FLEMORS ON FURLOUGH A F T E R ^

Julius and Mrs, Virginia Fleenor and family have completed 10 years^service in
Japan and are in the States on furlough at the present time visiting among supporting

churches^ and iSMBrtsig^ teaching and preparing themselves for starting a new preachertraining program in Tokyo, Japan \^en they return to the field in mid-1962. ForwardMg

y^^dress is Mrs. i'^adine Fleenor Woliverton, Box 1040, Yakima, Wash, They are living >
at 10018 Woodworth, Inglewood, Calif, in "an apartment two blocks from a good school
for the girls and four blocks from Stephen's hi^ school. We are fovir blocks from the

Crenshaw Christian Church, and just one hour's drive from Pacific Bible Seminary,
Long Beach, Calif,"

The Flienors are livinglink missionaries of Crenshaw church, Los Angelesj and
Knightstown, Michigan City (First), and Hannegan Christian churches in Indiana.
REPORT ON 10 YEARS

What can be done by a dedicated missionary couple (with the leading of the Lord,

and the help of other missionaries and Chrissbians) in 10 years? Here is a svunmary
report:

1. 280 have been bapti-^d into Christ#

2. 22 life-work recruits have been enlisted (Brother Fleenor taught for five years
(TBS) in the now-closed Tokyo Bible Seminary;J-21 of his previous students are in the

^11-time ministry. Mrs. Fleenor also taught a class in TBS). trained Japanese associates in the work^naew.

4. Ovm and operate a fine camp/^ which serves ^20 youth each aimmer,
5. Opened four new villages to first Gospel preaching,

6. Built (Julius Fleenor's dad) a mission home at Simoochiai (l^nd valued at

to 50 thousand dollar^donated by aJapanese Christian couple for church

and mission home)9

7. Reached 6,000 homes with street meetings and tract evangelism

over 50,000 Gospel tractso

distributed
\bn-na

1. 3

$. MinisterJto more than 1,000 ^iospital patients,

9. Conducted numerous Bible classes including four in JBiiiversities and
three in high schools,

10, Enlisted three American servicementwo now in Bible colleges training for
mission service^and Don Burney who served five years in opening a new work in Shikoku, Ja.pa.nCvi0&lify^i^^i}g

11. Sljafcfedd two churches,^now withl^wn land and buildings, Shimoochiai jBiiurch
which has buildings costing |9,500 in American fundsj and has 60 active

members; and Ifiueda church with a land and buildings investment of #9,500

including #6,000 for the land obtained "in answer to the prayers of the 30
Christians and many children who were previously crowded into a small rented

room." There are now three IMlltlme Japanese workers there and the program
150 children each week. A new work in a Kawasaki home IS also underway with six bapti^d believers,

WHAT'S A FURLOUGH FOR?

the Fleenors recently published a list of 13 items describing the purposes of

a furlough. These are included below:

REPQRT ON 10 YEARS
FLEEN0R

IN

JAPAN

by Julius &, Virginia

September 1961

STATISTICS:

Baptized into Christ

Life Work Recruits Trained workers in

280
22

Julius taught for 5 years in a

evangelism now
Churches established

6
2
1

Bible College in Tokyo for first term. This College is now clos ed, but 21 of these he taught
are now in full time Christian

with land &, buildings Camp property owned and

operating Villages opened to gospel

ministry. Virginia also taught

one class there.

Distributed over 50,000 gospel

4
tracts.

Mission home (open at all tJLnne for teaching

1^

^Condiicted,.5-^co.nfer-ences

for

the deepening of the spiritual Street meetings and tract 6000 homes reached )life of Japanese Christians, evangelism Hospital ministry 1000 patients
Bible classes Universities
4

High Schools
Homes Churches

Three American servicemen who visited our home and work are now r e c r u i t s as mission

aries in Japan,

The Burney

family have served 5 years in

Women's meetings in Japanese Homes Conducted Prayer Groups in Homes

opening a new work in Shikoku, Japan, Two other men are in

Bible Colleges training for
mission service.

Language qualification: Both Julius &. Virginia can speak and teach the
Bible in Japanese.
The Churches established:

SHIMOOCHIAI

CHURCH

OF

CHRIST

and Mission

Home

Land valued at $30,000 to $50,000 was donated by a Japanese Christian

Couple.

Buildings-Offerings from U,^,, $6,000,00

Fleenor Family funds
Present State of Church

$2,500.00 (Built by Julius' father) $1,0^00 .00 CGiven by _Grace Farniiam^f rom
her mission fund)

(a)

60 "active" members

(b) Full time ministers-Mr, and Mrs. Hagio and 6 children

Japanese church pays salary of $35,00 Fleenor Mission fund pays 55.00 (for two years only)
(c) Church officers govern church and pay for building reparis and all
utilities, church materials, and for special evangelistic efforts

(d) 70 % of converts are high school or University students and some of

these are in Tokyo only for schooling and then leave for other parts of Japan

(e) This church has 5 complete Christian families as members. This is

considered a great blessing in Japan.

