The Takamatsu Community Church (TCCh) was started on December 1, 1998 in the Takamatsu Christian Center. For many years the Takamatsu Christian Center’s first floor had been used as a church birthing location. A church would begin and after a nucleus of people formed, they would begin working toward moving out of the Center into a new location and under a Japanese pastor. Once out, another church would soon begin. This was mainly driven by Ralph Cox’s vision and zeal. Although “founder”, Ralph Cox, passed away 4 years ago at the age of 82, the ministry continues. There are now 6 locations, two of which make their home in the Takamatsu Christian Center first floor, that function as churches under the name Takamatsu Community Church (TCCh). The Takamatsu Ministry Initiative utilizes a combination of long term missionaries coupled with short term missionaries. We currently have two Japanese pastors, 4 TEAM career missionaries, and 2 other independent missionaries in the TCCh church plant. We believe this has been a process of God orchestrating the opening and shutting of doors, bringing us to where we are today.

Mike Gray writes: The laborers are few and the task so great. We would love to host a 2 year short termer, called TEAM Trek, to help us get the newest church plant of the Takamatsu Community Church off the ground. It is called the Mure International Chapel and functions with English as the first language. There are a vibrant group of Filipinos, Japanese, and North Americans all worshipping and serving together to reach the international community of Takamatsu.

Many different avenues of evangelism are used including English conversation classes, music (through our band, the Messengers), cooking classes, street evangelism, mother’s meetings (parenting), and kids meetings.

Stella Cox writes, “Giving the Gospel to the Japanese people is my greatest joy and passion. Recently wherever I go I meet people who have known me, have attended my cooking classes twenty or thirty years ago. They want to come and visit me. I gladly invite them and this opens the door for me to tell them the ‘greatest story ever told’. One dear lady will start attending our Bible class for the first time. The class keeps increasing in number. PRAY for the unsaved ones to have open hearts to receive the Lord.”

“I was recently privileged to have a cooking/Bible class at a church in Okayama area where we helped start ten churches more than twenty years ago. There were 70 women present and two thirds of them were not Christians. They were young wives whose children attend the kindergarten operated by the church. Some of the believers who attended my classes years ago made a full course meal using my cook book. I was asked to demonstrate how to prepare the meal and do some table settings for them. The Lord blessed the Bible message and two women requested to talk to me. Both of them accepted the Lord that day! One of them asked me, “What do I do now?” I told her to read the Bible and she said, “I don’t have one!” An assistant pastor’s wife will follow them up. I had asked the Lord for one soul to be saved that day and He doubled it! Praise God for using me in the lives of these ladies!”

May God continue to bring Japanese to Himself and establish His church in Takamatsu!

By Linda Rudd

“In most areas, the physical rebuilding of many of the towns is still a long way off. The road to emotional recovery from the trauma of such an event will take years, if not a lifetime for most of the survivors,” Jim Nielsen, TEAM missionary, explains.

TEAM is still working in the devastated areas. While many of the survivors have their current physical needs met, the deeper emotional and spiritual needs are still unmet. So we are now concentrating on recovery and providing emotional care with those living in temporary housing. This kind of care requires relationships and trust to be built between the missionaries and the residents and that takes time.

• Has the rebuilding started or are people still in survival mode?
• What is the mood of the country?
• How are the survivors doing?
• Are people questioning their traditional beliefs as a result of the disaster?
• What has TEAM been doing?
• What is TEAM’s involvement in assisting people now?
• How is TEAM’s work making a difference?
• How can I pray?
• How can I be involved?

Stories…

1. “Remembering March 11”, by Tim Cole
2. “Help, Healing, Hope in Tohoku”, by Eileen Nielsen
3. “The Pilgrimage”, by Jim Nielsen
4. Why did God allow the tsunami?
5. TEAM Horizons magazine

Has the rebuilding started or are people still in survival mode?

“You can see some towns and neighborhoods being rebuilt, roads mended, traffic lights installed, and even new convenience stores operating,” Amy Nielsen observes. “But there are many other areas that were completely devastated by the tsunami leaving nothing but the foundations of homes and shops. The rest was completely washed away. Even now those foundations remain and so does the devastation. In a lot of ways those areas haven’t changed.”

According to many of the residents, now in temporary housing, rebuilding isn’t an option, so they now face the question, “What is the next step after the temporary housing? Where do we go?” While the immediate need is to survive, there are still a lot of unanswered questions.

