RCJ Shikoku Presbytery’s letter to Mission Japan 15 July 2013

15 July 2013

Dutch Reformed Church Family of South Africa

Mission Japan

Dr. Gideon Van der Watt

Praise the name of Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church.

We are very thankful for the prayers, various preparations and considerations on behalf of the (upcoming) South African Mission Trip.

In this regard, in combination with this trip, I will participate as official representative of the formal relationship between the Shikoku Presbytery and Mission Japan. We would like to express our deepest gratitude for being allowed to welcome the De Wet and Van der Watt missionary couples in Shikoku Presbytery, through the abundant prayers and support from the South African Dutch Reformed Family. 

This year again, we are very grateful that the De Wet missionary couple is being sent to the disaster stricken North East region. We are thankful that their gifts can be used by our Lord to spiritually and emotionally support many ministers, believers and people from those areas.

Furthermore, the Van der Watt missionary couple have been newly provided with RCJ Tokushima congregation as their official work setting. We are prayerfully expecting the specific utilization of Stephan’s gifts in his field of expertise, “Pastoral Care”, and from now on, the adequate application thereof in theological education. For this purpose we will give our assistance as far as we can. 

This time round, there are two purposes with regard to my visit. Firstly, a request concerning the missionary candidate for the next term – after missionary Stéphan Van der Watt – anticipated to be received in Shikoku Presbytery in 2016. The request includes being able to directly convey the current state of affairs in Shikoku Presbytery, as well as the significance of possibly receiving a (follow-up) missionary.      

Secondly, this time members from the RCJ Synod’s Diaconal Action Committee are also participating. Their involvement is also for the purpose of investigating what is necessary in terms of, amongst others, concrete human or financial support, as well as what can practically be done by the Shikoku Presbytery within this Mission Co-operation relationship (concerning the projects we are involved in).

Furthermore, this time two young ladies from Okayama-West congregation (mission-post) are also partaking in this tour. One of them, Sayo Nakata, is working at a public school as part of the cooking staff that provide meals and look after children’s nutrition as well as the sponsoring of programs in this regard. The other lady, Yuri Nasu, is presently studying (to become a) nurse practitioner at a medical university (she is the younger sister of Yuko Nasu, who was a member of the group which visited South Africa from Shikoku Presbytery in February 2009. Yuko is currently a practicing Pediatrician). Because of the low birth rate and ageing population there are only a few students (in Shikoku), and the number of people who can act as elders and deacons is also dropping. But, we hope that the gifts that the young people and students from Shikoku Presbytery (including the aforementioned young ladies) received from the Lord, might be utilized on behalf of our South African brothers and sisters.

For this purpose, albeit within the restricted schedule of our trip, I would like to request that time is specifically set out to talk with Mission Japan’s representatives about: (1) the issue of a next missionary, as well as that of (2) diaconal activities.

Shikoku Presbytery Mission Co-operation Committee

Chairperson Rev. Hirofumi Kubo