Karena Kenmotsu

Karena’s Ministry with JEMS

I have been serving in the Tohoku region of Japan since 2018. I desire to see healthy communities of Christians love each other so well that we woo people into the kingdom of God. To that end, I have been part of the Be One Ishinomaki church plant, working to build up that community and see Christians discipled into active, mature believers who share the gospel of Jesus with their friends and family.

The Japanese are the second-largest unreached people group. Unreached means there is no indigenous community of believing Christians with adequate numbers and resources to evangelize this people group without outside assistance (definition from Joshua Project).

I originally moved to Japan to help part-time with Nozomi Project, a ministry which employed local women survivors of the 2011 earthquake/tsunami to make jewelry from broken pottery. (I also work part-time in the RevOps department of a software company). When Nozomi Project closed at the end of 2023, I began seeking the Lord’s direction for next steps. Would you join in this journey?

Join the Team

There are two main ways you can join me in this endeavor. Feel free to choose either or both!

1) PRAY

his is the most important! Let’s pray for people in Japan to know the vast love and sure hope of Jesus. Pray that I would be effective in ministry, quick at language acquisition, and able to make close friends. Pray against spiritual warfare, and that I would abide in Jesus. If you’d like to get emailed prayer request updates, click here.

2) GIVE

Throughout the years, I have seen God provide financially again and again. He is faithful and good! I need to raise some money to cover recurring and one-time expenses while on the field. Would you prayerfully consider joining my financial team? Perhaps God will use you to meet my financial needs and prove Himself faithful yet again!  

Give online here or if you prefer to give by check, make the check out to “JEMS” and write my name on the memo line. Mail the check to P.O. Box 86047, Los Angeles, CA 90086-0047.

If you have any questions please call the JEMS office at 213-613-0022 or email Karena.