Mission Partners - The Nelson's

Hi Everyone,

We are Hugh and Heather Nelson; We live and work on the Izu Peninsula in Japan, which is about 65 miles southwest of Tokyo, and 5,860 miles away from St Paul's Ireland Wood!

That helps to explain why you don't see us very often... but we do feel loved and supported

by you, through your prayers and giving.

By God's grace, we've been in Japan for over 30 years now. We lived in NIRAYAMA town

(pop 20,000) for about 20 years. We brought our two sons up in the local schools, replanted a church, and started "Happy Clubs", where Heather has the amazing opportunity to teach English and Bible to about 60 kids from local families every week.

When we lived in Nirayama, God put it on our hearts to regularly visit and pray for the

village of HEDA (pop 3,000), which was our nearest place with no church. In 2018, he

challenged us to move to Heda, and provided the perfect building for church, home, and

hosting guests. We call it 'Heda Gospel House'. So now we live in Heda, and Heda has its first ever church! In Heda, too, Heather teaches English and Bible to local kids; We still travel back to Nirayama for church and Happy Clubs three days a week. It's a 50-

minute drive over the mountains. The average Japanese church is much smaller than you

might imagine: with about 20 members, Nirayama Church is "A small church with a big God!"

So far, Heda Church is four believers and two friends meeting together to worship. Please

pray with us for the people of Heda to hear and respond to the good news of Jesus!

From 'Heda Gospel House', we pray and visit other villages further down the peninsula, that still have no church or believers. Sometimes it seems slow work, but we know that God led us here and that he answers prayers, so watch this space. And thank you, St Paul's, for your prayers and support that are helping God's kingdom to come here.