Yuri is growing fast

Here is a picture of Yuri at 1 month with teddy and 7 months with the same teddy

Time with family

While we were in Japan we had a chance to spend time with Yuri’s Grandparents, aunts, uncles and her 10 month old cousin. Yoshiko has a sister and 2 brothers and Yuri is the first grandbaby, so naturally everyone was so happy to see the new addition to the family.

Yuri likes to take the Subway

Yuri gets a lot of attention

It has been fun traveling around with yuri - she gets a lot of attention. We try to tell her not to let it go to her head. haha. At first we thought it would be very difficult to itinerate with her but God has really helped us. Just about every church we have visited someone was there to help watch her while we had to speak. And if no one was able to watch her the congregation didn’t mind us holding her while we spoke. God is good.

Matt’s 9 day hospital visit

It’s amazing that during my two years in Cambodia I hardly got sick but when I came back to Japan I spent 9 days in the hospital. I started out with a fever (which lasted for 3 weeks), then I had some type of pneumonia, then I toped it all off with a problem with my lungs. But praise God I am now healed. We knew that it was more of a testing time for us. While I was in the hospital, Yoshi and Yuri had to visit the churches without me. it was a challenge but we continued steadfast in prayer and knew that God would get us through - and He did.

Itineration

We arrived in Japan last March in order to visit the churches that support us and give a report about what we have been doing and what God is leading us to do next. Yoshi and I have been praying that God would raise up intercessors who would hold us up in prayer. It has been on our heart to encourage the churches to “stand in the gap” and intercede for us and for those we will minister to. (In August we start our next term which will be for 3 years). If you feel the Lord leading you to join us in the ministsry in Cambodia through intercession please contact us at matt_akers@hotmail.com and we will send you our newsletter with current prayer needs.

we are in Japan

Sorry for the long absents, we finished our first two year term in Cambodia and for the past 3 months we have been itinerating throughout Japan. It was a big weather change for Yuri leaving a hot Cambodia and arriving in a cold Japan.

Pentateuch Class

November was an awesome month. Yuri came out right in the middle of my Pentateuch class. This class was a two-week block course with 4 classes a day. We knew that she would come during this time but we also knew that God was in control. Someone else was ready to teach for me if Yuri came out during the weekday, but praise God she came out on Saturday night. It worked out perfectly. God continually shows us that His ways are higher than our ways and His thought are higher than ours. This should always give us an incentive not to worry about anything. Praise God. Well the class was great. We had 10 students in all. I know that they too will impact this country with the Gospel. AMEN!!! God is moving in Cambodia

Romans class at CBI

On November 3rd I finished teaching the Romans class at Cambodian Bible Institute. It was a three week course with 3 classes a day. I had such a wonderful time teaching them. There were 26 students in all. it was my first time to teach such a large class, but by God's grace it was an awesome experience. Please hold these students in your prayers. they are first year students and in a few months they will start their first church plant. i expect much fruit to come out as they take what they learn and spread it throughout Cambodia. Amen!!!

Yoshi's eyes and Matt's nose

Yuri has Yoshi's eyes and Matt's nose. her eyes are kind of a dark hazel. so beautiful. forgive me for being a proud father. haha

2 minutes old

this picture was taken about 2 minutes after Yuri was born. they wrapped her up tight. i thought she looked like one of those Russian dolls. so cute

Yuri and mom

Yuri Janice Akers was born November 18, 2006, at 5:27pm. she was 6 lbs 6 oz (3kg). She was a miracle from the start. God has truly blessed us with her.

Matt and Pastor Mob

here I am with Pastor Mob, he was one of the students we had in our Pentateuch class. Last month he asked Yoshi and I to speak at his church. its always a blessing to be invited by our students.

in the market

although Yoshi is expecting, she still has the energy to go shopping. haha

Yoshi and I with Dr. Carter

Dr. John Carter, who was the president of APTS during the time that yoshiko and i attended, came to visit the bible school here in Cambodia, to do an evaluation. It was great to see him again. I took his class while I was studying at APTS and it was by far the most difficult class I ever took. haha. I told him that. I learn the most out of it too.

the baby is growing (4)

this is yoshiko in september (1 and a half more to go)

the baby is growing (3)

this is Yosiko in August (7 months)