What is the mood of the country?

We sense that the general Japanese public are still feeling stunned and afraid to even think about the future. Most would probably say they are trying to go about their daily lives, and simply hope that somehow things will improve, with little hope at all.

“The entire eastern sea coast of Japan, where 80% of the Japanese population lives, sits vulnerable to the effects of future possible earthquakes and tsunami,” explains Jim Nielsen. “As such, though life in those areas not struck by the March 11 disasters has returned to ‘normal’, it would be fair to say that the new normal in the minds of most Japanese includes an elevated sense of fear and anxiety in regards to the future.”

In addition to this fear of nature, there is a further sense of uncertainty due to the instability of the Fukushima nuclear reactors and the high radiation levels in parts of Japan. Japan was already battered by the economic downturn, but there is increasing anxiety over how to fund the rebuilding process and whether the nation can ever recover economically.

How are the survivors doing?

It’s barely possible for anyone who does not live in the affected areas to begin to comprehend what it would be like to not be able to go home and have everything you were familiar with literally washed away.

Jim Nielsen explains, “It’s ever present in the tsunami survivors’ minds that a significant event has occurred in their lives which is far from over. The devastation still surrounds them, with evidence of destroyed neighborhoods and towns being seen everywhere.”

“When listening to the men and women talk with each other at the temporary housing communities, you could think just for a moment that their lives have returned to normal,” Amy Nielsen reflects. “They talk about their neighbors, the city officials and local government, what they made for dinner the night before and various neighborhood issues, things that just about any person would talk about. But in a moment those discussions can quickly change to talk of earthquakes, tsunami and March 11.”

The fact of the matter is these people are by no means in what anyone would consider a ‘normal’ situation. Many of the residents who come out to the activities organized by missionaries are very energetic and happy to connect with volunteers, but many of them say that when they are at home alone, it’s hard to keep that happy spirit. Being alone, particularly when it’s dark and cold outside, is incredibly difficult emotionally. Especially for those who have lost family and close friends in the tsunami, they cannot forget their losses no matter how much time passes.

“Others have really banded together and put a lot of emphasis on community and their neighbors,” Amy observes. “For many of them, since they don’t have strong beliefs or religion to fall back on, they turn to each other and see hope for the future in each other. But for most people, the future is a big question mark, and they need to just take it a day at a time.”

Are people questioning their traditional beliefs as a result of the disaster?

Some people in the disaster areas are feeling betrayed by the gods who failed to protect them. Hundreds of local temples have been destroyed, hundreds of thousands of family god-shelves have been washed away, and local temple associations have disintegrated, thus removing many of the “visual” bonds which tied the people to Shintoism and Buddhism.

However the reality is that the area hardest hit by the earthquake and tsunami is in a rural part of Japan, with very few churches and very little penetration of the Gospel. For many, although the familiar structures have gone, the traditional Buddhist beliefs seem to be held and practiced much more so in the aftermath of the tsunami since this is all they have to default to.

Jim Nielsen shares the story of one of the temporary housing community residents. “She mentioned how she just barely escaped as the sea water came rushing into her house. But just before the water came in, she saw a bright and gleaming item out of the corner of her eye, which was a small polished bronze image of Buddha. She reached for it and put it in her bag as she ran, and she believes that’s why she was saved.”

This is just one of many accounts of how deeply many of the survivors hold to traditional Buddhist beliefs, which represent the spiritual strongholds we are up against here in Japan. We are thankful, though, for the fact that the love and mercy of God are even greater and we will continue our ministries in the hope that many Japanese people will find Christ.

What has TEAM been doing?

Over the past twelve months, together with local churches and CRASH (Christian Relief, Assistance, Support, and Hope), we have been working throughout the disaster areas providing practical support and assistance, counselling, listening ears through café ministries, and radio broadcasts. We’ve also poured much financial assistance into relief, recovery and outreach efforts.

But in the midst of providing food and clothes, heating and shelter, counselling and rebuilding, one ministry has touched lives in a remarkable way — reaching out through crafts.

“By handing out fliers that include a description of a craft that will be done that day, it has given many residents an incentive to come out,” Amy Nielsen describes. “They feel better knowing they’ll have something to do. Craft sessions provide opportunities for communities to come together, for people to meet and share their stories. They give people a chance to make something, to create things with their hands and pass the time in a loving environment.”

