F.

leenors

NEWSLETTER '^HiAAcoK to^

MARCH 1993

H.lm

MOTTO FOR THE YEAR:

DEAR FAITHFUL FRIENDS.

IN CHRIST JESUS,

THE BEST WE CAN BE IN 1993

Last year we had many difficult adjustments but "Thanks be unto God who always leads us in victory" we are making the transition.
Now we are settled into the house our son, Stephen, is buying: 3460 Timberline, Eugene, Oregon 97405, Phone: 503/344-6025. Please use our mailing address

3^

for all funds, P.O.Box 23603, Eugene, Oregon 97402.s Our wonderful forwarding agent, Irene Grice, and Earl Grice, Advisor on our Board, consulted with us early last year when we were in their home. It was decided since we will be working out of Oregon, it-;

would be
Eugene.

better to have a
prayer and

forwarding secretary inO

thought, we asked Joe andl

After

much

Maecel Scovel, long time members of the University Christian Church in Eugene. We have known them over 20 years and came to know them very well when they served two years in Tokyo as tent-missionaries. They are strong Christians, capable in business matters, and strong supporters of world missions. The Scovels have consented but because they are in the process of moving, they will take over the business of receiving funds later in the year.
Because the Scovel's are interested in third-world missions, they

asked Virginia to present the work of the Aparri Christian Mission orphanage led by the Bueros to the Union Church in Tokyo. This resulted in a commitment of $3,000 a year to that work in the Philippines. Virginia visited the work in the Philippines besides supporting one orphan, Julio, with the idea of gaining support by Japanese for Filipinos in need in order to show love in Christ and bind the nations together in Christ Jesus.
One church asked us how much we paid our forwarding secretary for her services. One mission took 20% of the money received for the missionary on the field for the forwarding secretary. Let us make clear that our mission secretaries have never received money for this service which takes hours of their time each week. Further, all of our mission secretaries have made personal contributions to our mission fund. Our first secretary was Julius' mother Nadine Fleenor, followed by Maxine Seyb, Georgia and George Crawford, and since 1977 Irene Grice. This will be the last mailing she will do for us. We say thanks from the bottom of our hearts. All our secretaries have been good, but IRENE GRICE has done more bookkeeping, tax forms,

medical health forms, our newsletter, opening her home to us on three occassions for trips to the Mayo clinic. The Grices whom we call the Earl of Rochester and Lady Irene are forever loved and respected by
us. May God Bless them richly.

Page 2
WHAT ARE WE DOING?

March 1993

Since our last newsletter, we spent six weeks in Japan during November & December. Three Christians, whom we had led to Christ, asked us to help open churches in their homes. Since land is so expensive in Japan, we are praying that Christians will open their homes to have Home Churches all over Japan. They will use videos, Bible reading, music concerts and personal witnessing. We shall participate in four such groups in May, September and October when we will be in Japan.
Virginia will be in Japan three weeks in May living in these homes. She will introduce Daniel Sparkman to two Japanese Churches that have asked for a missionary teacher to live in the church and teach English and Bible. Daniel was born in Japan with a Japanese mother and a G.I. father who went to Korea and never returned. He was adopted by Loir Sparkman, a loving and strong Christian of Eugene, Oregon. Daniel has pastored two churches in the United States and has a graduate degree. He has studied Japanese, although his first language is English. He will make a fine missionary. When you write, please tell us that you will pray daily for Daniel as he begins this new phase of his life. He is a graduate of Northwest Christian College.

JuHus^ "has- been calling with others for a new church which is beginning on the outskirts of Eugene. Also, we are now ready to begin our Asian-American Friendship Group which will be made up of Christian
Americans and Asians from the University of Oregon. We now have ten personal contacts from "chance" meetings with Japanese here in Eugene.

There are 500 Japanese foreign students and over with the largest number being Chinese and Koreans.

1000 other

Asians

Virginia has had a ministry with "people in deep trouble". This ministry has been to those who are homeless, drug addicted ladies and jail ministry. Also, God has used Virginia to participate in a ministry to black-Americans. She has been speaking of black history by relating the account of her association with Mahalia Jackson, when she sang before the Emperor of Japan within the Imperial Palace. Virginia will be writing this account for Guidepost.
We left the first of March on a three week journey to California,

Mexico, and Texas on mission related business. Our next newsletter will tell of this. We have plans to be in Eugene April 2 and then two Japanese from the Sayama Church will visit from April 8 to 15. We shall be visiting Christian homes, churches and seeing beautiful
America.
MISSIONARIES STILL.

