JGPNetwork

Dear Prayer Partners:

We had planned for baptism on Wednesday, October 20, at Kujikuri, but the typhoon weather started that morning. Many of you may have seen the reports of the damage and loss of life from the large typhoon that hit Japan on Wednesday and Thursday. In the morning waves were already several meters high. Japanese construction workers were doing repair work on the levy at Katagai, Kujikuri in the morning when a large wave came in and swept two of the men away. They are still missing and presumed dead. These two men were washed away at the place where we have our baptisms. As I thought about them, my heart ached as I realized they were swept to their death, mostly likely, without ever knowing Jesus or perhaps without ever having had an opportunity to hear about Him. The place that would have been the site of our celebrating the life of new three Christians as they followed the Lord in baptism, became the site where two men went into eternity with out Christ. Our place of celebration has become a place of grief for these families. Pray for them as they grieve, that they will have an opportunity to hear about Jesus and be saved.

Plans now call for the men to be baptized next Wednesday, the 27th. There is another typhoon down south heading west; however, it could turn and come to Japan. Pray it will not. Pray that these three men who are eager to follow the Lord will be able to be baptized. Pray for them to walk daily with the Lord. One has already introduced his wife to Mrs. Se, who has shared with her and invited her to come to the baptism. The wife commented on how her husband had changed since he accepted Christ. Pray for her and the family members of all three to be saved. Pray also for Mr and Mrs. Sa and Mrs. Mo to grow as they help disciple these.

This week E and I had lunch with Mrs. Mo and Mrs. Ta. As we shared together, they talked about praying, a doctor with supernatural healing powers, meditation. yoga etc. It was evident that these two ladies are looking for God but don’t know it. They know there is a God they just don’t know Him. They enter Satan’s territory where he tempts them with imitations. We shared our testimony of salvation and hope in Jesus alone. We told them that the God that they didn’t know was Jesus, the only God. Pray for these two ladies who are searching for God but don’t realize it. Their search is taking them into dangerous territory. Pray they will become his children, transformed disciples of Christ, who will carry the gospel to their family, friends, neighbors, and beyond.

Claiming His Promises for His Glory,
Tak and Lana

Dear Prayer Partners:

We have had a busy two weeks. Our work took us to Tochigi Prefecture with Emiko to visit a new Christian. We witnessed new believers following the Lord in baptism and had training for trainers. On the home front, getting our furniture repaired and estimates for insurance claims was time consuming, but the end is in sight. After three weeks with concrete floors, we now have flooring and carpet, so we are thrilled. In another week most furniture will be repaired. Some things just had to be discarded and will have to be replace, but that will come in time. Thank you for your prayers

Praise the Lord for Mrs. Se who continues to witness to people God leads to her. On Friday, a man came to sell her a newspaper subscription. She witnessed to him. She didn’t buy a newspaper, however.On Monday, he came back with his boss and she witnessed to both of them and invited them to worship on Wednesday. They came to worship and brought the driver with them. All three men accepted Christ at the worship service, and they will follow the Lord in baptism on Wednesday, October 20. The church gave them Bibles and Mrs. Se is discipling them in knowing how to read the Bible, pray and apply what God teaches them to their lives. Pray that these three men (triplets, in the Lord) will grow and become disciples who reproduce hundreds, even thousands, of other disciples.

A fervent prayer reqest. A stalker threatened to kill one of our young Christians and her family this week. Please pray for protection for them. Her parents are not Christians and are opposed to any religion. Pray that during this trial, God will give this new Christian peace and joy and a deepening faith and trust in God and His promises. Pray that the parents will see her faith and become open to hearing the gospel. Also, pray that they will believe!!!!

Mr. S lives in a small village about an hour from Togane. He was assigned to a unit in WWII that conducted chemical and biological experiments on Chinese civilians. He was only 15 when he joined the unit and the images of the atrocities and his feelings of guilt have stayed with him to this day. He is now over 83 years old. He says he has committed too big a sin to be forgiven and has prepared his grave site at a Buddhist temple.. He has no hope for eternity, but is doing what he can to make amends to the Chinese and to cleanse himself with good works. Last week we visited him to tell him about Jesus. He listened politely but when asked if we could read the Scripture to him, he replied “I am a Buddhist”. We left a digest Bible with him. Pray that he will read it and see that God loves him and has provided the way for him to be saved by grace through faith in Christ.

Emiko’s father still cannot eat and they are discussing whether or not to insert a feeding tube. Please pray for the family to have wisdom as they make a decision regarding this. Also, continue to pray for his salvation. Claim God’s promises for him.

God is so good. On October 10, two people followed the Lord in baptism at Tabiji. One was a young man who still have a life to live for the Lord, and the other was an elderly lady who doesn’t have much longer to live. Pray that both of them will experience daily what it means to be a child of God and the recipient of His marvelous love.

Claiming His Promises for His Glory,
Tak and Lana

Dear Prayer Partners:

It seems that we are in the midst of a spiritual battle for one of our new Christian families. Pray for the Yo family. During summer vacation the two boys went to visit their grandparents and took their manga Bibles. Since the boys have been witnessing at school, we think they told their grandparents about their new faith in Jesus. The grandparents are convinced they are in a cult. The grandmother returned with the boys to stay until the birth of the third child. During this time the family has not been to worship and as far as we can ascertain, have not been having family worship. Mrs. Yo hasn’t been able to pray over the phone with her mentor. The grandmother will be with the family for another couple of weeks as Mrs. Yo recovers from the birth. Pray that the Lord will protect this family. Pray their faith will remain strong in spite of opposition. The elder son, Ko, has a tumor in his ear. Pray for God to take away his headaches and heal him from this tumor. Pray that God will reveal himself in a powerful way through Ko’s healing and through the Holy Spirit working in their hearts each day.

Thank you for praying for the meeting in Koga. God blessed. A lady has opened her home to start a church and several of us met together to worship. These ladies are hungry for the word and want to make a difference for Christ. Pray for discernment in relating to them and challenging them to be witnesses for the Lord. We were able to meet also with the young couple, the Shimes, for worship. Again thank you for praying. Continue to pray that churches will grow from these small beginnings.

Another thank you for praying for Emiko’s father. He has passed the crisis and is starting to eat food. He will be able to go home from the hospital soon if he continues to improve. God has spared his life once again. Pray that his heart will soften toward the gospel and Emiko’s witness. This was a great demonstration of God’s power and a great testimony to Emiko’s faith. Pray for her to grow even more and to be faithful in sharing Christ. Pray that her mother, sisters, friends, and neighbors will be open as she shares the Good News.

We praise the Lord for Mr. Saka who has trusted Christ and will be baptized the second weekend in October. Pray that as he is baptized in the ocean, he will be reminded of the vastness of God’s love and grace. Pray for him to grow and for Ken as he disciples him. We are praying that Mrs. Oka will also be baptized at the same time.

Praise the Lord for the Christians taking the word to Sakura City where Mrs. Sat lives. Mrs. Se took the Christians she is discipling there to till the ground through prayer walking and literature distribution. She has been witnessing to Mrs. Sat who works for her company. Pray for Mrs. Sat’s salvation and a witness to be established in Sakura City

Claiming His promises for His Glory,
Tak and Lana