(f) Church established in 1952 and is now 9 years old.

-2-

NI5HI

ARAI

SLUM AREA

"UMEDA CHURCH OF CHRIST"

1958 First converts and two Japanese workers worked with us. Used rented
room and home of the Tamamuras

1957 Sunday School met in Public hall

I960 Bought land at $6,000.00 in answer to prayers of the 30 Christians and

many children who before this were crowded into the rented room.

1960 Built church at $2,300.00

1961 Added Sunday school rooms and parsonage at $1,200.00 and active members
now number 50.

150 children meet there each week for teaching besides in homes and street meetings and boys' club work.
3 Full time workers now situated there

Mr, Morohashi, age 22, Children s worker.

Mrs, Yamaguchi, age 60, Women's worker and personal evangelist.

capable of conducting Bible classes and services.

Three men in the church are capable of preaching and many of the women This church has visited 6,000 homes with tracts and gospel portions. "Robt^ Cooper Memorial '^und" of $50.00 a month from the Ambassadors has
gone to support two full time evangelists, Mrs. Aono and daughter who
worked with us in establishing this work.
KAWASAKI CHURCH OF CHRIST

Mr. Hagio from Shimoochiai supervises work and preaches Sunday nights.

This church meets in the home of the Shibata family and has 6 adult members to date. A Sunday School, Boys Ciub and Adult Evangelistic service is held weekly here Various Christians from the other churches help in this work.
VILLAGE EVANGELISM

Four villages opened with evangelistic efforts where there are no churches, Mrs, Aono and daughter Momoyo are now high in the northern mountains of Japan in a small village preaching Christ in a district where there is no other Christian^. Three Japanese lay evangelists we have lead to Christ
are working in the other villages.

KARUIZAWA SUMMER CAMP PDRGRAM (Located 3 hours by electric train from Tokyo)
camp work during this time. We average 120 young people a summer.

Purchased 8 room house for camp in 1954 for $1,200.00. Added building in 1959 for $1,200.00. Over 500 Japanese have used these buildings in summer

MISSIOM HOUSING FOR FLEENOR FAMILY

Arrived October, 1950 and lived for 18 months in two 8 x 12 rooms in a Japan,
ese church with no sanitary facilities and saved money by pavinq no rent to use $1,000.00 living link for Shimoochiai Mission House.

1952 moved into two bedroom house at Shimoochiai and used 4* building for mission meetings and services. Now, since 1955, have church building, but
hold 3 to 6 meetings a week in mission house.
FUTURE PLANS

(1) Establish churches and strengthen the Christians. (2) Train Japanese leadership.
upon our return to Tokyo for training the 22 life work recruits associated with our work and those who will make this dedication in the future.

Lord willing we hope to open the "Bible School for Prayer and Evangelism"

-3-

PURPOSE

OF

FURLOUGH

Sometimes people ask "What is the missionary forlough for?"

help in accomplishing,

Is it a year's

vacation? Let us share with you some of the things we feel a furlough should "

nr. An opportunity for the missionary to report directly to the churches. 2o Provide a physical change for missionary and family to maintain top phy sical and mental fitness. Tq leave the field for a period of time helps
give perspective.

3. Enable children to be "Americans" and know and understand their culture. Our children will probably have only two years of their lives in American schools before entering college.

4, An opportunity to visit family and tend to personal family matters, 5o Gain new interest, prayer support, and financial support for the work

6. To minister to the local churches in giving any spiritual help inspir

among the churches and to broaden our contacts with the churches.

7. To contact and encourage American life work recruits interesed in coming

to Japan as missionaries.

ation, vision, or education in world evangelism.

8. Arrange scholarships for worthwhile Japanese students in US Bible Colleges.

9. Teach Missions Course at Bible Colleges (We've been invited to teach at Pacific Bible Seminary)

0. Prepare for a Bible College which we hope to open in 1963.

2. To be missionaries and personal evangelists wherever we are during furlough 13, To aid our living link churches in any way to understand the missionary
..[MCPgram God is guiding us into for the future.

1. Hold Prayer groups and Bible studies.

We are hoping to write three pamphlets during furlough and would appreciate"'
hearing from you if you would be interested in having them.
be:

The topics

will

"Helps to Churches in Starting a Missions Program and Selecting Living

Link Missionaries"

"A Ten Year Report fo the Fleenor Mission in Japan"

"Helps to Christians Interested in the Mission Eield"

OUR PURPOSE AS MISSIONARIES:

To evangelize as many as possible and pray for God to raise up Japanese Christians to stand with us in the battle against Satan to take Japan for the Lord Jesus Christ. We want to help the Church in Japan to help itself to be
come self-supporting and self-propagating and to be under the direction of the

Holy Spirit using only the Word of God as its guide.

