Osak^

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Not-for-Profit Corporation
MISSIONARIES
George & Ethel Beckman
Jenann Beckman
2-4-15 Kiyoshikojin
Takarazuka, Hyogo Pref.
665 JAPAN
Phone # 0797-86-1261
Dear Christian Friends:
May 2, 1990
/3/f
OSAKA BIBLE SEMINARY
FORWARDING AGENTS
Roger & Beryl Johnson
3320 Westgate Parkway
Rockford, IL 61108
815-399-3690
There are times when we need a little extra time to write overdue letters and to do other
things that seem to get put off. Such a time has come this week known as "Golden Week" because
it is a week of holidays beginning this year with Sunday, April 29, and continuing through Sat
urday, May 5. We are grateful for this pause this year to be able to write to express our ap
preciation to you for your support in prayers and other ways. We thank God daily for you.
A dual program was held on march 30, 1990, for the inauguration of the new president of Osaka
Bible Seminary and the graduation of four students. Paul Clark was formally inaugurated as the
third president of Osaka Bible to succeed his father Martin Clark, who had been president until
the time of his death last year. Regretfully we missed the inauguration as it took us two hours
to make the trip to the seminary, almost double the time it usually takes, due to an accident on
the highway ahead of us.
Mr. Hitoshi Nishiyama, from the Tokyo area, received a four year Bachelor of Arts degree in
ministry. He was a college graduate before he entered OBS. Three weeks after graduation he
and Miss Yuka Hosokawa, a former graduate of OBS, were married in the new church building erected
on the site of our former house in Koyoen. They are now working as associate ministers of the
Sannobara church in Kanagawa Prefecture in the Tokyo area with Mr. and Mrs. Paul Pratt.
Miss Sueko Kohama, from Okinawa, received a three-year Christian Worker Certificate and Miss
Takako Ogido, also from Okinawa, received a two-year Certificate. Both young women have re
turned to Okinawa to work with the churches there.
Mr. Daiki Kishimoto, minister of Megumi Church of Christ, comes from Tanabe in Wakayama Pre
fecture where daughter Ruth and her family are working, and is a graduate of Ibaraki Christian
College. He also received a two year certificate and with one more semester's work will receive
a four year degree from OBS next spring.
On April 3 we three went to Tokyo to witness the wedding of Mr. Motonobu Ikeda and Miss Hiromi
Iwaasa, both graduates of Osaka Bible Seminary. Mr. Ikeda's parents are both graduates of
Osaka Bible Seminary and we attended their wedding in Osaka thirty-two years ago. They are min
istering on the island of Tanegashima south of Kagoshima. Motonobu and Hiromi are leaving May 3
to go to Abilene, Texas, where he plans to study for two years toward a second MA degree, major
ing in church history. We had the joy of having them stay with us for two nights after the
Nishiyama wedding, and Mr. Ikeda preached for us on Sunday.
The women of Megumi Church met on Friday afternoon, April 13, to begin a Women's meeting once
a month. After a short devotion by Ethel they spent most of the time this first meeting making
plans and discussing what they could do as Christian women. Then as their first service to the
church they practiced a song to sing as a special number for Easter morning worship.
The new school year opened on April 17 welcoming four new full time students. Mr. Motoei
Ikarashi from Niigata Prefecture on the northwest side of Japan moved to Osaka with his wife
and three children. He was disinherited by his wealthy father when he became a Christian six
years ago. He led his wife to the Lord a few months later and this year his eldest son, Yosh-
itaka, was baptized by Mr. Kishimoto in our baptistry on Easter Sunday.
Mr. Ryuji Niiro, the son of two OBS graduates plans to study two years to use his talents
in working with youth, he is a professional gardener and moved all of our shrubbery from Nish-
inomiya when we moved to Takarazuka.
Mr. Katsuyuki Ueno, from Kanoya Church of Christ in Kagoshima Prefecture, came to the Lord
through his own reading of the Bible and after finding the Kanoya Church of Christ was baptized
by Mr. Yoshii.
Miss Tomoko Masuda, the fiancee of Mr. Nakahara, a third year student, plans to study two
years. They plan to be married in December.
After his heavy teaching schedule last term George has been given a leave from going into the
seminary for classes; but he is teaching Introduction to the New Testament to Mr. Kishimoto
here on Saturday mornings.
The 39th Kobe Women's Luncheon was held on April 17 with 180 women in attendance. As a spe
cial feature Mrs. Cox, the wife of the main speaker, gave a simple cooking demonstration and a
lesson on child rearing, comparing it to the making of a cake.
Jenann left for the States the evening of April 21 after attending the Nishiyama-Hosokawa
wedding in the afternoon. She spent a week in Hawaii and is spending this week with her brother
John and his family in Cheyenne, Wyoming, before going on to Rockford May 5.
