Encounter with Reality

Over jetlag, bags unpacked, boys back in school, and life back to normal, but daily I find myself thanking God for our recent trip to Japan.  It truly was a gift from Him.  One specifically ordained, I believe, for our family at this particular point in time.  It moved us.  It encouraged us.  It changed us.  More than anything else, it opened wide our eyes and hearts to the peoples with whom God has called us to work…Japanese descendants in Brazil.  For me, I will forever have places and faces etched upon my heart.  I want to share with you about a place where God led us, if for no other reason, to break my heart all over again for the deep, complete loss and emptiness of precious souls.

Our new team leader, Gary Fujino, took us to the Buddhist temple in Tokyo.  The darkness and desperation one (follower of Christ) feels as you see and enter a place such as this is overwhelming.  As you approach the temple, there is a well overflowing with incense smoke which quite frankly, was stifling!  It was at this spot my heart was first stirred as I watched a woman desperately attempt to bathe her husband’s body in this smoke to cleanse him in order for him to be able to enter the temple to worship.  My God gently reminded me that He takes people just the way they are.  No cleansing necessary beforehand. 

 As we entered the temple, I was amazed as I watched people scuffling to the front to throw their offering, get close to the priest, and worship idols placed so strategically.  What caught my eye and forever will be on my mind, were the children that we saw taking part along with the elderly who with no doubt have been doing this for years. 

Our three boys accompanied us on this day.  I wasn’t so much worried about the two older ones.  Although intrigued by it all, they both stand firm in their faith and will be the first to tell you so.  However, our youngest is at the point where his heart is tender and he is full of questions.  As an onlooker, I knew he was observing everything.  I gently put my arms around him and whispered in his ear, “Sweet boy, this is not the true way.”  What I heard next, I will never forget.  Miles looked up at me and said, “I know, Mom.  I love Jesus.”  Now that, my friends, brought peace to this momma’s heart!

          

Stories of our trip to Japan will be the topic at our dinner table for a long time.  We have a lot of work to do.  We face it knowing that it won’t be easy.  At the same time, we face it knowing that it is possible with God and through the prayers of His people.  To those who have partnered with us in prayer, we are grateful for your willingness and faithfulness to lift us up.  For those who haven’t partnered, we invite you to join us in praying for and reaching the Japanese.  The reality of the lost is HUGE!  God, bring us to our knees for these precious people.

Here are more pictures of this day that might be interesting to you.

Written by Amy Stowell

Virtual Prayer Walk

Thank you for taking the time to watch this video.  It is our prayer that you will join us in praying for our ministry.  We want you to pray for the people with whom we will come in contact.  Many of you know about the darkness that is found in the country of Japan.   There is a great little book by Keith Webb titled, "Overcoming Spiritual Barriers in Japan."  You can find it on Amazon.com.   Gary, our team leader, gave it to me when he was here in Brazil.  I recommend this little book.   It will help you to be better informed about what is taking place spiritually in Japan.  Keith Webb said, "More workers, more money or better methods will not help a situation that is the result of spiritual strongholds."  Please join us in praying for Japan, the Japanese descendants and New Generations Church in Sao Paulo (Steve & Salva Marlin).  In the coming days, Amy and I will be putting more videos out for you to watch.  Why?  We believe that by seeing the areas and people who are in desperate need of the gospel, you will be more informed and hopefully can focus more intently on the areas you would be willing to lift in prayer.   Our Lord Jesus Christ wants us to be joined together.   Ephesians 5: 15-18 says, "Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk-not as unwise people, but as wise-making the most of the time, because the days are evil.  So don't be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.  And don't get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless actions, but be filled with the Spirit."  Let us come together and pray! 

Pascal and Amy

PS:  We would love to hear from you, drop us a note on Facebook.  

Brazil and Japan - Need Your Prayers!

Hello everybody!  Thank you for coming by and visiting our blog.  I am so excited about what happened this past week.  I will be sharing more about it in the coming weeks.   We want you to continue to pray for us as we begin this new work with the Japanese descendants here in Brazil.  To start off this new adventure, we wanted to post a picture with some people that are very important to us.  In between Amy and me is Thiago.  He is from Mogi das Cruzes.  The city he lives in has the highest population of Japanese descendants in Brazil.  Thiago sells insurance and most of his customers are Japanese.  In fact, Bete, his partner in the business, is Japanese descent and speaks Japanese. 