^
2-coluiiin picture cutline J

January^ 10, 196

Shown above is an English Bible study group with which

A/C Stephen Mayfield works in the Umeda Church of Christ, vhich the
Julius Fleenor family started in the Nishi Arai slxim area of Tokyo,

(so/i ^iicj /Ua^preW) Japan in 1957. When Stephen^ent the pict\a-e, Ece said he beaches this
group on alternate Sundays. He also told of attending and participating

English language services recently started in^Stanley Buttray's hous^

at 9:00 a. m, Sundays. A Japanese service follows at 10:30 a, m.

O-j^Sieo6zyLy>

Forwarding Agent in States

Mrs. Nadine Box 1040 Fleenor Wolverton

Field

Address

Julius Fleenor Fmaily

Church of Christ 3-1146 Shimoochiai

Yakima, Washington May 15, 1962

Dear Friends,

Shinjuku, Tokyo

Augu_5.tJLOnt,h^ the S.S.Arcadia will sail from Long Beach, Port of Los Angeles,
and "we will begin'our journey homeward to Japan for our next time of service in
our adopted homeland.

Furlough has been wonderful in many ways. But frankly we have also been brought face to face with Satan and his attempt to destroy the Kingdom of God as never before. We have made many wonderful new friends in Christ in speaking in the
Los Angeles area. The children have learned much from their time of schooling.

Pi

S9

Stephen has made straight A's in the Exceptional Student program of Morningside High of Inglewood and is looking forward to rest as he has averaged four hours of homework a day in a very heavy course, but says he never learned so much in one year. Two of his courses were college level and made him really learn to study. He and Julia, age 10, and Dana Lee, age 0, all look forward to being back in Japan. The girls say that the 2nd and 4th grades in America are easier than the mission school in Tokyo. Grace Elizabeth will be two years old in August and so much of the first learning to talk will be in Japanese and English as her older sisters was. She is the joy and delight of our hearts and very much a part of the missionary
team.

, LBtt,ers_ from the. J,ap_a,nese encourage us as to the growth in the churches with four baptisms at ^astB"in the two churches. Esther Tpgaw_a, age 25, who was one of our first converts, has gained much from her studies at Pepperdine College here in Los Angeles and has served as baby-sitter when we have been on speaking dates. She will live in the dormitory at Pepperdine from June and secure her degree in Religious Education in June of 1963, returning immediately to help in the orphanage and Bible College work. She has a full schol arship from the college for her expenses. This is another answer to prayer,

A fine couple, Mr. aj^d^Mrs. Bob Warrick, and their three children have decided to join the work in Japari". Wis meF'them when we spoke at the Reseda Church and they are highly recommended by this church and others where they are known. Mr. Warrick will sign a contract with an aircraft company to work two years in Japan and bring his family with him. They will study Japanese and in two years go into full time missionary work in connection with the orphanage which we hope and pray to open in
:onnection with the Nishi Arai slumwork. This is another answer to prayer for

workers for the Kingdom of God in Japan. If you would like to be added to their mailing list to receive their newsletters and prayer requests, please send a card to their forwarding agent, Mrs. R. H. Bolton, 1020 E. Mesa Ave., Gallup, New Mexico. Washington, and leave the three girls with Grandma Fleenor Wolverton for the summer.
Then we will drive back to Indiana, making our headquarters with my living link

Now for ^r schedule. We will leave Inglewood June 6th and go to Yakima,

church in Michigan City. The pastor, Bob Green._will be in the Holy Land for the summer and I will be preaching there'June 17th and 24th, and aqajji _ J u l j u s t before starting for the west coast for sailing". We also will be with the Knightstown Christian Church and Hannegan Christian Church of Indiana, which are also living
link churches. While in Indiana, we can be reached % First Christian Church, 1102
Indiana. Cedar, Michigan City,

car with her.

expense.

We will return to Yakima, Washington, about August 1st and leave my mother's She loaned us her car to use during furlough, saving the mission much

Virginia will fly to Los Angeles to put our supplies aboard the ship and
The children and I will board at Vancouver, B.C. At

bid farewell to relatives.

present we are most busy packing and storing everything in readiness for departure.
The Victory Center Church of Christ in North Hollywood, California, has kindly

volunteered to do our mailing and their pastor, Lloyd Cummings, is giving his time

to do the printing for us.

This is an answer to prayer and will enable us to keep

you informed as never before in a more systematic manner.

My mother will continue as our forwarding agent for funds and personal infor
mation involved in our work.
should be sent to;

All funds for the work in Japan and our sailing

Mrs. Nadine Fleenor Wolverton

Box 1040, Yakima, Washington

Our field address remains the same and appears at the^top of this letter.

We

covet your prayers as never before as we go back to Japan, especially regarding the opening of the Bible School for Prayer and Evangelism and the orphanage.
Please note the separate sheet giving information to people who want to send
used clothing and other items to Japan.

