So many wonderful things to report. This last week we were able to be a witness to a baptism of a student who is a part of several of the UTA ISM ministries. It is a wonderful testimony of God’ working through many to reach those He has chosen. We are also in full swing with several things that you all and we have been praying for. Here are a few tidbits from the last couple of weeks. I think this may be a little long, but God is doing lots and lots of stuff right now and I wanted to share them with you. Please pray!!! Once again Lisa and I and some of our team are sensing some level of Spiritual Warfare and I think it is because God is breaking new ground in places that are strongholds of the enemy.
Here are some quick things to pray for.
Praise
Friday nights – As we continue this experiment with Friday Night ISI at UTA meetings at two locations (early & late groups), God continues to bless. This last week is a example of how God is working. The late group had a student who just got baptized this last week. In the early group, our volunteer Cal had some significant conversation with several students which led to him meeting with a South Asian person of peace and starting to set up relationship with a couple of other students. Roy also had a couple of significant discussions about Jesus with the result being one East Asian couple taking the discovery Bible study “cheat sheet” with the intention of doing a family discovery Bible study group in their apartment. Praise God also for workers for the Harvest. Keep on praying for more. The fields are VERY white for harvest who want to be loved on and who want to learn more about the God of Creation and His Son.
PTO (Passing Truths On)- Three PTO groups have started. PTO groups are a 16 week mode of discipling students where they are trained to 1) become disciples who train disciples, 2) learn the essentials of how to walk with Jesus, and 3) learn how to start and lead discovery Bible groups. One of these groups is being led by a couple of American volunteer girls who are learning the process themselves and are passing it along immediately to another students. Ron is training one other key volunteer on how to lead PTO groups. Roy is leading an on-campus PTO group with three students and also two volunteers who are learning how to lead these groups. Roy is also doing one PTO group using video Skype to disciples a student in Colombia and another one in Mexico. This process of starting these groups helped us too to tease out who the followers of Jesus are, those who the seekers are and whose not interested in Spiritual things but have a deep relationship with us.
Right Now Conference – Roy and staff members, Jeff, Hannah, Judy and key volunteer, Tom joined in a conference to learn how to minister together with churches from the 20-30′s demographic. Tom and Judy also were involved with a conference with business leaders on helping believers see “Work as Worship” – using the workplace as a place of ministry. We need to help our students to have this perspective. We also were able to network with business leaders in the area to kick off a new ministry that we are looking at related to students in internships.
Lisa is enjoying her new job because she is actually encouraged to share her faith with her students. It does require more outside time with students and it has less regular hours than her previous job.
Ti* is getting more and more involved with Boy Scouts and playing the cello. He is getting better at both. In scouts, he has had the opportunity to learn things such as orienteering and tying knots. Cha* is really growing into a sweet young lady who loves to do crafts, cook, and spend time with her friends. She even made her own dalmatian Halloween costume. Jonathan is navigating through his sophomore year of high school and is learning how to be more responsible with managing his home work etc.
Phoenix Training – Ron, Roy & Derrah had the privilege of training the ISI Phoenix team of 12 in some of the things we have been learning in our work with M28/CPM using video Skype. Imagine training a group of 12 people hundreds of miles away with three local presenters and still be able to see their reactions, give feedback and everything. What a blessing that was to join hearts with kindred spirits and they seemed to grasp it. We hope that through all this training in M28 all over, it will catch sooner than later and a student movement will spark.
At TCU, the team continues to flourish with several students growing through the Bible study there. Sharon, Sarah, Tim, the Moores and the rest of the team are ably leading the team. Recently, 8 UTA ISI students joined with 8 TCU ISI students in helping out with the Fall Festival as volunteers at Christ Church Assembly of God in Fort Worth. The student’s eyes were open wide as they were part of 300 volunteers who served 6000 kids and family members. They were touched by how a church would do such a thing through volunteers and donations without government help or anything. They asked many questions including “Why?”
