ChristianFellowship E-KoinoniaコミュのFree Talk

How are you doing, everyone?

I have been sick for quite some time here in Baguio City, the Philippines, for it has been quite cold around here these days. Our city is located 1,500m above the sea level, and the climate here is quite different from what you will imagine by hearing the word Philippines.

Just feel free to drop a line or so if you like, and tell us how you're doing. Sige!

I am just wondering how everyone is. I thought that I would hear from other people, but I feel like I am just mumbling by myself. It has been a while ago, but I hope that りけるけさん got recovered from his sickness. Autumn has just come here even though we have never had summer this year. Our church is putting up new Bible study groups and I wanted to go all of them. Too bad that I only have one body to attend to one of them...

Marmite

Thank you very much for sharing your heart.

| I thought that I would hear from other people, but I
| feel like I am just mumbling by myself.

Well, because of my lack of leadership capacity, this community was quiet for a while. It is not so easy for all of us to write anything in English and post it to a public place like this in our busy days, though all are interested in communicating with other Christians in English as far as they are members of this community.

I really appreciate that you've broken the silence! If you don't mind, please continue sharing things around you. I will never fail to respond.

| It has been a while ago, but I hope that りけるけさん
| got recovered from his sickness.

Thank you very much. I am alright. However, emotionally and even spiritually I am struggling right now because I decided to withdraw from my Ph.D program here in Manila due to the critical lack of resources (books and faculty) there. I need a comfort and confirmation from the Lord for my next step to take.

| Autumn has just come here even though we have never
| had summer this year.

Autumn, autumn, ... What a lovely sound! Having lived in the Philippines where there are only dry and rainy seasons, I have really been missing golden, beautiful, autumn leaves!

| Our church is putting up new Bible study groups and I
| wanted to go all of them. Too bad that I only have one
| body to attend to one of them...

I appreciate you're so eager to attend Bible study groups. Me too, I have a lot of responsibilities as a missionary, seminary teacher (and student as part of faculty development), husband and father and son. How I wish I could photocopy myself and send my copies here and there!

Well, let's enjoy whatever we can be actually engaged in.

Blessings!

Hello, りけるけさん. It must be very tough on you that you have to give up on your study. I pray to God for you that he will show your way to serve him in another way. There must be another way to accomplish your dream. I really think so. God will never fail you on your mission to serve him better.

In Great Britain, we do not have much of summer. The word of autumn may sound nice to you, but it is a beginning of long wet cold miserable season here. So, Brits like to go other countries where lots of sunshine is available.

I hope to see other people joining to the conversation.
God bless!

Marmite

Thank you very much for your concerns for me. I really appreciate it. Yes, I believe, too, as the song "God Will Make A Way" sings, though it is very difficult to sustain my trust in Him. That is exactly why, I also believe, we need this kind of fellowship to encourage one another.

It is interesting to hear about summer and autumn in Britain. Two teachers of our seminary studied in Oxford and Birmingham, and they often share how it was in Britain.

Our former academic dean, my spiritual father as a seminary teacher, now serves at Oxford Centre of Mission Studies as Executive Director. I wish I could visit him in the future.

Our seminary has a joint Ph.D program (in theology not in linguistics) with the University of Wales at Bangor. Perhaps that could be one of possible future tracks for me to pursue.

So, many British people go to southern France or Spain or Italy or even Greece, right? What about you? Do you have a plan to go somewhere this winter?

Oh, I even miss the word "winter." When we were traveling all around Japan to raise our missions funds two years ago, it was our ninth, last month, in December that we experienced huge snow in Hiroshima and even Kochi! My daughter, then 3 years old, got really excited because she had been in the Philippines since she was 3 months.

Well, let's continue our joyous talk. Dear brothers and sisters, please jump into our talk freely, as Marmite suggets.

Hello there. The temparature suddenly dropped here and I feel like it is "winter" alaready. Are you jealous?

I have been going to my Baptism class. It is very encouraging. I thought I could learn forever, but this time I should commit to become a Christian. Please pray for me that my learning will go well.

I will write about my course time to time.
God bless everyone!

Marmite

Great to hear that you are in a preparation program for baptism. Christian faith is not only learning but walking. Don't hesitate simply because you don't think you've learned enough. Try to start walking the way. God'll be with you.

I've been back in Japan for a week. I had a meeting with the members of my missions department in Tokyo today. I'm going back to the Philippines on Saturday. It's getting cooler in Japan as well though it's still hot especially in the daytime.

I'm looking forward to hearing from you, Marmite, and you the others!

How have you been? This is LIKELUKE, the administrator. I apologize for my irresponsible administration here. Please feel free to tell us how you have been and what you have been interested in, these days.