A special thanks to all who sent letters telling us they are praying for us. Please forgive our neglect in writing during furlough, but we have never been so busy and hope we can keep you better informed from now on. Your letters and per
sonal notes encourage us.

Sincerely,

Julius

Fleenor

INFORMATION REGARDING THE

"CUP OF COLD WATER MINISTRY"

Dr. C. Walberg of the Congregational Church of Christ in Redondo Beach, California, first introduced himself to us in Tokyo in May of 1961, when he was there in connection with the Tokyo Crusade. Through many people, we soon became aware of the wonderful missionary vision of the- church to whom he ministers. In February of this year we spoke at this church and they volunteered their services in helping our mission work in Tokyo, particularly in
connection with the slum work and needy people.

At the present time, through the facilities used clothes and many other items are shipped to throughout the world. These items are collected Redondo Beach Congregational Church of Christ at
Streets, Redondo Beach, California.

of the U, S. Navy, mission fields and packed at the Emerald and Broadway

Any person wishing to send the following items to us can phone the "Cup of Cold Water Ministry", FRontier 2-9523 or FRontier 2-7012,
and" a truck from the Church of Christ in Redondo Beach will pick up

the items and pack and send them to us.

or bag and clearly marked;
JULIUS

The items must be in a box

FLEENOR MISSION

Church of Christ
3-1146 Shimoochiai

Shinjuko, Tokyo

These things will be repacked and marked for us and then we can

pick them up in Yokohama without any charge to your or us for the shipping, which is under "Operation Handclasp" of the U. S. Navy.
These things will be used in our slum work, camp work for underpriviledged children, and later for the orphanage:
Small-sized skirts, dresses or suits

.^^Used pastage stamps (each stamp worth 1 Japanese, tract)

Good warm coats or sweaters

Men's and boy's suits or trousers Good crayons Knit caps, mittens, or slipper socks
Good warm Blankets underwear and sheets

Flannel and material for sewing

Baby clothes (no baby shoes)

Reading glasses

People outside the Los Angeles area can mail boxes directly to

the Redondo Beach Congregational ^hurch of Christ, Emerald and Broad

way Streets, Redondo Beach, California.

jijH 2^
PRa.YER LETTER

Forwarding fl.gent fpr Funds and Mail

Mrs* Ifadine Fleenor Wolverton

Address A.fter

Box 1040, Yakima, Washington

Julius and Vir^^i

3-1146 Shimoochiaij
June 20, 1962
okyo

eloved in the Lord,

"In everything lay prayer."

It seems well and necessary that we send word to you regarding the things which have recently transpired which were unforeseen to us when we sent the May newsletrer in order to hring you up to date. We need your prayers and help in the work of the Lord
as never before. This is ahove all else a call to praver.

Our plans to leave Los Angeles on June 6th wont as planned. &few days before, I received a letter from the chairman of the board of elders asking me to appear at an
8:00 p.m. Elders' Meeting at Crenshaw Christian Church on June 5th. Crenshaw has

^always bo thankful. Emotion had been ma.de in May

^een my home church for almost thirty years and my living link ch\zrch for over twelve years. For the many faithful Christians who guided meJby their example, I shall

missionary because of the dissention among the memberi^^f TIf?^shaw regarding my work.
When I arrived at the elders* meeting I was shocked to learn that the elder who is o^^rman of the Missions' Committee had moved that I be dismissed. I was then then voted by majority vote that I not be dismissed. There ia-A new element which has come into the church which would like to make the church UCMS.yAlso another

that I be dismissed as

interroga^ecTIor over

as they T)robed "'o;g--truth. They

matter unrelated to this existed which was unspeakably corrupt, ^ere are also many
faithful, sincere, Bible-loving and Christ honoring Christians in this Church. I

thought the problem of my leaving or staying was settled that night.

I had been examined on June 5 at 4s00 p.m. by my doctor and told I was in good con
dition and could make the trip to Yakima to leave the three girls in Julius' mother's
care. Julius, Stephen and I then planned to journey to Indiana for a summer of speaking dates and to be with our living link churches there. We were expecting with

great antlcLpation fmnther child to be ho^^^uas^^esJifiK^. The Uorwalk Church had

er.

piedged"$50a;X)d a yeai for the new-bal^a;gartdr~^J^^

All seemed well as we left at 3:30 p.m. on June 6th. We stopped at Ventura for
^ ^

Japanese native work

boasted tha.t.as, soon as Virginia left that "the minister who had r^kgned May 1st would
withdraw his resignation

the night. There we learned from an unexpected source that an element at Crenshaw had

