DeanO and Dandi, two clowns, spent ten days going to different parks and venues to share Christ. Please pray that the Holy Spirit will use the seeds of the gospel that were sown to lead those who heard the Good News to Christ!!!
A clown team has been here with us since September 7th. We have had a wonderful time. The team has worked hard, some days doing as many as three programs and traveling long distances. They’re great. Japanese, young and old, have been entertained and have heard the gospel. Many Japanese who have never heard the gospel before have had an opportunity to do so.
One man heard the message from the window of his home as the team shared at a park. He came out to tell the team that he had never heard the wonderful news about Jesus before. He and his wife took Digest Bibles and his children took Manga Life of Christ. Pray for this family to come to Christ.
On Sunday, three groups in Chiba heard the gospel in parks. The Christians witnessed to those who came and three trusted Christ. On Monday the clowns went to an English school about two hours northwest of Tokyo. Only the owner of the school is a Christian. Fifty or so people came and heard the gospel for the first time. Pray for God to speak to those who took DVD’s and Bible portions. Pray for their salvation
We are in Shizuoka this weekend and will be doing outreach in a couple of parks. We’re praying for new contacts and for those who are seeking God to come and hear the gospel presented by the clowns. Pray for those who hear the Good News this weekend to give their hearts and lives to Jesus.
Praising Him for all He is doing,
Tak and Lana
If you have visited our site recently, you have noticed that our old website is gone. We are undergoing radical surgery. Hopefully this new site will help us keep you more up to date on what is going on as well. From today I can post updates directly.
Since I am illliterate in this area, our webmaster has been setting everything up. He has many sites he manages and has been moving all of them. Pray for him.
We are still in process so please be patient with us and pray that the site can quickly get back to 100 working order, with prayer walks, video feeds, photoalbums,etc. We want you to be informed since you are a vital part of the work here.
God has been doing wonderful things. Twenty-two people saved in Okinawa, five in Chiba. Four were baptised in Chiba. Those in Okinawa are meeting several times a week to study the Bible, though it rained he day they set for the baptism and they did not have it. God is answering their prayers. Yesterday Mr. Miku called to say that one of the men has a job.
Pray that we will not be distracted as bumps come up in the road. Bumps like a guest crushing her wrist and needing care until and through surgery, a grandson drinking cold medicine and going to hospital, a husband with a ruptured ear drum.
Good news and a request!!! The first half of September we have a clown team coming to work with us. Two clowns and their spouses. Pray for receptive hearts as they perform and share the gospel. Also, pray for grace while we travel from Chiba to north Saitama to Shizuoka to Kawasaki. Most days they will be performed at least twice, sometimes three or four times. Pray for physical strength for them as well. Also, pray that we will see fruit.
Thanks for always being there and holding us up before the Father. We count on you and thank God for you.
Claiming His Promises today,
T and L
We have seen God do some awesome things in Okinawa since we last wrote to you and shared about the men coming to Christ.
The day after our last update, Mr. Miku led another man to the Lord. The next day two men accepted Christ. And then two days later, another man was saved. Wow!!! Six men came to Christ in about a little over a week. In fact just as I was about to hit send on this email, more news and a request came in to Tak from Mr. Miku. “Mr. Ueda was saved a little while ago. Please pray that he will come worship next Monday. Also, and keep praying for the children’s meeting this afternoon at 4:30”
Pray especially for Mr. Shiro who goes out with Mr. Miku to share the gospel as well as bring his friends to Mr. Miku to hear about Jesus. Pray this man will become a fruitful Christian and a spiritual leader.
The next week Mr. Miku took his wife and children to the park and witnessed to some elementary boys. Three were saved. Two were in the sixth grade and had been to church somewhere before. One was in the fourth grade. Pray for understanding from their parents. See the prayer request above.
Please pray for all these new Christians to follow the Lord in baptism and in a daily walk of faith. Most of them are poor; a couple of them are homeless. Pray for Mr. Miku to have wisdom, patience and much discernment as he gathers these new believers together as the body of Christ.
While we were rejoicing at what God is doing in Okinawa, we received word from E in Togane that Mr. To, for whom you have prayed and to whom we have witnessed, had committed suicide. We wept as we heard the news that he had died without Christ. He rejected the gospel, choosing to worship the creation rather than the creator. He his wife and three daughters also have no hope in Christ. Pray for this mother and daughters to come to Christ and know the comfort that only He can give them.
Lastly, we have a personal prayer request for Tak. Because of an increasing PSA count and a blood test in June that revealed a “bad” (according the dr.) free PSA ratio, Tak is entering Koran University Hospital on July 24 for a biopsy. Please pray with us that the test will be successful in detecting cancer cells should there be any. Of course, our desire is that there are not any cancer cells at all. But, we know that God is in control. We will get the biopsy report back on the morning of August 6th which is still August 5th (his birthday) in the States, so hopefully many will still be praying for him.
Thank you for praying with us.
