The Travis Family
Bob, Virginia, Bethany, Lydia, Timothy & Philip
American Missionary Fellowship
Wheaton, IL
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Our Call
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Through relationships with international students, two short-term missionary trips, and a deep desire to see people come to Christ, Bob felt God calling him to be a missionary to Asia.In preparation for missionary service, Bob received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication from Biola University and a Master of Divinity degree in Missions from Talbot Theological Seminary.When Virginia was in the 7th grade living in Japan as an MK (missionary’s kid), she sensed the spiritual need of the Japanese people and God’s call to return to share Christ with them.This remained on her heart throughout high school and college. Virginia graduated from Biola University with a Bachelor of Music degree.
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Our Ministry
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Presently, Bob & Virginia are using their gifts and experience on the foreign field to assist in the equipping of believers here to present the gospel to the growing Asian Indian immigrant population. Their focus is on reaching Muslims, Hindus, and Japanese in conjunction with both AMF and the Billy Graham Center in Wheaton, IL. The greater Chicago area in which they now serve has over 160,000 Asian Indians and 400,000 Muslims, as well as many other growing immigrant communities.In regard to the needs and vision of the unreached immigrant population in the U.S., consider the following: California continues to have a growing immigrant population-- Long Beach: one of the largest Cambodian American communities in the U.S.; Westminster and Garden Grove: the largest Vietnamese American community outside of Vietnam; over 100,000 Laotian Americans in the Fresno area; an estimated 500,000 Iranian Americans in Southern California; over 500,000 Arab Americans in CA, with large communities in Alameda, Fresno, Imperial, Kern, Orange, San Diego and Stanislaus counties. Please pray with them as they help churches locally and across the country to reach out totheir surrounding ethnic communities and to individuals who live just across the street.
Previously, with TEAM, for more than 2 decades (1986 to 2009), the Travises’ ministry in Japan was church planting. This involved bringing people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, baptizing them, incorporating them into a body of believers, discipling them, and calling a national pastor to take over and shepherd the congregation. To reach their goal of planting a church, their work and strategy revolve around seeking to meet the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of the Japanese people. Bob and Virginia began their church planting missionary career when they arrived in Japan in 1986. During their first 4 years in Japan, they studied the language and worked with the national church in evangelism and discipleship. For the next 10 years, the Travises were in Shiroi city, a “bed town” two hours by train from central Tokyo, where they began a church in their own home.At the time, Shiroi had a population of 32,000, with no church.In 2002, they established the first church in the city, built a building, and passed the baton to Japanese leadership. Now the city has a population of over 52,000 and a visible witness for Christ.
Then, the Travis family proceeded by planting another new church in Yahara, Tokyo. Yahara City had a population of 43,000 with no church.Shakujii Gospel Church, a church with the same vision to see a church planted in the northern part of Nerima ward in Tokyo, sent a faithful lay couple Mr. & Mrs. Itoyama, to assist the Travis family as the official church planting team. On May 26, 2003, an old store front, a 20-minute walk from the train station and a 5-minute bike ride from the Travises’ old home, was rented for the new church.The first floor had been made into a worship hall, and the 2nd floor as an office and Sunday School room.The 1st worship services started in July 2003, Yahara Christ Church was born, and the church continues to establish its evangelistic outreach into the community and build up new believers. Once established, the Travis family entrusted the church to its new shepherds, as the Lord was leading them to return stateside for their current service with AMF to equip local churches in America for evangelism and mission work.
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How you can be involved
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Pray
The United States is still a growing nation with a continual influx of new immigrants that maintains it as a “melting pot” of different languages and cultures.Various communities of immigrants from all over the world are established here as they come to make their new home in America.This presents both great challenges and incredible opportunities for cross-cultural outreach and mission work. Pray that that the gospel with be preached to our new friends. Please also remember to pray for Japan.Japan is one of the countries that falls within the 10/40 window where 2/3 of the world’s population live who are least evangelized.Of Japan’s 127 million people, less than ½ of only one percent are professing Christians.Japan’s suicide rate is the highest among industrialized nations, with 600 Japanese taking their own lives each week.Also, Japan’s divorce rate is soaring and families are breaking apart.Tokyo is one of the two largest cities in the world with a population of 12 million, where religious pluralism and idolatry reigns, with Shintoism and Buddhism as the major religious influences.
Give
AMF is the oldest national missions organization in the United States.AMF enables called and committed followers of Christ to serve with purpose and passion within our nation’s borders. AMF is a faith mission, and its missionaries look to God to provide for all their needs through His church & individual people. You can partner with us in this vital ministry by:
- Make a check payable to “AMF”
- Include a note designating your support is for “Bob & Virginia Travis”, account #01272
- Please send any tax-deductible partnership gifts to:
American Missionary Fellowship
P.O. Box 370
Villanova, PA 19085
(610) 527-4439
For more information, go to www.amfmission.org
Encourage
To write us or request to receive our quarterly prayer newsletter, please contact us at:
Bob & Virginia Travis
N765 Knollwood Drive
Wheaton, IL 60187