THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 19, 1995 TAG: 9501180171
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TRUDY CUTHRELL, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines
CYPRESS CHAPEL Congregational Christian Church is a small, rural congregation with a large vision for missions.
In August, the church sent an eight-member team to Oita, Japan, for 11 days of hands-on mission work. The Rev. John R. Kimball, pastor, was team leader for Toni McAndrew, Juanita Kendall, Denise Byrd, Kim Smith, Steve and Sharon Rice and Richard Kimball, John's father, of Michigan.
Seeds for the adventure were planted in October 1992, when Mike and Barbara Gray, career missionaries to Japan, challenged Cypress members to come and help with their ministry to the Japanese.
``Three of us felt really convicted by their challenge,'' Kimball recalled. ``When we got together, we decided God was asking us to take him up on this offer.''
The Cypress team undertook a monumental effort to secure $2,200 in financial support for each team member.
College student Kim Smith was skeptical when she sent out her personal letter to potential supporters, but not for long. More than half her money came in within the first week. ``I realized this was really what God wanted me to do,'' Smith said.
Car washes, yard sales and lots of prayers helped the team. A series of ``mini-miracles'' helped, too. A $450 rail pass, believed to have been needed for transportation around Japan, proved unnecessary when teammates were notified that a van had been provided. An alternate flight pattern, chosen to avoid the unrest in North Korea, cut each airline ticket price by $600. Things went so smoothly in Japan that Suffolk team members left host missionaries their surplus money.
``It taught every one of us that when God has called you to do something, then money is not an issue,'' Kimball noted.
The Cypress team stayed with Japanese families known as ``seekers'' - non-Christians interested in learning about the Christian faith. During the days - in sweltering weather - the Americans witnessed to Japanese through several unusual classes.
Since American cuisine is the rage in Japan, Suffolk team member Steve Rice, a professional baker, led a cooking class. Japanese students took part in a Bible study while Rice completed meal preparation.
A carpentry class attracted 15 Japanese women to learn more about the use of hand and power tools, and a session to teach conversational English was especially popular. The Bible was the textbook.
While in Oita, Suffolk teammates distributed Christian literature to more than 5,000 households.
``The Japanese would probably slam the door on other Japanese doing the same thing, but they are so receptive to Americans that they would take our fliers and read them,'' Kimball pointed out.
Before leaving Japan, Smith read the Bible with the 9-year-old daughter of her host family. The story of Jesus' birth seemed to captivate her. Other teammates rejoiced when 15 new people attended worship at the small church established by the Grays. For the entire team, the journey proved life-changing - especially for Toni McAndrew. The 35-year-old single woman has sold her house and furniture in preparation to attend Bible college in the fall to pursue a full-time career in missions. ``This trip changed my life and my whole way of thinking,'' McAndrew said.
After seeing the religious zeal of Japanese Christians, McAndrew re-evaluated her own life. ``I realized I wasn't living the life I should be,'' she said. ``Seeing how God worked and how he provided for us'' convinced McAndrew of God's direction toward career missions.
Cypress Chapel has embraced a mission vision that team members hope will be an ongoing priority for their church. Plans are under way for a 1996 mission trip to Mexico. MEMO: For more information, contact the church at 986-4096. The address is
1891 Cypress Chapel Road, Suffolk. ILLUSTRATION: The top photo shows a typical neighborhood in Oita, Japan.
Above,the team from Cypress Chapel Congregational Christian Church
gathers for an outing with Missionary Mike Gray and translator
Kimeko.
Toni McAndrew goes shopping with her Japanese host family.
by CNB