Happy Holidays from Japan

I can hardly believe I am writing this email to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year… where did the time go?! What a year it has been. I hope you all had a Christmas full of joy, hope, and the presence of God. This was our first Christmas in Japan and although it looked very different then years past we feel so thankful we had the opportunity to spend it with one another and our dear friends. Our team arrived safely in Tokyo this month and just in time for Christmas together. We also had the joy of bringing our new friends at the local shop here some pastries for their work shift on Christmas. They are people we are quickly becoming close with and they are opening up to us. Please be praying for our relationships and for Jesus to move with love through us. Loving on our neighbours has and will continue to be one of our highest priorities. We have found that the simplest gestures like remembering their names, asking how they are, and pushing past the barrier here that screams, “you are just a worker serving me”, is making impact. Culture would say it is weird to speak to those taking our orders or cashing us out, but Kingdom says you are worthy of love and being spoken too, so we will do that. Relationship takes time and we are steadily building. It has been so fun to see them begin to share their lives with us and invite us in. Towards the beginning of building a few approached us thanking us for remembering their names and  being so kind. One the other day said to me, “Not gaijin, Sarah san.” Sounds simple, but it meant a lot. All that to say, relationships and language are coming along. In the last two months we have hosted some families for dinner from the church, met some incredible missionaries we hope to continue connecting with, and begun Friday Night prayer services at the church. This week we have the opportunity to go out just Aaron and I to process this past year and dream for the next. One thing I know is I am grateful you are here and apart of this journey with us. My prayer in this next year is that you and the Japanese all feel Immanuel, God with Us. Bless you and your final days of 2020 and beginning days of 2021. 

With love,

- The McKisics