Japanese Ministries – Planting the Gospel in Japan

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The Galbreaths

Missionaries to Japan for 30 years and going!!!

We have been missionaries in Japan since 1988. All of our children were born in Japan except for Hannah. She was born when we were visiting the States to raise support in 2001.

We live in the city of Hachinohe on the north Pacific coast of Japan. Our city of approximately 230,000 is a major fishing port and shipping port for our region of Japan. The climate in our area is cool in the spring and fall, usually hot and humid for about 2 weeks in summer, and cold and icy in the winter. Being surrounded by the ocean, we get a lot of precipitation all through the year.

We are in the process of starting a new church in our city.

Our TEAM

Ten missionaries for the price of one!

Ron Galbreath

Missionary/Pastor

Birthdate: September 7, 1963
Birthplace: Richland, WA
Anniversary: February 12, 1994
College: BA Southwestern Assemblies of God University, Waxahachie, TX, 1985
Graduate School: MA University of Texas at Arlington, 1988

Ron has served in Japan since 1988 (30 years). He moved here when he was 24 years old, after completing a BA in Biblical Languages and an MA in Linguistics. Ron has lived more than half of his life in Japan. He’s lived in Hachinohe longer than he has lived in any other location. Ron not only considers Japan to be the land of his calling, but his temporary home on this earth.

Debbie Galbreath

Missionary, Worship Director, Manager, Janitor

Birthdate: November 5, 1966
Birthplace: Lemoore, CA
Anniversary: February 12, 1994
College: BS Western Washington University, 1989

Debbie was called to be a missionary when she was still a little girl. She has a BS degree in biochemistry and pre-med. In 1989 she moved to Japan with the intention to experience the mission field first-hand and later return to the States to complete her medical degree and become a medical missionary. God had better plans. Ron & Debbie married in 1994 and became a team to reach the Japanese for Christ.

Joseph

Tech Man/Sound

Birthdate: August 17, 1995
Birthplace: Himi, Japan
College: Senior, Hachinohe National College of Technology, Civil Engineering.

Joseph was born in Himi, Japan in 1995. He attended Japanese public schools from pre-school all the way through high school. At present he is majoring in civil engineering at Hachinohe National College of Technology. Joseph plays the piano and drums. He runs the PA system and helps with computer and technical needs.

Samuel

Guitar, Worship Leader

Director of “Culture Makers” a ministry to Japanese Youth

Birthdate: December 13, 1997
Birthplace: Hachinohe, Japan
College: Junior Tohoku University, Sendai

Samuel graduated from Hachinohe High School in March of 2016. He is now on loan to Sendai Evangelical Christian Church while he majors in physics at Tohoku University. Samuel is gifted at playing the guitar and writing music. He loves reading, running, and creative writing.

Elijah

Pianist, Worship Leader

Birthdate: September 18, 1999
Birthplace: Hachinohe, Japan

Elijah is a freshman at Yamagata University, majoring in mechanical engineering. He started in April of 2018 and as of this writing he’s still getting adjusted to college life. He’s found a good church where he can serve and use his giftings to reach out to the more than 7000 students at his university.

Hannah

Children’s Ministry, hospitality, preparing meals for church fellowship times after our Sunday service.

Birthdate: July 30, 2001
Birthplace: Chehalis, WA

Hannah is in her second year of Hachinohe National College of Technology (a combined high school/college), where she in majoring in chemical and biological engineering. Her favorite subjects in school are Japanese and science. She likes to play the piano and sing. Her favorite foods are pasta, pizza, spaghetti and anything Italian. Hannah is especially good with children and helps with children’s outreaches in church.

Esther

Activities Director

Birthdate: July 8, 2003
Birthplace: Hachinohe, Japan

Esther is in the 9th grade at Shimonaga Junior High School. Esther loves sports, especially anything that uses a ball. She is good at math, P.E., and loves to read. Her favorite foods are meat dishes. She loves animals and wants to become a veterinarian some day. In church she helps with the little kids. She also helps with mowing and outdoor work.