Tak and Lana
Thank you for praying for fruit from the seed Mr. Miku is sowing in his neighborhood!! Yesterday he sent a message to say that he had met Mr. Higa in the park. This man is 60 years old. After talking Mr. Miku found that this man’s deceased parents were Christian. After hearing the gospel, Mr. Higa prayed to receive Christ. In the evening Mr. Miku took him a box lunch and three pairs of glasses he had bought at the 100 yen store so Mr. Higa can see to read the Bible. This morning Mr. Higa was going try them out. Pray he can see, that he will hunger for God and that he will realize all the wonders of God’s gift of salvation to him.
Mr. Miku had been praying that God would give him a home run. Well this week, he had two. He went back to the park on Thursday and Mr. Shiro was saved. He is the former president of an IT company that went under. Pray for him to grow in the Lord. Ask God to give these two men a hunger to know him and a passion to share Him with others.
Also, pray for God to supply Mr. Miku’s needs. Right now his income is low and he needs money himself, though he just took money to the homeless. Pray that God will honor his faith and his witness for the Lord, keep him healthy, both physically and spiritually, and meet all of his needs.
This past Sunday was a day for another miracle. Chris and Deb Winans and their friend, H.T. left to attend the services at a church only to find the road blocked by a wheelchair marathon. They returned home, and soon after they returned, Mr. and Mrs. Ito, new Christians, came to their house unannounced. They came in and called Mr. Atsu, who came bringing a cheesecake. They talked and shared the gospel with this young man who had many questions.
Pray that Atsu will trust Christ. He has been waiting for Chris to return, even going to the house each day, praying for his safe return. Pray he will know God and pray to Him through Jesus Christ. Pray that God will use Mr. Ito and Chris this week to lead Atsu to the Lord. Pray for Mr. Ito and Atsu to grow together in Christ and become vibrant joy filled Christians who will boldly share their faith.
Claiming His promises for His Glory,
Lana and Tak Oue
The Christians are on the move!!! We see them growing in their relationship with Christ and boldly witnessing to the lost!!! They want to be used by the Lord to reach the Japanese with the truth. You are a BIG part of the work as you pray for them each day!!!! Thank you so much!!!!
Mr. Miku who lives in Okinawa had a vision to reach his family and friends. Then his vision expanded to include his neighborhood and city, and now he has a vision for reaching all of Okinawa!! Wow!! Tak disciples him via Skype him twice a week and we visited him in May. Mr. Miku has really opened up his heart to the Holy Spirit, obediently following him. He is a web designer and works in his home; but he said God told him to get out of the house!!! PTL!! And he is!!! He is going out in his neighborhood, walking around looking for whom God wants him to witness. This week he went out several hours to witness to people. He was able to talk to some children and their mothers as well as to a several men he met in the park in their neighborhood. Pray for God to give him wisdom and discernment as well as boldness. Also pray that his witness will bear fruit.
This week E was impressed at 8 a.m. to call her neighbor, Mrs., Maki, to whom she has been witnessing and ask her to come to worship that morning. Mrs. Maki came, listened intently, and was so moved by the Holy Spirit that she thought the Christians were trying to stimulate her emotions. She didn’t recognize God’s Spirit working in her. Please pray that she acknowledge her sin, give her life to Christ, experience his wonderful gift of salvation and become a bold witness of a life changing experience.
Mr. Yo has disappeared again. He seems to take flight when the stress level gets to high. Please pray that he can keep his heart and mind fixed on Jesus. The Christians are praying and sending emails to his cell phone to encourage him. He has responded and said the notes are encouraging him; he just needs a little more time. Pray he will come home soon.
Also, Pray for Sally, new lady we just met via the internet site Mr. Miku set up, and her family as they meet each week for worship. They want to be a New Testament church. Pray for God to give us wisdom in knowing when and how to follow up.
Pray for laborers for the harvest. The laborers are few but our God is big!!!
Claiming His promises for His Glory,
Lana and Tak
On Monday we drove two hours north of Tokyo to Kamikawa and met Mr. Su who came to Kei’s house for worship. As we sang a song about God’s forgiveness through Christ’s blood that what shed on the cross, Mr. Su’s heart was touched. He wanted so much to do as the song said and trust himself to Christ, but he didn’t think he was good enough. He talked about how he always felt inadequate and had a heart full of sin.
Please pray for Mr. Su to give his heart to Christ. Pray for Kei to grow in the Lord so she will be able to lead him in his search for forgiveness and the truth.
Kei’s mother fixed dinner for us. We were served in front of a Buddhist altar where she was offering fruit to the spirit of her husband. Please pray for Mrs. Suzu to also have a open heart toward the gospel. Ask God to move across the village of Kamikawa and open hearts to the gospel.
Claiming His Promises for His glory.
