues to network with the local ministries.

Nozomi continues developing the Children & Worship program (*Children and Worship seminar at Fuji Church). God is opening the door to formally introduce the program to a gathering of all the Sunday school leaders from this district. The Christian Education Committee is taking an active interest in our programs having visited the Children and Worship Center at the Green House. Now they are eager to introduce the program to their various churches. We will hold a crucial seminar in May. Another major mile-marker will be the publishing of the translation of the book, Young Children and Worship. This project has been in the works for a few years. Nozomi joined the translation committee as soon as we arrived Japan and has been working with them for two years now. The group is making the final push toward the completion of the project. Many churches here are struggling to maintain a Church School/ Sunday School. We are hoping that through Children and Worship the Holy Spirit with breath life across the Christian education in Japan.

Thank you also for praying for our children. Our eldest son Kenneth began his first year of Junior high school (7th grade) at the local public school. Raymond is in the third grade of elementary school. Luke is four years old and attending preschool. We would appreciate if you continue to pray for the boys that their spiritual needs will be met always.

In addition to our RCA mission page:
Please bookmark our photo albums at: http://gallery.me.com/brownelln
and our mission page at http://www.rca.org/brownell

Hope In God,
Nathan and Nozomi Brownell

Hiking with the Junior High students

Fri, 15 May 2009 19:50:21 +0900

Nathan is asked help chaperon on school trips. This year he not only accompanied a Junior High class hiking but since the school was founded by RCA missionaries he was also asked to join and participate in their religion retreat for the Senior High School freshman students. It is a great opportunity for him to live and share the gospel with the students.

Mission trip to Japan - for English VBS

Fri, 1 May 2009 23:09:16 +0900

Who, What, Where, When, Why and How

Who: We need six to ten volunteers to help with vacation Bible school at Yokohama Union Church. YUC is primarily an English speaking congregation. We are expecting more than sixty children (ages 4-9) to attend.

What: The VBS is an outreach to the children who attend the pre-K and Kindergarten, hosted by the church. The VBS is also a bridge for the families to connect with the church.

Where: Yokohama Union Church, Yokohama, Japan. http://www.yokohamaunionchurch.org

When: August 10-14 2009 (mornings only). The program is 6 days in length but there is need for some preparation and perhaps you may want to do some sightseeing. It is best to plan for 10 days in Japan (remember the time change Japan is one day ahead of the U.S.)

Why: Because many families are asking for an English VBS for their children to experience. They are open to Christian community.

How: We will provide housing accommodations at the youth center and the church will provide some meals. We are in need of the volunteers (or their supporters) to cover the airfare (and transportation).

*Air tickets become increasingly hard to arrange, I was told soon decision is important.

Mrs. Nozomi Brownell (director of VBS 2009)
<hopenozomi@mac.com>

RCA missionaries to Japan
http://web.me.com/brownelln

Valentine's Day at GreenHouse

Sat, 14 Feb 2009 19:03:36 +0900

Among the many activities of the GreenHouse is the CoffeeHouse ministry for the young mothers of the nearby church preschool. Here we are able to create a space a time which meets a heartfelt need of those who come. Here we share the gospel in many ways.

Children & Worship at Fuji Church

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 11:24:44 +0900

Nozomi was invited to present the Children and Worship seminars at the church near Mt. Fuji. The wife of the pastor is a core member of the translation committee for the C&W textbook. The presentations have been well received.