{"id":4078,"date":"2021-03-02T09:31:07","date_gmt":"2021-03-02T15:31:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/?p=4078"},"modified":"2021-03-02T09:31:07","modified_gmt":"2021-03-02T15:31:07","slug":"bamba-newsletter-march-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/bamba-newsletter-march-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"Bamba Newsletter: March 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Warm Greetings from Japan in the name of Jesus!<\/span><\/h2>\n

As the year 2021 has begun, we have a lot to reflect on over the past year. 2020 was definitely an unusual year, filled with many uncertainties and unknowns. However, nothing that happened took God by surprise. He knew and still knows all that has, is, and will happen. We have no control over what goes on around us, but we do not have to worry or fear because we know all things are in God\u2019s hands.<\/p>\n

\"Kids<\/a>

Kids Ministry during COVID-19<\/p><\/div>\n

Ministry opportunities and activities have looked a bit different over the past year, but we are so thankful for each chance we have had to share God\u2019s love with the people He brings across our path. During Japan\u2019s initial state of emergency, our church had to switch to online services, and our English conversation classes also had to meet online. However, after that state of emergency was lifted, we were able to meet in person at church and in our English classes.<\/p>\n

As of February 7, Japan entered another state of emergency. However, it is much more lenient than the first. All restaurants are supposed to close at 8:00 p.m., but our church has been able to continue to meet in person with social distancing and mask-wearing. This is a bit of a challenge with the small building sizes in Japan. Since the Japanese elementary, junior high, and high schools are all still open, with extra precautions in place, our English conversation classes have been able to continue to meet as long as we follow the same safety measures.<\/p>\n

Though the schools are meeting, the afterschool activities, clubs and sports, have been canceled or postponed during the state of emergency. The cancelation of school and club activities has filled many of the children and their parents with anxiety. They are worried that they won\u2019t be able to pass their entrance exams in March and that they will fall behind in their studies. Pray with us as we encourage the children and their families and share God\u2019s hope and love with them.<\/p>\n

We joined the World Missions Ministries in 2001. We were at a missions training session when the planes crashed into the two world trade centers, forever marking 9\/11 in the minds of people across America. Ten years later, on March 11th, 2011, Japan was hit with a 9.1 earthquake and subsequent nine-foot tsunami that devastated the coast of Tohoku. The nuclear power plant in Fukushima was also damaged, leaking radiation into the surrounding cities. Many places are still recovering from the effects of this disaster.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The Bambas in 2001<\/p><\/div>\n

\"The<\/a>

The Bambas in 2011<\/p><\/div>\n

Another ten years later, in 2021, the whole world is dealing with the coronavirus and its effects, not just the physical aspects of the virus itself but also the mental, economic, and international effects as well. Every ten years, our time on the field has been punctuated by a catastrophic event, disaster, or pandemic. However, through all of the tragedies and suffering, God has been there right in the midst, not leaving us to go through these events alone.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The Bambas in 2021<\/p><\/div>\n

We are so thankful to have had you working alongside us through all these events and years. Without your faithful prayers and support, we would not have been able to continue working in Japan, sharing God\u2019s love with the Japanese people. We are the only Christians they will ever meet for so many of the people we encounter each day. Thank you again for your partnership! We are so blessed and encouraged by each of you and excited to see what God will do through our continued partnership!<\/p>\n

Your Missionaries to Japan,<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Hiro, Eryn, Justin, Ax, Hunter, and Olivia Bamba<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Warm Greetings from Japan in the name of Jesus! As the year 2021 has begun, we have a lot to reflect on over the past year. 2020 was definitely an…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":3505,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[29,1,4],"tags":[407,108,109,289],"class_list":{"0":"post-4078","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-missionary-newsletters","8":"category-uncategorized","9":"category-world-missions","10":"tag-407","11":"tag-bamba","12":"tag-hiro-eryn-bamba","13":"tag-march","14":"entry"},"title_es":"Bolet\u00edn Bamba: junio 2020","content_es":"