In December of 1991, we received a generous check from Bill & Sue Hoppe who have been our friends for over 30 years. They have visited Japan twice and their only son, who is a psychiatrist, has served two terms in the Philippines with Wycliffe. Sue Hoppe write in their
Christmas card the most encourging words I could hear. It seemed at

page 3

MARCH 1993

that time i t was best to leave Jpaan and turn over all property and leadership to our son Stephen regarding the Sayama Church and the new
Karuizawa Retreat Center and move to the United States as the center

of our work. Sue wrote, "I doubt, Virginia, if you can ever stop being a missionary". Five years ago our dear friends Mickey and Chuck Richards sent their newsletter as they have served many years in the Philippines and have translated the New Testament in the Itawes language. Now both, older than Julius and Virginia, are beginning on their second language translation. Mickey said to Virginia, "Virginia, people think you are a little crazy because you are a "gospel street meeting about to happen". I have mentioned before that I asked 50 years for Japan and then asked God to use me in 100 other countries. I was called at age 15 to train and go to Japan and that calling was sure. I felt I had come home that early foggy morning in October 1950 as our frieghter pulled into Yokohama. My heart shall always be in Japan as my first-love of Mission Lands. My heart remains faithful to my first-love Jesus Christ. Now the Word speaks to me and Julius agrees, I can go on a mission journey in May through June 30.
MISSION JOURNEY IN MAY AND JUNE

There will be three weeks in Japan working with Mother Haga (76) and missionary Aono (80) in the Kamo area listening to their live stories, and recording in Japanese and English the accounts for two books which will be in Japanese and English. There I will be consulting with Bill Bellew about work in Beijin and Shanghai. I then shall be in Korea, China, and Manila and Aparri in the Philippines. In the Philippines, I found a little 6th grade girl on the beach of Aparri who had no future beyond the sixth grade. She had believed on Jesus Christ through the Aparri Christian Mission Vacation Bible School. I arranged for her to go to the mission school and she graduated top in her class. She then went on to the Aparri Bible College and then took tests in Pre-Medicine at the Santa Tomas University in Manila and was accepted. We support her for $1500.00 a year and the Japan based Philippines Self-Help Group has picked up the other $1500.00 of her education. She desires to be a missionary giving free medical care to under privileged people in the Philippines. PRAY for Mary Jane. THAILAND is also on Virginia's itinerary and she will be in Chingmai with Dorothy uhlig, a friend of over 50 years. Dorothy serves as a
nurse and runs a hostel for Thai children who would be sold into

prostitution in Bangkok if not educated to make a living other wise. We have taken three of these girls to pray for daily and give $25 to $50 a month support. Some suffered great persecution by their famlilies when they visit homes and refuse to take part in demon worship. Also, Virginia will go over to Chiengmai and visit the Morse Family and their work.
Pray Virginia will be used richly in this minsitry. In Red China we hope to get permission to open an English School and will recruit Christian Americans to go and teach and let their light shine. There are reported to be 50,000,000 Christians in China.

page 4

MARCH 1993

PRAY FOR REVIVAL OF THE AMERICAN CHURCH and for Christians to do spiritual battle against the wickedness in our nation. Our Lord said:

"Upon (Jesus Christ) this Rock I will build my church and the
of hell shall not prevail against it".

gates
on

Our Lord said

"all authority has

been given me

in heaven and

earth... GO YE
YOU AND LO I

THEREFORE INTO ALL THE

MEN TO OBSERVE

EARTH AND PREACH THE

ALL THINGS I HAVE

GOSPEL,
COMMANDED

BAPTIZING, AND TEACHING

AM WITH YOU ALWAYS".

We have a mandate from Heaven and we never go alone, we go with God in

the person of Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit.
MIRACLE OF HEALING

Virginia was scheduled to have a complete knee replacement on the 11th of January. Three groups were praying she would get a healing. The Sunday before the surgery while singing "Majesty" at the Westside

Christian Church in Eugene, Virginia reached out in her mind's eye and touched the hem of the glorified Christ's robe. The pain instantly
left. Before that she was unable to walk more than ten minutes. Julius and Virginia went to the Mall and walked for an hour and half. We went home and Virginia ran up and down the stairs and did four loads of washing which she could not do for over a month. In December

in Japan, Virginia had to stop every few steps on the subway and rest because the pain was so great. Thus, this missionary journey is
possible by God's enabling. My surgeon is a Christian and he said

"the x-ray looks the same but your pain and swelling is gone". He said he was a Catholic and believed in miracles. He said, "come see
me in June, after your journey".

Virginia's testimony: "I don't

know why God chose to

do this miracle

of

freedom from pain and swelling

and I am now

asking Him to put in

cartilege where bone is on bone in the right knee. I asked the doctor if this could be psychosomatic. Dr. Schroeder said "No, I never had this happen before. I am not going to operate on someone who does not want an operation". I had prayed that I would be a "light" in the hospital and that no wrong treatment would be given to me. The nurses were laughing and said "You're going to ruin our business". I said, "Clinton promised affordable medical care, I think I found the answer.
Should I write to him?"

