Lifted Vision Ministry

Hello everyone! Thanks so much for keeping up with what God is doing in Osaka and the neighboring places of Nara and Kobe! I’d like to give you a “mid-term” update of what I’ve been doing and how God has been moving in Japan! This mission trip is now halfway through. 2 more weeks left! Here we go!

1. I have bibles that I have been distributing! Along with bibles, I have also been giving food to the homeless! I’ve been blessed to be able to distribute food at a local church and I’ve also been making my own “care bags” and distributing them to the homeless that God puts in my path. I pray for God to guide me in which foods to buy at the grocery store, then I pray that He will put the person in my path that needs the meal. God has certainly been delivering! Each bag I’m handing out includes a meal, a bottle of water, a Bible in Japanese and an origami fish with scripture on it! I’ve also included other necessities that the Lord puts on my heart (a hand towel etc.). In each Bible I’ve tucked in a tag with the salvation verse of Romans 10:9 in it as a book mark. I’ve distributed many meals and each person that has received a meal has also received a Bible! They have been very touched by this! I let them know that Jesus’ loves them and He did this for them. Amen!!

2. An update on going to the Red Light District and distributing the tracks I have made for the sex workers there. After going to the Red Light District with a group from church, it was obvious that our presence was not welcome there at all. Not only was this vocalized to us (women screaming “get out, leave now”) but an “obaasan” (the “mother” of the house that sells the girls) almost started a physical altercation with me. I was advised my the pastor of our group that I cannot and should not go back to that area alone. Since it is more dangerous in the Red light district area that I could have ever anticipated and my presence was detected and unwanted, I am unfortunately not going to be able to distribute the tracks that I had made for the women there during this trip. It is near impossible to get close enough to the girls to talk to them. I have to see if there is a way that this can be done for a future trip. I believe this aspect of the mission will take more time to develop to make sure that safety is a priority while also helping the women enslaved. I believe I will need a team to work with me for this type of mission work. Please pray that God will send fellow laborers and that I am able to assemble a team to come back to Japan when I get home!

3. Besides doing street ministry and passing out food by myself, I’ve also partnered with local churches and have been volunteering myself to their services. I’ve shared my testimony 5 times to various congregations including Sunday service and youth groups. I also ministered to and taught young girls ages 12-14 about the gospel! Through these experiences I’ve been to 5 different churches and have met many kind and loving Christian people. Everyone has treated me like family. It’s been truly touching to me how God has put so many amazing people in my life to help me and care for me during this mission trip. I’ve also been witnessing how the Japanese have service and worship and it’s actually very similar to how we do in America! They love God with all of their hearts! It’s amazing to see God working in their lives and making all the difference for them!

Overall, I’ve had to change some of my tactics for distributing food and doing ministry in the Red Light District, due to the fact that this area is more dangerous than I previously thought. As a single foreigner woman, I stand out very much; especially since this area is mostly populated with men. These homeless men are the largest population here and they are also very drunk at all hours of the day. My Pastor here advised that I do not do any ministry out here by myself- such as talking to the men and passing out food. I have respected his advice and I am not going into the “very” dangerous areas by myself. However, I’ve been able to walk the outskirts of the dangerous area and still been able to pass out food. God has blessed me with the utmost safety and I have always felt safe thus far. May God continue to guide me and help me do my best to bring His Kingdom to the people of Japan!

Thank you!