Just in case things weren’t busy enough after getting back on Tuesday after our furlough, this past weekend we packed our bags once again to go to our annual summer Bible camp.  We spent the weekend at a hotel in Utsunomiya with our Japanese church members.  We enjoyed time to worship and study together.  We also enjoyed the fellowship, especially reconnecting after our furlough this summer.

One of the major events of the camp this year was the Habben’s farewell.  Pastor Kermit and Margie Habben will be permanently returning to the US after serving in Japan for 41 years!  Many, many tears were shed this weekend as the Habbens said goodbye to the Japanese church family.  None of us can imagine Japan without the Habbens.  It will take some adjusting to life without them here.  Please keep the Habbens in your prayers as they re-adjust to life in the United States.  Also pray for comfort for everyone here as we are saddened by the loss of two very special people on the field.  We know that God will be with us all as we make the necessary adjustments.  Of course we all rejoice that someday we will live eternally in heaven together, where no more good-byes will be necessary![slideshow=71]

Now we’re gearing up for school to start.  Rachel starts back at yochien (Japanese preschool) on September 1st.  The other girls won’t begin until September 9th.  Our new teacher, Miss Beckie Gilbert, arrived in Japan with us last week.  In order for her to have time to prepare for the school year, we had to push back the start of school.  So the girls get about two more weeks of summer vacation to enjoy.  Pray for Beckie as she adjusts to life in Japan and as she begins her first year of teaching.

Lynnette Stahmann