July 10-13, 2019 Yurigaoka to Totsuka

Good evening everyone,

It is currently 11:50pm of July 13, 2019 (sat) here in Totsuka, Japan. We finished serving at Yurigaoka on Thursday with a mountain climbing on Mt. Takao, and moved into Yokohama Totsuka Baptist Church.

With the pastor, deacon, music minister, and youth group member of Totsuka church,

We are so grateful for the variety of experience we had at Yurigaoka church, from helping out kindergarten in the mornings, to sharing our testimonies in prayer meetings and house visits, meeting people from all ages, and to personal one-on-one prayers.

On Wednesday we attended their prayer meeting and each one of us had the opportunity to share our testimonies. After sharing our testimonies, we each paired up with the church members and shared our stories and prayer requests. This was one of the most memorable and valuable moments to me. Sitting down to pray for each other. After the prayer meeting, we visited the church music minister's house for lunch. Please pray that her breast cancer will be healed for His glory!

Music minister, and her husband who navigated us up Mt. Takao.

On Thursday, we climbed Mt. Takao, one of the closest natural recreation areas to central Tokyo, reported to attract the largest number of climbers in the world or 2.6 million people annually. The beauty of His creation on this mountain is astonishing, to the point that people who were amazed started worshipping the nature. There were many Buddhist and Shinto prayer stations on the way up, with trees considered to be sacred, and statues that bring physical wellbeing. People here have the highest appreciation for the beauty of His creation, and a strong longing for a higher being, but the honor is directed to the wrong direction.

On Friday we moved to YIBC, and Today we moved to Yokohama Totsuka Baptist Church. We visited one of the deacon’s house for dinner after a meeting with Pastor Horino. We will be serving in various Sunday ministries tomorrow, including a youth camp that will go overnight, so please pray that the ministry will be protected from any hindrance, and will be fruitful with souls closer to God!

At one of the deacon's house.

Prayer Requests:

1. For blessings over Yurigaoka Christ Church. The pastor's wife just went through surgery. Please pray that she would be completely healed, and that the Pastor's family will be more aware of His presence than usual.

2. That the music director's cancer will be completely healed.

3. For protection and blessing over our ministry here at Yokohama Totsuka Baptist Church. For tomorrow (sun), we will each have different roles of sharing testimonies, offering special praise, and translating, so please pray that we will be given wisdom and power to fulfill our kingdom work duties. Also please pray for the youth work camp.

4. That we may be able to love the people here in their love language.

5. That the Japanese can look up to the Creator!