Philip & Debbie Melton

This year the Meltons celebrate 41 years as missionaries to Japan (having originally joined EBM in 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 having grown up in Japan), he already knew the Japanese language; hence, they were able to dive into the ministry of church planting upon arrival in the country. In 2001 they 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 what we call Bible University classes as well as online discipleship sessions for new believers and growing Christians alike, in addition to having numerous opportunities to travel to speak and teach overseas.  

“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 (serving in Japan with us, the mother of seven of our grandchildren, and married to Kyohei who is serving as pastor of our first church plant in Seki), Danielle (married, two sons, one daughter, living in the states), Sharon (married with five children), Nathan (having completed a Master’s in Counseling at BJU and married with four children) is planning to return to Japan as a missionary soon.  Our remaining two children in Japan are Natalie (in Okinawa) and Andrew (former Marine now working in Japan at an export company).

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