Ministry Updates and News from the Mehns
Converge Worldwide and the Japan team has been partnering with the Japan Baptist Church Association (Rengo) for over 60 years. This network of churches did not report any damage or problems from the earthquake. But they are mobilized to help. They are praying, giving, and sending relief. This was a letter sent by Pastor Hiro Yonai of the Kokubunji church in western Tokyo. I appreciate that you lift us and our country up with your…
Thanks for thinking and praying for our safety. As we have been monitoring the situation in general and the Fukushima power plant in particular, our mission has been discussing possible evacuation plans with our Home Office since Tuesday last week and what it would look like. Elaine came to Kansai (Osaka) area on Friday for the Kansai school board meeting and to deal with possible train delays was planning to stay until Saturday (and packed…
Missionaries Stay or Leave Tokyo? In some cases government authorities have ordered their people out of Japan. Other missions have mandated that their people in the Tokyo area and north relocate south of Tokyo. Leaving missionaries the option to stay or leave has been very difficult for people in the situation in Tokyo and even more so for those up north. One missionary I know personally in his blog very well defended his decision to…
What are Japanese Christians Praying Today we were at the Saidaiji Baptist Church in Nara City, Nara Prefecture. Like other Rengo churches there was a prayer meeting after church. These are some of the prayer requests of the people there. 1. Pray for Mr. Naoyoshi Sato, a Christian assigned to head the crew restoring electricity to the Fukushima #1 power plant. 2. Pray for those relatives who are in evacuation centers. 3. Pray for the…
Our dear friend Akira Mori pastors a church in Iwaki Fukushima prefecture. I hope you will continue to pray for him and his church. I reported on him several days ago. Already 12 or more truck loads of relief supply has been brought to us and it means we have to be wise and diligent to distribute them. Please pray for God’s wisdom to be given to us, so that we will be able to…
The triple shock of a 9.0 earthquake, a major tsunami, and one of the world’s worst nuclear disasters (that is still not resolved) is a drain on all of us. The outpouring of “World Class” concern and prayer has been so encouraging to everyone I talk to. Each day’s events brings with it uncertainty and also hope. Yesterday and today there have been many developments. I just wanted to remind us all to pray for…
Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian relief organization, air shipped today 93 tons of emergency relief supplies (http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/articles/airlifting_supplies_to_japan/). The shipment is being transferred through US military bases to arrive at the Sendai airport. Once it arrives the intended destination is for the CRASH base camp in Sendai, just set up on Thursday. CRASH is attempting to mobilize trucks and volunteers to help pick up these needed supplies at the airport and help deliver aid to the local…
This afternoon I had a brief instant message chat today with Edie Cummings in Sendai Miyage Prefecture. Cal and Edith Cummings are Presbyterian missionaries in Japan since 1970! That’s 40 years! These dear people have given their lives for the people in Japan. I recall several days ago when I heard through my Facebook page that they had reported that they were both safe. Hallelujahs and praise to God went up in Facebook text. Today…
Very long day. Elaine got off fine. She is now in the Kansai area. She had a long business meeting at the school. I was able to find gas! I waited in line for about an hour waiting in a one quarter mile line. I also have enough heating oil (kenosene) to keep us going even in power outages. Supplies are becoming more common. I saw some people leaving the store with previously sold out…
THE GOODNESS OF OUR NEIGHBORS These Japanese are truly an amazing people, in their patience in difficulty, and how they band together to solve problems and care for each other. Even though I have lived among them for a quarter century, I feel that I as an American still have so much to learn from them. In my research on the church here I feel they have so much to teach us especially the church…