A significant part of my mission this past month was the settling of details for a JEMS missions project from Brazil to Argentina. As a missions mobilizer, JEMS is working with the Brazil Holiness churches to encourage their participation in a short-term project to serve the Japanese Evangelical church in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Even though the two countries are neighbors, there is very little interchange between the countries, socially or otherwise.
There is a process. And one of the steps is establishing the project status with the chairman of the international missions committee of the Brazil Holiness Church, Pastor Guto Umeki (pictured). Upon receiving his affirmation to move ahead, I would later meet with the denominational executive board. Having received their approval, I was able to meet with the leadership of the Argentinian Nikkei church to begin formalizing plans.
The presiding elder of the Iglesia Evangélica Japonesa de Buenos Aires is Guillermo Hokama (pictured right). It was through his mediation that we were able to establish dates and a program for the camp ministry in January. The church owns a campground an hour outside of Buenos Aires, and this makes planning a bit more simple as the "where" is a given.
The ministry will be addressing the needs of the local, underprivileged youth of the community of Moreno, Argentina.
Elder Hokama addresses the congregation of the Iglesia Japonesa in mid-September about the planned JEMS project uniting Brazil and Argentina in service to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Here is the recruitment video which will be sent to the Brazil Holiness Churches.
Please pray that God would raise up five men and five women from the Brazil Holiness churches to serve the community in Moreno from January 20 to 26, 2020.
