Since 1982 Steve and Belva Kotlarczyk have been career missionaries with SEND International to Japan, the country where they believe God has called them to proclaim the Gospel.

Steve made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ at age 10. During the years that followed, the Lord continued to help his faith grow through youth group involvement and summer camps. Sensing God’s leading into missions toward the end of High School, he made plans to attend Prairie Bible College in Alberta, Canada. During the summer of 1979, Steve had the opportunity to be a summer missionary with SEND International for 10 weeks in Japan. The Lord really used this to confirm that Japan was the place God was leading him.

When Belva was six, she realized her personal need to ask Jesus Christ into her life and did so one Sunday afternoon on her daddy’s lap. At age 9 during a Mother/Daughter Banquet she sensed God’s call to go as a missionary to Japan. During the years that followed the Lord continued to deepen Belva’s faith through her Christian education and church involvement.

Steve and Belva both graduated from Prairie Bible College in 1981.  After completing a 10 month Missionary Internship program in Pontiac, Michigan, they arrived in Japan in July of 1984. Three years later they had both completed a 40 lesson Japanese language course.

Steve and Belva both feel they have gifts of serving and teaching.  Steve serves in the camping ministry of SEND Japan at Okutama Bible Chalet, located in the beautiful mountains of Okutama (western Tokyo). He is Director of Facilities, overseeing the maintenance and cleaning of the facilities, and also helps with the adventure camps, taking campers into the surrounding mountains for a few nights of physical challenge and spiritual reflection.

Belva is involved with home schooling their three younger children, music at the local church, cooking and English classes, scrap booking, and luncheons in their home.

Because Japan is predominantly humanistic with shades of Buddhism and Shintoism, the Japanese seriously need the good news of the Gospel.  Serving in Japan has been a true joy for their family, and they thank God for using them in so many ways.

To keep updated with the Kotlarczyk family, you may request a copy of Kotlarczyks` Korner at theks4jesus@yahoo.com