Officers Serving Overseas – Majors Daniel and Melissa Templeman Twells
The Australia Territory has 32 Aussie officers serving overseas, one at International Headquarters in London but based in Australia, and 10 overseas officers serving in different appointments here. Global Focus is featuring many of these officers – who they are, where they’re serving, the joys and challenges they face and what life looks like for them in their unique corners of The Salvation Army world.
Japan is known throughout the world for its iconic cuisine, stunning scenery, historical wonders and social civility. It’s also home to Majors Daniel and Melissa Templeman Twells, who are back serving with The Salvation Army in Japan for the second time with their two young children, Toby and Abby. Salvos Online journalist LERISSE SMITH recently caught up with the couple to chat about surviving and thriving in the Land of the Rising Sun.
With travel bags in hand and two young children in tow, Melissa and Daniel knew another incredible adventure lay ahead as they boarded their flight to serve the people of Japan.
But it nearly didn’t happen.
“To be honest, when they asked us, we said no at first,” Daniel recalled.
“We didn’t feel it was the right time because we just had a baby two months earlier. It was in the middle of COVID, and there were many reasons ... but sure enough, we felt God calling us. So, we said, “Please ask us again in 12 months, and we’ll think about it for the following year.” But a few weeks later, we contacted them again and said, “Look, if it’s still available, we will come next year’ – and that’s what we did.”
The Aussie officers have not looked back since arriving in April last year for their second stint in the Land of the Rising Sun.
Varied roles
They entered Japan in 2012 for three years and then renewed for a second three-year term. Daniel was a Training Officer at the College for Officer Training in Tokyo, teaching the New Testament and managing the college’s finances. Melissa was the Corps Officer of Koto Corps on the east side of Tokyo and an assistant in the Territorial Youth Department.
With their latest appointment to Japan spanning a three-year term, the couple are undertaking exciting and significant spiritual leadership roles with a clear calling from God to serve the Japanese people as their solid foundation.
Daniel’s primary role is serving as the Training Principal of the Officer Training College, with a secondary role as Spiritual Life Development Secretary for the territory. The intake of cadets at the training college is annual. However, there are presently no cadets for the current session.
“It’s an interesting dynamic because traditionally, they have one kind of student every other year, he said. “I keep describing it as being the captain of a ship without any passengers!”
However, the absence has given him the opportunity post-COVID to explore how training is offered in the Japan Territory moving forward and focus on creating a territorial strategy for education and spiritual development.
Furthermore, Daniel’s hope is that the college will broaden to be more of a place of education and spiritual programs, not just for officer training but also for people looking to extend their spiritual growth. Local officer training, retreats and pastoral supervision are part of the broader scope.
He is also serving on a working group to explore future service opportunities such as auxiliary tenancy or single spouse officership that has never been considered in Japan until now.
“We are on the precipice of incredibly exciting change for the future,” he said. There’s a lot of things happening.”
For Melissa, being the Koto Corps Officer in Tokyo is an equally exciting and diverse role. It’s probably the most multicultural church among all The Salvation Army congregations in Japan. At least six to 10 countries are represented, with about 25 attendees, the average for Japanese denominations.
“It’s really good, a great place to be,” she said.
Worship is conducted in both Japanese and English, with an interpreter for the sermons. Messages and testimonies are usually in English but can be in Japanese. Song lyrics and Bible verses are shown in both languages. The couple also initiated a new bilingual corps flag – possibly the only one in Japan Territory’s history – to reflect the corps’ multicultural community.
Service motivation
The Templeman Twells’ passion and commitment to the varying ministries and the people of Japan dates back many years.
Melissa’s interest in Japanese culture began in high school, where she learned the language before embarking on being an 18-year-old exchange student in the country.
“I feel like, right back then, my destiny was kind of planned for me,” she reflected.
It was also serendipitous that as an exchange student, Melissa was invited to Koto Corps – her first Japan Salvation Army experience.
“Now, I’m the officer at that church; it’s amazing!” she said. “I really do believe it’s God’s calling and plan for my life and destiny.”
Daniel met Melissa at Bible College, jokingly referred to as ‘bridal college’, and when the opportunity to serve in 2012 arose, they eagerly accepted.
“We imagined we’d come again in the future, but not five years after heading back last time,” Daniel said. “But two children and lots of other life things happened in those five years.”
Cultural differences
A key component and focus of their ministry is building relationships and showing love through running outreach programs and meeting the needs of the local community and families.
