Looking back at CPI

This week I have been at the 2011 National Gathering of the Japan Church Planter's Institute.  I oversaw a counseling center for missionaries and Japanese pastors and church planters.  This center is staffed with volunteers who have training relevant to the needs of the constituency at this conference. 

I've written before about staff selection this year, and how God brought three Japanese counselors to join us.  They were able to assist people from multiple countries, and two of them led a Stress Management seminar for Japanese pastors and families which was attended by nearly 20% of the Japanese in attendance at the conference.

One of the people who came was an education specialist for missionary families from all over the world.  There were several non-North American mission families who were able to talk about their special educational needs with him.  And a speech and language specialist came and offered assessments to 15 children during her visit. This is something that is rarely ever available for mission families on the field.

I led a workshop with 11 missionaries where we talked about stewardship of ourselves.  I believe God used the time of interaction to reveal some things to each person, and in a sharing setting several were able to verbalize things that they hadn't been able to do before.  A few have been very affected by the disaster of March 11.

Thank you for your prayers for God's direction and provision for the staff and the time together.

Modeling after some other major recent conferences, the leadership committee of CPI had everyone assigned to a table for the primary sessions.  There was a brief reflection on a passage of Scripture around the table, followed by a plenary talk, and then reflection questions.  I believe more people were engaged in the materials this way then before.  It also provided an interesting opportunity to find out how life has been for people from around Japan.  Since we live in the area affected in various ways by the earthquake and the radiation threats, and experienced the shortages after the quake, we have had an intense experience. There are others whose life was hardly affected by this at all.  For those of us who have been "living with it" for the past 8 months, this was a little surprising.

Music for the conference was led by a couple, Shoko and Eiji Horii. They were staff with our mission many years ago in a music ministry called "SongRise."  Their worship leadership was a tremendous blessing at CPI.

This is the view of Mt. Fuji outside my hotel window the first day.   I had hoped I could get one more photo, but the following two days it was cloudy and raining.  I got a call from my daughter this morning saying that Fuji is clearly visible today, with snow on the top...

The next conference will be held in 2013.  We are tentatively planning on being on our next home assignment on those dates.  I trust God will provide the right person to take over the organization and facilitation of the counseling center next time.

Thank you for praying for this center and for God's work through each of the staff.  We hope that those who met with our staff will continue to find His grace, strength and guidance as they move to whatever "next step" they've been encouraged to take.