Right where we belong...
"Be grateful for the home you have, knowing that at this moment, all you have is all you need."
The photo above gives you a glimpse of our new home. (top right/laundry included.) Looking out from our balcony we are given a view of Ikuta Park and any storm coming in from the southeast. God placed us in this apartment knowing our needs. We're close to Emmaly's school, the church, the train station, and the doctor's office. These are all literally within 2-5 minutes walking distance. Because we have an apartment that can mean only one thing.........
We were granted our visas to live in Japan!
Years of faithfully believing and trusting that we heard God's call to be missionaries has produced another result. Thank you for all of your prayers and encouragement to keep holding on!
Now that we have our visas I will begin Japanese language school in Shinjuku next week. I'm so excited to expand my limited Japanese! Due to limited funds and Will teaching English at the church we will trade places at a later date in order to allow for him to attend school as well.
Let me back up for a moment and tell you a few things about what has taken place in the last few months. In January we were preparing to leave Japan temporarily due to the anticipated visa answer in later February. We flew to Hong Kong first and were greeted by our new friend Daisy who helped us find our hotel and guide us around Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. We were able to visit her historical university and view Hong Kong's skyline from it's highest peak.
We went into China just as their New Year's celebrations were beginning and thanks to our friend Lily she connected us to a friend of hers who showed us around Guangzhou. He invited us to celebrate Chinese New Year with his whole family one evening. We were fortunate enough to witness this important piece of Chinese tradition and culture. However, I couldn't help but notice the many references to "luck, good fortune, red and gold," that I heard and saw through out the night. God opened a door days later in which this young man began questioning why we were in Japan and how as an American I could go there despite events such as Pearl Harbor? Asking God for wisdom in my words, I was able to share with him about Jesus Christ and the power of forgiveness. Please pray for him to seek a stronger connection to the one Christian Chinese person he now knows, because he is seeking answers about life and how to be fulfilled.
Our journey continued to the small town of Raoping. Our friend Lily (mentioned above) who lives in Japan had come home for the New Year and wanted us to visit her family and hometown in order to show them a Christian family. It was so different! From the taxi rides to the overwhelming interest in us "foreigners." After a week there, we returned to Guangzhou and was greeted by Lily's old college professor. We had the priviledge of visiting his church which later we found out was an underground church. This church was amazing with it's simplicity. They are there to talk and share about God not produce a big show. The gospel is in China, maybe not recognizable outwardly but many have salvation and hope in their hearts. The room in which the church was held began with about 20 people and throughout the entire service over 250 ended up packing it in! I was equally impressed by their desperate and heart filled prayers for their fellow countrymen and the world to hear the truth as they had.
Since our arrival in China, Will caught several strange fevers and possible water poisoning. At the same time, I was beginning to feel nauseated by the smell of food and I was so fatigued by the time we arrived in Raoping. Not wanting to offend my hosts I still partook in eating but it took a lot of willpower. After a week it wouldn't go away and as we arrived once again for a week stay in Guangzhou my appetite became more suppressed. I began to worry that I had worms. No, I'm not kidding! I researched it online trying to diagnose myself. I had to know why for almost 3 weeks I felt like a slug.
Then I saw a suggestion, threw it by Will, then verified that we are expecting a Baby!!
This is such exciting news and a testimony that God is truly in control. Currently I'm in the middle of my 13th week of pregnancy and going through the various symptoms but it is well worth the blessing! Emmaly is elated and ready to be a big sister!
I'm not going to beat around the bush friends! With this news it's apparent our support level needs to raise. Most of you know we came to Japan with only 30% funding. Is that reckless? We don't think so because God said "GO!" Even when we threw in the excuse to God "We don't have the money" He said "Go!"
A friend brought up a great point in which she said "If just 50 people donated a small amount to support the work of The Lord, then missionaries could focus on the main goal, making disciples and spreading the gospel, instead of fretting over financial means.
In America, we can't buy a lot with $5, $10, or even $20. We could probably buy a meal or two( if that), but to a missionary, that "small" amount is actually a huge amount." I can't stress how much of a blessing even a small sacrifice means to us!
We as missionaries walk by faith because we know that The Lord has called us to do such an incredible important mission. We depend on him for everything!
I, (Nicole) will be returning to the United States in the latter part of May into mid June in order to bring to you the progress report that is already being made. I would love to meet with you individually and share about God's work and the missionary need in Japan. To set up a day and time to meet with me while I'm back home please email me at olsonfamilymission@yahoo.com.
I ask you to pray first! This is important! If you know that you can be a monthly supporter and help us bring our focus primarily into the mission.
Until then, またね (matane/see you later)
God bless you all!
You can also donate through:
Fairview Baptist Church c/o William & Nicole Olson
1230 N. Sooner Rd.
Edmond, Oklahoma 73034
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