Chris & Leanne February 2022 Prayer Requests

* Please continue to pray for our church plant in Shichigahama. We are praying about and looking for ways to get into the lives of the people and community of Shichigahama. There are so many who have never heard the good news of the gospel. But we need to find points of connection with those around us to be able to share. Please pray for these opportunities.

* Also, pray for us as a family as we get into the rhythm of ministry in the year 2022.

Chris & Leanne January 2022 Prayer Requests

Thank you for all your prayers throughout the holiday season. Interest in Christmas has been growing over the years among our Japanese friends. We praise God for the six families who came to Sunday worship for the first time. For four of the families it was their first time ever entering a church for any reason. The message was focused in on the angels sharing the good news with the shepherds. In the same way God specifically chose to whom the angels would announce Jesus’ birth. We know God chose for these families to hear the announcement as well. We pray the Holy Spirit will use the seeds spread during that time to take root in their hearts.

Chris & Leanne December 2021 Prayer Requests

Dear Parkside family,

Thank you always for faithfully praying for us and those God has given us to serve.

This month we ask that you join us in fervently lifting up our friend’s son. This special little boy has a genetic blood disorder that requires him to have a blood transplant before age five. He finished the chemotherapy and received the transplant in the middle of November. He will need to be in isolation for about a month, remain in the hospital for about 4 months, and then stay quarantined at home for a year. Please pray for God’s healing and care for this little boy (4years old); that his body would accept the healthy blood and begin producing this healthy blood quickly. Please pray for his 7 year old brother who cannot be with his mom and brother for this extended amount of time. Please pray for God to give strength to our friend as she cares for her younger son and is away from her older son. Please also pray specifically that God would get the glory in their eyes and the Lord would to draw this family to himself. Last year around this time, God answered our prayers to help older brother speak. We pray God shows them his power and love at this time too.

We also ask for prayer for wisdom in how to care for the many kids who have stopped attending school and are shutting themselves in from society. We are seeing this more and more, even amongst our close friends and in our church. Japanese parents cannot force their children to attend school because of the history of severe bullying. Our church is praying how to minister to these kids and their concerned parents.

Please also pray for the many opportunities the Christmas season brings to talk about Christ. May we, our teammates and our Japanese Christian brothers and sisters be bold in sharing the reason for celebrating this season.

Chris & Leanne

Chris & Leanne November 2021 Prayer Requests

* We thank God for the friends who have been attending church and/or smaller Bible studies. We pray the Lord will open their hearts to the gospel. And that they would come to trust Jesus to be the Lord of their life.

* Please pray for the different Thanksgiving gatherings we will be having this month. Yes Thanksgiving day is an American holiday & people here enjoy learning about American culture. But it is also an important time to point our friends towards God with thankful hearts. To share how all good things come from above. We are excited for these opportunities to share of God’s provision of physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.

Chris & Leanne October 2021 Prayer Requests

As we enter into the fall season we are reminded of how God’s creation was made for change. We see it in the leaves and we hope to see it in the lives of the people of Shichigahama. May the Holy Spirit move amongst the people here.

We thank the Lord for what we have seen in the life of Ms. K. She came to visit us in America while we were back on our home assignment. Recently she began a Bible study. Wanting to learn more about God. We thank the Lord for how he has surrounded her with Christians over these last couple years. And for how their example of Gods love and grace has caused her to open her heart to desire to learn more. Lord please bring fruit from this desire for your glory. May Mrs. K hear the voice of the shepherd and come into the fold.

Chris & Leanne September 2021 Prayer Requests

* Please be in prayer for the ever changing ability to connect with friends and neighbors. We have been going in and out of state-of-emergency protocols here in Japan. This has hinder our ability to consistently be able to gather with people. Pray for safety within the community. But also pray for wisdom on how to best navigate ministry.

* A new prayer request would be for God’s leading as we begin to seek new ministry partnerships in Tohoku Japan for future missionaries. Currently our mission is only doing ministry in 3 of the 6 states in Tohoku. If it is God’s will we would like to help the Japanese churches in the remaining 3 states if it would be beneficial. Pray for we find good gospel partners and situations we can help with.

* A praise would be that we were able to take a vacation for a week as a family. It was great to get unhurried time together. We thank God for a respite after a hot summer filled with different gatherings.

Chris & Leanne August 2021 Prayer Requests

* We have been blessed to be on summer break. It started the last week of July and goes through August. During this time we get many chances to spend time with people. Through BBQs, outings to parks and the beach, and kids camps/events. Please pray for all the seeds being planted this summer. May the Holy Spirit bring the fruit. Ask God to give us opportunities to share the greatest gift ever given.

Chris & Leanne July 2021 Prayer Requests

* Please be in prayer for the many kids and family events we have planned throughout July and August. Many of these gatherings have changed due to COVID concerns. But we nonetheless pray the Lord will allow for further relational connections and many chances to share his love with the people of Japan.

* In the past we have shared about Mrs. Y and her family. The Lord has answers prayer in giving her boys the ability to speak in public. Something they have been reluctant to do for their whole lives. Her youngest son is in need of a treatment using bone marrow. The 6 people in Japan who are a match have declined to go through a blood marrow transplant. The doctor is hopeful that the boys umbilical cord will be enough of a help to him to help heal him of this condition. Please pray fervently for God to heal their son in even a miraculous way to show his power. We pray the Lord will use this situation to draw their eyes away from creation and to the creator.

Missions Update from the Harringtons

A year ago, we wondered how we would get to know people in our new community in the midst of a pandemic. The Lord has made ways for us to connect with different families in our new town of Shichigahama. So many of the normal town outlets (clubs, events, etc.) have been disrupted. It seems to have created a deep need for relationships. We are so thankful to be able to step in and meet those needs one family at a time. We are thankful to not be doing this alone... Read More >

Chris & Leanne June 2021 Prayer Requests

In past prayer calendars we shared about the S family. This is the family to whom God had shown himself through giving their oldest son the courage to speak in public after we began praying for him. Since then, the Lord has given us many more opportunities to share with them about God and his love.

Recently, the mom was touched by Lillia’s prayer before a meal in which Lillia thanked God for their youngest son being born. Since this son is handicapped the mom couldn’t believe that a 10 year old would be thankful for him being born. This gave us the opportunity to share how God is the creator of all and how we are all a reflection of his image.

Her boys attend our church’s English classes. Mrs S mentioned she felt so much love and care while surrounded by Christians. At the end of May she and her boys came to a church service for the first time! We praise the Lord for how He is revealing himself to this family. Please continue to pray that the S family would come to believe in the God of the Bible and out their trust in Him.

Chris