Today Tak and I went to Togane drove through the town and then took a wonderful ride out through the rice paddies.  We saw the carp flying beside the farm houses. We were able to share with people who were walking around the lake near the temples, with a couple who were visiting the graves, and then with a man who was planting rice by hand.

This week in Japan is Golden Week. Farmers are planting rice. Businessmen are off work and families are going on vacations and visiting family or just relaxing. Pray we will be faithful to plant the seeds of the gospel in the hearts of those we meet during this time when they may have more time to listen than usual. Pray that those seeds will be watered by the Holy Spirit and sprout into full fruit of faith. 

Rejoice with us and praise the Lord! We had a great time this morning again having worship with Mr and Mrs. Maka. They were excited when we finished and quickly set another date to meet. Only three days away on Friday! Pray for them to grow and be able to share with her mother and father as well as with their friends. Pray for a group to start soon.

In Ibaragi prefecture about two hours from Tokyo there is a huge “goddess of mercy” that can be seen from miles around.  The hand is extended as if offering help, but this stone god has hands that cannot help and ears that cannot hear. Also, no spirit to touch and heal a broken heart. 

Statues of the “goddess of mercy” like this one can be seen all across Japan. They dot the tops of hills near the ocean or on the plains. This statue has no life and cannot give life. The Bible says those who worship these will be like them. Pray for the people who see these statues to have their spiritual eyes opened to the truth that there is a living God who loves them and sent his son to die that they might live.

Click on picture to view.

Niigata, on the Japan Sea side of Japan is one of the areas targeted by the JGPNetwork.  Surrounded by mountains on the east and the sea on the north-west, the snow covers the ground for much of winter. It is a city where no missionary resides. However, through the perseverance of a missionary, God’s Spirit has been moving there. Mrs. K , a Christian, has experienced many personal trials, especially in recent months and has been fasting and praying, learning total trust in her Lord. Will you pray that God will show himself strong to her and that her financial and spiritual needs will be met? Ask God to speak to her daily from the Word and to give her a hunger and thirst for Him, as well as a passion for the lost and a desire to share the gospel.

Sappro, on Hokkaido Island,  is another city in the snow country. In fact, at the end of February they had some of the heaviest snow fall on record. The city was blanketed with several feet of snow in a short time. Pray that the hearts all the people living there will be melt as they hear the gospel just as the snow melts under the sun. 

You have prayed for several months for Mr. and Mrs. I from Sapporo, who became believers a little over a year ago. Would you continue to pray for them? Although they have commited their lives to Christ, they have not made a commitment to make Christ the Lord of their lives and to put feet to that commitment. Pray for that their faith would be manifested in their lives and that they would see the importance of sharing their faith with others. Pray for the times when Mr. I goes to Tokyo on business to be ordained by the Lord. When in Tokyo, he has opportunity to be discipled face to face by Tak. Please pray Colossians 1:9-11 for Mr. I and his wife, and also that they will have a vision to be used by God to spread the gospel to reach the hearts of those in their city.

Since A-san was baptized the third week in January either job application appointments, interview practices, or sickness has hindered getting together with her Christian brothers and sisters for worship. And her mentor has also been sick.

Please pray and ask God to move in a mighty way to open  doors for her to meet to pray, fellowship and worship with her mentors and other Christians. Ask God to give her a hunger and thirst for God, to know Him and His word. She has been witnessing to her friends and giving them copies of God’s word. Pray for fruit to come from that.

Mr. Ono who was baptized in December is also facing trials; the Christians in Okinawa and Niigata are also under spiritual attack.

Pray for God to protect these new Christians and give wisdom and guidance and health to those who are trying to nurture them in the Lord. Thanks for partnering with us in reaching the Japanese from Okinawa to Hokkaido for Christ.

Sunday your prayers were answered and it was a great day. A-san followed the Lord in believer’s baptism before the worhship. After a great time of fellowship and a very meaningful worship, she want out to meet her friend, Yu-san. Together they searched for an apartment for Yu-san near A-san.

During that time, A-san shared about how she became a Christian and what Christ has done for her. She also shared about her baptism. Then she gave Yu-san a New Testtament and a “Power for Living” book.  Pray for God to use all of these to draw Yu-san to himself.

Please pray that A-san will walk close to the Lord this week. That she will read her Bible, pray and seek God’s face and His will about a job. Pray that God will open the door to just the right job for her, whether it is here or in her home town. 

Even before she reached her apartment Sunday afternoon, her mom was  calling to see how the baptism went. Pray for A-san’s entire family who are very close to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior. A-san gave her father a manga Life of Christ and her mother a book when she was home over the holidays. Pray the seeds will find fertile ground in their hearts.

 We received God’s greatest gift at Christmas when he sent Jesus to this world. He is giving us another gift now, the year 2008. Today is part of that gift from God. We can give a gift to Him by living this day for Him. Pray for us here in Japan to be faithful in living for Christ, to walk close to him and remember his faithful promises to provide our needs, guide us, protect us, use us, bless us and glorify himself through us. 

We thank each of you who are praying with us and ask that you faithfully hold us up before the Lord each day this year. Satan never stops preying on our weaknesses. Pray for the Christians to give their burdens to the Lord and rest in Him. Pray for protection and strength to overcome temptations. Pray for vision and zeal to share the gospel and a compassion and burden for the lost that will keep us out there telling the Good News that Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life!!

There are many in Togane and Okinawa who are celebrating Christmas as God’s children for the first time. As they remember his wonderful gift of salvation, pray for them to also commit themselves to be lights to those who live in darkness and do not know the meaning of Christmas.

Homeless men, elderly ladies, college students, working young people, and children are among those who heard the gospel in 2007 and look forward to 2008 knowing they are His children and can experience His power, love and grace. Praise the Lord for his answers to our Luke 10:2b prayer for more laborers. Pray for these new Christians to grow and be faithful witness for Christ so many more will be able to experience Christmas next year as God’s children!!

All of you who read the requests on our website and pray have a vital part of reaching Japanese with the gospel. Pray especially during this Christmas season that those who hear the gospel will respond positively to God’s voice, accepting Christ as their Lord and Savior.

The JGPNetwork team wants to wish each of you a Merry Christmas. And we pray that 2008 will be a year filled with experiences that reflect God’s presence and power in your lives. God bless you!!!

Tak, Lana and Emiko

The video about the work in Togane is  available once again through the following link thanks to the expertise of an MK.   http://www.beyondthestream.com/thewordspread/
See what God has done and continue to pray, praising and thanking him for working in such a great way.

Lana and Tak

While the volunteer team was here, the children at the “Study Room” and their some of their parents had the privilege of hearing the gospel for the first time. Kei had the clowns do a program and a  they had a Japanese barbeque. Not like any barbeque that you have in your back yard (if you are in America). Please pray for all those who received Digest Bibles,  Hope DVD’s, Power for Living books, or Manga Bibles.