In July of 1998, Dan went to a one month Japanese language intensive class at Karuizawa. There he shared a student cabin with a missionary named Tim Ackerman who has an extraordinary burden for the children of Japan. Long conversations about missions and Japan had an impact on both Tim and Dan. The importance of sharing Christ with young children was impressed on Dan's heart, and Tim (formerly an independent missionary) began to learn more about the Burakumin and also decided to become a member of our mission agency, Mission to Unreached Peoples.

About a year after that experience, we founded Rainbow Club - a children's outreach modeled after Tim's Hoshi no Kodomo (Star Children) club. While growth has been slow, the children's club is bearing fruit. For months there were only four members - but by December of 2000 there were fourteen, and as of 2003 there are 22.  Even after moving to Osaka, we continue to send the monthly mailings to the children in Hiroshima, and Dan even went back to Hiroshima to hold a Rainbow Club Christmas party in 2002!  Check out the pictures of some of our activities, and put Rainbow Club on your prayer calendar.  We don't know how feasible it will be to continue quarterly parties in Hiroshima, but we are committed to continuing the correspondence with current members, and also considering how we can start Rainbow Club in Osaka.  By the way, we would love to have one or more long-term workers with a burden for spiritual ministry among children, who could come join our team and give special attention to expanding Rainbow Club. Click here to read more about opportunities for Long-term Mission Service.

Rainbow Club Mailings

Once a month we send the monthly "Lammie" children's Christian newspaper and a page from a Bible story coloring book to all pre-school and grade school kids.

Junior high kids (only one at the moment) get a portion of a Manga (Japanese comic book) Bible and a monthly Gospel newspaper.  We divide up the Manga Bible so that they will receive the whole book over four years, and then they will "graduate" from Rainbow Club.

Rainbow Club Parties

At the first Rainbow Club party, in October 2000, the biggest hit was the giant bubble maker.

The kids (and parents!) also heard Pastor Nagashima tell the story of Zaccheus using Japanese traditional "kamishibai" (picture cards with the story written on the back) and enjoyed other activities.

The next gathering was a Christmas party, with lots more fun. We watched an animated video of the story of Jesus' birth, sang Christmas songs, and even played "pin the nose on the reindeer". :-)

Our party in August 2001 was one of our biggest, attended by 12 children and 10 adults. We included a skit, a kamishibai Bible story, coloring time, balloon hats made by Dan, and the most popular activity: balloon volleyball.