We are Dennis and Laurie King, retirees who raised three children in a small West Michigan community. Little did we know that none of them would remain in the midwest, and our eldest, not even on this continent. While this was not the way we imagined our lives with our adult children, God once again has proven that His ways are higher than our ways. Our oldest son and his family moved to Okinawa, Japan in early 2021, where our daughter-in-law served as a Navy Chaplain. Our first opportunity to visit them came in October, 2022 for the birth of our 3rd granddaughter. We expected to enjoy being with family and have some new adventures in a new land. We could not have IMAGINED however, all that God had in store for us, and the depth of connection we would experience with the military families serving so far from home, or with the kind and gentle Okinawan and Japanese people.
The second time we visited Okinawa, in April, 2023, God made it abundantly clear to both of us that he was calling us there to serve. We met with elders of Pillar Church of Okinawa where we had been attending and found we could meet a huge need there, by sowing into the lives and marriages of military families serving there. With 44 years of marriage under our belts, God has given us a wonderful story to tell and we have found His love and faithfulness to be beyond compare.
Our third trip to Okinawa, and first as missionaries, began in November, 2023 and was six months of walking in the fullness of Ephesians 3:20 “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be the glory….”
We were sent out by our home church, Radiant Lakeshore, of Grand Haven, MI and partnered with Pillar church of Okinawa offering three 7-week marriage mentoring sessions, ministering to a total of 34 military couples. We shared God’s plan for covenant marriage, having read many books and including our own stories and lessons we’ve learned. Our last group included four Japanese people and one of them remarked at how unusual that is, asking “How did you get them to come to a church gathering?” We of course answered, it wasn’t us at all, but God who did the drawing.
From our first trip to Okinawa, God also planted a deep love for the Japanese people in our hearts, where less than 1% of the population is Christian. We began relationships with many parents of children attending our granddaughters’ school, as well as the owner and employees of a local coffee shop. We shared meals, Fridays in the park, language classes, and our hearts, so much so that when it was time to say goodby many tears were shed.
God also connected us in a nearly miraculous way to many facets of the small, but very vibrant, Japanese Christian community. I (Laurie) taught English classes to neighborhood Japanese kids at Den and Rinko’s home, sharing Bible stories and even an Easter celebration. They introduced us to Pastor Naomi, a dynamite home church pastor with the heart of a lion and the energy of ten people. With her we packed bento box lunches each Tuesday and she delivered them to area needy, Okinawa being the poorest prefecture in Japan. She introduced us to Shiro and Kirsten, who own a mango farm in northern Okinawa and have a thriving ministry to introduce Japanese youth to Jesus Christ. We were delighted to help on their farm, share meals and prayers and God’s vision for their area.
We are thrilled to be returning to continue all these ministries, for three months beginning January 2025. God is also planting new and exciting ideas in our hearts of ways to minister to the American military and the Japanese population in Okinawa.
We would be so honored if you would join us in prayer for this work, both with the military community and the precious people of Okinawa. If you would be willing to partner with us financially to assist in our apartment and car rental and ministry expenses we would be so very thankful.
Dennis and Laurie
