Summer Trips 2025
JAPAN, TURKIYE, EGYPT, & KYRGYZSTAN
Author: Anna Miller & Trip Participants
The Japan Team and their host families at the Annual Gion Festival.
This summer, we sent out four teams on overseas ministry trips to Kyrgyzstan, Turkiye, Japan, and Egypt. We do these trips to support and encourage our long-term overseas workers and to allow our Grace members to catch a vision for God’s global plan.
“...he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.” Ephesians 1:9–10“Japan is an incredible, life-changing workshop in what it means to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself. In loving the kiddos at summer camp and integrating into the family and community, I came to love Hita and all those I met over there. Slowly and steadily, God is blessing Japan more and more with the power of the Gospel, and I cannot wait to come back and love the country more!” —Justinian Birchall, Japan Trip
Saying goodbye to friends at the airport.
Spending time with kids at a local preschool.
Egypt
Türkiye
Hearing from Pastor Ramazan about his ministry in Antalya.
“It was so amazing to hear from local Turkish pastors about their ministries and pray for them. They shared their difficulties, perspectives, and what it’s like to do ministry in a majority Muslim country. One of the things that stuck out to me was Pastor Ramazan said that they are very open about their faith while being as Turkish as possible to demonstrate that yes, you can be both Turkish and follow Jesus.” —Anna Miller, Türkiye Trip
English conversation club in Istanbul.
Kyrgyzstan
On their way to the SOC summer camp in the mountains for impoverished children and teens.