Phil & Debbie Melton

Japan

This year the Meltons celebrate 38 years as missionaries to Japan (originally with EBM) since 1984. Although Phil has lived in Japan since 1965, it wasn’t until 1987 that he and Debbie left for the field for the first time as a family of four.

Being the son of a missionary and growing up in Japan, he already knew the Japanese language and so they were able to dive into the ministry of church planting immediately upon arrival. In 2001 they also established (and continue to build) Camp Raphayada, a 120 person Christian campground as a part of establishing churches in the area.

Phil writes: “We have been actively involved in church planting through camps, community English classes, adoption ministries, sports tournaments, civic speaking engagements, and college and high school instruction opportunities, international ministries, Christian school education, and construction since our arrival.  

“We sponsor Bible University classes as well as online discipleship sessions for new believers and growing Christians alike, in addition to numerous opportunities to travel overseas to speak and teach.  

“Debbie serves as hospitality director, music coordinator, in youth and children’s ministries, and as chief cook at Camp Raphayada.  We have six grown children. Stephanie (also serving in Japan, the mother of six of our granddaughters and one grandson, married to Kyohei who is also serving with us as a pastor in Seki), Danielle (married, two sons, one daughter, living in the states), Sharon (married with three children), Nathan (this year a Master’s in Counseling graduate at BJU, married with three children, and planning to return to Japan as a missionary soon), and our remaining two children in Japan, Natalie and Andrew (former Marine now working in Japan at Costco).

“Our immediate goals are a renewed post-Covid focus on evangelism and outreach, leadership development, finishing construction at Camp Raphayada, and also finishing construction for our international church ministry and a planned new Japanese church plant in Sakahogi.”