Meet the Team
Worship Team
Lowell is the Music Director at JEMS and has been a worship leader for many years. He is the leadership behind forming this team. What excites Lowell most about this trip is how it is opening up new doors to share Jesus with a nation that knows so little about Him. This will be the first ever JEMS Creative Arts Missions Team to Japan. In Japan he will lead worship and a Children's Gospel Choir workshop. Pray for him that he will lead this team as God calls and that he can provide encouragement to the people in Japan. Support the team .
Jesse leads worship at his home church in Orange County and was the worship leader at University of Southern California Asian American Christian Fellowship. Jesse is excited to go to Japan because he's interested in seeing how this culture survived without Jesus. He prays that the team can show them how Jesus changes lives and is actively yearning for them to be saved. He asks that you pray that the worship team may be able to use the medium of music effectively to speak God's love to people of a different language, culture, and religion. Support the team.
Andrew has a long history of rapping and will be bringing his gift of rhyme to the worship team. He comes from a very musical family. His personal talent is well known in Southern California as he is known as the "Social Conscientious Rapper." This will be Andrew's first time out of the USA. He is excited to share with the Japanese people and how God will use this trip to grow his faith. Pray that Andrew can be blessed with inspiring words to share with the worship band as they outreach to the younger generation. He prays that they can reach as many people as possible. Support the team.
Hula Friends! (Fura Furenzu) Team
Kathryn (Kat) has been performing hula since college. She is part of both a halua (hula school) and hula ministry in Southern California and has a heart for performing hula praise at various outreach events. She has been to Japan before, but is very excited to return as a part of a missions team. She is leading the Hula Friends! Ministry Team and believes that hula praise is an excellent way to share the gospel with Japan. Pray that she continues to lift the team up so that they can always perform with His Glory in mind and in heart. Support the team.
Taryn was born in Hawaii and now resides in San Diego, CA. She started dancing hula at young age. Taryn shares that God is always a constant in her life and has been leading her to this very opportunity. She is excited to visit Japan for the first time. As a soon to be freshman in college, she knows the pressures that many teens her age face. Pray that Taryn will be able to share her testimony with the young people and be able to connect with them on both a spiritual and personal level. Support the team .
Mercedes will be the youngest on the team. However, she will be one of the most fluent in Japanese. She dances hula at the Rock Church in San Diego and is looking forward to her first trip to Japan. Being part Japanese, Mercedes has a deep interest in the culture of Japan and cannot wait to share more with it's people how Jesus makes a difference in her life. Pray that she can be a cultural light for the Missions Team and will touch the hearts of those she meets in Japan. Support the team.
Sharon at first didn't know why God was calling her to go on this missions trip. But several weeks into the preparation, it's clear that Sharon was brought on board to be the team's translator and historian. As the first Creative Arts Missions Team to Japan, Sharon will play an instrumental role is helping the team communicate messages of Jesus in Japanese. Having been on a missions trip to Japan previously, she is excited to return and see how God is working. Pray that Sharon maintains the energy and wisdom God calls her to have in her important role. Support the team.
Island Art with Heart
Burton is the founder and illustrator for Hula Friends!® (www.hulafriends.com). His artwork is widely admired throughout the hula community and most recently started becoming a presence in Japan. Burton will be sharing his portfolio and leading several drawing workshops with the kids. Pray that Burton will be able to bring joy and laughter to the kids during his workshop and that through teaching art, children will learn more about how Jesus inspires him to draw Hula Friends! Through that testimony, he prays that they will learn more about Jesus. Support the team.
Family Ministry
Lauren is our team coordinator and logistics leader. Lauren will support the team members with various support needs and will be key in helping the team build relationships with the community. She is excited to minister in Japan because it is a place that has always held such awe and fascination to her. Her prayer request is that God will be present through her as she works behind the scenes while taking care of her active two year old daughter who will also be going on the trip. Support the team.