Also, the couple say they must continually understand and study the unique culture of Japan, its people and its language. Understanding the specific differences between The Salvation Army in Japan and Australia is crucial, too.
Reflecting back to 2012, Daniel recalled how he expected adjusting to the Japanese lifestyle would be the biggest challenge. However, with Japan being very westernised, he found The Salvation Army in Japan was more traditional than they had anticipated, and even since COVID, its expression of ministry was done differently to Australia.
“They are open to progress and change,” Daniel said. “It just takes a long time to shift culture.”
And greatly helping Melissa and Daniel is being patient with themselves and others and accepting that the way the Japanese people lived was different.
“It’s different to what we do,” they said. “So, that’s the way we try and approach things here.”
Blessing of children
When thinking of the rewards of serving the people of Japan the second time around, the couple spoke of how their two young children had formed a deep part of their joy after a difficult infertility journey spanning 12 years.
The continual prayers of people for Daniel and Melissa to have children eventually saw their prayers answered.
“To actually see the answered prayers in the flesh, that’s really nice,” Melissa said. “So, that is a joy, even though our children during church are running around the whole place, jumping off the stage. Thank goodness they’re cute because everyone forgives them!”
Daniel agreed.
“It’s a real joy as well to be here with our children,” he said. “They see part of our world that has existed that they have never known before.”
Providing significant encouragement and support to Japanese Salvationists who were struggling with the challenges of being a Christian was also a significant reward for the couple. Less than one per cent of the population is Christian, and the country is a spiritually dry place, with a lot of mental health issues, depression, high tiredness and an ‘overwork culture.’
Additionally, the stress could creep into Christians as well.
“Mother Teresa said, “Japan is a spiritual famine, not a physical famine,” Melissa emphasised. “And you really feel that when you are here, very much a spiritual famine. So, I think just us being here really encourages people. We add to the numbers as there are not many officers. We can offer joy and hope to people … I get joy out of being with the people and doing life with people.”
Daniel noted that while preaching and spreading the gospel can be challenging due to general suspicion of Christianity and wariness of The Salvation Army uniform, the shift toward more personal, one-on-one interactions post-COVID has been rewarding even if the results weren’t always immediately visible. Reconnecting with people, having a shared history, and forming new friendships had also been great for the couple.
“ ... you really feel that when you are here, very much a spiritual famine. So, I think just us being here really encourages people.”
Gaining much joy from working in a role that aligned with his gifts and interests and making a valid contribution had also been rewarding for Daniel.
The couple has also found that their children love Japan, with Abby attending international preschool and daycare and Toby in kindergarten.
The cost of international ministry
And whilst their ministry is rewarding, there’s a cost.
Being away from familiar support systems and family in Australia has been a major sacrifice, especially after waiting so long to have children only to then move overseas away from extended family support such as grandparents, aunties, uncles and cousins.
Daniel and Melissa also miss many practical conveniences, such as a car, a dishwasher, a backyard, and visiting the beach. A family of four living in two rooms is also an enormous challenge, with the children sharing one room. Thankfully, The Salvation Army Australia generously provided some home appliances. Yet, despite these challenges, they view their time in Japan as part of a larger purpose. They stay connected with family and friends through technology and have supportive relationships in Japan, including past host families.
The couple also stays involved in professional and pastoral networks to maintain their spiritual wellbeing. The last time they were in Japan, they were intentional about not having one foot in two places. They tried to be as Japanese as they could be without becoming Japanese.
“And I think we almost achieved it,” Daniel reflected. “This time, we’ve been really intentional about maintaining some professional relationships or connections. So, we are both involved in pastoral or professional supervision, counselling and things like that from Australia because that’s really important to do that.”
Spiritual growth
Also intentional is their focus on personal faith and growth.
Melissa said that when she felt spiritually dry, the following scripture had great spiritual significance for her in her appointments and personal spiritual journey: Isaiah 43:19 (NIV) – “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
“When you’re in the war, you learn to be a better prayer warrior,” she said. “You don’t get beaten down. A lot of my prayer life is based on intercession to bring refreshment for myself and others in that dry place.”
For Daniel, balancing family time, personal time and Bible reading is all important – as is staying informed through reading The Japan Times newspaper.
When the officers need a much-needed break, Melissa treasures going for long walks, while Daniel’s non-negotiable is visiting Starbucks, his ‘refuge’ – and a great taste of home.
