Dear Friends,
In early 2019, our oldest grandson, Lynus Erickson, spent five weeks with us here in Yoshino during his gap year. It was a rare blessing to share time together, and we were very proud of the way he put his fluent Japanese to good use—doing volunteer work at a nearby facility for the disabled, making many new friends, and traveling the country by himself after that. After returning to the U.S., Lynus began his studies at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, where, as a member of the Daily Collegian staff, his photography skills were recognized and he was set to become the senior photo editor in fall 2021.
Our happy memories of his visit came to mean even more to us when we received the unbelievable news from our daughter, Shelley, that Lynus had died in a traffic accident in Boston on June 22nd, exactly one month before his 22nd birthday. It was shattering news, and we are still grieving.
Due to the Covid situation, which involved complicated travel restrictions and regulations (especially here in Japan), it was quite difficult for both of us to return to the States. Mary was able to fly back to Boston to attend the August 21st Celebration of Life event for Lynus and spend five weeks with Shelley, Christian, Astrid (19) and Asmund (16). We deeply covet your continued prayers for them.
Let us share some of the recent events that have taken place here. October 22nd, I spoke for the early morning interdenominational prayer service at the downtown Christian Center in Kagoshima. November 3rd, Mary and I took some of our Yoshino church ladies with us to attend a memorial service at the Kanoya Church of Christ for Miyoko Yoshii (84), the widow of Hideo Yoshii, who ministered there for over 50 years. The church was filled with people whose lives had been touched by her kindness and Christian faith. She will truly be missed.
Interdenominational Prayer Service - October 22nd
Mrs. Yoshii’s Memorial Service - November 3rd
November 23rd, forty-three Christians from seven of our churches in Kagoshima Prefecture gathered at a hotel at the foot of Mt. Sakurajima for our 67th Annual Prefectural Rally. We had been unable to hold our annual rally for two years due to the pandemic, so this day was special. Taking precautions, we shortened the program to just a morning session and cut out the usual noon meal together. After the message by Brother Setoguchi (minister of the Kanoya church), the program ended with the ordination of Brother Otsubo.
Brother Otsubo’s Ordination - November 23rd
While still working as a civil servant at the Miyazaki Prefectural Office, Brother Otsubo (whose wife is a daughter of one of our first ministers) began studying for the ministry by taking online classes from Osaka Bible Seminary. He graduated this past March, not long after his retirement from his job at the prefectural office. Even before his graduation, Brother Otsubu was doing some preaching for our churches, including at Yoshino. Now that he has been ordained, he has agreed to be the part-time assistant minister at the Yoshino Church of Christ. This means he will be filling in on a more regular basis at Yoshino when I am away preaching at other churches.
December 10th, I drove to the Kagoshima prison for my regularly scheduled Bible class. I arrived an hour before that class to record a video Christmas message that was to be shown on TVs throughout the prison on Christmas night. This was being done in place of the annual Christmas program in the large prison assembly hall, which couldn’t be held due to Covid restrictions.
December 19th, I preached for Christmas services at Kokubu and Yoshino. The service at Yoshino was followed by a shortened version of our annual Christmas program. The highlight was a handbell performance by the ladies of the church. Instead of our usual fellowship meal, everyone was given a box lunch to take home. We hope that next year we will be able to enjoy a full program and our usual potluck meal together.
Yoshino Church Ladies’ Handbell Performance - December 19th
December 20th, I found myself at the largest Buddhist temple in Kagoshima City, speaking to twenty-one Buddhist priests (of various sects). How did this happen? All of these priests were members of the Kagoshima Prison Chaplains’ Association, attending a training session about conducting classes for inmates at the Kagoshima prison. Since I have been a prison chaplain for over forty years and serve as vice president of the Kagoshima Prison Chaplains’ Association, I had been asked to speak about how I conduct my classes at the Kagoshima prison.
Speaking to Buddhist Priests - December 20th
After speaking briefly about how I conduct my classes, I spent most of the time sharing with them a sample lesson—one that I always use at the prison. It is a lesson about man being created in God’s image (Gen. 1:26-27)—the basis for a healthy, solid sense of self-worth and purpose in life. I emphasized that my mission as a Christian chaplain was to help inmates regain a sense of self-worth and help them understand that, through the resurrected Jesus Christ, they could restart their lives as a new person before God.
It was a hard group to speak to, but it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to preach the gospel to a captive audience of Buddhist priests. I felt a bit like the Apostle Paul in Acts 17, speaking at the Areopagus to the philosophers and intellectuals of Athens about the unknown God.
The evening of December 23rd, members of the Yoshino church gathered in the church parking lot (which had been decorated with Christmas lights for the first time) for Christmas caroling. Flyers had been passed out to homes near the church about the event. We were pleased that three of our non-Christian neighbors actually came to the parking lot to listen in person. Our Christmas activities concluded on the evening of the 24th with our Christmas Eve Candle Service at the church.
This last year was a painful year, as we experienced a loss not quite like any other. We’re not sure when we will stop feeling the heaviness in our hearts, but we are trying to rejoice and give thanks in the midst of the deep sadness (2 Thess. 5:16-17). We are thankful for Lynus’s strong, exceptional life, the blessing he will always be, and that he left this world as a child of God. I baptized him on June 22nd when he was twelve years old—the same date as his accident nine years later.
With Lynus at the train station when he left Kagoshima
March 2019
We are very grateful for all of your prayers and support this past year. May God bless and use you for His glory in the coming New Year.
In Him, Walter & Mary