Hello friends and family of the faith, dear brothers and sisters, and to everyone who is reading these words right now! I have great news: I’ve made the long voyage back to Japan safely and by the grace of God! Since being back I have truly hit the ground running and with sheer excitement for the future, I am writing this to you today! Recently I came to America for a home ministry assignment with deputation and it was truly was a God-given success! After meeting with new partners, sponsoring churches and organizations, I am back in Japan working hard to bring God’s vision here with a new fire!!! Here are some of the mission activities I’ve been working on since I’ve been back to Japan! Please read, be encouraged and look forward to much more to come!
Home Church: Home Church Services are happening in Nishinari from 3pm-6pm, daily (sometimes twice a day)! A fellow laborer and I are going out into the slum where we minister in and are inviting the homeless people who reside there to the home church. Once there, we talk over the scriptures with them, answer any questions about the Bible that they may have, pray with them and gift them with Bibles! It has been so blessed to see how the Lord is drawing in the Japanese with such searching hearts! It is all because of His mercy and love that they are being drawn to Him. God is truly calling all people unto Himself. I get the extreme privilege of getting to witness just how the Lord is moving in their lives here in Japan and it is truly such a beautiful thing to behold! God is at work! I pray that many more people would continue to come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, for the church to grow and for our team to continue to grow too!
-Romans 13:11 NIV-
“And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.”
Outreach: During outreach in Nishinari, I have been able to distribute the following provisions to the homeless: Bible gospel tracts, onigiri rice balls with seaweed, water, Bibles and small gifts. I have been able to use these small gifts, such as Jesus figurines, crosses and gifts I brought from America, as evangelism tools. I am able to use these goods to point them to Jesus and the food items and gifts have remained effectual by giving me an entry point to explain the gospel to them! I’m pleased to share that the gospel message has touched over 30 lives these past 30 days!!!! The glory belongs to the Lord alone!!
Red Light District Outreach: As you can see from the photos above, God’s grace has also been with me to go to the Red Light District and connect with some of the women trapped and exploited for sex services there. I am currently in contact with one woman from this area and plan to meet with her soon. Prayers for safety, wisdom and direction as God sends me into this dangerous place to go after the one lost sheep! They are not forgotten in Jesus’ name! Amen!
Non-profit Pending Status: I am pleased to say that Lifted Vision is now in the process of becoming a New York State Non-profit organization! I am working diligently with the state and the wonderful missionaries and pastors at They Need the Bible (seriously check them out, they do some incredible Kingdom work and are just the best people!) to achieve NPO status for Lifted Vision Ministry! Prayers surrounding the approval process is much appreciated!
(https://theyneedthebible.org/)
Japanese/Korean Home Church: I am diligently serving at my church in Japan, going on mission trips with them and being a support to the body. I also work in radio evangelism and have a Christian radio podcast that I am working hard on to reach the people of Japan and Korea! Please pray that I can be effectual for Christ as I work on these projects as well!
(https://dsm-japan.com/radio_joy/)
Fellow-Laborer Visited, Lifted Vision Video: The Lord sent a Christian fellow laborer of the faith from New York, to visit Japan and assist the ministry for 2 days! It was such a blessed time and I am so grateful for the immense help he gave during our outreach, for his service and aid to the mission, and for spending time in with those here in Nishinari. We are actually making a video to display Lifted Vision Ministry, so please look forward to that coming soon!
(https://www.tienchifu.com)
Health Update: I am still being treated for a bad infection, potentially from eating contaminated food here. My body is seemingly having a hard time recovering, so I really appreciate your prayers concerning this!
-Romans 10:15 NKJV-
“And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
Who bring glad tidings of good things!”
Testimony: During a day of outreach in Nishinari, I noticed a man in an unnatural position, laying in the hot sun on the dirty ground of the homeless park. The Lord highlighted this man to me (as we were on our way back to the home church) and I knew immediately that something was wrong. I paused our plans, and on an unction from the Holy Spirit stopped everything, ran over to this man, and asked him if he was alright, to which he replied in a very faint and hoarse voice, “no. I can’t move.” From there, we moved into overdrive and after I called over my team, we lunged into action, getting him off the ground and upright. Quickly, we made a make-shift chair from the surrounding garbage on the ground, looking for anything that we could use. The chair we made was literally the bottom of a broken chair and as a back board, we used a white, kitchen cutting board (one like you may have in your kitchen at home!) which I held in place (Praise the Lord for what He provided!). After being able to get him sitting up, we let the man gather himself and sat with the man and kept him company, trying to make him laugh, giving him water and praying over his body after we called an ambulance for him. We gave him some food to take with him and I washed his hands and provided what simple first aid treatment I could by treating the cuts and scrapes he had on his arms and hands. His leg may or may not have been broken, and it was definitely badly swollen so we got him medical attention as soon as possible. This man was not intoxicated, and apparently had fainted while he was on his bike due to to the extreme heat, as he is in his late 60’s or early 70’s. The paramedics came a while later and they took him away safely to the hospital. I will provide an update about him later as I expect the Lord will allow us to cross paths again! It felt very much like the situation of the parable of the good samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) where we found someone on the road, badly beaten up and left for dead. The even more shocking part is that there were so many people around this man and in close proximity to him that either just didn’t notice him or chose to ignore him; so I know, had not the Lord intervened, that that man would have waited until the sun went down and not received any help- or worse. I’m so glad we were able to help him, bind up his wounds, set him on a donkey (so to speak), provide him with food and water, get him medical attention and get him to safety. But more than that, I’m grateful that the love of God touched His life, that he accepted our prayers for him and that we were able to share the gospel message with him not only in word but also in action. I pray for his salvation, and would you pray with me too? God is sowing so many seeds here, Glory be unto Him!
-Psalm 147: 3-5 NIV-
“He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
He determines the number of the stars
and calls them each by name.
Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
his understanding has no limit.”
Transitioning back into life in Japan has been challenging and rewarding all at the same time! I covet your prayers for this mission and want to thank each and everyone of you for all of your sacrificial support, love, resources and attention to the least of these here in Japan! Thank you for being the biggest part of building the Kingdom in Nishinari, the heart beat of this ministry and thank you for reading this today! Your help is so necessary and so vital!
-Matthew 25:39-40 NKJV-
“Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’
And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
THANK YOU and BE BLESSED!
Lifted Vision Ministry 