Wait for the Lord

Summer is almost here. We continue life in the States for the time being. We were blessed to be able to go on a vacation in May to Hawaii to visit family (and relax a little too). It was very strange traveling for the first time since the pandemic began over a year ago, but it all went very well. We continue to watch the situation in Japan and do our best to prepare for moving overseas. It's been a lesson in waiting for the Lord. Japan's current state of emergency, its third since the pandemic began, was extended twice--first through May 31, then through June 20. So we must continue to wait until Japan decides to lift its entry ban for new visas. All the while we trust in His perfect timing! Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. ~Psalm 27:14

Praise:

• Our monthly support has now reached 99.5%! We have $50/month of our monthly budget left to raise.

• We received departure clearance from WorldVenture! Praise the Lord! This means as soon as Japan opens its borders, we are cleared to buy plane tickets. When that happens, we will move to get to Japan as quickly as possible, as we don't know how long the borders will stay open. But with the current entry ban, we must wait for now.

• Mason got to celebrate his 8th birthday with a pool party! We cannot believe he's 8 years old already! We are thankful for all the ways God is working in his life during this prolonged transition period.

• Praise God for friends and family that have housed us temporarily as we continue to prepare for our move to Japan.

• We also praise God for continued connections with individuals and churches. We're also so thankful for our current ministry partners who have continued to support us during this whole journey. For this we are incredibly blessed.

Prayer:

• Please continue to pray for God's provident timing. We await the opening of Japan's borders so we can get our visas approved and buy plane tickets.

• Please pray for COVID cases to come down in Japan, for vaccine administration to ramp up and go smoothly, and for the entry ban to be lifted.

• Please pray for our housing situation. Since we don't know how long it will take for Japan's borders to open, we are exploring longer-term options in case we are in the States for a few months.

• We also request prayer for continued connections with potential partners in ministry. We are so thankful for referrals!

Pali Lookout on Oahu; USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor; Mason's 8th birthday; playing in the backyard with Grandma and Grandpa's dog

We would love to hear from you, whether it be to share your prayer requests or to schedule a Zoom meeting so we can catch up and share more details of our plans with you. Please know that we think of you and pray for you often.

Thanks and blessings,

The Walkers

Jeff, Malia, Mason & Kaili