The youth group of the Reformed Presbyterian churches in Japan set out to publish a small book on the 50-year history of Japanese Covenanters. In doing so, they asked members and missionaries to write down some of their memories. The group submitted memories from the missionaries to the Covenanter Witness. Here are a few. The Witness is grateful for the assistance of Takahiro Ota.

Carol (Spear) Wright

My parents, my younger brother Bruce, and I went to Japan in August 1955, when I was almost three. First we said goodbye to my grand mother. She tells me that I said to her, “My daddy and mommy are taking me away to Japan, but I’ll come hack to you someday!” We crossed the Pacific Ocean on the last voyage of the Hikawamaru, an ocean liner which is now a restaurant in Yokohama Harbor.

For the first couple of years my parents studied Japanese every morning, so Bruce and I were cared for by a maid named Kayoko San. That’s how we children learned to speak Japanese, too. I at tended St. Michael’s Kindergarten with Japanese children, and then my mother taught me at home for grades one through three. One summer I went to Kitano Elementary School for three months to improve my Japanese.

I remember wonderful packages that came from the church in America, containing Mars candy bars, cake mixes to use on our birthdays, and Christmas presents for each of us. I also remember our neighbor girl, Hisa Chan, with whom I played on the tiny street in front of our house. Occasionally her father would come home drunk and beat her, and 1 would try to go to sleep hearing her screams.

We could use the mission car one or two clays a week, and Daddy used a motorcycle the rest of the time. I loved to ride behind him, holding on tight to the bar between my legs, and feeling the power as he accelerated.

When I was 8 years old, we had our first furlough. We traveled across the U.S. in a station wagon, my father speaking at each Reformed Presbyterian church along the way. Most of the year was spent near my grandmother in Topeka, Kan., where I attended school. I was surprised to find that my teacher was a black lady, be cause I had seldom seen black people in Japan.

When we returned, I started going to the Canadian Academy, and studied there from fifth grade until I graduated from high school. We lived in a house in Okamoto, so I rode the Hankyu train to school every clay with my brother and sisters. I especially loved the month of April, when parts of the track were flanked by cherry blossoms, anti we would whiz along in a pink cloud.

We had church services in our home. Each Saturday we cleaned the two main rooms downstairs. which were separated by removable sliding doors. Mrs. Nakamura came to arrange flowers. She invited me to sit with her and learn how to arrange them; it was always exciting to see what sort of flowers she would bring. I often traced or drew a picture for the children’s Sabbath school papers. and Daddy would run off purple copies on the mimeograph machine. We usually invited some people to eat with us after church. Then Daddy and one or two of us children would ride the train to Kasumigaoka so he could preach there. Daddy was pretty tired by the time we got home. Several weekday English Bible classes were taught in our home, anti often the students would stay afterward to play with us. Our favorite game was Pit, a noisy card game in which we traded continuously, calling out how many cards we had to trade.

Then a house was purchased for the site of the new Keiyaku church, and we were very excited to begin having prayer meeting there each week. The house had a lovely little garden with a flowering tree. But it was after I went to the U.S. for college that the house was taken down and a church building built.

My parents had their second furlough in 1969, so that I could live with them during my first year at Geneva College. I had loved Japan and I missed my Japanese friends, hut I was also happy to be in a country where I didn’t look like a foreigner. Also, fellowship with Chris tians my own age was very helpful to my Christian walk. Most of the church members in our Japanese church had been older than I was, since there were not yet many covenant children. My parents and I had to say goodbye the next summer, as they drove west to go back to Japan and 1 rode east with my aunt and uncle to go back to school. I cried most of that day, but then I was OK.

I am very thankful for the privilege of growing up in Japan, in a family that was dedicated to building the church there. It was wonderful to re turn a few years ago and see the Christian families that some of my friends have now. I pray often for the covenant children of the church, that they will continue in the things they have learned from their parents and pastors, not afraid to he different for Christ.

Kalli Sterrett

When my husband, Bill, was in his last year as a student in the Reformed Presbyterian Seminary in Pittsburgh, Pa., he asked me one day if I would go anywhere in the world the Lord sent us. I replied that I would go anywhere except Africa and Japan. Movies about these two places had impressed my mind at a very young age and filled me with fear.

Bill encouraged me to pray about my fears. I prayed earnestly for a long time. The Lord changed my heart and replaced the fears with peace and reliance on Him. I was able to tell Bill that I was willing to go anywhere the Lord sent us. Two weeks later the Foreign Mission Board asked us if we would consider going to Japan! We prayed about it and felt that the Lord was truly leading us to go to Japan.

We arrived in Japan on Jan. 2, 1974. five months after our arrival the Lord blessed us with our first daughter, Evniki, who was horn on June 6. Later He added to His blessing with the births of Yvonne on Dec. 10, 1975 and Christina on Apr. 25, 1979.

