May Update

Thank you for all of your prayers and support, It has been a crazy end to a crazy year of school this year. The day before our high school graduation, the government of Okinawa told the all of the schools in the prefecture to shut down for two weeks. So, we had to move forward the day of school by three days. Also pushing our kinder promotion, 5th grade promotion, and 8th grade promotion up three days. It was quite stressful for everyone involved, but we are so grateful to God for getting through last week, and for allowing us to get in our 175 days consecutively with no interruptions. May was an incredibly busy month with lots happening and here are a few highlights.

• Andy Finished up covering going through Genesis through the Epistles with all of the Elementary students.  It was a three year project! For the next school year He plans on starting it all over again. 
  
• Due to Covid restrictions, Secondary students weren't able to have chapel at the beginning part of the year, however the last two month, they were able to enjoy chapel (just in smaller groups).
  
• Mia is finishing 8th grade, and her promotion is this Monday. It is hard to believe that she is going to be a high schooler. Eliya will be moving up to 5th grade, and Naomi will be moving up to 7th grade.  We are so proud of all three of them. We praise God for their faith and character. 
  
• Naomi had her performance this month. Naomi and her class put on a performance that involved singing, acting, and miming. They gave a wonderful gospel message through their performance to all of their peers and parents. 
  
• We had our Elementary camp this month as well. Just like the high school and middle school, we were not able to have the typical camp experience, however  we were able to go on a few excursions with the kids with some special chapel times with the students everyday. We went to a dam nearby, park golf, and a scavenger hunt at a big park nearby. 
  
• Mia had a gymnastics competition and she did very well. It has only been six months since she dislocated her elbows, but she is already back and stronger and better than ever, she was able to land a tsukahara. We are very proud of her. Due to restrictions the gov’t placed on the prefecture, we were not able to attend, but were able to watch a recording of the competition. 
  
• Eliya’s class had an author’s tea event. Everyone in her class wrote a book with illustrations, and then read their book to their peers and parents. 
  

Prayer requests

• Pray Covid situation to improve where restrictions can be lifted. 
  
• Higashi-ku Church in Sapporo is has limited meeting times due to the new covid restrictions put on the government. Pray that everyone can remain connected and encouraged.  
  
• Pray for the OCSI leadership team retreat. Lots to discuss and plan. 
  
• Pray for the staff for next year, it's still up in the air if we will be able to get any new visas for new international teachers, so we might be limited to looking inside the country.