Tak and Lana
Thank you for praying for E to have an opportunity to give her mother a Bible. It has already come!!! E decided to give it to her for Mother’s Day. Her mother accepted the Bible and said she would read it. Pray that God will open her eyes to see the truth as she reads God’s word. Right now she prays before her husband’s altar each day.
Mi was saved in 2003 but she has not yet followed the Lord in baptism. She now wants to follow the Lord in baptism. Pray for the date to be set soon. Pray that Mi and Ken, her husband, will be faithful followers of Christ and that their testimony will bear fruit at Tabiji group home where Ken works. Pray for Ken and Mi to have a hunger for God’s word, to know Christ more intimately and also to witness to the lost around them.
Mrs. Shima, who is a 84 year old new Christian, moved into the group home at Tabiji. She is part of the other house church network so those who have been meeting with her for worship are now going to the group home and have worship with her on Monday nights in her tiny room. She also has an opportunity to worship with the church that meets at the group home. Pray for her to share her faith with the lost residents there.
God is also answering your prayers for the leaders. God has convicted them and today one shared that leaders repented of their recent lack of zeal in witnessing. They are meeting together on the 14th and they will be reviewing scriptures, talking about how to overcome temptations, how to encourage one another and keep their focus on witnessing to the lost. Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide their every thought and word as they meet together.
Counting on your prayers for the Japanese and the lost around the world,
Tak and Lana
Dear prayer friends,
I apologize that it has been so long since you have heard from us. Much has happened these past couple of months since our last update on February 21. Time flew by the last weeks of our STAS as we prepared to return to Japan, spoke in different church in different States. We returned to Japan on April 12 and have been busy with meetings as well as checking in with our folks here, both nationals and missionaries.
Some good news is E’s mother was able to be in one of the worship services at the Lotus coffee shop and is much more open to her daughter’s witness. God is using E’s loving works to soften her mother’s heart to the gospel. Here is E’s testimony: “Last week I was blessed because my mother came to one of our services. She needed a ride to a clinic and decided to join us to wait for me, but she had worship with us for the first time. I am going to buy a Bible and to give to her soon. Please pray for her to be saved.”
Some not so good news is that A-san who couldn’t meet for worship received a call from a church that she had attended once in the past and decided to go back to that church. She says she likes it because is nothing expected of her. After starting there, she quit fixing her daughter’s food, taking care of her home and became depressed. She even attempted suicide. She quit reading her Bible and praying, spent a lot of time at the church drinking and talking with the members, sometimes arriving at home at 2 a.m. Her non-believing husband decided that the church was bad and asked her to leave home. Pray that A-san will be healed, start reading her Bible again and apply what God teaches her. Pray for reconciliation to the group of believers that she was with as well as with her husband.
Thank you for sticking with us and praying. We see God at work and praise Him for answering your prayers for the Yo family. Also, your prayers for the leaders are being answered. They testified at leaders meeting this week of all that God is doing in their lives. Keep on praying and claiming the promises that God gives you for these leaders as well as for the lost the people of Japan.
Pray for me to faithfully write the prayer updates so you can pray for specific needs!! God answers those prayers and He is glorified as we share specifically how He has answered your prayers. Also, He is honored when we tell folks here that you are praying for them and they see God answering your prayers!!
Claiming His promises for His glory.
Tak and Lana Oue
Japan’s Cities, Towns and Villages
This update was started on January 18 but as you see it is February 12 and it is still not in your inboxes. I apologize. It seems our days just evaporate. Thank you to those of you who have been praying for us to be able to get our updates out. He is answering your prayers today as he reminded me today that this is a priority and I must get to it!!!!
We praise the Lord as He continues to work in Chiba. Several have been saved since I last sent an update. Just last week E reported to us last week that the fiancÃf©e of Asa who was saved last fall, Mr. Fuda, trusted Christ. Please pray for him to follow the Lord in baptism and become a reproducing disciple. Pray for this young couple to grow in the Lord and for Christ to be the head of their new home together.
In our last email in December we requested prayer for Mrs. Mo who was returning home to the Ryuku Islands for the holidays. God gave many opportunities for her to witness while there. Though we have not heard of anyone trusting Christ many heard the gospel. Mrs. Moââ,¬â”¢s mother-in-law came home with her and is living with their family at present. Pray that Mrs. Mo will be a vibrant witness for Christ.
Mrs. Mo does not drive, but goes everywhere by bicycle, so this will be a difficult situation for her. Pray that she will have strength physically, spiritually and otherwise to care for her family, to continue to serve the Lord as a leader in the house church in her neighborhood. Pray for her husband and mother-in-law to be saved. Pray her son, Hi, will follow through on his decision to trust Christ and be baptized.
Pray with us that we will be able keep you guys posted on all that God is doing so you can pray concretely for the needs as well as praise the Lord with us for His answers to your prayers. Continue to pray for the leaders to walk with the Lord and for all the Christians to be lights in the darkness each day.
Claiming His promises for His glory.
Tak and Lana Oue
Japan’s Cities, Towns and Villages