While the crafts are being made, the survivors talk with each other, the missionaries, and the Japanese Christian workers. It’s amazing how they tell the story of their experience on March 11 in detail as though it happened just yesterday. It has been proven that this retelling of their experience is part of the process of healing from the associated trauma.

These craft sessions are not only opportunities for one-time conversations; they form the basis for relationships. Gospel work often begins with friendship and care and this is particularly true in Japan where Christianity is barely known.

In the wake of the trauma and tragedy, this non-threatening and therapeutic ministry is showing Japanese men and women the love of God. “Such activities promote ‘next step’ activities,” Tim Cole points out, “such as family seminars, gospel concerts, Christmas gatherings, etc… which can then lead into evangelistic meetings, Bible studies, and church attendance.”

What is TEAM’s involvement in assisting people now?

The physical and emotional healing of the survivors is going to take msany years. We are here for the long haul, engaging the people, sharing their lives and Christ’s love with them in a number of ways:

• Tono, Iwate Prefecture
  Three TEAM missionaries are seeking to “bring help, healing and hope to the Tohoku region.” Jim and Eileen Nielsen have been leading the relief/recovery effort since June of last year. Their daughter and fellow TEAM missionary, Amy, joined them the following October, along with three other full-time staff members. In keeping with their base camp motto, their activities have been centered on:
  • Bringing Help: Delivering the needed physical supplies, such as blankets, winter clothing, basic food items, etc…
  • Bringing Healing: Providing the needed emotional care through running the Hope Café in the various temporary housing communities.
  • Bringing Hope: Engaging in visitation and follow-up outreach and continuing to build deeper relationships with the tsunami survivors so as to share the hope we have within us.

  

  With the handful of churches that exist in the region from the beginning their goal has been to begin laying the groundwork for a series of churches to be started. We can now see the potential of a partnership forming with another mission group and a Japanese church organization.

• Ichinoseki, Iwate Prefecture

  Two TEAM missionaries – Burton and Kathryn Sue – recently arrived in Japan and are already using their gifts in the creative arts through a relief/recovery base in this city. Creative arts have been proven to provide positive distractions for people suffering from post-traumatic syndrome from such disasters. Burton is developing art classes at various locations and is currently looking at entering some elementary schools. Kathryn is using dance to bring women together to fellowship, pray, and learn hula to Christian songs at various locations.

• Tokyo

  Four TEAM missionaries – Paul Nethercott, Roberta Peabody, Joshua Brenner and Christina Jones – are serving at the headquarters of CRASH (Christian Relief, Assistance, Support, and Hope), a relief agency associated with TEAM, in the areas of media, recruitment, placement and IT.

• Others

  A number of other TEAM missionaries in various ministries around Japan are making regular trips to the disaster stricken areas to help in the emotional recovery process. They are taking all opportunities possible to plant seeds in order to share God’s love through crafts, counselling, practical support, literature distribution, and radio broadcasts.

How is TEAM’s work making a difference?

Jim, Eileen and Amy Nielsen’s continual presence in the prefecture of Iwate is making an impact on that area. In visiting the same temporary housing units and meeting the same people, some very important questions from the residents are being raised. One of the most significant questions asked is: “How is it that almost a year has passed and you are still here to help us?”

Many Japanese are surprised by the commitment and love shown by local and foreign Christians. “This has allowed missionaries to share how God has called us to this place for this time and how it’s through His strength and grace that we are still there,” Amy explains. “The residents are intrigued, and many are open to listening as missionaries begin to share the gospel.”

In another area, we have been assisting the efforts of a local pastor. “Offering craft activities and other practical support has helped build his credibility in the area,” Tim Cole observes, “and this gives him and his team of believers an open door to all temporary housing and community events. As he serves in this community, several people have become Christians, and local landowners have asked him to establish a Christian center in their midst.”

How can I pray?

“It must be kept in mind that this is a long term operation, the real results of which we will probably not know for another decade,” explains Jim Nielsen. “We need continued prayers and support for these efforts even though the disaster ceases to be in the news.”

Please pray for:

• more workers to serve in devastated areas.
• survivors’ hearts to be opened to hear the Gospel.
• increased opportunities to share God in relevant ways.
• unity and love among churches and Christian groups as they work together.
• many new churches to be planted.
• strength and renewal for local Christians and missionaries – the work is often exhausting and traumatic.
• the continued development of relationships through craft and other creative ministries.

How can I be involved?