\u00a1Saludos desde Jap\u00f3n! <\/h2><\/div>

Parece que las cosas cambian a diario durante estos tiempos de incertidumbre, pero podemos encontrar consuelo al saber que nuestro Dios no cambia. Es el mismo ayer, hoy y ma\u00f1ana. Independientemente de cu\u00e1n inconstante sea el mundo o cu\u00e1n inconstante sea la econom\u00eda, sabemos que Dios tiene todas las cosas en Sus manos. Podemos encontrar consuelo y paz en Dios sin importar lo que suceda a nuestro alrededor. Nos duele el coraz\u00f3n cuando miramos a nuestro alrededor y vemos el miedo y la incertidumbre en los rostros de los japoneses. <\/p>

Frente a la pandemia de COVID-19, la ciudad de Chofu, una ciudad vecina a Saitama donde vivimos, ha ofrecido una descarga gratuita de un legendario monstruo anti-plaga, Amabie. Sugieren que las personas usen la imagen para ayudar a prevenir el coronavirus. Buscamos todas las oportunidades para compartir la esperanza que tenemos en Cristo con los japoneses para que no sientan la necesidad de recurrir a monstruos imaginarios en busca de falsas esperanzas. <\/p>

<\/p>

Tuvimos que cancelar nuestras clases de conversaci\u00f3n en ingl\u00e9s para el mes de abril, pero pudimos comenzar de nuevo en mayo en Zoom. Hemos echado de menos interactuar en persona con nuestros estudiantes y sus familias, pero estamos agradecidos de haber podido seguir vi\u00e9ndolos virtualmente. Nos ha dado la oportunidad de comunicarnos tanto con las mam\u00e1s como con los pap\u00e1s, lo cual es raro ya que generalmente est\u00e1n en el trabajo. Sin embargo, dado que muchos de los pap\u00e1s han estado trabajando desde casa y los ni\u00f1os est\u00e1n estudiando en casa, ambos padres han tenido la oportunidad de participar en nuestras clases. Ore con nosotros para que las palabras de aliento que compartimos apunten a nuestros estudiantes y sus padres hacia Dios y Su perd\u00f3n que es para todas las personas. <\/p>

Hiro ha podido realizar nuestras lecciones de escuela dominical en l\u00ednea. Estamos agradecidos de poder seguir compartiendo el amor de Dios con los ni\u00f1os en nuestra escuela dominical, incluso cuando no podemos estar con ellos f\u00edsicamente. Los pap\u00e1s de nuestros ni\u00f1os de la Escuela Dominical no asisten a la iglesia. Ore con nosotros para que los mensajes que los ni\u00f1os escuchan en casa puedan tener un impacto en el coraz\u00f3n de sus padres tambi\u00e9n. <\/p>

Estamos muy agradecidos de que incluso entre todos los vuelos cancelados y las actividades canceladas, Justin pudo terminar su primer a\u00f1o en Liberty University con \u00e9xito y pudo regresar a Jap\u00f3n para el verano. Estamos muy agradecidos por este tiempo juntos antes de que Justin regrese a la universidad y Ax se una a \u00e9l en su primer a\u00f1o de universidad. Contin\u00fae orando por Justin y Axe y los ajustes que tendr\u00e1n que hacer y por nosotros, ya que ser\u00e1 dif\u00edcil tenerlos a los dos tan lejos de casa. <\/p>

<\/p>

Estamos muy agradecidos por sus continuas oraciones y apoyo. \u00a1Su compromiso con el cumplimiento de la Gran Comisi\u00f3n est\u00e1 marcando una diferencia en todo el mundo! Su asociaci\u00f3n est\u00e1 llevando la esperanza y el amor de Cristo al pueblo japon\u00e9s. \u00a1No podr\u00edamos llevar la luz de Cristo a Jap\u00f3n sin ustedes! \u00a1Gracias! <\/p>

Muchas bendiciones, <\/p>

Hiro, Eryn, Justin, Axe, Hunter y Olivia Bamba<\/strong><\/em> <\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","author_name":"Hiro & Eryn Bamba","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/01\/Missionary-NL-Featured-Image.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pb62Ar-13M","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4078","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4078"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4078\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3505"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4078"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4078"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4078"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}