A new batch of EMBA students from Ch1na have arrived and we are very excited to meet this new group of students and and are really become a part of their lives. New summer students from other programs are also trickling in as we also have spent time with many of the returning students who aren’t able to go home and so spend the summer taking classes. Summer is one of the best times in our ministry. Also, believe it or not, less than two weeks before our trip. (see May pictures)
Thanks to all who contacted me to commit to pray for the trip. I will contact you soon with a plan for the time. We still need a few more people; people who would pray a little each day and who would take one day a week while we prepare and are on the trip.
We got a encouraging e-mail from a believing student friend who was about to return home. Right before going home, she and an unbelieving friend took at trip to New York. Her flight from New York, scheduled two days before her trip back to her country was cancelled because of the tornadic weather out here. The next day did not look any better. She told her friend that she was not concerned because God would take care of them. The next day, they signed up to fly standby on an earlier flight than they were scheduled for. They were leaving for home the following early morning. This person’s friend was the last person who was able to get on to the earlier flight. They arrived in DFW in the afternoon. That night a HUGE storm came through and her other friend who was on the original flight got stuck flying into Austin and they had to stay the night. Our friend (and her friend), on the other hand, had just enough time to pack and board the flight for home. What a faith builder! and testimony to the friend.
The 2011 EMBA students are here. A very different group that then 2010 group but we are very much blessed by them. Also, the students are very much attracted to Ron’s Golf lessons(20 of the 35 went to the first meeting) and 27 of the 35 came to our house from Friday night group and we have a full table for discussion group and Bible discovery group This has been awesome!
The kids are finishing their semester and Charis and Tim won many awards for their school year. We haven’t heard about Jonathan’s year yet.
Final preparations for our trip are coming together. We are almost there! Hard to believe.
For the EMBA 2011 group,
Pray that we can find enough friendship partner host families for these students. Almost all of the 35 signed up and we are still very much short.
Pray for a someone who could help instruct the students in golf while Ron is recovering from surgery. This is a very pressing need as so many of them want to learn.
Pray for a home to host a sort of “grand opening” welcome party for them in late July.
Keep on praying for Ron as he deals with the prostate cancer. His surgery is coming soon.
Keep praying for our city mobilizer, Jeff who is struggling with his mother’s terminal illness. Pray for his son too who is struggling with some unexplained extreme headaches.
Continue to pray for Roy’s Irritable Bowel. It’s getting better but not completely.
Pray for people who will step up and do the stuff Ron and we do for the UTA ministry and specifically the Friday group in June, a very important time for ministry while we are gone and Ron is recovering.
Pray for the final week before the Asia trip. Pray that we don’t forget anything. Pray that we can get our hearts in a ministry mindset. (abiding in Christ) and we can get rest now before things get crazy. Continue to pray for the right heart for our kids… Pray that God will do something incredible for them on this trip.
Pray for airport pickups for new summer students. Pray for good relationships and that we can fine people of peace who God has already been working in.
The last couple of weeks have been about helping the students from 2010-2011 school year move forward and beginning the process of welcoming the students from the 2011-2012 school year. Between moving, helping student with airport things, having final coffee’s, lunches, meetings, going to graduations, welcoming new graduate students, etc. its been very interesting and kind of emotionally draining. Add to that the anticipation and big preparations for the Asia trip and some job uncertainty for Lisa and we have been stretched. It is not busyness but the randomness of the time that make it interesting. It has drawn us to depend on God more and more. Thank you all for your regular prayers. It keeps us focused and centered on Christ and His work and the spiritual/tangible effects are clear and definite. Thank you.
We would like to recruit at least 7-14 people who would commit to pray for us on the Asia trip: people who would pray a little each day and who would take one day a week while we prepare and are on the trip (e.g. a Monday).
Short update today. We have a end of the year picnic for our UTA ministry that I have to leave for in 15 minutes. It’s been an interesting week. I’ve been out bad with the Irritable Bowel deal so its been less than comfortable and I had to miss a bunch of stuff. Still some good stuff God has done. Please keep praying.
Student Malong and his wife Helen are expecting a child and we were able to celebrate with most of the EMBA class with them through a Baby shower. They are expecting in mid-May RIGHT before their visa expires and they go home. Pray for safety for the baby and that the baby and mother will be healthy and it can be born early or on time.
