[In order to protect the privacy of the individuals involved, certain specifics have been withheld in the following story.]
Late this past Sunday afternoon after all the congregation had left, I sat down to rest and contemplate how the people had received the Word preached. The phone soon rang with an unknown foreign voice asking to visit. Minutes later, a bubbly young woman arrived and began asking questions about the church. Though her family are followers of a different major religion, she had grown up attending a Catholic mission school in her Asian country. She explained that she and her husband had been in Japan a few years, having recently moved to Numazu, and were very happy visiting temples and churches, feeling at peace when they did. She is interested to learn more about the Bible, but indicated her husband was not. Finally, she asked if I could perform a Christian wedding ceremony for them in order to celebrate a very special wedding anniversary, but she wanted to surprise her husband (that would be a good trick, surprising the groom, right?). Naturally, I told her I always do counseling for the couples before performing weddings, so the surprise element might be a bit tough. Hmm...funny how Sunday afternoons go in Numazu.
A few nights later, the young couple along with their toddler son came for dinner, and stayed for the English Bible study. During self-introductions, a non-Christian Japanese lady was interested to learn of their religious background and willingness to read the Bible. Despite the wife’s apprehensions, the husband was very engaged in the discussion as we read from various parables of Jesus. Though he seemed a bit uneasy, he now plans to attend the weekly 2 hour Bible class while his wife watches their son. She now plans to attend both English and Japanese services, while he takes care of the boy. The other non-Christian woman, too, is uneasy, for she has come to see that if the Bible is the Word of God, she needs to believe it and obey the Lord. That would change her life. So, please pray that the Lord would grant faith and salvation to each of the 12 non-Christians who attend our English Bible class!
Looking back on life in Numazu as the end of our work in this city approaches, we remember the interesting mixture of people attending our Japanese worship services--beyond the usual crowd of Japanese Buddhists and Shintoists-- a few Muslims, a Soka Gakkai teacher (strictly a member of the English Bible class; for information on this very aggressive Buddhist sect (and others), read here: http://cultbustersgalactica.yuku.com/topic/561/Soka-Gakkai-Cult-of-Power#.Vr59ItCJVPY), a former Aum Shinrykou (you remember the Sarin gas cult? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aum_Shinrikyo) member who attended worship and prayer meeting frequently for quite some time, and a Chinese woman from Hong Kong who did become a Christian! In this modest homogeneous city, we quietly marvel how the Lord has brought so many people from so many countries to this small Japanese chapel to hear the Word of God: our dear Japanese friends as well as Korean, Chinese, Thai, Indonesian, Indian, Peruvian, Brazilian, Canadian, German, Pakistani, Turkey, Somali, and American friends!
How we are encouraged to think that the Lord is using us even in our last few weeks here to bring the Bible to those who do not know the Lord. God is merciful. May his glory reach to the ends of the earth!
Please also pray for:
• OPC mission work throughout Japan, keep up with the news at http://opcjapan.com/
• Faithfulness and unity at the annual congregational meeting on Sunday, February 14.
• Woody’s new class at the Reformed Presbyterian’s Kobe Theological Hall. Beginning this year, his four NT Introduction Students will also be taking a class with him in OT Survey and Introduction.
• Two junior high girls, Sakura and Naomi, who are preparing for profession of faith and baptism.
• The women of the cooking class (Feb. 18) to believe the Bible and receive salvation in Christ.
• The Lord to provide housing near the Nozomi Center where we are preparing to move in April.
In Christ’s service,
Woody and Laurie Lauer