July 2, 2014

Dear Supporters, Friends and Family,

The rainy season will be finishing up here soon so it is very hot and sticky and will remain so until sometime in August. We have not had the bad weather other parts of Japan have had. The news tells us that you folks have really had a time with the weather this year. My home area in Ohio has had flooding. I pray that the weather will sort itself out for the rest of the summer soon.

In February I traveled by bus to the Clarks in Osaka to help the Kansai Christian School with auditing. The Clarks were kind enough to have me stay the night. The next day we woke to snow and the buses home weren’t running so I got to take trains home. I enjoy trains so didn’t mind the change of pace.

Early in this year, I had had pneumonia. Then March 3rd the doctor said I had the flu; that was my first time for that. Again, I just stayed at home and got over it with medicine and prayers from everyone. Thank you. I guess the time is coming where I have to be a bit more careful going out in the cold. (Grin)

In April the consumer tax rose from 5% to 8%. So the cost of living has gone up. My bills get paid and I have some-thing left over for wants so I can’t complain. The Lord provides as usual.

In May I started cleaning out the building behind the Center. We call it the Sunshine Room. It has two floors. The first floor is for storage and car garage and the second floor was to be classrooms with an accordion wall dividing the two. When Audrey moved to the Center, most of her things she didn’t need were placed upstairs. Then when the Makabe church building was torn down, a lot of things went there also. Then when Bro. Ando moved out of his apartment into a care facility, all his stuff was stored both upstairs and downstairs. It had been a mess so I finally jumped into it and started throwing out. Bro. Sugiyama helped by bringing his truck and taking 5 loads to the dump. There is still more to sort through but most of the big things are gone.

May 17th was the Christian Center board meeting. The board members were Bro. Niiro, Bro. Nakagawa, Bro. Nishi-yama, Bro. Clark, Sis. Satou and myself. Bro. Niiro had served for many years but due to health, decided to step down. We chose Sis. Kobayashi to take his place. After the meeting, we had lunch together. Sis. Clark drove her husband down so joined us for the meal and fellowship.

Recently, Sis. Holloway had to have gall stone surgery. She’s in her 80s and came through the surgery just fine. She lives and teaches in Tsuyama and comes for our monthly worship services and plays the piano for us.

I’ve been driving Audrey’s car. It is 16 years old and recently several things have gone wrong with it so it is time to buy a different car. I have a friend and former student who sells cars so I tell him my price range and ask him to find me a good car within that range. I have always been satisfied with his choices. Before, my price range was $3,000.00 but this time I can go as high as $6,000.00. It will be nice to have a newer car soon.

June 26th I went up to Osaka Bible Seminary with Bro. Sugiyama to help scrape old paint off the roof of Sugano Hall, wire-brush the rusty spots and repaint the roof. He and I did the work for about 5 hours Thursday and 3 hours Friday

morning. Then in the afternoon, a teacher and a student were able to help us for about an hour and a half. We didn’t get it all done but someone will finish it up soon. After all those hours kneeling while scraping, my body let me know it wasn’t used to that kind of work any more. (Grin) (Me and Bro. Sugiyama’s finger pictured at left.)

This year the All Japan Christian Convention will be Au-gust 19th~21st. Four of us are planning on driving up in Bro. Sugiyama’s car.

The new school year starts in April so my classes change. I lost several students but

gained some. Right now, if everyone comes, I have 14 weekly classes with a total of 39 students or so. I started a kindergarten class when one mother asked if I could do it. They are my youngest students. My oldest is in his 80s (pictured at right). All classes take some time for a Bible lesson. Ten of the classes are here at the Center, one is at my house and the rest are here and there. Each week I drive around 225 miles for the classes.

Bro. Ando had to enter a hospital in April. The care home did his laundry until the end of the month. Since then I visit him Tuesday and

251-1 Yunogo, Mimasaka Shi, Okayama Ken 707-0062 JapanKeith Summers, missionary

email: okayamachristiancenter@gmail.comGary A. Sands, forwarding agent

197 Crawford St., Fredericksburg, OH 44627

Friday afternoons and do his laundry for him. The hospital could do it but for a fee. I prefer the more personal way.Here are two pictures. Both are from the far river bank across from Yunogo. One shows the elementary school near

the Center (the Center is lower to the left). The school is the long building above Yunogo. The other picture is a close-up of the lighted cross. (Center) You can see the cross but not the Center building. The school is behind the cross. A lot of people have come to the Center to visit after seeing the cross.

Yunogo Elementary School (top, long building)

In May, there is a holiday called Children’s Day. Carp streamers are hung as a wish for children to grow up strong like carp. The fountain has the shape of a crane. The tall jets of water represent its head and the wider lower jets represent its wings.

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support. The Okayama Christian Center is here because of you all. The harvest may be small but we’re doing our best to continue to sow seeds.

The Lord bless and keep you all. In Christ, Keith

Center cross rises above other houses

Carp streamers on fountain bridge Fountain bridge in the spring (back view)