When I told Roz that the story called him a missionary, she wasn’t surprised. “Of course, his mindset is still that of a missionary.” Well, that made sense to me. Roz then explained that in Tokyo, two Dutch reporters (who turned out to be working for the Christian Post – you know, that link that’s coming up at the end of this article) contacted Phillip Foxwell. (Sounds like a real go-to kind of guy!)

“It’s a small world after all, it’s a small world after all, it’s a small world after all, it’s a small, small world.” If you’re like me those lyrics stuck in your head for many months after your ride (make than multiple rides) with your children through the Disneyland (for me in 1976) or Disney World ride.

Well, in many ways it is a small world, especially among Evangelical Christians. And recent events in Japan have brought that home once again.

As I was reading a Christian Post article from yesterday morning (link at the end of this article – I don’t want to lose you just yet) they built the story around a man they referred to as a missionary named Phillip Foxwell. I figured he must be the son of a well-known missionary that I had met during my seminary days, so I began digging online to find out what mission board he was working with.

Nada. Didn’t exist. Lots of links to his dad and the work he had done over the years, but nothing on this guy. Picked up the phone this morning (Saturday) and called some old friends in Florida. While we were in seminary in St. Louis during the early 70’s, my wife Esther and I were close friends with Addison and Rosalind Soltau, who had just recently returned from being missionaries in Japan. Add was working on a ThD at Concordia Seminary and they were living in faculty housing at Covenant Seminary where he was simultaneously teaching missions classes (and even a course in Calvin’s Institutes!)

When the Navy moved our furniture to St. Louis we had too much and ended up giving a couch (I say give, it was fuzzy lime-green with Danish modern design and we should have paid them to take if off our hands!) to the Soltau’s and it was the centerpiece of their downstairs family room, which had a door out to the backyard which was a short walk from the seminary classroom building. Needless to say lots of students spent time on that couch visiting with the Soltau’s, whose home (and listening skills) were always open to us.

When I call, Roz answered and later in the conversation I discovered Add is in Nagoya, Japan this weekend speaking at a special graduation ceremony at the seminary there – talk about small worlds. But Roz had the answers I needed anyway (isn’t that usually the case).

I explained I was trying to figure out what mission board Phillip (dad was known as Phil, son as Phillip – that way they avoided the ‘senior’-‘junior’ stuff) was working with and she informed me that he wasn’t a missionary, he was a businessman.

The dad, Phil (known to one and all as Uncle Phil) was not just a Reformed Presbyterian (actually, was an OP, BP, EP, RPCES, PCA missionary) but was a missionary magician. Phil would use his skills at sleight of hand to entertain kids (and their parents) as a way to break down barriers so he could communicate the gospel. Phil was married to Jane Buswell, daughter of the long-time Dean of Faculty at Covenant Seminary and well-known writer J. Oliver Buswell, Jr.

Anyway, seems that, after being raised in Japan but then returning with his family to the US when Phil left the mission field to go on the staff at the U. S. Center for World Missions in the mid-70’s, Philip finished his education in California. But about 20 years ago, he returned to Tokyo to start a business. Because of his connections with many people in Japan and his linguistic skills, he was able to work as a consultant to U. S. business ventures seeking to expand into the Japanese market, especially those with franchise operations.

When I told Roz that the story called him a missionary, she wasn’t surprised. “Of course, his mindset is still that of a missionary.” Well, that made sense to me. Roz then explained that in Tokyo, two Dutch reporters (who turned out to be working for the Christian Post – you know, that link that’s coming up at the end of this article) contacted Phillip Foxwell. (Sounds like a real go-to kind of guy!)

Because he had the contacts and had a vehicle with fuel available for the trip, he got them through all the red tape so they could visit the scene and write an (excellent) story about the work.

So, the circle of the small world comes around. Now – with that background you are ready to click through and read the Christian Post story about the ‘missionary’ Phillip Foxwell and learn even more about the wonderful work that CRASH Japan is doing in the ongoing relief efforts (good pictures too).

http://www.christianpost.com/news/japan-tsunami-survivors-helped-by-local-church-network-49474/