Understanding the Exchange Rate
For those of us who live overseas and receive our funds in U.S. dollars, our buying power fluctuates as the exchange rate changes.

First, BIMI places funds given by churches and supporters in our Stateside bank. Then, we withdraw money in Japan. The bank transfers the money from U.S. dollars to Japanese yen. Here are some quick points about Japanese money:
  • 1 yen = about 1 penny
  • 100 yen = about $1.00
  • 1,000 yen = about $10.00
  • 10,000 yen = about $100.00
  • (these figures are based on a 100 yen per dollar exchange rate)

There are two basic counters used for Japanese yen. They are:
  • Yen - from 1 to 9,999
  • Man - increments of 10,000 yen (pronounced with the short “a” sound as the “a” in Father)
For example, if you see a picture of a car for sale, you will usually see two or three numbers, such as 99 or 150. That does not mean 99 yen or 150 yen, but 99 man yen or 150 man yen (99 or 150 increments of 10,000 yen). So, 99 man yen would be $9,900 and 150 man yen, $15,000.

Now, let’s go back to the subject of exchanging money. For those unaccustomed to exchanging money, the basic idea is that the higher the dollar value, the cheaper the goods. Another way to think of it is that the higher the dollar, the less it costs us to pay our bills.

Our first experiences with exchanging money is as follows:
  • David’s first visited Japan in December of 1984 - 258 yen per dollar
  • When our family arrived in Japan in August of 1988 - 135 yen per dollar
  • Since that time, the rate has fluctuated between 85 and 140 yen per dollar

Recently, here is what has been happening:
  • In September of 2007 the exchange rate was 120 yen per dollar.
  • By January of 2008 it had dropped as low as 98 yen per dollar.
  • It slowly went back up to 108 yen per dollar in August 2008.
  • In September 2008, the rate went back down to 104.
  • In December 2008, the rate went down to 87.
  • Anything lower than 110 is not very good.
  • Below 100 is even worse.
  • The current rate is ???.

Here is an example of changes to one of our expenses, our house rent which is 80,000 yen per month:


Exchange Rate
Amount
Difference/5 yen
Difference/10 yen

120

$666.67



115

$695.65

$28.99


110

$727.27

$31.62

$60.61

105

$761.90

$34.63


100

$800.00

$38.10

$72.73

95

$842.11

$42.11


90

$888.89

$46.78

$88.89


Since the exchange rate moves like a roller coaster, it is best to have ones trust in something more stable. It is our firm belief that when you are in the center of God's will, He provides for your every need. This information is not provided so that you will consider giving. It is simply to help you to know what missionaries experience all over the world.

Consider a different side of the coin. Think about our Japanese missionaries who receive their funds in Japanese yen. Although we (from the U.S.) might prefer a higher dollar exchange rate, even when it is low, God is helping others...our Japanese missionaries.

So, for that reason our request is simple...pray for us, but pray more that souls will be saved no matter what the exchange rate might do.