"'Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth— everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.'
'Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.'" Isaiah 43:5-7, 18-19
In the past 24 hours, God has made his words from Isaiah 43 ring true.
I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth— everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.'
'Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.'" Isaiah 43:5-7, 18-19
In the past 24 hours, God has made his words from Isaiah 43 ring true.
Our team has gone deep into the wilderness of Japan, midway between Iwate and Miyagi, to see if God will make a 'new way' in Japan. Our journey began in Okago village where 300 Christians were martyred for their faith. This is documented in the film "Silence" en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silence_(2016_film) In remembrance of them we climbed 300 steps where many of them were tortured and killed. During the Edo Period (1600's Japan), Christianity was almost completely eradicated from Okago village, and most of Japan. In this period it was illegal to practice Christianity, and the Shogun (a military generaly) harshly persecuted and punished Christians, usually to the point of death. Today, even though Christianity is legal and accessible, Okago is still an unreached rural community. | Our next stop was C-on Kinshuko camp, where 9 churches from Iwate and Miyagi converged to lead a children's camp. There are over 30 children attending the camp. They are being ministered to and lead by nine local Japanese pastors, nine Japanese parents, four Japanese seminary students from Tokyo; as well as, one full time French-Canadian missionary (who normally serves in southern Japan with an ESL teaching credential), seven Singaporean short term missionaries, and four American Beautiful Feet team members. "Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth" |
God is pursuing his children in Japan with reckless abandon and excellence.
We often label Japan as lost, unreachable, ...the missionary's graveyard. While it's important to recognize the severity of the situation, God calls us to forget the former things, and catch a glimpse of the new thing he is doing.
God is committed to redeeming his lost children, and to bring them under the fold of his love. I learned that for the last eight years EP Japan Missions has sent over 500 short term missionaries from Singapore to Iwate. That's one team a month for 10 day trips. The Beautiful Feet Project has a similar vision, and it is clear that God will create a way in the wilderness, and streams in a spiritual wasteland.
Please pray for God to continue to equip leaders from around the world to lead English camps in Japan. They are such a vital means of connecting the local community with the Gospel.
Pray for the multi national team to bring excellence in their ministries today.
Pray for children to accept Christ at this camp, who will then change the spiritual climate of their country in the years to come.
We often label Japan as lost, unreachable, ...the missionary's graveyard. While it's important to recognize the severity of the situation, God calls us to forget the former things, and catch a glimpse of the new thing he is doing.
God is committed to redeeming his lost children, and to bring them under the fold of his love. I learned that for the last eight years EP Japan Missions has sent over 500 short term missionaries from Singapore to Iwate. That's one team a month for 10 day trips. The Beautiful Feet Project has a similar vision, and it is clear that God will create a way in the wilderness, and streams in a spiritual wasteland.
Please pray for God to continue to equip leaders from around the world to lead English camps in Japan. They are such a vital means of connecting the local community with the Gospel.
Pray for the multi national team to bring excellence in their ministries today.
Pray for children to accept Christ at this camp, who will then change the spiritual climate of their country in the years to come.
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The Beautiful Feet Project
The Beautiful Feet Project