Daniel

Drummer

Birthdate: February 18, 2006
Birthplace: Hachinohe, Japan

Daniel is in the 7th grade at Shimonaga Junior High school. He is full of energy. He loves sports. He’s good at math and P.E. He likes to eat meat. In church Daniel plays the drums every other Sunday. He helps with mowing the grass every week through the warmer months and tending the fire in the winter.

Noah

Greeter

Birthdate: August 21, 2009
Birthplace: Hachinohe, Japan

Noah is in the 3rd grade at Takadate Elementary School. He likes to play outside. He’s good at reading. His favorite foods are sandwiches, white rice, hamburgers and noodles. When he grows up he wants to mechanical engineer like Elijah.

Joshua

Greeter

Birthdate: October 21, 2011
Birthplace: Hachinohe, Japan

Joshua just started the first grade at Takadate Elementary School. He likes to play outside, and especially to go to the park to play. He is good at drawing pictures. His favorite food is pizza, and his favorite drink is root beer. When he grows up he wants to be an engineer like his big brothers.

Testimonials

I am Edroy “CURT” Curtis, a former Bible college student friend of Ron’s. Presently I am the lead pastor of Havre Assembly of God Church in Havre, Montana. Recently Ron visited our church at a Wednesday evening adult Bible study AND at a Thursday evening Leadership Team Meeting (deacons, etc.). He communicated so well the Galbreath Family’s heart for ministry to the people of Japan. I do not know many (well, any except the Galbreaths) missionary families that would invest the lives of their children in the people and in the country that God has called them to serve in – like the Galbreaths have done. If Jesus tarries, Ron & Debbie’s heart for the Japanese people and missions ministry to them will be realized in the lives of their children and their eventual families. I believe in and applaud the Galbreath Family’s incredible commitment and dedication to the call of God on their lives as missionaries to Japan and its (her) people.

Edroy Curtis

Lead pastor of Havre Assembly of God Church in Havre, Montana

I first met Ron and Debbie Galbreath and their children when I accompanied my husband, an engineer for the Department of Defense, to Misawa Air Base in Japan in 2009. The Galbreaths lived just 45 minutes south of us. When we first visited them and their church I was impressed with their amazing perseverance, despite their cramped living conditions. Their seven children, like their parents, are hard-working, well-behaved and amiable young people. While keeping up with their American homeschooling, the kids excel in their local Japanese school and reach out to their classmates in friendship and faith.

During the 15 months we lived in Misawa, I drove to the Galbreaths once a week, helping in practical ways while enjoying their fellowship. I marveled at their dedication to the ministry and willingness to deny their own conveniences for the sake of the work. I watched the progress of the building of the new church and parsonage, an amazing result of prayer, sacrifice, and diligence. What a joy to see the finished buildings and growing ministry when I visited them for 2 weeks in the summer of 2012.

The Galbreath family shines as examples of dedication to the call of God to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

Carol J. Ahola

Former missionary to Japan

I want to express my heartfelt thankfulness to you for sending many annointed missionaries to the Japan Assemblies of God, and especially for sending the Galbreath family to the Tohoku District. The Galbreath family and I are close friends and have enjoyed fellowship in the Lord for 20 years. I, personally, am originally from Hachinohe. I had the privilege of helping the Galbreaths in the search for a place to begin their church plant. I have also visited Hachinohe on many occasions, including several trips during the difficult times when the church was being built.

In 1997 the Galbreaths began their church plant in Hachinohe. Since that time it has continued by the grace of the Lord and produced rich fruit. In 2012, bathed in the sacrificial tears, prayers and love of the American Assemblies of God, the Japan Assemblies of God, and many individuals, our District shared in the great joy of seeing a wonderful church building completed in Hachinohe. All of the pastors of our District gathered in Hachinohe for the dedication service where I was privileged to lead the ceremony. Even today our hearts overflow with thankfulness as we remember that celebration. The Hachinohe church has continued up to this very day to evangelize the Hachinohe area and produce genuine fruit.

It is my earnest prayer and desire that the Galbreath family would continue to preach the gospel even more and more boldly for the sake of the lost souls in Hachinohe, and for the evangelism of that city.

Hiroshi Ito

Pastor Izumi Fukuin Chapel, Tohoku District Superintendent (AoG)