The Lord used His blessing of children in spanning cultural bridges for His glory. Japanese people love children. After Evniki was horn, we discovered that people were friendlier and more approachable. Complete strangers would stop and chat with us about our children. We used these opportunities to invite them into our home for Bible studies, English or cooking lessons. We opened up our home and hearts as a family for Christ. We each reached out to people around us, inviting them into our lives. We played with them, prayed with and for them, and shared our lives with them.

Our girls were active participants in our family’s outreach. They brought friends to the church school classes, shared their faith with them, entertained them and be friended them. They helped in getting our house turned from “home” into “church” many times during the week. They gave of themselves for Christ.

We prayed daily that the Lord would help us to be faithful to Him and in His perfect timing to reap fruit from our outreach. The Lord heard our prayers, and a number came to know the Lord. He worked through us, and we saw His hand change many lives. I rejoiced when the Lord worked His work of grace in a 70-year-old grandmother and brought her to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. She was a living example that we must never give up praying for some one regardless of his or her age.

We lived and worked for the Lord in Japan for twenty-three and a half years. These Christians became very dear to our hearts, and we will never forget them. Half of our life on this earth was spent sharing in their lives, joys, and sorrows. They became our family away from family, home, and country.

Then the Lord led us to leave Japan. On July 2, 1997, we de parted to go to Larnaca, Cyprus, to work with a small church. The Lord, in His perfect plan, brought us here and prepared us to meet and receive a Japanese family that left Japan when we did and eventually arrived in Larnaca a year after our arrival. Again we opened our hearts and home to them and prayed for and with them. \X7e rejoice that they are living for Christ now. Our hearts and home belong to the Lord to use anywhere in the world and whenever He desires for His glory.

Mary Jane (Spear) Ward

Having been born in Japan, the third child of Gene and Ruth Spear, my earliest memories are at the Covenanter Book Store. The tall stairway, the ofuro, the pretty little garden in the back, and handing out of tracts in front of the store. People would come out of their way to get a tract (and touch our blonde hair). They would be delighted if we spoke in Japanese to invite them to a meeting. I trust the Lord used us to bring people who would otherwise not have come.

Our family had somewhat of a family business—the Lord’s business. Our home was always open. We often had some one else joining our family of seven at the dinner table. Our home was my fathers office and also the church. We put out slippers and served tea for the Bible classes throughout the week and cleaned the house on Saturday nights to prepare for church the next clay. We enjoyed helping my dad take attendance after church, thinking about each person that was absent and what we could do to bring them back. Members of our family tried to sit with whoever seemed alone and in need of a friend. We enjoyed all the people who came to events through out the week, but I think it was good we had our bedrooms upstairs so no one saw if our rooms got a little messy.

I grew up with Japanese as my second language, using it as I played with the neighbor kids, having much of my Bible teaching in Japanese at Sabbath school and at church. Only family worship was in English. As I grew into my teenage years, I enjoyed the young people’s conferences, At one t committed my life to Christ. I don’t remember a dramatic change, but I thank the Lord that He has been working in me all my life in different ways, including through my Japanese friends.

I also remember the mission meetings. We enjoyed playing with the Robb boys. I remember Orlena Lynn’s joyful laughing, Oreta Everett’s culinary experiments (which were always good), playing catch with Eleanor fans—we had a good time. Then the Boyles came for the second time; and their son Bill was a hit with our family and at the Canadian Academy, where he was made captain of the basketball team. We missionary kids had a lot of fun together as the adults talked through mission business.

At 17, I left japan to attend Geneva College. After college, I took a teaching job in Kansas. I met my wonderful husband, Harry Ward, there. We have two daughters now, Amelia and Joanna. Last year, after almost 18 years, we got an opportunity to go back to Japan for a visit. Our children had never been to their grandparents’ house! They enjoyed thoroughly seeing the people and places I have talked about for years.

It was so encouraging to see many people still faithfully serving the Lord after alt these years. One lady at Keiyaku RPC came to me and thanked me, saying she would not have become a Christian if my parents hadn’t come to Japan. We enjoyed worshiping with people in three different churches on that short visit, sharing what the Lord has done in our lives. It was a real switch to converse as an adult with Mrs. Nakarnura, Mrs. Shinoda, and Miss Yoshicla. (I’m not sure I was always very helpful as a kid.) And it was heartwarming to see second-, third-, and even fourth-generation Christians in the Japan church. Now Mr. Nitta, Mrs. Nakamura, and Mrs. Muto have gone to be with the Lord, and God continues to raise up leaders and workers in 1-us providence.

Our family prays almost every clay for the Japanese church. My girls love to see the Japanese Christians at the quadrennial RP International Conference. We’re excited to think that in a span of 50 years, the Japanese church has become four churches, two mission stations, a hook store, and a seminary already, even if it is considered a very difficult mission field. I pray for such blessings for us in the U.S.!

Gambatte kudasai! Keep up the good work!