Pray for Japan

The first anniversary of March 11th, 2011 is near.

As the time nears, there are many events taking place in and outside of Japan, many articles being written, documentaries being aired...

Of those that I've seen so far, I would like to guide you to two.

1. This one is a youtube video from Prayercast.  It's actually from last May, but it's resurfacing again as the anniversary draws near.  The blurb under the video quotes the Christian percentage of Japan as 1.56%.  Usually, the percentage quoted for "Christians" (including Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Catholics, etc) is 1.5-2%.  That of Evangelical or Protestant Christians is usually 0.5%.

2. This one is an article written about two men who attended the Billy Graham Evangelical Association's Tohoku Celebration of Hope 3-day event last weekend.  Click here for the article and here to find out more about the who, what, where, when of the event.  The line-up was apparently amazing!  1,800 came on the first evening despite snow.  The number approximately doubled the second night.  The third night, more than 5,000 people came, again, despite snow.  The article moved me to tears.  Tears of pure joy and thankfulness at the awesome way in which God is so obviously moving in this country.  Awesomeness!!!

When March 11th happened, we were at a "home center" buying stuff for our house.  We'd arrived in Hiroshima, Japan just a few months earlier.  When we found out what happened, we felt quite helpless and wondered why God sent us to Japan at a time when it looked like all foreigners were thinking about evacuating.  But during the past year, God has shown us how much He loves the people here, how much He's longing for the people of Japan to turn to Him, and that He's got the Holy Spirit working hard in this country.  He's also shown us that we're needed here and that He sent us here to Hiroshima intentionally, in November of 2010 intentionally.

Pray for Japan.  Pray for the missionaries, pastors, all of the Christians in Japan.  Pray that we will be salt and light.  Pray that we will be able to share the Good News.  Pray that those without hope will receive hope.  Pray for healing - physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual.

Pray, pray, and pray again as we share of the Risen Son in the Land of the Rising Sun.