Charis performed in her school concert and did a delightful and passionate job. Jonathan is doing better in school and timothy got commended performance in all subjects in the state tests. Praise the Lord for his blessing.
Timothy successfully went on his first Boy Scout campout though there was rain, thunder and even a tornado warning along the way… (baptism by fire?)
Pray for Roy’s Irritable Bowel deal that it will not be a hindrance to ministry here or when we go to Asia. It has been the cause of a couple of cancelled appointments already including a special lunch with a student who wanted to share his food before he goes home
The next two weeks are finals for most of our students and then for many graduation or at least a break. These are some of the more intense times for students. On of our friends was sharing that he was really worried about selling his car, turning off the electricity, turning off the telephone, planning for his job back home AND finishing finals and graduating. With the clock ticking for them, it is a huge time of stress. Pray, as we say goodbye to many, that God would open up opportunities to talk about Jesus.
Oral surgery for Roy went very smoothly so far. The doctor was able to both take out the old roots and put in the implant in one procedure. Praise the Lord.
The situation in Ivory Coast seems to be getting better. Continue to pray for the students from there.
Several students who are from China are taking it upon themselves ot make sure the China part of the Asia trip goes well. Some are taking time off, letting us stay with them, driving us around.
Pray for our city mobilizer, Jeff who is struggling with his mother’s health. She just found out that her cancer will probably take her life in the next 6 months or so. Pray for wisdom, grace and peace for him and his family.
Pray for staff member Laurie who is going to have a cortisone shot in her back to receive back pain. Pray that it goes smoothly.
Pray as we have end of the year parties, etc. Pray for good final connections, sending off and “commissioning” of believers, etc.
Pray for someone to help pick up furniture during the summer in preparation for the Big howdy welcome events.
Pray for the Asia trip. We have only 5 weeks before we get on the plane. We have many details to take care of and we are still short financially in terms of paying for the whole trip. Still we know God will provide and he will take care of the details. Still, there are a lot of moving pieces in this trip because we are not taking tours but meeting many friends, visiting a country winding down from a period of uncertainty, etc. Pray also that we can make a schedule that will work so we can meet the many students we know. Pray for people to stay in our house to care for the pets, etc. Pray for the team to step up in ministry while we are gone.
Pray for the kids as they prepare to finish the school year and prepare for our BIG TRIP. Pray for peace as they hear all kind of stuff about Japan, etc. Pray also that this will be a significant growing experience for them.
This week was relatively uneventful… cold… but uneventful. While school was closed again one day because of a proported heavy ice storm (it ended up being a nice snow dusting) and sub-freezing temperatures (that part was true) we adapted and were able to do the things we normally do. I was able to go to my Chinese session. I did a lot of meetings on the phone. We went to a wonderful superbowl party with student friends from both TCU & UTA at our friends, the Moores. We even took T-9′s Upward basketball team that I coach to a TCU basketball game on Wednesday, a day TCU was closed, but the game was still on. It was a good week.
I was able to meet for my Chinese class with my dear international student friend. I feel like I’m drinking from a fire hydrant. Still, I am getting close to my teacher. It is fun.
The TCU Superbowl/Lunar New Year party was a rousing success with probably 30-40 people watching the Superbowl on three large screens at the Moores’ house while we ate from Chinese hot pot. It was especially fun because we also brought some of our UTA student friends and they really connected with their Horned Frog bretheren. A good time was had by all and it built credibility with the students and I think we identified a coupleof people of peace… Oh and we met someone who came from the same small Chinese city that Charis was born.
We were able to take 4 (plus a brother) of my 7 Upward baskeball players to the TCU basketball game. For several, this is their first experience and their eyes were very large. It really built community and trust with the kids. Upwards is a spiritual, outreach oriented basketball league. God is working in the lives of these kids and the team in general teaching them many valuable lessons. There are some very significant personal things happening with these guys and I see my purpose in the team. (even though we haven’t won yet… but that is not the point)
The Tejas meeting went about as well as could be expected. We ended up doing it over the phone and people responded well and a bonding was beginning to happen that will be so valuable when the Tejas retreat (http://isitejas.com) comes along.
