Pray for Japan!

As I described in my last blog post, I've been in love with Japan for the last seven years.  The last few months have stirred something in Ricardo and I that have us focused on Japan more than ever before.  We've read some really great blogs by Christians living there and working for the Lord.  We've watched amazing testimonies and seen a lot of powerful footage from last year's disaster.  I want to share some of it here.  Hopefully anyone reading and watching will be stirred in their heart to pray for this amazing country just as we have.



This first video is designed to teach children about the earthquake and tsunami.  It also describes for them how they can pray for the children of Japan.  I really love it and my kids do too!

This is footage that was taken right as the tsunami was approaching.  It's really hard to watch, but it gives you a very raw picture of what people were going through.

  

A powerful photo that really moved me:

The amazing thing is that so much hard work is being done to help those who were affected by the disaster.  The people working there are bringing relief in many tangible ways.  But most importantly the are sharing the love of God through Jesus Christ.  Here is a video about some of the work being done by an amazing organization, Samaritan's Purse:

I imagine many Japanese people and many people in general have wondered why God allowed such a disaster to take place.  There are no easy answers.  What I do know is that God loves Japan.  He loves the Japanese people.  Less than 1% of Japan know the love of Jesus Christ.  That makes them the second largest unreached people group in the world.  But now more than ever before the fields are ripe for a harvest that I believe has already begun there.  I really love this quote:

“Perhaps in these days there are more prayers being prayed for Japan throughout the world than at any time in the history of the world.  What purposes could God have both in this tragedy and in the active response of the Church of Jesus Christ?…May the prayers of Christians around the world be used not only to bring the comfort of Christ to Japan but also as a prayer tsunami to break the powerful dams of the hearts of the Japanese.” [Dan Iverson, Mission to the World]


Please take some time to pray alongside us for Japan and all the people who are working there for the Lord!


Here's the link to one of the best resources for all things Japan I have come across.  I found all of the things I posted here on there.  It's really incredible!

http://calledtojapan.wordpress.com/

I love Japan!

Seven years ago Ricardo and I went to Japan with a singing group from our church.  Ricardo helped with the sound while we were there and I tagged along.  I never had a desire to go there, but I was glad to be able to go with Ricardo and see a new place.  Much to my surprise I fell in love with the country.  I loved everything about it: the food, the vibe, the culture, but most of all I fell in love with the people.  We've always longed to go back.  Ricardo actually got a chance to a few years later, but by that time I had J. so he went on his own.  Maybe someday God will send us there again, hopefully for longer than the last time!  Here are a few pictures from our trip in 2005.

This was our welcome from a group of Christians affiliated with the church pastored by our host for the trip.

I loved, loved, loved Japanese food!

These school children were on a field trip and when they heard I was an American school teacher they wanted a picture.

Here's  a picture of a rehearsal for one of our concerts:

We met this amazing couple at one of our concerts and they offered to take us around Kobe the next day.  So much fun!

Ricardo and I.  We had just celebrated one year of marriage!

We took this from our hotel room of the crowds lining up for our concert in Tokyo

I pray we get to go back someday soon!  Next blog entry I plan to share some links to some really amazing/powerful videos about what God has been doing in Japan, especially in light of last year's earthquake and tsunami.