Akiko and Ray conduct ecological peace education through workshops, consultations, and practical demonstrations on regenerative agriculture practices and local economies. Also active in their church, they provide Biblically based teaching on peacemaking and community life.
Menno Village, an 80-acre farm, with half the land forested, was founded in 1995 when families from Akiko’s home church in Sapporo pooled resources to buy land with the vision of creating a retirement village where ministers could live communally and grow their own food.
To get the farm running, members of the Sapporo church invited Akiko and Ray to move to Hokkaido from Nebraska, where they pioneered the first CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm in the state
Soon, Akiko and Ray pioneered Japan’s first CSA program providing subscribers with not only fresh vegetables, rice, flour, eggs, and bread, but also with newsletters sharing their approach to agriculture.
Their work has expanded into advocacy, addressing critical issues like trade policies, seed laws, and GMOs (genetically modified organisms). Ray has published articles, attended meetings, and joined conversations on these issues.
In 2007, Akiko and Ray joined Mennonite Mission Network as mission associates. Ray values the broader church connection, “It’s crucial to share our experiences and knowledge.”
