Facts:
Osaka is the
seventh largest city in the world with a population of 8.7 million
people. Including the Kobe-Kyoto area the population is just
above the Los
Angeles Metro Area.
There is one
Church in Osaka for every 15,400 people.
Population
Density (per square mile):
USA:
72
Japan:
857
Osaka:
30,546
The
Ministry we are Joining
After teaching English in Osaka for several years, Chad and Jennifer
Huddleston became convicted of their call to be missionaries and
returned as God put an intense love for the Japanese on their hearts.
In September of 1998, after carefully choosing an area with many
people and few churches, Chad and Jennifer moved to Toyonaka City in
Osaka.
In October of 1998, their first child, Anika, was born. She
brings much joy to their family and her precious smile has proven to
be an effective ministry tool!
During their first several months, the Huddlestons taught several
Bible studies in English with over 15 Japanese non-Christian
participants.
The first Osaka Let's Start Talking project took place the summer of
1999. During those 9 weeks, over 80 people were introduced to
both Jesus and the Huddlestons. Over the next year the
Huddlestons continued group Bible studies increasing to about 40
participants.
On July 4, 1999, they held the first weekly worship service.
Since then, "Praise Time" has grown to an average of 20
Japanese people who attend every week, including Midori Koike who Chad
baptized on June 4, 2000.
In the summer of 2000, the Huddlestons hosted another LST project,
this time for 12 weeks. The teams studied the books of Luke and
Acts with over 90 people.
In July, Scott and Jackie Mersch and their two children joined the
Huddlestons.
The newest addition to the Huddleston family, Josiah, was born in
August.
The Huddlestons, along with the Mersches, are currently teaching 11
Bible studies in English, covering the books of Genesis, Mark, Luke
and Acts with over 60 Japanese non-Christians.
"As we Japanese have many kinds of ideas about God we need to
learn about God's love rightly," said Masako Miyamoto, who
attends one of Chad's classes with five of her neighbors.
"Chad's class gives us a big help to understand God."
God is certainly working in the hearts of the Huddleston's Japanese
friends. God also continues to lead them in contact to others
who want to learn about the love of Christ.
Timeline
of work done by resident missionaries:
August
1998 - Arrival to Japan
September
1998 - Moved to Toyonaka/Suita area of Osaka
December
1998 - First English Bible studies began with about 15
participants
Summer
1999 - First LST project came to Osaka - 9 weeks total - 79
participants
July
4, 1999 - Began first worship time
July
1999 - First FriendsCamp - 60 participants
Fall
1999 - Follow-up English Bible classes - 7 classes with about 40
participants
Summer
2000 - 12 weeks of LST projects - 90+ participants
July
2000 - FriendsCamp - 50 participants
Fall
2000 - Follow-up English Bible classes - 11 classes with about 60
participants
Currently
there are about 15-20 at Praise Time every week.