It is impossible to enter into the matter lightly touched upon in the above paragraphs but we feel that we must maintain a frank and honest relationship with those who join
hands to pray for us and support the work in Japan in other ways. We must state we have been blessed above measure during furlough. The Children of God at Crenshaw have showered us with much love and kindness for which we shall always be grateful. Never tures tell us should not be naxaed among Christians. Both in September of 1961 and January of 1962, Julius and I considered my resigning. We were pressured and lied to upon occasions. We continued to pray and wait for God's clear guidance. In April we knew that unless a basic change happened, I would he.ve to resign as I could not co operate with such corruption. The majority of the pdople were unaware and deceived concerning these matters and it seemed best not to mention them publicly. Some of
All these

theless, we found another element there to be of the type of impurity that the scrip

the elders were aware of these things even before we returned on furlough, but more and more of them later learned more. They took direct action and we felt the problem
was being solved in May without telling the details to all the church.
gations, But these matters were a source of great sorrow to us.

things are the elders' business and I do not wish to discuss them with other congre

On Wednesday, Jime 7th at San Luis Obispo which is about 100 miles north of Ventura and about 250 miles north of Los Angeles, it became apparent that I must enter a hospital if we would keep our baby. Julius and I deoidad it would be best for him to

hospital for reports on my progress. There were 3 resident doctors for 280 patients and although they were overworked, I knew Julius would not be able to help my condition
by staying in a motel with the children. The doctor told us that he felt that I would inevitably lose the baby, yet we hoped that we might be able to have the little one.

continue the trip with the children to Yakima and that he would phone daily to the

efixldren.

b^e _ycf>Tnaitlirft1 v I am most thankful to be strong and well again to care for my

a three hour hemorrage and going into shock, etc. we lost our little The minister of the San Luis

God was very near to me, the nurses and doctors most kind, even a specialist

was called in who donated his time and surgical work.

and his dear wife were a gracious help at that time.

Obispo Church, Brother Thomas, called daily and took phone oalls and in general he

. I- r>

JUK 5 VK..
Sunday, June 10th 1 was released and a dear friend from my childhood, Mrs. &zina Forment, oame to care for me from Mountain View, California. Mr. and Mrs. Paul Hunter

from Crenshaw Christian Church came to visit me on Saturday and on Sunday our living link church of Norwalk, California sent their minister and his wife. Bill and Jan Miles to see me. A. telegram, many phone calls and loving cards all cheered me along.
k special thanks to all who helped. The Crenshaw Christieua Church's youth minister, A.1 Warner, phoned saying that Crenshaw was praying for me emd would pay my doctor bills and airplane fare to Yakima. I stayed in another dear friend's home in Ventura from June 11th through 13th. I call her mother "because she helped to save my life and my leg when I was four years old and dying of septic "blood poisoning. 41though

crippled since an injury in World War I when she served in the Navy, she has spent her
life serving others. Joy Lindsey has truly "been a mother in the Lord to me. Her
kindness cheered me much.

a"'' a Congregational Meeting, I learned I had "been dismissed "by AongreI was no Eifale to. defend my "position as 1 was too ill to attei^d.
meeting. I feel^I m]u^st se^ all formal conneatlons .with Crenshaw as I can never

^saipJLJEuhXiply^ the^ to

corruption in high places.

Most of the elders

know the situation and we must leave it in their hands and in God's to see that His Church does not suffer through all this.

. P?iish,w' and $380^00 promlsed^^hlTuiara. is to "be withdrawn, we are depending. on^God' s childr^ to ^pport our work directly through desig-

^ funds for our support and sending ftinds to our forwarding agent.
relying on the Lord to make up the lack so we might continue our

We are
noiiil on

August 6th from Vancouver and August 10th from Lon^ Beach. The "ABC&DIA" of the Pacific Orient Lines will dock in Long Beach at 8:00 a.m. Friday, August 10th. We will "be "busy putting our freight aboard the morning of the 10th, but will be aboard the ship from 6:00 p.m. imtil midnight when we sail. If you wish to come to the ship, write our forwarding agent requesting boarding passes and we will see that they are
sent to you.

The Nishi Arai Foundation sent $81.00 to help with added expenses of the illness, phone calls, motels, etc. God has shown His love through many and we know "All things

yy all men speak well of you." and "Endure hardship like a good soldier." We can never
- please-all-^e people-ail of-the tim&iIrike-minded Christiana like you, wha wanttxj

work together for good to them that love the Lord, even to them that are called according to His purposes." Two other scriptures come to mind often "Beware when,

please God first are our help. Often we forget we are in a spiritual warfare while on earth. Pray we might keep high the shield of faith and you must help us with your prayers. God is doing great things throughout the world. Pray for Japan. Pray for
His se3r7ant8.

Julius and children arrived in Yakima on June 9th and after talking to me June 10th by phone, Stephen and Julius drove to Michigan City, Indiana to meet speaking dates
with living link churches there.

The Clausens, dear friends in Ventura, drove me to the airport and put me on a plane to San FraAoisco June 14th. "Mama" Forment and Esther Togawa (my Japanese spiritual daughter in the Lord who is attending Pepperdine College on scholarship) met me and
took me to Mountain View to rest two days.