Pray

• See the points above to use as fuel for prayer.

Give

• Funds are needed to see churches established and workers living expenses covered. Click here and select “Japan Earthquake” to make your contribution towards the building of God’s kingdom in the disaster areas.
• Materials and supplies are needed for crafts and other activities. Contact us at office@teamjapan.org and we’ll put you in contact with a missionary on the front-line who can send you a list of specific items that will be useful.

Serve

• We need committed believers of Christ who can speak Japanese to come and listen to the survivors and be ready to communicate God’s love in word, action and deed.
• We also need people willing to dedicate their lives long-term to the people of Japan, being trained in missions, the Japanese language and culture, and then go out to use their gifts to see God’s church grow. Click here for more information.

“Remembering March 11”, by Tim Cole

On March 11, I was in the one place I always said I didn’t want to be when “the Big One” hit – downtown Tokyo! Having been born in Ishinomaki, Miyagi prefecture, and spending my early years there, it was a shock to hear that the earthquake was centered in that area. Then I was even more shocked to see images of the tsunami rolling in and devastating the towns and villages I had known from my childhood.

Apart from the fact that we were personally caught totally unprepared for such a catastrophe (hardly any gas in any of our vehicles, and few food supplies in the house), I was also overwhelmed by the scale of the disaster, and a feeling of not knowing even where to start, or to try to help.

The final death toll has been around 20,000 people, including those still missing. Nevertheless, in the sparsely populated Tohoku area, almost every family has experienced some loss, and 500 kilometers (311 miles) of devastated coastline may require as long as a decade to recover.

Providentially, Jonathan Wilson was quick to boldly call Christians to join together to coordinate relief efforts in what we know as CRASH Japan. What a blessing to see how God equips His people for various situations, including many TEAM missionaries who stepped into leadership roles within CRASH. I was quickly assigned to handle the receiving and sending of relief supplies, and before we had even hung out our “shingle”, supplies began pouring in.

I can’t even describe the frenzy of those days, as countless relief organizations, churches, and individuals from all over the world were phoning, emailing, showing up unannounced, and generously providing relief. Shipments from overseas were arriving (daily it seemed) at the port or the airport, and we were scrambling to stay on top of it all. I remember one day when two individuals walked in unannounced and plunked down a combined ¥3,000,000 (US $40,000) to buy food for the people in Tohoku. We filled a four-ton truck with Costco food using those gifts, and sent them to a Domei church in Fukushima.

On another occasion, an organization sent seven containers of supplies from Germany which met urgent needs up north at the last minute. Although it all created incredible stress, I am amazed at how God always worked it out in the end. I still have over 100 unopened emails from those days, as a reminder of the fever pitch at which we worked for three months. The thought that kept us going was, “Every day its life and death for the dear folks in the Tohoku. How can we do any less?”

Now, we rejoice as we see the “first fruits” of that heavy labor – church plants springing up in Kamaishi, Kesenuma, Minami Sanriku, Ishinomaki, and elsewhere; ongoing evangelism through quilting classes, craft classes, counseling, radio broadcasts, literature distribution, and more; people who are turning to God. Mrs. Abe, who lost her daughter, trusted in Christ and now leads a quilting class in Ishinomaki. Mr. Saijyo said, “I’m done with the gods of this land. For the rest of my life I’m looking to Jesus Christ,” and has donated property on which to build a church, and many others.

This experience has also been a study in human nature. We’ve seen how vital human bonds and relationships are to the emotional well-being of the disaster survivors. We’ve also seen that those who really thrive are the ones who’ve chosen to find ways to serve others. Mrs. Nagai, formerly a successful jewelry shop owner, lost everything in the tsunami. Now her purpose in life is to make sure not one person dies of loneliness in her community – a goal she says gives her far greater satisfaction than making money.

But ultimately, we’ve been reminded afresh that lasting hope can only come through knowing our Lord Jesus Christ.

I’m reminded that we truly have a God who does far more than we can ever ask or think. He is calling forth a people for His name from this land before our eyes. Yes, there is confusion, ineptness, conflicts, territoriality, and a host of other problems. But then a disaster of these proportions is bound to be messy. This past year stands out as one of my most exciting years of ministry, and one which will define my perspective for many years into the future.

“Help, Healing, Hope in Tohoku”, by Eileen Nielsen

In our Tohoku base camp, there is a sign with these words, “Help, Healing, Hope.” It hangs in our main meeting room and it is these three words that have defined our time in relief work.

