CMA Japan 2009 Mission Log

Final Entry:
August 14th, 2009

Hello to our faithful home team and prayer warriors!

I'm sorry for the delay in this email, but I wanted to let you know a little more about our trip home.

As you know, we flew from Hiroshima to Tokyo (Narita airport), spent the day there and then flew out that evening to Seattle and then home to Denver. On the way to Japan we had a lot of trouble with our flights, but the way home was wonderful! All the flights were on time and all our luggage arrived safely, praise God!

Thank you for praying for Naomi's back. Unfortunately we were not able to upgrade her seat as we had hoped, but the Lord is faithful and though she was in pain, He gave her the ability to get through the long flights. My sinuses were not a problem at all during the flights! In the past when I have flown without heavy medication, it has been very painful. In fact my sinuses were better in that 24 hour travel period then they were the entire trip!! The polyps in my nose make me so congested that I can't smell anything, even the strongest smell and I can only taste salty or sweet, but no details of flavor. I could not smell or taste since before I left for Japan. But the morning we began our travel home, I opened up and was able to smell a little for the first time during the trip. By lunch in Tokyo I had about 60% of my smell back and was able to fully taste my delicious miso and soba noodles for the first time that month! I was completely in awe of this small (but huge for me!) gift the Lord had given. It made no sense, because I was on much less medication. I looked at the girls and said, "There must be so many people at home praying for me right now!!". The morning after I got home things were back to "normal", no taste or smell. I can't tell you how much the 24 hour window of open senses blessed me! Thank you SO much for each of you who were lifting me up in prayer. God is amazing!

This week since we have been home has been a little different for each of us. Some have spent the week resting, catching up with family and trying to get bodies back on Colorado time. Naomi has been seeing doctors trying to find the best solution for her back. She had the first of a set of cortisone shots that are supposed to help her back, possibly long term. If this doesn't work they would need to look at surgery. Please pray for her as she seeks the Lord's wisdom and direction on her back and when she should leave for China. (She was planning on flying out at the end of this month for her 9 month teaching/missionary work in China.) Katrina came home to major medical problems with both of her grandparents (who live with her and her mother) and then on Tuesday night her Grandfather passed away. Please pray for her family and for her Grandmother who is still not well enough to come home. You could also pray for me, I had hoped to come home, meet with the doctor and get in for surgery (for my sinuses) right away. Now it looks like it may be months before I can even get in to see the specialist. Thanks for listening to our prayer requests even after we are home!

I could never thank you all enough for your prayer and support this past month. Knowing that you were here praying and standing behind us was a huge encouragement, especially during hard times. As I mentioned before, the theme for this trip was the Lord's incredible Faithfulness and His ability to use us in our weaknesses. We saw and felt Him actively working in our team and in our lives personally, giving us everything we needed to do the things He asked us to do. I can't tell you how amazing it is to visibly see and feel Him at work, nothing compares!

We are praying that the seeds we planted would be watered. That those who came to church for the first time, would be drawn back to those churches and the ministry teams. That the things the Lord spoke through us would burn in their hearts and that they would not be able to escape the Holy Spirit bringing those words back to them again and again. We pray that our Heavenly Father will strengthen the believers in Japan and give them a fiery boldness and endurance to spread the gospel in that place. We are also praying that the things the Lord did in our hearts would not fade away, but that we would cling to each lesson, treasuring it and applying it to our lives.

As we look to this fall we again say, "Lord we are Yours, use us as you will."

Thank you again for being a wonderful support team! May the Lord richly bless you as you have blessed us!

Forever For His Glory,

CMA Japan Team -
Tiffany, Erica, Naomi, Katrina, Hannah, Gwen and Christine

*All of the photos from our Mission Log are posted on CMA's Facebook Page

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