On Saturday June 16th I flew to Yakima. It is good to be with our daughters and with loved ones. The two older girls, Julia 10, and Dana Lee 8, will spend the summer with their grandparents in Yakima and 1 fv Grade (age 2) to Michigan City on We will return to Yakima July 30th to prepare to sail. P^ay we may be
kept in His will.

I am well and gaining strength and rejoicing in the Lord.

the lives of His children.

God makes no mistakes in

Sincerely in Him,
Virginia

Fleenor Newsletter

October 1, 1962

Forwarding Agent for Funds

Mrs. Fleenor Wolverton

Mailing address in Japan Julius & Virginia Fleenor

3-1146 Shimoochiai

Box 1040, Yakima, Washington

Shinjuku, Tokyo, JAPAN

Phone
Dear Friends,

951-6025

Our hearts have never been fuller with praise and thanksgiving as we

think over the events of the past months. We can see clearly the hand of Satan working against us, but also clearly the Hand of God stronger, wiser,
and final.

The month of July in Indiana with our living links (First Christian Church, Michigan City; First Christian Church, Knightstown; and Hannegan Christian Church) were refreshing and heart warming. We can never forget the many personal gestures of love and help by sincere Christians. Each church has increased their support and gave a love offering for our return fares to Japan
which was a great help.
PREPARATION FOR RETURN

Arriving on August 1st in Yakima, Washington we had a wonderful reunion

with Julius' mother and step-father. Julius busied himself with packing that
could have a final reunion with her family and friends of many years. Also

would go on at Vancouver where he and the four children board at the "Arcadia" on August 6th. Virginia took a plane on August 2 for Los Angeles where she
the ship August 10th when the Arcadia would dock there before departure for
Japan.
FLEENOR SUPPORT COMMITTEE FORMED

there was last minute buying and packing to do for the things that would go on

When Virginia arrived in Los Angeles the 3rd of August she expected Mr.
and Mrs. Paul Hunter and Bill Miles, the pastor of the Norwalk Christian Church to meet her at the airport. She was left speechless to find 30 dear friends from Crenshaw Christian Church there to greet and encourage her. She learned these friends had sent out a letter to members of Crenshaw and

told them they could send funds through the Norwalk Christian Church if they wished to continue supporting the Fleenor work in Japan. The Norwalk Christ ian Church had pledged $40.00 a month support in June. They had a check for $497.00 ready for us for sailing expenses, supplies andfreight. Also $500.00 a month was pledge to make up the $150. 00 previous monthly support which Virginia had received from Crenshaw plus give a work fund for mission pro jects. This will enable us to support ten Japanese workers who are working with us in full time evangelism or are working part time while training in
to $300.00 a month for these co-workers. The remaining amount will be used

Bible Schools in preparation for full time work. We will use from $250.00

for building funds, travel for evangelism, tracts, etc. $25.00 a month will be deposited in an account for emergency repatriation as the Support Committee suggested. So in a few short days we see how God marvelously supplied the
needs of the work. These folks gave us a wonderful farewell party with about

60 people present a few nights later which is unforgetable for the rich Christ ian fellowship which we all shared in being partners with God in getting the

Gospel to the lost in Japan.

- 2 -

DR.

WALBERG CUP OF COLD WATER MINISTRY

In the Spring of 1961 we met Dr. Walberg in Tokyo. He is the pastor of the Congregational Church of Christ of Redondo Beach. The church is not denominationally affiliated with any church, preaches the Word of God, and feels its biggest joy is to get the gospel out to the entire world. Enclosed is a brochure telling of this ministry. People living in the Los Angeles area can
take used items to this church and they are sent by the U.S. Navy to "Operation

Handclasp" program free of charge to various mission fields. Dr. Walberg has
will be shipped and used at the Shimoochiai Mission Center in connection with
our Bible classes and our Youth Meetings.

volunteered to receive and ship good, used warm clothing for our Nishi Arai slum work. Also, we have received a used piano from Julius' mother which

If you have good warm clothing, especially children's clothing, please

send it or mail it to:

Dr. C.T. Walberg, Cup of Cold Water Ministry, Congregational Church

of Christ, Emerald & Broadway, Redondo Beach, California.

Mark the box clearly TO BE SENT TO Virgil Julius Fleenor, Missionary,

Shimoochiai Church of Christ, 3-1146 Shimoochiai, Shimjuku, Tokyo.

There are many other items which can be sent to other fields, but our

specific need for reaching into needy homes is warm winter clothing for people living in shacks around our Mishi Arai church in the slums. We will deliver the packets of clothing with a tract and gospel portion and an invitation to come hear the Word of God. If you live in the Inglewood area, Helen and Marty Gonzales
have volunteered to use their little cafe as a collection center. It is located on

the corner of Inglewood Avenue and Century in Inglewood, California.