The “help” stage has been seemingly completed. In many ways, this stage was relatively simple. Reach as many people as possible with as much physical aid as possible was our mantra for the first 6 months. Many gaps remain, but with so many survivors settled in temporary housing, finding jobs, and their lives returning to a “new” normal, most find they must be content with the way things are for the present. Though for those in temporary housing, the 2-year limit looms large. The future is uncertain for many survivors.

It is difficult to leave this first stage without mentioning the many “heroes” that were involved. From those who had the gruesome job of looking for bodies, to the volunteers who found themselves covered with rotten fish as they removed layer after layer of debris. From the mission and relief organizations who worked 24/7 during the first couple months receiving, organizing and distributing aid, to all the behind the scenes’ people who kept base camps and volunteer centers up and running. They never lost hope, even in the face of the 500 kilometers of clean up along the Tohoku coastal area.

The next stage of “healing” is well under way. This stage has proved challenging just by definition. What does “healing” look like? Seasoned missionaries long to share the gospel, and allow God to bring healing in ways only He can. But this is jumping way ahead of where most survivors are.

For those working in Tohoku, being part of the healing takes a different form. Jesus said “if you share a cup of water with the least of these…” (Matt.10:42). In this case, it looks more like a cup of coffee, a listening ear, making crafts, singing a favorite “enka” song, delivering blankets, and a myriad of activities. In other words, entering the survivor’s world and going through this time with them.

One survivor said with tears, “Thanks for not forgetting us.” The change has come slowly, but communities are rebuilding. We have started to hear more and more from survivors, “I think we are getting better.” At a recent café, a woman wistfully lifted a cracker and said, “My first meal after the tsunami was one of these rice crackers.” With a slight smile and teary eyes, another shared how delicious the first rice ball tasted that she ate on the third day after the tsunami. Another told how the first few nights, she slept under newspapers, blankets being in short supply. The stories are beginning to sound more nostalgic than tragic. The healing continues but is much slower for those who still have missing relatives. One survivor shared, “I still have my wife and kids, and I’m thankful, but I can’t forget my aunt who was washed out to sea.”

The role Christians have played at this stage is invaluable. At a meeting recently, it was hard not to notice that most of the volunteer groups were gone. Out of the seven groups represented, six were Christian groups. Christians are staying, being faithful to their Master’s call of continuing to give that cup of cold water. The government representative expressed his appreciation over and over, saying he knew he could depend on us to stay and help.

Even though “hope” is the final stage, hope has infused each step of our journey here in Tohoku. When a local church member, skilled in calligraphy, asked if he could design a sign for the mobile café, he wondered if we wanted to include a Bible verse. It only took a few moments to decide that the Japanese characters for “faith, hope and love” should adorn our sign. According to the Bible, the greatest of these is love. But actually hope is the characteristic that has gotten us through all the tough times.

How can one look in the face of the truly broken hearted, and promise better things without hope? How can we make sense of this tragedy without hope? The Christian lives daily in anticipation of the “hope of glory”.

This is the difficult part of being part of this work as a Christian. Hope is carrying us through the tough times. But whether or not the Japanese embrace this hope as their own is yet to be seen. We pray and work for this daily. One volunteer told us that he felt carried by the prayers of believers all around the world during his time in Tohoku. Those of us here for the longer haul feel the same.

“The Pilgrimage”, by Jim Nielsen

“Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.”

Looking back over the past year, the Lord has taken us on an incredible journey into the northern most prefecture devastated by the earthquake and tsunami of March 11. We have been led to a work which has kept us depending on Him daily for the needed wisdom and strength to reach out to the thousands of survivors in the Kamaishi and Otsuchi areas of Iwate Prefecture.

This journey currently has us focused on bringing the needed emotional and spiritual care to residents of temporary housing communities. We are visiting 40 of the 60 temporary housing communities in the Kamaishi area and 15 of the 50 temporary housing communities in the greater Otsuchi area on a regular basis.

Needless to say, this work would not be possible without an adequate staff and we are thankful to the Lord for bringing to us just the right group of young people to serve since last September. What a joy it is to be able to serve with this group in deploying the volunteers sent to us in order to bring a Christian witness to the residents of the temporary housing through our Hope Café and supply distribution outreaches.

“As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools.”