C-7 has sold many many girls scout cookies. Prayer works.
Our little girl is truly growing up so fast. C-7 was in a concert this week at her school. She sang with her first grade class and she did it with so much dedication and purpose. It was a real blessing. Afterward, we snapped a bunch of pictures with the family. Check out the pictures when you can.
The last couple of days I have been feeling a bit weary and tired. So many things have been happening, God has been working, and its been non-stop. As is typical after so much activity, even God powered activity, it is common to be tired and weary. It reminds me of the show down between Elijah and the priests of Baal and how he was a weary wreck after his major victory. Anyway, it has been a rough week and yet God was so faithful in allowing me some simple pleasures amidst trying to catch up with everything else.
Lisa and I have been concerned about our son, T-8. He still can’t ride a 2 wheeled bike. Being content with training wheels, he hadn’t wanted to even try. We removed his training wheels last fall and after a couple of days of running along side the bike, and him not really wanting to try, the season turned cold and he seemed equally cold to the prospect of riding a two wheeled bike. He told us on mulitple occasions since, “I hate riding my bike. You can’t make me go out there.” His sister, C-6 on the other hand loved going out whenever she possibly could on her small training wheeled bike.
This week the weather had been better and Lisa suggested that we go outside and try again. Again T-8 (who was editing one of two videos he recently made, Dog Wars (taken as he watched dogs interact at Tejas) and The Life of a Jeti Master ) was against it but C-6 said, she wanted to go out there. In fact she insisted on it. Afer a few minutes of riding, she asked me to take off her training wheels. Yikes! She was struggling but was determined. T-8 was having some trouble figuring out how to upload his video to Youtube, so he came out and seeing his sister on her bike, he decided he would show her some of the “tricks” that he learned. He started riding and within 10 minutes, he had figure out how to ride, all the way down the street (albeit with a few falls) As I was teaching C-6, he kept on trying and trying and by the time Lisa came home from an errand, he was riding back and forth in the street. C-6 was also starting to get it being able to take 6 pedal’s in one attempt. It was just so fun watching them donig this. Being able to actually be successful in sharing something fun like this with the kids.
Now, just about every afternoon after school they want to go out and every night when I get home C-6 reports how many pedals she could do consecutively (now at 48) It’s amazing how something that seemed so impossible a week ago, today is fast becoming just a normal part of our family life.
(See All Pictures & Videos) Saturday, there was shift in dominant hormones in our house. Generally, in the Yabuki household, the men have the majority and while two ladies generally equal three guys, on Saturday, the guys were overwhelmed. C-5 celebrated her sixth birthday and our house was filled with kindergarten girls.
It started innocently enough, our new sister in Christ from Korea, Cookie came early to help Lisa out with the party. She loves cooking and Lisa decided to give this birthday a cooking theme and so Cookie was the perfect person to help out. She was a real blessing in many ways. We couldn’t have done it without her.
The girls began the day decorating aprons to help out with their work. Modern art seemed to be the style of the day. Then the girls practiced some homemaking skills, making some delightful (and tasty) pretzel/kisses/m&m snacks. It seemed like a lot of fun. All this seemed innocent enough… but then they turned to the outside… and next thing we guys knew, we were caught in their trap. (Maybe it was the snacks)
J-12 & T-8 were seen “helping” with the outdoor activities (no way!). T-8 was hoisting the pinata and jumping on the trampoline and J-12 was seen DJing the nasty game of musical chairs. I even had to set up the pinata. It actually was a lot of fun. The girls really took to our trampoline.
As the day wore on, there was more screaming, running around, screaming some more, eating cake, opening presents, screaming and then jumping on the trampoline. In all, it was a wonderful way for C-5 to celebrate her passage to C-6.
