Love You Mom

I (Jeff) had a whole newsletter typed up that I was about to send. However, I'm changing it. I want to say some words about my mom, who just passed away. As I had mentioned last month, she had some serious health issues surface in late September. However, she had been improving and had been home from the rehab facility for 2 weeks. In the end it all proved to be too much for her body though. It's a very strange and surreal feeling, and I don't really know how to put it into words as I'm still processing it.

Of course, living in Japan now, it's been very difficult for me to feel helpless as I heard about what was going on with her health from afar. All I could really do was pray, and try to encourage my family as best as I could. I am so thankful that my brother and sister-in-law were nearby to help my dad and mom during this time. Leaving for the field as missionaries, we knew this was a possibility, and we tried to mentally prepare for it. But we didn't think it would happen this soon, nor with one of our parents.

My mom was a special person. I couldn't have asked for a better mother. She was often quiet and calm (I got that from her), but she had her fiery moments. She was a passionate fan of the Mariners and Seahawks, and I would root alongside her. I will miss her deeply. God, I feel like she was taken too soon. I wrongly assumed we had many more years together. While I mourn that her time on this earth has passed, I am very grateful for the many years that we did have together. She had serious health issues come up when I was only 5 years old, so to have had these additional 32 years is a blessing that I thank God for every moment. I just wish we had more. God, I don't know Your ways or Your timing, but I trust You. I know You are loving and merciful--it's who You are. I'm thankful for the additional time we had together as our support-raising and COVID restrictions delayed our departure for Japan.

I wanted you to meet your new grandson who is coming in one month. It tears me up that you won't. I will tell him all about you, along with Mason and Kaili.

I love you, Mom. I miss you.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. ~Matthew 5:4 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. ~2 Corinthians 1:3-5

Praise:

• Praise God for continued health of Malia and baby. One more month to go!

• Praise God that our fall Cross Project team retreat at Yamanakako near Mount Fuji went well. Jeff and Malia each shared their testimonies, and there was good team-building and fellowship time.

• Praise God that Mason and Kaili's soccer team is going well. We've even started to make some connections with parents.

Prayer:

• Please pray for our family as we deal with the heartbreaking loss of Jeff's mom. Please pray for everything that needs to be arranged, including a potential flight back to Seattle for Jeff. We pray that God would somehow use all this for His glory.

• Please pray for the final month of Malia's pregnancy and for a healthy delivery next month in Japan. Jeff still likely will not be allowed to accompany Malia for the birth, but we pray that things will change by the time it's time to deliver.

• Please continue to pray for our whole family's language learning, especially as we look ahead to 2023 for in-person language class options for both Jeff and Malia.

Fall team retreat at Yamanakako, one of the five lakes around Mount Fuji // Enjoying the beautiful ponds at Oshino Hakkai near Fuji

Posing with Mount Fuji near the lake Kawaguchiko // Mason's team placed 3rd in their tournament! // Mason celebrating a soccer win

Worship in the park on a beautiful Sunday morning // Mason and Kaili at Yomiuriland

Jeff completed his in-person intensive Japanese course

We would love to hear from you, whether it be to share your prayer requests or to simply catch up. Please know that we think of you and pray for you often.

Thanks and blessings,

The Walkers

Jeff, Malia, Mason & Kaili