The reference to “the valley of Baca” in the above verse is not to a specific place but rather a reference either to a place of weeping or a valley of desolation. Both apply to the areas the Lord has us reaching out to, as the town of Otsuchi suffered the greatest number of fatalities of any of the coastal towns. And the city of Kamaishi, which is located in a valley, suffered tremendous destruction to its downtown business district.

The Hope Café is a place of gathering for the residents of the temporary housing communities where free coffee and snacks are served. It is also a place where individuals can talk to caring people and get a taste of the love of Christ. And now group activities are beginning to happen where the residents can find a new sense of community as so many have lost family, friends and some, their entire communities.

As this coastal area of Iwate Prefecture has few evangelical churches and most of the residents have never heard the gospel even once, it will most likely take some time yet before we will see genuine interest in the gospel emerge. We are expectantly waiting to see how the Lord is going to continue to open doors and hearts in the days ahead.

Yesterday our 12 year old had his final wrestling meet of the season, his first ever season. It has rushed past very quickly. I cannot allow this to pass without just a few comments.

By Linda Rudd

This year, as the kids came through the church, they read the story of Noah’s Ark and answered questions before we gave them their goodie bags. Reading the story took a little time and we actually had a huge line outside of the church of kids waiting to come in!!! Each goodie bag included candy and information on the church as well as a Noah’s Ark tract, Noah’s Ark stickers and stamps for the younger ones and a Campus Crusade for Christ manga verision of the 4 Spiritual Laws and Noah’s Ark pencils for the older ones, and a tract about the earthquake/tsunami for the adults.

All in all, we had 900 kids and approximately 400 parents participate.

Our church is also located near the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies and we have several undergraduates and foreign graduate students who come to our church. This year, along with 3 of our regular Korean students helping we had 6 Chinese graduate students come to help – it was their first time in church! After the outreach, we had dinner together and I explained the origins of Halloween and gave a brief gospel presentation.

Praise God for this unique opportunity and pray that the seeds that were sown will bring forth fruit!

By Karyn Zaayenga

Mr. Tsuchiya lived about a 10 minute walk from our house, and despite numerous health issues and pain in his back and legs, he often wanted to walk rather than receive a ride. As our relationship strengthened, however, he was more receptive to receiving rides. He started attending Sunday worship faithfully as well. The work of the Holy Spirit drawing him towards God was very evident, because after a few months of study, it became clear that he accepted the words of the Bible as Truth. In January of this year, he made it clear that he was trusting in Jesus for his salvation and asked to be baptized. Interestingly, his request included his desire to be baptized somewhere near Mt. Fuji. Well, that request was impossible to fulfill, but, on June 19th, we did our best and prepared a slide of Mt. Fuji that we displayed on the wall behind the baptistry during his baptismal service. Mr. Tsuchiya shared his testimony before his baptism.

Finding the Lord as his constant companion brought so much joy and peace into his life. Five short months later, Nov. 2011, Mr.Tsuchiya past away. He now enjoys worshipping his new Savior and Lord, face-to-face.

It is rare that a Japanese person moves from no knowledge of Christianity or the Bible to complete belief in less than two years and yet, in Mr. Tsuchiya’s case, the soil of his heart was prepared and the seed was able to fall on fertile ground, take root and grow up into a strong faith. We praise God that He led us into a relationship with Mr. Tsuchiya and each day we pray that God will lead us to others whose hearts are soft and ready to receive words of truth. Pray for the many Japanese for whom it will take much longer for the seeds to grow and take root, but ARE in the process of learning more and seeking to know God. Pray that we will be faithful in teaching the word of God, in season and out…

By Murray & Kathy Trim

This September a young woman came to the café at the recommendation of a fellow TEAM missionary. She enjoyed her café experience and began talking with our staff member, Midori and co-worker, Kelly. It became clear that she was very interested in Christianity and was trying to read and understand the Bible by herself. Kelly invited her to church and she has been attending ever since. A month later another team member, Sarah, met with her to chat and study the Bible. She explained how she had become interested in finding a deeper meaning in life and became curious about a church she saw from the train as she travelled to work. When she saw the billboard for the church she could not understand all the biblical words easily and so she felt she could not go inside. She mentioned a Japanese phrase ‘the entrance was too high to enter’ referring to a perceived barrier to entering into a group or place. She told us how easy it was for her to come to SonRise Church after having been a customer at the café and feeling comfortable and accepted there. We felt so encouraged to hear this!
Sometimes the day to day challenges of running a business get us bogged down, but it is so exciting to see how God is able to use our efforts, no matter how inadequate we feel! There are others, too, who have attended church recently after having been customers in the café.

