Ken and Bola Taylor – WorldVenture
Gospel & New Life
After several years of singing Black Gospel, Mrs. T. made a decision to follow Jesus Christ. The Pastor of the church we partner with asked her to join a bible study. The Word of God came alive in her heart. She is now a baptized believer (a very big step in Japan).
The interesting thing is that Mrs. T is the coordinator of the gospel choir. She already had influence and leadership even before she became a Christian. With Jesus in her life, she now has more than a song to share to other members.
Hallelujah Gospel family is not just about singing choirs. Our mission is to partner with local pastors and churches to see more Japanese have a personal relationship with the Jesus they sing about.
Jazz Night in Ushiku…
Last Feb 27, we were in Fukushima for a Jazz concert. It was very well received as we partner with a church in Koriyama. This is in conjunction with our long term commitment towards the ongoing relief efforts from the triple disaster of 3 years ago.
On April 19, we were in Ushiku (eastern part of greater Tokyo) for another Jazz concert. This features Bola on vocals and Ken on piano and other friends playing and singing along. These are not one-time events, rather, these are bridging activities towards deepening relationships in community. Many gospel choir members and their family and friends will be in the audience.
Family Update – Luke to Sri-Lanka
Anika was 5 years old when we first arrived in Japan. She turned 22 this April. We thank the Lord for guiding her at this stage in her life. She is enjoying her work as a performance coach in Hawaii. Victoria is now doing track and field for the first time in high school. Her events are shot-put, discus, high jump, and 100 meters.
As for Luke, he is really enjoying college life in BIOLA. He will be a Junior next Fall and was selected to be a Resident Assistant (RA) for his dorm. In preparation for this new role, he has decided to take a Short Term Trip to Sri-Lanka during the summer.
Luke had a part in a BIOLA performance where they won 1st place. Since he was little, Luke wanted to be the total entertainer. Yet we are seeing his heart growing closer to the Lord. We are delighted by his desire to help with orphans and local churches in Sri-Lanka this summer.