(pictures)I spent my afternoon & evening evening on Black Friday with my daughter… Often a tag like that suggests long lines, loss of massive amounts of money, holding on to clothes, unhappy faces, people falling over each other to get stuff. I just got a update from an Indian student on Facebook that said, “had a terror tym in Grapevine… it was a nightmare there.” Grapevine is a huge and usually nice outlet mall in the area, I asked why and he said, “Oooh man… It was terrible.. I went there along with some of my friends to buy Jacket n staffs…. It was a mess… I was surprised at the rush of people there in Grapevine…:s” I think we all understand… Anyway, back to my story… While C-5 and I went to a place that was crowded and busy, we found it to be very invigorating and joyful. C-5 and I took a bunch of international students to Granbury, TX to see their annual Christmas Parade.
With students from Taiwan, Korea, Iran, Vietnam, USA, and Turkey, C-5 and I with friends the Humphrey’s & Ahern’s were able to enjoy the parade that truly celebrated Jesus and we also saw a little of the other guy in a red suit. We even met up with another of our ISI groups from UTD led by Ray & Laurie Cotton & John & Mary Anderson… It was cool, in that group was on old friend from Taiwan that we hadn’t seen in a while.
We started the day visiting a cowboy store (have to do it in Texas), and they toured the wonderful historic town square in Granbury, TX. This is a town rich in history as Davey Crocketts wife settled here after the war of Texas independence and it is also rumored that Jesse James lived in this town after his law breaking days. There are delightful shops with antiques, country foods (C-5 ate more chips and salsa samples that all get out… even the really hot stuff… she has a real thing for hot foods), unique and fun things. (We didn’t have to buy much… C-5 loved it all though)
Anyway, C-5and the students had a delightful time taking tons of pictures, holding up candles where the flame was passed from person to person throughout the parade route, singing Christmas carols including Joy to the World and other favorites. We ended the perfect evening with a stop at Starbucks to reminisce and reflect on the evening. It was a truly joyful day on Black Friday.
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Who are the Yabukis
When Lisa and Roy were married, they shared a common commitment to serving God crossculturally through their family. They currently both serve international students through ISI and live in Arlington, Texas with their three children.
So many wonderful things to report. This last week we were able to be a witness to a baptism of a student who is a part of several of the UTA ISM ministries. It is a wonderful testimony of God’ working through many to reach those He has chosen. We are also in full swing with several things that you all and we have been praying for. Here are a few tidbits from the last couple of weeks. I think this may be a little long, but God is doing lots and lots of stuff right now and I wanted to share them with you. Please pray!!! Once again Lisa and I and some of our team are sensing some level of Spiritual Warfare and I think it is because God is breaking new ground in places that are strongholds of the enemy.
Friday nights – As we continue this experiment with Friday Night ISI at UTA meetings at two locations (early & late groups), God continues to bless. This last week is a example of how God is working. The late group had a student who just got baptized this last week. In the early group, our volunteer Cal had some significant conversation with several students which led to him meeting with a South Asian person of peace and starting to set up relationship with a couple of other students. Roy also had a couple of significant discussions about Jesus with the result being one East Asian couple taking the discovery Bible study “cheat sheet” with the intention of doing a family discovery Bible study group in their apartment. Praise God also for workers for the Harvest. Keep on praying for more. The fields are VERY white for harvest who want to be loved on and who want to learn more about the God of Creation and His Son.
PTO (Passing Truths On)- Three PTO groups have started. PTO groups are a 16 week mode of discipling students where they are trained to 1) become disciples who train disciples, 2) learn the essentials of how to walk with Jesus, and 3) learn how to start and lead discovery Bible groups. One of these groups is being led by a couple of American volunteer girls who are learning the process themselves and are passing it along immediately to another students. Ron is training one other key volunteer on how to lead PTO groups. Roy is leading an on-campus PTO group with three students and also two volunteers who are learning how to lead these groups. Roy is also doing one PTO group using video Skype to disciples a student in Colombia and another one in Mexico. This process of starting these groups helped us too to tease out who the followers of Jesus are, those who the seekers are and whose not interested in Spiritual things but have a deep relationship with us.