FAREWELL FROM LONG BEACH ON August 10 A BIG SURPRISE

wish us God-speed and gather on the deck to sing "God Be With You 'Til We Meet again." The Bob Warrick family also was there. He is the minister who is^planning to join the work in Japan shortly. Councilman Gordon Hahn,

Over 100 dear friends came to the ship on the evening of August 10th. They warmed our hearts as they told us they would pray for us. Three Christian ministers, Paul Neal, Charles Richards, and Harry Bucalstein came also to

director of the Nishi Arai Christian Foundation,had a big surprise for us. He

handed Julius a check for $1, 000.00 to buy a small Japanese Station Wagon. We
had an old broken down French Renault which would have taken $300.00 to put

into shape to pass inspection, so this is another answer to prayer. We are praising God for giving us an opportunity to trust him when our support was cut off suddenly without notice in June. God has freed us from a situation which was limiting the work of God in Japan and thus we see how God moved upon
hearts to completely underwrite the work.

As we all sang together: "God Be With You "Til We Meet Again", it was a joy to look upon the faces of sincere Christian who are joining hands with us
in preaching Christ in Japan.
WELCOME IN YOKOHAMA on AUGUST 23

welcome meetings, invitations into Japanese homes, callers, unpacking, re

ning a full time teaching program again.

morning in Japan after restful 10 day voyage. The past month has been full of
pairing of the mission house, and generally getting things in order and begin

About 60 Japanese and 15 missionaries met us when we arrived on a sultry

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STATE OF THE CHURCHES

Soon after arrival, we met with our 10 Japanese co-workers who are

either working full time with us or are in Bible College training part time and teaching in the various churches. We were encouraged to see spiritual

growth in both the Shimoochiai Church of Christ and the Nishi Arai slum work
where the Umaeda Church of Christ is well established. Plans were laid for

fall evangelistic meetings. There has been one baptism since our return and the college young people at Shimoochiai are planning to take complete charge
of a three day evangelistic meeting in October with Pastor Hagio doing the preaching. In November we will have another evangelistic meeting.
One week after arrival and before the children had to start school, Virginia

took Julia and Dana Lee away up into, a village in Northern Japan where Mrs.Aono

and her daughter, Momoyo, are working in a village and a town of 40, 000 people. The villages surrounding the town have no churches at all and the town has only

two small weak churches. The Aono's had fled to this village in May of 1961
when their lives were threatened at the Nishi Arai area by an ex-convict who

wanted to marry Momoyo. They had done such a wonderful work at Nishi Arai,
we hated to see them move, but a year later we can see how God has "made
the wrath of man to praise Him. "

The Aonos now have 50 persons a week meeting in the village and town and have three junior high girls ready for baptism. The purpose of Virginia's visit was to encourage the Aonos and see the work. Plans were laid for a late October evangelistic meeting with Julius and Mr. Hagio going up to one village and the town. While Virginia and the girls were there, two homes were opened
with invitations for Julius to come and people were very kind toward us. We were the first Caucasians most had ever seen and the American mother and
to answer questions as to why we had come to Japan.
OPPORTUNITIES

daughters literally stopped traffic at times. This gave Virginia an opportunity

Julius began preaching every Sunday from his first Sunday back at the
churches. He has also opened up a Thursday evening English Bible class at the mission home and each Wednesday there are 10 members of the Umaeda Church of Christ meeting to study the Bible in preparation for lay preaching

and teaching. Virginia goes every other Thursday afternoon to Kawasaki City for a Women's meetings in the home of the Shibatas. They are Christians and interested in their neighbor's being won to Christ. Virginia also has the Sunday afternoon English Bible class at the Shimoochiai Church. A simple lunch is

and help one another regarding how they can be better witnesses at their schools
and in their homes.

served after church and then.the young people study the Bible, sing, fellowship

BIBLE TRAINING SCHOOL FOR PRAYER AND EVANGELISM

they come in, will be used to put up a second story over the present Shimoochiai Church building. Two Christian contractors have built homes and dedicated some of the profits to the Bible College and Orphanage Building Funds. At

There have been some funds pledged for the Training school which, when

present, we are sending our life work recruits to various interdenominational

training schools in Tokyo as the Church of Christ has no Bible College in Tokyo.

These schools give much good Bible teaching, but we are burdened to have a training program for our 24 life work recruits so they can spend six weeks
in a team with Julius and Pastor Hagio. We have invitations in villages and towns that are without a gospel witness of any kind. We feel the need for train

ing men of prayer and soul winners and not to just have theologians with no practical experience. The purpose of the school will be to gather together
dedicated men who have surrendered their lives to Christ completely and help

them develop their spiritual lives and prayer lives firstly, as well as teach
them absolute confidence in the Word of God and how to study the Bible and evangelistic methods.
NIGHT ENGLISH BIBLE SCHOOL PLAN

The Japanese are cramming English conversation courses in order to act as interpreters for the 19^4 Olympics. Consequently, we plan to use the Training School building as soon as erected for a Night English School of Conversation and Bible. This teaching of English is, of course," the bait we will use to get young educated Japanese to hear the gospel. Pray we might be kept in the will of God
regarding the two above mentioned projects.
ORPHANAGE PLAN AND THE WARRICKS

From time to time we have mentioned the need for a real Christian orphanage for the babies and children we find in the slums who are unwanted and miotreated.

