Marc and Yumiko Leis - The Navigators in Japan

"To Know Christ and to make Him Known - from Japan To All Nations"

Marc and Yumiko Leis

2191-2 Oya, Suruga-ku
Shizuoka-shi, 422-8017
JAPAN
Phone: (81-54) 237 - 5012
hottostation@mac.com
Objectives

Marc and Yumiko Leis
Benjamin Takeshi (8), Joy Maki (11), and Joseph Shinji (12)

*To Walk with Jesus and to Love Him and be Loved by Him
*To Love each other with the Love that Jesus fills us with
*To Be a Light and Salt to the Japanese People around us
*To Be Available to them to Listen and to Serve their needs
*To Invite them to "Come and see Jesus" through reading the Bible
*To Help young Believers grow in Love for Jesus and other People
*To Disciple Laborers to take the Good News of Jesus to All Nations



Employment/Experience Summary

  • Summer 1986 - Marc first goes to Japan with The Navigators to help the Yamagata University BEST Club. Yumiko is one of the freshmen students.

  • 1986-1991 - Marc hears God's Call to return to Japan and spends the next 5 years preparing before God gives a "Green Light." Yumiko grows through her church, The Navigators, and KGK (Japanese Intervarsity). She also spends 2 years studying at Oakland City College in Indiana.

  • 1991-1994 - Marc returns to Sendai, Japan to work with The Navigators in student ministry at Tohoku University, Tohoku Gakuin University, Tsutsujigaoka High School, and Tohoku High School. He develops BEST Clubs while working 5 part-time jobs. Yumiko finishes school and does a 6-month Outreach with Youth With A Mission (YWAM) in Okinawa, Guam, and Taiwan. Then she works as a High School English teacher in Atsumi Town and starts to share Jesus with her students.

  • Feb - August 1994 - Jesus miraculously leads Marc and Yumiko back together at Tokyo Narita Airport. 6 months later they are married!

  • 1995-1996 - Marc and Yumiko return to Louisville, KY. Marc teaches Christian Ed. at Christian Academy of Louisville while working on raising support to return to Japan. Our first son, Joseph Shinji is born!

  • 1996-2001 - We return to Shizuoka, Japan to begin work with the Shizuoka University and Prefectural University BEST Clubs along with many Japanese, American, Chinese, and Singaporian co-workers. We see the BEST Club grow to over 60 students. In 1997, our daughter Joy Maki was born and in 2000, our 2nd son, Benjamin Takeshi was born!

  • 2001-2003 - Along with 10 students being transfered to the Engineering College of Shizuoka Univ. in Hamamatsu, we moved with them to start a new BEST Club an hour south of Shizuoka in Hamamatsu. Our second year there, the BEST Club grew to over 60 students.

  • 2003-2004 - Because Marc suffered burn-out our last year in Hamamatsu, we returned to Louisville for a year of furlough for emotional healing and rest.

  • 2004-2006 - We returned again to our larger team in Shizuoka, Japan where Marc did intensive Japanese study while assisting our co-workers with the BEST Club. Together with our children, we began a children's ministry called The Children of Light Kids' Club to reach out to our kids best friends with the Gospel.


  • 2007 - God miraculously provided land, a builder, a bank loan, and support to be able to build a 3 story house! The first floor is a large hall with kitchen, computer stations, 2 toilets, large screen TV with video game systems, and Marc's office that we call "The Hotto Station." The Hotto Station ("hotto" means to "take a break & be refreshed" in Japanese) is the center of our Children and Youth Ministry. Our family lives on the 2nd and 3rd floor "Oasis House" where we continue various hospitality ministries, yet that gives our kids more privacy.


  • 2008 - present - We began our new Jr. High Ministry from April. Marc is sponsoring an Adventure Club in English (ACE Club) that draws kids by teaching various crafts and going on different "adventures" in English as well as Japanese. He is then able to share about Jesus and from the Bible through natural "openings" of doing the activities together. We have had the help of a US church Youth Group Team and 3 US Collegiate "Summer Workers" who helped us reach out to Japanese Youth this summer.





Our Photo & Video Gallery The Navigators - Homepage Shizuoka BEST Club

We live at the foot of Mt. Fuji.
Shizuoka is like Florida in climate.

Joseph just entered Jr. High. He is continuing Karate and trying out for the school Basketball team this year.
His Japanese name "Shinji" means "Soldier of Truth."
Our prayer is that he would be a "Soldier of Truth" for Jesus.



Joy certainly lives up to her name.
Her Japanese name is "Maki" which means "True Joy."
Our prayer is that Jesus would be her "True Joy" and
she would share Him with all around her.



Benjamin is our cuddly people pleaser.
But he also lives up to his Japanese name "Takeshi"
which means "Mighty Warrior." He's fierce in battle.
Our prayer is that he'd be a "Mighty Warrior" for the Lord!


Education
Marc - Bachelor of Science from Eastern Kentucky University in Industrial Education and English Education
- Masters of Education from EKU in Technology Education and Certification in ESL
Yumiko - Bachelor of Arts from Yamagata University in Elementary Education and English Education
- Associate Degree from Oakland City College, Indiana
Jospeh Shinji - 7th Grade - South Jr. High
Joy Maki - 5th Grade - Osato Higashi Elementary
Benjamin Takeshi - 3rd Grade - Osato Higashi Elementary


Skills
Please contact us by email if you have any comments or questions:Marc and YumikoWe welcome your thoughts and questions!
Personal Interest