Right Now Conference – Roy and staff members, Jeff, Hannah, Judy and key volunteer, Tom joined in a conference to learn how to minister together with churches from the 20-30′s demographic. Tom and Judy also were involved with a conference with business leaders on helping believers see “Work as Worship” – using the workplace as a place of ministry. We need to help our students to have this perspective. We also were able to network with business leaders in the area to kick off a new ministry that we are looking at related to students in internships.
Lisa is enjoying her new job because she is actually encouraged to share her faith with her students. It does require more outside time with students and it has less regular hours than her previous job.
Ti* is getting more and more involved with Boy Scouts and playing the cello. He is getting better at both. In scouts, he has had the opportunity to learn things such as orienteering and tying knots. Cha* is really growing into a sweet young lady who loves to do crafts, cook, and spend time with her friends. She even made her own dalmatian Halloween costume. Jonathan is navigating through his sophomore year of high school and is learning how to be more responsible with managing his home work etc.
At TCU, the team continues to flourish with several students growing through the Bible study there. Sharon, Sarah, Tim, the Moores and the rest of the team are ably leading the team. Recently, 8 UTA ISI students joined with 8 TCU ISI students in helping out with the Fall Festival as volunteers at Christ Church Assembly of God in Fort Worth. The student’s eyes were open wide as they were part of 300 volunteers who served 6000 kids and family members. They were touched by how a church would do such a thing through volunteers and donations without government help or anything. They asked many questions including “Why?”
The TCU Superbowl/Lunar New Year party was a rousing success with probably 30-40 people watching the Superbowl on three large screens at the Moores’ house while we ate from Chinese hot pot. It was especially fun because we also brought some of our UTA student friends and they really connected with their Horned Frog bretheren. A good time was had by all and it built credibility with the students and I think we identified a coupleof people of peace… Oh and we met someone who came from the same small Chinese city that Charis was born.
We were able to take 4 (plus a brother) of my 7 Upward baskeball players to the TCU basketball game. For several, this is their first experience and their eyes were very large. It really built community and trust with the kids. Upwards is a spiritual, outreach oriented basketball league. God is working in the lives of these kids and the team in general teaching them many valuable lessons. There are some very significant personal things happening with these guys and I see my purpose in the team. (even though we haven’t won yet… but that is not the point)
Our little girl is truly growing up so fast. C-7 was in a concert this week at her school. She sang with her first grade class and she did it with so much dedication and purpose. It was a real blessing. Afterward, we snapped a bunch of pictures with the family. 
The last couple of days I have been feeling a bit weary and tired. So many things have been happening, God has been working, and its been non-stop. As is typical after so much activity, even God powered activity, it is common to be tired and weary. It reminds me of the show down between Elijah and the priests of Baal and how he was a weary wreck after his major victory. Anyway, it has been a rough week and yet God was so faithful in allowing me some simple pleasures amidst trying to catch up with everything else.
(
The girls began the day decorating aprons to help out with their work. Modern art seemed to be the style of the day. Then the girls practiced some homemaking skills, making some delightful (and tasty) pretzel/kisses/m&m snacks. It seemed like a lot of fun. All this seemed innocent enough… but then they turned to the outside… and next thing we guys knew, we were caught in their trap. (Maybe it was the snacks)
J-12 & T-8 were seen “helping” with the outdoor activities (no way!). T-8 was hoisting the pinata and jumping on the trampoline and J-12 was seen DJing the nasty game of musical chairs. I even had to set up the pinata. It actually was a lot of fun. The girls really took to our trampoline.
(
With students from Taiwan, Korea, Iran, Vietnam, USA, and Turkey, C-5 and I with friends the Humphrey’s & Ahern’s were able to enjoy the parade that truly celebrated Jesus and we also saw a little of the other guy in a red suit. We even met up with another of our ISI groups from UTD led by Ray & Laurie Cotton & John & Mary Anderson… It was cool, in that group was on old friend from Taiwan that we hadn’t seen in a while.
wife settled here after the war of Texas independence and it is also rumored that Jesse James lived in this town after his law breaking days. There are delightful shops with antiques, country foods (C-5 ate more chips and salsa samples that all get out… even the really hot stuff… she has a real thing for hot foods), unique and fun things. (We didn’t have to buy much… C-5 loved it all though)
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