In between Micah and me is Silvano Kubo.  This is Micah’s Geography teacher at PACA.  He is also the pastor of a Japanese church that his father started in Suzano.  It was very interesting listening to Silvano talk about his father.  His father became a Christian in Japan.  Some missionaries became his friend and led him to the Lord.  One day his parents told him that he needed to decide whether he would follow Jesus or remain a part of the family.  What did he want to do?  He told them that he was going to follow Jesus.  Many of us don’t have to make those decisions in our life. Quite honestly, I cannot even imagine having to do that.  This is why it is so important to understand that we need to take serious our walk with Jesus.  Silvano is a great guy.  Please be in prayer for him.  One thing he told me about the Japanese descendants is that they are very hard to reach. WE REALLY NEED ALL OF YOU TO BE PRAYING FOR US!    We could never thank you enough for your prayers and we know and believe that in His timing, He will honor every single one of them.

Next to Matthew is Gary Fujino.  He is our new team leader and lives in Japan.  He is a great guy! He has lived in Japan for over 16 years.  It was really interesting to hear him speak Japanese with the Brazilian Japanese here in Brazil.  Gary is a second generation Japanese, so is Silvano.  Please keep Gary and his wife, Lynn, in your prayers as they lead our team in reaching Japanese people all over the world.

Please come back soon!  I am making a virtual prayer walk for all of you who would like to pray for our ministry.  We really need you to pray.  Our desire is that you will take these people and pray for them, asking God to make Himself known in a powerful way so that lives may be changed. We love y’all!!

Blessings!

Pascal, Amy, Micah, Matthew and Miles

No Sweet Treats but one Sweet Pepaw - By my niece Amanda Henry

My niece Amanda Henry wrote this about her Pepaw, my father.  It was so well written I wanted to share it with you!  Love you Amanda!

http://sweetteethgoodies.wordpress.com/2011/09/25/no-sweet-treats-but-one-sweet-pepaw/

Bill Stowell - My Father

It was a year ago today that my father passed away.  Wanted to share this video that was made by Rick Rowe about his 50 anniversary at Emmanuel Baptist Church.

Leaving for Brazil Today - Aug. 15, 2011

Though the nations around us follow their idols,
      we will follow the Lord our God forever and ever.
Micah 4:5

As we leave today, I want to thank all of you who are praying for our family!  Last night at FBC Foley was just a wonderful time!  Those are some great people!!  Thank you to all the staff there also!  Bro. Billy, Kelly, Shane, David, Hope, Sharon and Ken!  Love you guys!  Also, another big thank you to FBC-Foley for allowing us to stay in their mission house!  It was GREAT!!  We have made so many new friends that we will never forget! 

Thank you again for your prayers as we travel today!  I love that verse in Micah!  I have claimed it for my family and know that He will take care of us! 

Pascal, Amy, Micah, Matthew and Miles

Prayer Request

Prayer Request for August 2011

“They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.    Acts 1:14(NLT)

Amy and I like that verse!  Why?  Because we want to be united in prayer with you all the time!  Prayer is so important to all of us and that is why Jesus was our great example.  I love Hebrews 4:14-16(KJV) “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”  I am so thankful that we can come to Jesus!  That is what we want to do with all of you!  Let us all come together and pray for each other. 

We are leaving on the 15^th of August to go back to Brazil.  We want to share a few prayer requests with all of you and then when we get set up down there we will be sharing more.  Once again, thank you for taking time to pray for us during this time.  We love all of you!

Pascal and Amy

Prayer Requests:

1) For our safe travel back to Brazil.  That our luggage will make it safely and that we will get through customs with no problems. 

2) Pray for Micah, Matthew and Miles.  They will be starting school and we ask that you pray that the transition will go smoothly.  They will be going to a school called PACA (Pan American Christian Academy). Pray for their teachers and other students as they start the new school year.

3) Pray for our new ministry.  We will be working with the Japanese Descendants in Brazil.  Pray that we will seek and do the will of our Father.  Pray that we will have Godly wisdom in all of our decisions.  We ask you to claim James 1:5 for our family.