As with other missionaries, guests are always welcome and a blessing, Ruth and her family
children left for the States. Dave will Join them
us beforrgotng ^L^'ediinL"'""
forward ThLTnrnr 'a 2""'",''' "^his year and we are looking
y the Lord prosper your outreach for Him in your area and throughout the world.
Yours ministers to Japan,
^^*4^ Cf -ijtlJ. /
.A:
Class of '90
Osaka Bible Seminary
March 30, 1990
Mr. Hitoshi Niohiyama, Miss Sueko Kohama,
Miss Takako Ogedo
April 17, 1990
Four new students with Pres. Paul Clark
Tomoko Masuda, Katsuyaki Ueno, Motoei Ikaraski,
Ryiyi Niiro
The Wedding of
Mr. Motonobu Ikeda
and Hiromi Iwaasa
April 3, 1990
The Wedding of
Mr. Hitoshi Nishiyama
and
Yuka Hosokawa
April 21, 1990
In Kamizono Church of Christ
(Located on our old property)
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Osak%
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Not-for-Profit Corporation
Missionaries:
George & Ethel Beckman,
Jenann Beckman
2-4-15 Kiyoshikojin
Takarazuka, HyogoPref.
665 JAPAN
Phone #0797-86-1261
Dear Friends:
October 10,1990
/2/'?
Osaka Bible Seminary
Fonrarding Agents:
Roger & Beryl Johnson
3320Westgate Parkway
Rockford, IL 61108
815-399-3690
Greetings from Japan on a national holiday known as Sport's Day or as Athletic Day in
commemoration of the opening of the Olympics in Japan on October 10,1964. This is the season for
athletic events of various kinds. Most schools have their annual track and field day, called "undokai,"
most of which are held on Sunday. However, many of the Christian schools take advantage of this
holiday for their events. Many communities have "undokai" for all the residents.
Missionary Convention Brings Inspiration
The missionary convention was held in Nara June 22-24 with the missionaries of this area in
charge. Dr. James Strauss of Lincoln Christian College was a blessing to all of us with his inspiring,
thought-provoking and challenging messages. We had one of the largest percentage of missionaries
present that we have ever had: with 42 adults, 10 teenagers and 11 children of grade school age and
under. We had a grandfathers' quartet, a grandmothers' chorus and a chorus of missionary children
who have returned with their families to work in Japan.
Prayer Requests!
Three young people fromMegumi churchattended ShinshuBible Camp in Nagano prefecture
where Mr. Kishimoto was dean. Seiko Miyake is a Christian, but Naoko Ikehata and Tatsuyuke
Kurioka are not yet. At camp they indicated that they believed in Jesus Christ. Naoko lives about four
doors from us and she and her mother come to worshipon Sundayvery regularly. Mrs. Ikehata isalso
a regular member of Ethel's English Bible class. Tatsuyuki was a next door neighbor in Koyoenand
came to Bible school regularly until they moved to Takarazuka. His mother attends Ethel's Bible class
in Japanese and comes to worship on Sunday. Please pray that Mrs. Ikehata and Naoko and Mrs.
Kurioka and Tatsuyuki will decide to become Christians soon
News of Jenann
Jenann spent four months in the States this summer from April 21 to August 14. While she was
goneEthel tookover someof her workat Osaka BibleSeminary. Also, Mr. Kishimoto and three young
men fromOBSstayedhere and spent three days distributing tracts to housesin the neighborhoodand
two elementary schools in the area.
After her return Jenann had a three dayvacationBibleschool withthe help of Mr. Kishimoto
and two OBS students.
Mr. Kishimoto, our preacher, was married to Miss Masumi Takihara ina beautifulcermony in
Tokyo on September first. They provided a hotel roomfor each guest who came from a distance sowe
went to Tokyothe afternoon before the wedding. The parents of the bride gavethe newcouple a trip
to Israel as a wedding present. The church had a small reception for them after worship September
23 with a fellowship dinner.
I
il ''31.'"-
Vacation Bible School
Megumi Church of Christ
P.
Mr. & Mrs. Kishlmoto
Married September 1.1990
A^pedal Request for George
We askyour prayers especially for George. For the last twoyears he has had a slighttrembling
of his hands and mouth which has gradually become worse and quite noticeable since the heavy
teaching schedule he had this last winter.- His regular doctor has givenhim several different kinds of
medicine to control it; but they have not helped. Finallyhe wrote a letter to a neurologist in Kobe. We
went to him and he diagnosed it as Parkinson's disease, gave him a month's supply of a new medicine
and had him go back for a CAT scan. The medicine helped right away and the Cat scan showed that
his brain is normal. He has felt much better and we believe that he will be able to continue to teach on
a regular basis for some time as long as he has no more than sixhours a week of classes. That is two
days a week of three hour intensive courses. All of his medicine is covered with the national health
insurance.
May the Lord of the harvest give you joy and peace in your labors for Him.
Yours ministers to Japan,