We intended to write to you in September. But the Lord, in His providence, led our family through an unexpected season. On September 18, my father, Edgardo Castro, passed away. Within days, we traveled from West Asia back to Jacksonville, Florida, to grieve with our family, remember his life, and spend much-needed time together.

These past two months have been marked by transition, sorrow, unexpected travel, and the slow work of returning to our life and training in West Asia. Yet through it all, one truth about our God has been particularly precious to us.

The Psalmist writes:

These few words contain a profound theological truth. God is not merely the giver of good things. He is good in Himself. His benevolence flows from the perfection of His nature. He does not become good when His providence favors us, nor does His goodness diminish when His providence is difficult to understand.

He is eternally, unchangeably, and infinitely good.

And because He is good, He does good.

His benevolence is never detached from His holiness, wisdom, or sovereign purposes. Every good gift comes from His hand, every act of mercy reflects His character, and every work of His providence is governed by a wisdom far greater than our own.

Yet nowhere is God's goodness displayed more gloriously than in the giving of His Son.

Paul writes in Romans 8:32:

Before we consider the temporal blessings of provision, safety, friendships, or answered prayers, we must look to Calvary. There, God displayed His goodness toward undeserving sinners in the costly gift of Jesus Christ.

God's greatest act of benevolence was not to spare us every sorrow in this present life, but to give His Son so that sinners might be reconciled to Him and receive the sure hope of everlasting life.

That truth has become especially precious in our grief.

The death of my father has reminded me of the frailty of life and the painful reality of living in a world still groaning beneath the curse of sin. Death is not good. Separation is painful. Grief is real. Yet the Christian does not face these things without hope. Christ has conquered the grave, and because He lives, those who belong to Him will live also.

God's goodness is not measured by the absence of suffering, but is most clearly revealed in the Savior, who entered our suffering, bore our sin, conquered death, rose again, seated at the right hand of God, and now calls a people to Himself from all nations.

In these past weeks, the Lord has also shown His care through the ordinary means of His people: brothers and sisters who prayed, churches that encouraged us, friends who checked on our family, and the precious opportunity to be present with loved ones in a season of loss.

As we continue preparing for Tokyo, even now, writing from West Asia, we are being reminded that the truths we long to proclaim in Japan are the very truths that must sustain us now.

We are not carrying the promise of a life without suffering to the nations. We are carrying the good news of a crucified and risen Savior, through whom the benevolent God reconciles sinners to Himself.

And so, even through tears, we confess with the psalmist:

Our God is good, and He does good.

God is Benevolent

After months of traveling, visiting churches, raising support, preparing, and saying our goodbyes, our family finally arrived in Tbilisi, Georgia, in late August to begin the next chapter of our preparation for Japan.

Calling it a whirlwind would be an understatement! The weeks leading up to our departure were filled with seemingly endless responsibilities, packing, logistics, and precious farewells with family, friends, and our beloved church family. Before we knew it, we were on the other side of the world, settling into a new home in a country we had never lived in before.

For Linh, Judah, and me, this was more than simply moving to another country. It was the beginning of learning how to establish a home, cultivate meaningful relationships, and faithfully live as a family in a culture different from our own.

We are deeply thankful for the Lord's provision through every detail of our arrival, and especially for the many churches, friends, and ministry partners who helped make this next season possible.

September began as our family continued settling into our new home in West Asia. We learned to navigate everyday life in a different culture while adjusting to language and cultural training demands. From figuring out groceries and transportation to establishing rhythms of study, family life, and fellowship, even the simplest routines have become opportunities to learn and grow.

Our time in Culture and Language Training has already helped prepare us for the work ahead in Japan. We are learning to observe cultures carefully, listen patiently, learn methods in acquiring hard languages, and grow in our understanding of what it means to live faithfully and serve Christ in a context different from our own. We are also grateful for the mentors, friendships, and fellowship the Lord has provided here.

