With Thanks for all your Prayers and Support!

Dear Friends in Christ,

In his letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul says that God is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (3:20). For the past nine months, we have used relief funds to send volunteers to the city of Kesennuma in the Tohoku region of Japan. Those volunteers have come with much enthusiasm, with various gifts, and with a love for their Savior. Though the adult volunteers have numbered only eight, they have included people of US, Korean, and Japanese background. And the LORD has worked powerfully through them, accomplishing more than we imagined.

The clearest evidence of that was Mr. Takahashi’s baptism last week. Mr. Takahashi came to our relief center at the beginning of the year. He talked to our volunteers. He studied English and the Bible. He attended worship through the internet. A couple weeks ago, he (and another one of our contacts from Kesennuma) joined our LECC at its annual Summer Bible Camp–a weekend of study, worship, and fellowship. Last week, the LORD gave Mr. Takahashi all the grace and blessings of Holy Baptism: “Baptism works the forgiveness of sins, delivers from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe, as the words and promises of God declare” (Luther’s Small Catechism). We rejoice with the angels in heaven.

Because Kesennuma is about 5 hours north of our northern LECC congregations, the volunteers have had to work “on their own” much of the time, with only occasional visits from LECC members. It has been amazing to see the hand of the LORD at work. He seemed to bring the right volunteers to Kesennuma, in the right order and at just the right time. The LORD of the Church provides. He sees to the needs of His people. Those volunteers were able to help and to encourage, to let their light shine before many, and to share the hope that we have in Christ.

The volunteers were gifts from the LORD. At the same time, this opportunity to serve in Japan was a gift from the LORD to the volunteers. The LORD is good.

Even though there will be no more “foreign volunteers” coming to Japan to work at our relief center in Kesennuma for the rest of this calendar year, the pastors and members of the LECC will continue to travel there to share God’s Word and to encourage. Telephone and internet contact will continue. The next trip is scheduled for the third week of September. We trust that the LORD of the Church will continue to work powerfully through His people, with eternal results. All praise and glory be to Him!

With thanks for all your prayers and support,

In our Risen Savior,

Brad Wordell (on behalf of the LECC)