I am still in wonderment and awe that God would give me this healing at age 67 so I can travel. I shall be traveling in cramped economy class airplanes and be in third world sleeping conditions so pray I can take the scripture God gave to me this morning. "Do everything
without complaining or argument."
Many ask about our family and pictures of the work so this newsletter

will be full of pictures. Tack up a picture and pray for that person. Write your prayer requests to us and we will pray for you. God says
"Pray without ceasing" and "in everything by prayer". You MUST HELP US WITH YOUR PRAYERS is what Paul said and we say that to you, our loving friends and helpers.

MARCH

1993

God bless and keep you until our next meeting. Many of you come to our minds daily and we give thanks for you. We love you who love our
Saviour in a special way. Luke 10:26, 21, 28.
Julius & Virginia

Christmas 1992 Clockwise from Julius, Laurie, Julia, Grace & husband Robert, Joshua & Eli (Julia's sons), Dana Lee

Front Row: Rachel & Heidi (Joe's wife & daughter), Nami (John's

wife), Rebekah (niece). Back Row: Heidi's mother, Joe, John

holding Tiffany

PAGE

MARCH 1993

Julio age 2 in 1984, weight 18 lbs. Virginia saying "His name is the same as Julius and his adoptive mother's name is Virginia." They bought this child for $25.00 but he was so sickly they brought him to the Cagalyon Christian Home saying they are poor farmers and want to get him back when he is well. He has seizures and we have supported him and desire to bring him for evaluation to the shriner's Hospital in Portland. Pray red tape can be cut, that a couple in Portland will provide foster loving care for his stay for treatment. His adoptive mother Virginia has recently come to the Children's Home in Aparri to help care for him. He needs, love, holding, care, and treatment. Ixthus is starting a fund for milk which should be given more than once a day. Also needed is a physical therapist for 4 or 5 of the children who have been severely damaged. Julio's hands and arms were tied to his side the first year or two of his life and he was fed only
at night when an aunt was home from work. His birth mother deserted

him because she was unmarried. He also was gagged so his crying could not be heard by neighbors. At last he was sold to a childless couple. Make this a prayer project please. Although we send $50.00 for food and care for him, he needs much more. I am saying, "This child needs love and holding. I will take him as my spiritual child".

tf 4

IV ?irr-

Pastor-Evangelist Shakel and wife Missionary Shakel are now in the process of building a larger place for their ministry
10 blocks from the Westside Christian Church on 18th Street

Japan missionaries the Christensons have

in Eugene. Pray funds will come in for the building. Pray for this vibrant congregation to reach out anad change lives in Eugene.

Christmas banquets which focus on the meaing of Christmas. Manay Japanese like the celebration, but do not know the Christ of Christmas. Standing back row: Nami's father. Standing behind Virginia is Nami's mother. They have a new home in the mountains near our Karuizawa Retreat and plan on Christian Concerts to invite neighbors to hear about Jesus Christ. Nami's parents have agreed to open their home for evangelism. Pray for this family. It will be called the KOHAMA Home Church.

Julius with Mother Haga. Father Haga was converted at age 72 & went to be with Jesus five years later. He put a cross on his
door and said from now on the

Bill & Sue Hoppe visited us in the cold of winter the January of 1989 when we broke ground on the Karuizawa Retreat Area. They are typical of the faithful prayer supporters who have stood with us

as missionaries and have encouraged us with good

advice and love and caring.

house belongs to Jesus Christ. Mrs. Haga's three daughters are

Christians.

PAGE 9

MARCH

1993

'V>

Stephen & Carol s son Peter was encouraging little brother Matthew Christopher who was
ring bearer.

Granddaughter Becky's wedding in August 1992. She & husband

Matt live in Portland as he

takes his graduate degree in

teaching.

Daughter Grace with Ashley and husband

Robert live in Mission Viejo. Ashley was born August 1990 with a partial encephalit
and we have asked prayer for her. Praise God she is perfectly up and above the

physical and mental norm for her age.

Youngest daughter
Laurie is

3rd year at
the U of

Washington,
She is

majoring in psychology.

Julis Shozen, our oldest daughter, and

sons Joshua, second year at U. of Washington, and Eli, high school on the tennis team.

Julia got her degree in advanced computer programming.

PAGE

10

MARCH

1993

Dan Sparkman, new missionary to Japan as of May 1993. He will fly to Japan with Virginia. She will introduce Dan to three areas of people who have asked her to find an outstanding English teacher and Chrsitian to help with the church and evangelism. We praie God we can be a
chain in God's work.

Earl & Irene Grice

Rochester, Minnesota

forwarding Ager^t in States

Irene E. Grice

Julius & Virginia Fleenor

P. 0. Box 23603

Non-Profit Organization
U.S. POSTAGE

715 14th Street S.E.

Rochester, Minnesota 55904 Phone: (507) 288-6554

Eugene, OR 97402-9998
Phone: 503/344-6025

PAID
Rochester, MN 55901
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IXTHUS MISSION TO JAPAN MAILING

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Wewantto keep ourmalltng listup-to-date. Pleasecheck

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