Leaving Wellington...

Our date of departure is just about upon us.


Its all starting to become quite real for us now. I took a trailer load of stuff over to Masterton on Monday, so our place is looking quite empty.  We've have our final life group before we go, had a great feed here last night. We were blessed to have our group pray for us.


It's really quite cool when people start to get behind vision. We've been so blessed with people encouraging us and promoting us. It's really exciting to be going off to do what God has for us, but it's also a little scary. So having people get behind us in prayer, friendship and financially is reassuring to us. 


We are especially appreciating the way our church Wellington International Elim are getting behind us. Thanks so much! On Sunday Ps Mike, freshly back from a trip to USA and UK, gave us this shirt....

.... its so cool and we feel like that's what we are about. We may not know the specifics of what it looks like, but we are going to Love Japan, and are trusting that God will save many through us.


Abbie has been trucking away at work and feels a bit surreal about the whole thing. She finishes on Friday!


There's only a few things left to do before we go. A little bit of paperwork, finish packing the house, shift our stuff on Saturday, then church on Sunday.


If you're in the Wellington Region and keen to hear in person about what we are doing, Abbie and I are presenting  at our church mission meeting this Sunday. 

Time: 12.15pm, after the main service

Venue: Tennyson Room, Elim International Church

Cost: Freewill donation will be collected to cover the cost of the lunch. Cash or EFTPOS facilities available.

If you're keen to be on our email list or to sponsor us financially, please email us and we'll sort it out.

On the countdown

So, as of right now, we have 11 days left in Wellington before we start the journey to Osaka.

We leave Wellington on 3 July, then spend a weeks with each of our families, before we fly on 20 July.

So yeah, its almost all go! We've started packing up the house, one load has gone over to Masterton already.

We've handed over the life group that Abbie and I have been leading. It's been a real blessing to us and we've now been blessed with some great leaders to take over from us. It is a very good thing to have fellowship with believers. We're guna miss our life group heaps, but are looking forward to fellowship in Japan.

Our preparation is going well. Abbie is still at work and doing well. I'm finished work, so am full time house husband with to do lists that seem to extend once I'm nearing the end. It's been a blessing to have this time to prepare. I (with no previous experience) have been teaching myself as much Japanese as possible, Abbie has been refreshing herself in her role as my tutor. Language learning is a big focus for us, so prayers for fast learning are very helpful.

Some one from life group asked what the most helpful thing she could to was, in terms of preparation. I said two things, financial support and prayer. Prayer is so what we need now, prayer for lots of stuff, prayer for quick learning of the language, understanding of the culture, a place to live once we are there, prayer for jobs that connect us to the culture and prayer for strong relationships to be established when we are there. One thing we know and trust is that prayer works, so we'd love for you to lend us your prayers.

We've giving a presentation on what we'll be doing on 3 July at our church's Mission Possible lunch. So if you wanna know some more or hear it from us in person. Get in contact and we'll give you full details.

Appreciate you guys joining with us.

Tim

Following the call

Welcome to our blog :-)


This a a blog all about Tim and Abbie Paton, and us following the missionary calling on our lives. 


Over the 2010/2011 summer break Abbie and I spent some time seeking God and what he had for us. During this time we got some clear instructions from God. Firstly, that we were to go and live overseas in one place for a year. Secondly, after asking where, that we were to go and serve in Japan.


Knowing how long and where, we started asking round some contacts and nothing seemed to happen. However, in God's timing we got connected with a couple in Osaka, Graeme and Lucy Fawcett.


So we are off! Do we know what we'll be doing, not fully, but we're confident details will be worked out as the time approaches and once we arrive there.


Abbie and I have a passion for Japan and desire to see the people redeemed by Christ. Japan while being a very technologically advanced nation, is hugely unreached in terms of the Gospel, with less than 1% Christian. 


We're excited about the journey and intend to keep this blog up to date so you can know what we are up to. 


Tim


P.S.
If you're interested in getting email updates or supporting us financially please  email us and we'll make sure you get what you are after.