God is using Café Evangelism here in Tokyo!

By Owen Ames

The economy is reeling. Uncounted businesses have failed due to factories and workers being washed away. With the damaged reactors out of service, inadequate power supplies have led to rolling blackouts. Unstable power is driving even more companies out of the area, and even out of Japan, attempting to stay solvent.

Not just in the disaster area, but all over the country, Japanese are asking what does life mean? Can it have any value if it can all be swept away so easily? What was the point to all the hard work those 20,000 victims spent, building up their lives and families? What is the point of striving to improve our own families and lives even now, if life is that fragile and nature that capricious?

But even in this valley of the shadow of death, God is with us and is working among the Japanese. The disaster struck the area known as ” the Tohoku” — Japan’s least churched area. While the churches are few and far between, (and a few haven’t survived due to the disaster), they have been very active in the relief work. Of course the government and agencies such as the Red Cross have handled the primary relief efforts. But as Christians and Christian organizations from around the world have sent gifts to aid the Japanese, it is the pastors and local believers that have been Jesus’ hands and feet on the ground.

At this point, the emphasis is rightly on the immediate food, clothing and shelter needs of the people rather than evangelism. And yet, the people can see who is helping them and loving them. Church attendance is way up, there are people being saved and baptized, mission groups are planning new projects to plant churches in the Tohoku, and more.

BJapan, Japan’s only 24/7 Christian radio is reaching out into the Tohoku area. The USEN satellite and cable radio company that we broadcast on placed tuners in the evacuation centers — making BJapan’s “Friendship Radio” programming, as well as USEN’s other channels, available to the hundreds of thousands of evacuees who had lost everything and were living in school gyms, civic halls, etc., etc.

We were able to produce a program series based on the Book of Job, that was well received. A listener wrote, “This is the first time I’ve contacted you. I’m not a Christian, but listen to this channel on USEN sometimes. Through the earthquake and tsunami disaster, I’ve seen such horrible things that I just can’t calm down – my heart is full of unrest. And yet, strangely, when I listen to the pastor on this broadcast, several times I could feel a sense of calmness return for a while. What you said in the message today — that God did not create anyone just so that they could live as they please — really made an impression on me.”

Another gentleman wrote, “This is my first time to contact you. How do you do? Here in the disaster zone, faster than even the phones, the fastest service to be restored was USEN’s broadcast. The TV was down, so radio was the only diversion available. I was so grateful for the music that was aired each day. The music coming from your station was really full of comfort. I can’t say I understood much of the various pastors’ messages, but the talk that spoke of the love of God that draws men close, struck a note with me. Compared to other victims, I’m not in too bad of shape, but there are many tough times ahead of us that will have to be overcome. Please don’t forget us here in the disaster area.”

The Japanese religious world view is such at odds with Christianity that at first the gospel and the scriptures make very little sense. But praise God with us that He is using the broadcast in people’s lives.

By Tim Selander

All TEAM Japan personnel are safe. Further updates will be posted on TEAM’s website: www.teamworld.org

Please pray for those that are suffering as a result of this disaster. Also please pray for the church in Japan as believers there seek to minister to others and aid in the relief efforts.

If you would like to give toward those relief efforts, TEAM has established a Japan Earthquake Relief fund. Through our extensive network of relationships in Japan, TEAM will make wise use of these funds as priorities become clearer.

On the other hand…air a daily 90 second radio spot with a family life hint.  rent large halls in cities where the program airs.  invite radio listeners to a lecture on parenting by the radio host.  The result?  Over 1,200 attendees in eight different cities listen intently to biblical principles of parenting.  Some begin attending local churches, some buy Christian literature, and others invite the host to speak in their schools and communities, further multiplying the impact.

This is just one of the doors that family issues open in Japan.  Other doors open when local churches invite Family Forum Japan (FFJ) staff members to present seminars on parenting, marriage, and sexual morality and invite the community in.  Still other doors are opened by the message of sexual abstinence which is beginning to be welcomed in some secondary schools and colleges.

Please pray for the 11 full time, part time, volunteer, and missionary workers of Family Forum Japan (a ministry of TEAM) as they use family issues and sex education as a “wedge” to open doors to the Gospel in Japan.

Family Forum Japan