I, Steve, am so thankful to God for his kindness and grace as I’ve spent 40 years serving with Cru! In the words of Paul in I Thess.5:24 “He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.“ God has called and God has provided the support and prayers through you, and He has accomplished all His good purposes.

          I’m so grateful as I look back at some of my early history with Cru. The first picture shows the summer project, Discover Friends 1982, where Rochelle and I both received our call to return and help Japanese college students to believe in Jesus Christ (we didn’t meet each other that summer, though).

The second picture shows 4 of us who had decided by faith to return to Japan. We were participating in Cru’s cross-cultural training in South Central Los Angeles. All 4 of us arrived in Japan in the fall of 1983.

Just a few months after I arrived, Rochelle joined our staff team and became my next door neighbor. After 2 years of campus ministry together and dating, God led me to marry the girl next door in April 1986!

          My early years in Japan were a mix of evangelism to many Japanese students (as in the fourth picture), engaging the interested students in Bible Studies, inviting them to weekly outreach meetings and ski camps and other fun settings where we might share the gospel with them and help them grow in their faith.

Praise God for His faithful work and call! He has never failed us, all these 40 years, first in Japan for 23 years, and in Orlando for nearly 16 years sending new workers into the harvest.

          Here is a photo of all the Cru staff presently serving in Japan at their recent staff conference. We remember some of them and we helped send some of the U.S. staff and interns serving there. God is still at work showing His mercy to the people of Japan. Praise God for raising up this next generation of laborers in Japan!

And not to leave Rochelle out! She will celebrate 43 years with Cru this summer! Here she is with some of the Japanese disciples from the early days at Rikkyo University.

          May the Lord be praised for all He has done!

And we thank you so much, many of you have known us and faithfully stayed with us through these many years! What an awesome work of faith together trusting God to bring His good news to the nations!

PRAYER REQUESTS

1) Pray for our upcoming trips to Texas April 20-29th, and California May 23 to June 12 to visit with our partners there. We look forward to seeing you!

2) Many students are now applying to go on summer mission trips or 1 year U.S. or international internships. Pray for God to raise up many new workers for the Gospel.

3) We are looking forward to gathering with our co-laborers who serve in the Campus Office March 31 to April 2. Pray for a refreshing time with the Lord and each other.

4) Pray for wisdom each day as we do our work to serve the staff and the new applicants joining with Cru by faith.

5) Pray for a healthy and safe delivery for our daughter Melissa’s second child, due mid-June.

Celebrating 40 Years Cru!