Mari Tanaka TMP General Affairs AssistantHigashifushimi Evangelical Christ Church (West Tokyo) This is my third year working as a general affairs assistant for the Tokyo Marunouchi Partnership. Every week, when the Samurai students visit the office, I feel excited from the moment I wake up. The joyful laughter of the young people fills the air, and …
Read more “Participating in Samurai Projects Classes【Summer 2025 Newsletter】”
Yuki HanakiMustard Seed Christian Church Tokyo (Harajuku) Hello, I’m Yuki! For a long time, I had no hope in life, but when I moved to Yakushima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture for work, I heard the gospel of Jesus Christ for the first time and decided to follow Him as a Christian. After returning to my hometown …
Read more “Samurai Projects “Testimony about the Retreat”【Summer 2025 Newsletter】”
Hiroaki Tokuyama Mustard Seed Church Tokyo Introduction: Hiroaki Tokuyama (28) graduated after his two years on the Samurai Projects on 27th March. He has worked at Mustard Seed Church in Tokyo where he has shadowed and been trained by the pastors. He will continue working for Mustard Seed in Tokyo where he will preach once a …
Read more “Graduating from Samurai Projects【Spring 2025 Newsletter】”
Yuzuki Fujita Hanamaki Grace Christian Church in Iwate From the 15th-20th October, the Samurai Projects’ participants went on a mission trip to Osaka. One of the activities was a Friday night taco event for teens. There was no one there at the start of the event, but our team prayed and in the end 37 high …
Read more “Samurai Projects mission trip to Osaka (October 15th-20th, 2024)【Spring 2025 Newsletter】”
Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.Psalm 30:5–6 Subject: Sad news concerning the death of Yu Furukawa Dear beloved Samurai, We often do not understand why the Lord ordains such things as the untimely death of those dear to us. But we do know that the Lord answers our prayers more …
Natsumi Shoyama Tokyo Center Church, Tsukishima There are many struggles, both mental and physical, when living as a Christian in the workplace and in normal daily life. While working as a nurse, I had all kinds of conflicts with my co-workers, with patients, with doctors, and with the feelings and judgments that come up in each situation …
Read more “Introducing a Samurai intern【Autumn 2024 Newsletter】”
Makoto Kawaguchi Kamoi Bible Church, Yokohama Nice to meet you! My name is Makoto Kawaguchi. I am a Samurai Projects intern at Kamoi Bible Church in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. The reason why I joined Samurai Projects is because I came to understand clearly that “God loves Japan and has not abandoned it.” I have repented for not …
Read more “Introducing two of the five new Samurai 【Summer 2024 Newsletter】”
Nakura ShinriSoma Tokyo I began the Samurai Projects with a desire to start a missional community in my home in Funabashi, Chiba, and to encourage Christians through worship. I am so thankful for the opportunity to study the Bible and work as a full-time intern at my church while confirming my calling and receiving financial support …
Read more “Reflection from a graduating Samurai【Spring 2024 Newsletter】”
Samurai Projects Director James Ballinger The first class I attended in person at the Samurai Projects was, ironically, the graduation ceremony for three of our participants. It was a great joy to celebrate with Hirano-san, Li-san and Kevin as well as to hear presentations from some other Samurai about what they’d learned over the past …
Read more “Samurai Projects, new semester begins! 【Summer 2022 Newsletter】”
It has been almost a year since Samurai Projects started in April 2021. As we look back the year it was filled with frustrated plans, such as James Ballinger who is the director of this project still hasn’t entered Japan yet because of Covid 19. But at the same time, it has been a year …
Read more “Reflecting on the first year of the Samurai Projects 【Spring 2022 Newsletter】”