On September 18, my father, Edgardo Castro, passed away. Although we had been walking through the uncertainty of his declining health, losing him was difficult. On September 23, Linh, Judah, and I traveled from West Asia back to Jacksonville, Florida, to be with my mother and the rest of our family.

We gathered for his memorial service on September 25 and laid him to rest on September 29. It was a difficult and emotional season, yet one filled with precious moments of remembering his life, grieving together, and rejoicing in the hope of the resurrection through our Lord Jesus Christ.

I am particularly thankful that we were able to spend additional time with my mother following the funeral. Being physically present with family during such a season was a gift we did not take for granted.

We also saw God's kindness through His people. From our sending church, church partners, ministry partners, to dear friends and brothers and sisters who reached out, prayed, encouraged, and cared for us, we have been deeply reminded of the blessing of belonging to the body of Christ and partnering for the Gospel. Thank you for bearing this burden with us.

After nearly three weeks away, we returned safely to West Asia on October 14. Returning to our apartment, reconnecting with our community, and resuming our training has required significant adjustment, especially after the weight of the preceding weeks.

In many ways, we are still learning how to navigate both grief and the responsibilities before us. Yet we are thankful that the Lord has provided the strength and grace sufficient for each day.

As we look toward the remaining months of our training and our anticipated move to Japan next year, we are increasingly aware of our dependence upon the Lord. We have much to learn, much to prepare, and certainly much room to grow. But our confidence is not in our ability to navigate every circumstance perfectly. Our confidence rests in the Lord who has called us, sustains us, and whose goodness never fails.

Thank you for continuing to walk alongside our family, especially during these unexpected and difficult months. Your prayers, encouragement, and partnership mean more to us than we can adequately express.

A snapshot for our partners:

Every partner — whether you give $25/month or $500/month, whether you pray daily or join us on Discord — is part of this. We are grateful to our Lord for these significant partnerships

As we continue and press on into life and training in West Asia, we would be grateful for your prayers in these specific ways:

I’d like to provide you with a snapshot of what it is like to attend a language acquisition session at the center where we are training.

Imagine sitting down with your fellow group of language learners, with one coach and one person we call a nurturer, the native speaker of the host language, leading the session. The coach’s job is to facilitate the words learned that day and to oversee the method. The nurturer’s job is to point at each object or phrase, say it, and ask the group of language learners which is which. She may say in her native language, “Show me the boy. Show me the girl. Show me the man. Show me the woman.” and so on and so forth. Your mind is a blank slate.

Throughout the first few weeks of language learning, our only job is to listen, but we must listen with great focus. None of us who are learning the language are to utter a word. We won't be required to speak during the session for some time; however, we still need to attempt meaningful cultural engagement.

For those of us who were previously children (all of us) and currently parents (some of us), this experience may seem familiar. It is designed to mimic the early stages of language learning in babies and toddlers, who will likely not say their first real word until long after they leave the womb. At this time, my conversations are limited to: “yes”, “no”, “what is your name”, “my name is”, “hello”, “bye”, and “thank you”. I really wish I knew how to ask our local chicken vendor for half a kilo of all thighs so I could make chicken and rice. 

This experience has made me think deeply about how much children depend on their parents for their every need, but especially when they cannot talk. I think about how terrifying it would be if I were a baby, knowing what I know now, having to depend on such a flawed person, as we all are. Thankfully, we have a heavenly Father who is benevolent in every way. He is benevolent in how He regards us (Romans 8:14-16), He is benevolent in what He has prepared for us (1 Corinthians 2:9), He is overall benevolent in how He made a way to reconcile us to himself through Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).

If Jesus Christ’s work on the cross was the only thing that God did, that would already be more than enough.

However, He also provides both daily and extraordinary graces,

and it is a joy to recount them all.

- Sarah Hall Boardman Judson

Baptist Missionary to Burma

1803-1845

Under His Lordship,

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path”

Kris: (904)729-9665 - [email protected]

Linh: (904)882-7513 - [email protected]

If you’d like more timely prayer requests, personal updates, and a closer look at our family’s journey toward Tokyo, we’d love to have you join our KOINOBORI Discord community.

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