Dear friends,

Over the past year the Lord has been putting Japan on my heart, fueled by conversations with him in the secret place, encounters during worship, one restless night of sleep, and a 3 week trip to Osaka and Tokyo last September (shout out to Zach Robel and Zach Kok!). 

While my heart said "yes, Lord" to the call, I was unsure of the method of how to be in Japan. Should I join a missions organization? YWAM perhaps? Or maybe I should apply to be a government aided farmer? (Yes that's a real thing, check it out if you're interested). Through prayer and seeking, I felt the Lord call me to an organization called IRIS Global, which was established by Rolland & Heidi Baker who are amazing missionaries who have spent much of their time in Mozambique caring for the most desperate and forgotten of the world. (More info on IRIS here: https://www.irisglobal.org/the-iris-story)

The moment I felt the Lord put IRIS on my heart was pretty funny actually. One of those moments where you see a billboard or a phrase or a bible verse and you just KNOW- your eyes get sucked in and the Lord is saying "pay attention to this, it's important- it's for you!" For me it was an Instagram post about IRIS Tokyo. The moment I saw it, I was captured like "what is this?" I couldn't look away. What's interesting is the base only started posting on Instagram AFTER my visit to Japan last year. My heart was filled with excitement and hope. God is doing something new in Japan and I felt like it was the invitation to join in the work and the joy of the harvest.

After that initial excitement I began to dialogue with the Lord further and I reached out to the base about how to get involved. Their response was to attend one of the various Harvest Schools (mission schools) run by IRIS Global and then apply to the base formally (after which they would pray and seek the Lord about my joining!)

So with all of that said, I am excited to share that I've been accepted into Harvest School in Fortaleza, Brazil this upcoming September! (It's really soon I know!) It will run from September 1st - November 4th, so just over 2 months (near the equator- haha!)

This will be my first step into both the missions and IRIS worlds, and a departure from how I've lived my life in my 20's. Missions wasn't even on my mind! But I'd like to see it as a testimony of how God will take anyone with an open heart and begin to transform their desires and their direction in life- the only need is to say "yes".

--I'm looking to raise $5000 over the next couple of weeks before school begins. This amount will cover both my plane ticket and school expenses.--

💻***Additionally, if you are feeling extra generous, cheerful!, and a tug from the Lord, I'm looking to update to a new computer that costs around $800. The computer I have currently works very well considering its age! (almost 15 years old) However, for travel I would like something much more lightweight and updated for both transport and typing in addition to music production.💻

One thing I have considered greatly in all of this is that nothing will be accomplished without the Lord's grace on my life and the sometimes very scared and small steps of obedience (like writing this letter! It's scary to say you have a need!) But I am confident in this: not my own ability to accomplish what the Lord has set before me, but in his ability to strengthen me as I continue to say "yes" even in my own doubts. I believe this is where we really experience the Lord elevating us beyond what we can do and into what HE can do through us as he draws us into his love, deeper and deeper.

So, prayerfully, I'm asking that you would consider supporting me financially for what the Lord has set before me. And even more than that, pray for me. Begin to pray for every door to open, for every resource to be released, and for God's grace to meet me in every step as I choose to believe him for greater things in my life and in the lives of those around me.

--

Jesus, my beloved, is my great reward in everything. There is nothing more wonderful than to see his face and share in his affections!<3

Oh, and of course, there will be worship ;) Lot's of worship.

Blessings,

-Christopher Kendl