“For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.”                                                                                      2 Chronicles 16:9

Monday, February 04, 2008

Super Bowl a year ago had the three men above sitting in John Reimer’s home watching the big game.  Not this year!  Today, while others were clued to the tube our eyes were upon God’s work as we stood strengthen in Him before the new church being built.  With Rebecca to her right, Laura Rice joined us for her last Monday morning update from Nakamoto.  She and her family would be leaving for the states the next day.  A most gifted and giving architect, Laura will be greatly missed

Today served as a good time for reflection.  By God’s grace, each phase of the planning and execution of the rebuilding of Koza has been guided by gifted saints.  Initially, it was Don Highlander and Jim Brooks bringing the early design into focus; amply followed by Tim Smith taking the administrative lead accompanied by John Reimer’s role as chairman of the relocation committee.  (Pictured above on the far left, John stands just outside the window of his office come this fall as he will be our next pastor at Koza.  Just one more explanation point from our Lord’s provisions for Koza.)  Add on a construction engineer (Wally Dawson) and a commercial interior designer (Rebecca Martinez), God has in deed blessed us immeasurably! 

There is more.  Two of the most critical areas have been equally provided for – Prayer and Finance.  There have been many prayers lifted up to date across the globe for Koza, but there have been two men rising early each Friday to meet at the site to kneel and pray.  Nakamoto workers have taken notice!  Just this past Friday, as I joined Jay McCombs and Ed Holloway on the prayer hill looking over the site, we were interrupted by the construction foreman.  Forgetting this was the morning for the concrete work on the second floor, we had parked our cars at the front gate.  Consequently the progress of pouring the cement was being held up.  We hastily made it to the front gate and drove off.  I later sent an email apologizing for our oversight, to which our translator, Aki Kamida later responded:

Dear Pastor Bo,

Thank you for your mail and I am sorry for late reply.

Kiyuna san (Construction Foreman) said thank you, and to let you know that today was the best weather for pouring concrete because of your coming here and giving a prayer.

He was worried about the weather as it has been raining for many days. 

He said if the weather becomes too good the concrete becomes hard to fast, so the moderate humidity like it was today is what’s required to make good cement.

Thank you and best regards,

Aki

Once again God has reminded us that this is more than relocation for a rebuilding of a church.  We are in revival and God is showing Himself for the purpose of bringing hearts in to the Kingdom!

As for the financial side of the picture, the details will be provided later this week from Tim Smith.  But as for the big picture, God has met the needs in a big way!  Following our meeting with Nakamoto on Monday, we sat down with our Campaign Treasurer Renee Crane to better assess where we were at just three months away from the completion of close to a six million dollar project.  Who would have known we would be so close to being debt free upon the opening of the new church…other than God?  Though there remains roughly a hundred thousand dollar building deficit today, there is little doubt that the shortfall will be met.  Coupled with the continued faithful giving of our members who have been with us from the beginning, our new members are joining in on the giving to the “Rebuild for Revival”.  

Then there is the faithful remnant of those royal saints leaving for the states but not leaving their hearts for His work at Koza.  They continue to keep us in prayer and give sacrificially to the campaign.  We are so grateful for you.  Just last week a former member sent a one time donation of $15,000.

We are still a few months before the gathering of many at the first service in the new building.  At that time we will hear more testimony of the many who have shared in this great work of the Lord – and to God be the glory!  But with the moving on of one of His gifts to us, the picture below shows two of whose signature will be etched within the walls of this building for as long as it stands.  Tim Smith and Laura Rice have spent many hours laboring together through the details and we so appreciate their service to Him.  

Please keep Laura and family in prayer as they return to the states where her father-in-law lies in critical condition.  May we all keep the many family members lifted in prayer that see their children come and go as they serve our Country overseas.  Praise the Lord for those who allow His hands to hold them close while they are so far away. 

God Bless Each of You,

Pastor Bo