BARBARA POOLE & FAMILY

We have been interested in missions since college days. I (Barbara) was a Rotary exchange student in Japan during high school and a short term worker in Sendai following college at the University of Maine. I learned to speak conversational Japanese during these stays. Tom, also a graduate of Maine, served as a short term worker with Asians in England while in Bible college. He later graduated from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. We married in 1982 and immediately left to teach for a year in Maracaibo, Venezuela. While there, we assisted at Christ Church, a local international church. Later, we served as missionary associates for two years while teaching at Nagoya International School in Japan.

Our first son, Matthew, was born in Seto, Japan. The births of Timothy and Jesse followed at home in New Jersey. The five of us left for Taiwan in 1992 under SEND International. Tom taught for three years at Morrison Academy where we met many wonderful people among the Chinese and missionary communities. Unfortunately, Timmy developed a severe cough due to pollution, and we decided to leave when Tom was offered a position with his old company. The call of ministry continued to tug on our hearts, however, and the door was reopened when Tom's company dropped the division he was to work with. It was at this time Japan Mission first contacted us about being missionary teachers. At the time, we thought we should wait to see if the needs of this small mission school continued.

A phone call from Florida in the spring of 1996 led to our moving to Palm Bay and into a most dynamic church-school community: Covenant Christian, a ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church, PCA. CPC was very involved with Christian education through school and home school associations. The church also had a very strong mission's commitment. Again, Japan Mission called in the spring of 1997, and we promised to pray about the needs of Kansai Christian School (KCS). In short, the church community responded positively to our missionary opportunity to Japan, although the thought of leaving Covenant greatly saddened us.

With a number of supporting families and churches, we left for Japan in September 1997. I am now teaching first and second grade while Tom is teaching language arts, Bible and social studies in grades 6-10. Matt, Timmy and Jesse are enjoying their new school and friends. They are involved in weekly neighborhood Japanese studies. We are thankful that our outreach opportunities flourish as we continue to meet people in our community. A number of our Japanese friends are attending church, and some have indicated a real interest in Christianity. One of our school parents (Japanese) recently committed her life to Christ and is now also coming out to church with her three children.

The Lord continues to bring Japanese friends into our lives. One young mother followed me home from the local market and is now reading the Bible. It is also rewarding to hear appreciation coming from our KCS missionary parents. By assisting in their children's education, we know we are contributing to some seven church planting efforts. We are very pleased and encouraged by the various ministries of Japan Mission, and are grateful to be part of God's work in Ikoma. The Lord has answered the prayers of His people in a wonderful way!

We would appreciate your prayers!

Barbara Poole & family

Contact Barbara Poole by e-mail at: jm@japanmission.org (putting her name in the subject line)