13

September

1955

Dear Brother Mac;

Finally we are actually moved.

ken,

We have selected Sendai, up in Miagi

hours train ride north of Tokyo, as the center from which to start

our rural evangelistic work.

We trust the folk at home will not confuse

this Sendai with the one down in Kyushu in the area where Mrs, Dittimore is
working.

The 2 Sendai's are

hours train ride apart.

now live is 219 miles north of Tokyo.

city in northeast Japan.

The Sendai where we

It is the largest and most important

We are not really acquainted with the city ourselvi

but we know there is a needy field Sf'-evangelism for Christ here.

We pray G<

that we may have the wisdom and strength to use our time and His. money givei
through you in the wisest way.

We are starting under a financial handicap with a deficit of $256.46,

our link support could be completed, this deficit would not need to continue

exist.

We need $170 per month in living link support and $50 per month in s<

link support.

We pray brethren at home may rise to this need that our labon

here may be more efficient.

Our new address is;

Paul & Marcla Nielsen

154 Mlnami Miagino

^1/ Minami no me, Hiranomachi

^F'

Sendai, Japan.

Thankyou for bringing this to the attendtton of the brethren through

HORIZONS.

Sincerely in Christ,

1^55
FIRST SERVICES HELD IN SENDAI JAPAN

Services were started in November in Mr, Takafuji's (native evangelist) home.

Pictured with Mr. and Mrs. Takafuji and their daughter Mari, are 2 college girls and

1 high school girl.

the services.

God's Word.

These attended the second service.

Two others are now attending

None of these girls are Christians but they show interest in studying

Besides regular services, these girls, with the help of Mr. Takafuji,

are producing a tape recording in Japanese to be used with the showing of the
Christmas Story at Christmas time.

These are the first services of the churches of

Christ in Sendai since Brother M. B. Madden had to leave the work he started some

50 years ago.

As yet no trace of that work has been found.

The greatest need, other than the prayers of the brethren at home for this new

work, is

a month increase in support to make a skeleton budget balance.

Five dollars is needed now for an adequate budget.

Seventy

By next spring, when we plan to

go out into the villages to start work, at least an additional $75 per month will be

needed.

Please write Paul Nielsen,

Minami Magono, Minaminome, Haranomachi,

Sendai, Japan for further information about the work and this need of adequate support.

'Uci

V ::

LADOGA, IiroiANA CHURCH PLEDGES SUPPORT TO THE NIELSENS We are hapoy to announce

that the Christian Church in Ladoga has been added to our family of living link
churches.

They have pledged 1^0 a month.

We praise God for them for showing

their

added interest in this new work in northern Honshu.

congregations will complete our needs for this new work.
in living link.

service link.

Pray with us that other

We lack ll^O per month

To have an adequate working budget we need

a month in

Who is there that will answer the call of the villages by sending

support that will take the Gospel to these villages in northern Honshu.

Please

write for further detailed information.: Paul Nielsen, Box 97 Sendai, Japan.

JAN 20 ?956

Last Minute News From the Nielsens in Sendai, Japan

THE CHRISTMA.S STORY SERVES AS AN "lOEBREADKER" ~

Special effort was made to

increase attendance for the Christmas program in the Sendai congregation.

Many

.Japanese have the idea that Sunday worship services are for Christians only.^^gfe
They feel they should attend services only when spmething special is going on and

special announcement has been made,

Mr. Takafuji, native evangelist, made good

use of the opportunity to tell the ^8 present for the Christmas program about the

true purpose of the church in the community and explained that they are welcome

to the regular services also.

The average attendance for the first 5 Lord's Days

of 1956 is l4. None of these, except the Takafuji's, are Christians.

much patient teaching to do.

There is

Pray for them and for Mr. Takafuji, as he teaches.

Perhaps the following best illustrates the present work of this congregation.
December a couple of the girls brought another girl to service with them.

the first time this girl had ever been in a Christian service of any kind.

girl livens in the country and comes from a poor family.

from arthritis.

There are small children in the home.

In

It was

This

Her father is a cripple

The girl had come to town

to find work to help the family pay bills by the end of the year.

Japanese tradition

teaches that to have the blessing of the gods it is important to start the new year
fresh with no unpaid bills.

The church folk decided to help this family.and^prok

them.some food, clothing, and a gift of money which the congregation had been
collecting from their very first service to give to needy persons.

On New Years

morning lir. Takafuji further taught this girl of the poor family more about
Christianity.when she asked him if he had been to the shrine yet.

Japanese

religions teach this must be done at New Years time to have a happy and successful
new year.

Mr. Takafuji explained that Christians do not do this but pray to God

daily and by serving Him, are blessed.

Thus the congregation is learning to share

both its material and spiritual blessings.

Please pray for them.