We have Japanese who are interested in helping in this work. Miss Esther Togawa is finishing her senior year at Pepperdine College in Religious Education and plans to help in the translation and paper work involved in getting government permission for such an orphanage. Also, God has laid upon the hearts of Bob and Joyce Warrick to join the work. They are being recommended by the West Reseda Church of Christ of California where he has last ministered while also working for Lockheed Aircraft
in the field of electronics. The plan is for Bob Warrick to come to Japan as an
employee of Lockheed under a two year contract.

Joyce Warrick is an experienced school teacher and devout Christian. She and the children, ages 14, 11, and 10, have their missionary visas ready and their passports to come as soon as Lockheed signs the contract with the Japanese government. She will need $1300.00 for their passage. She and the children will live with us temporarily until Bob is settled in Japan. His salary will be adequate to care for them once they are in Japan. After two years they will go full time into the mission program and orphanage work which we hope to be able to set up at

that time. Pray that the Warricks be kept in the perfect will of God in all their plans. We pray we might loan them any mission funds we might have available at the time of Bob's coming so they might begin language study immediately. Bob
Warrick will repay any mission funds used for this from his salary once he is
established in Japan.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

Virginia Fleenor Tokyo, Japan

October 1962

After Joseph had been sold into slavery by his brothers, had served many years in prison having been falsely accused by an immoral woman, and then elevated by God to become a Prince in Egypt, we read these words which he spoke to his brothers when he was once again reunited with them.
"But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto

good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people." Gen. 50:20
Julius quoted this scripture to me just at the time of our sailing for Japan. He said, "Once again we see that God can turn all the evil works of Satan to our
good if we keep our hearts fixed on Christ."

Another dear missionary friend wrote us a letter from Japan when he heard

I am overjoyed at the realization that you are at last free from the entanglement
of that church."

of the loss of our babe and the dismissal from Crenshaw and said, "Personally,

When staying at a friend's home just before sailing for Japan, I picked up a card she had written upon and put on her coffee table. It read:
"I have unshakable faith in the perfect outcome of every situation because I have surrendered my life into the absolute control of
Christ."

Have you learned the blessing of James 1 where we are told "Count it all joy, my brethern when you fall into various trials. " We would like to challenge each one who reads this little testimony that we have found the testing by God to be a joyous expereince because we know that we have a loving Father who is ever concerned in our welfare and in perfecting our
Christian lives .

doubt, grumble, complain, and are anxious, we are not believing God. Let us strive to give God the joy and pleasure He receives when we believe Him.
He is faithful and just and will not let us down.

Jesus said, "Let not your hearts be troubled-believe in God. " When we

The secret of a peaceful heart is one surrendered completely to His

will. How very easy to find peace and real joy.

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MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

The Victory Center Church of Christ, 6226 Colfax, North Hollywood,

California, under the nninistry of Lloyd Cummings has volunteered to print and mail out a monthly newsletter for us and this become our "printing service link". This letter is far too long this time, but we hope the October letter can be briefer and we hope to enclose the past year's financial report at the same

time.

We do appreciate this wonderful help from the Victory Center Church

of Christ.

DEVOTIONAL

Enclosed on a separate sheet is a Bible devotional. People have asked from time to time that we either share some spiritual thought or else tell some story or experience from the mission field that might lend inspiration. In answer to this request, we hope to send each month, besides the regular

newsletter, a page which will meet this request.

to you.
GUESTS

Let us know if it is helpful

Since our return to Japan, we have been overjoyed to have Dr. Thomas Rayner, a missionary to India for over 20 years, in our home and sharing his experiences on the border of Tibet and China winning souls for Christ as a

medical doctor. He gave great inspiration to our Japanese Christians. Also, we were so happy to have Mrs. Frances Graham, a member of the San Fernando Church of Christ, visit us with her Marine Jet Pilot son, Capt. Frank Graham, who is stationed in Iwakuni, Japan. Mrs. Graham's daughter, Elve, and Virginia were childhood chums and it is wonderful to have Mrs, Graham staying in our home during part of her visit to Japan.
LETTERS

If we owe you a personal letter, please accept this until we can answer personally and God bless you for your prayers and faithful financial support
Sincerely,

Julius & Virginia Fleenor

Mailed from:

VICTORY CENTER CHURCH OF CHRIST 6226 Colfax Ave

NONPROFIT

North Hollywood, California

Organization U.S. Postage

II/4C PAID
NORTH HOLLYWOOD
CALIF.

Patrait No. 779