Thoughts

Today was windy and cold, whipping my hair into thick strands around my face so that I could hardly see where I was going. I got on the bus home from the university and tried to comb my fingers through my hair, but to no avail. The bus was crowded (as it always is in the evening), so I stood and watched the big, billowy clouds I love so much blow in over the snow-capped mountains. I saw the sun go down and the clouds turn a stark, deep purple against the pale blue western sky, the horizon layered with thick, dark blue.

I imagine Jesus would return on just such a day, in just such clouds. No blue sky for Him. No, He would thunder through the sky, splitting those blood-purple clouds with razor-sharp spears of white light, like heavy curtains pulling back from the glowing star on stage (as everyone hushes in delight).

But He chose not to come then, so I thought about prayers and answers and Japan instead.

Two situations: One better than I hoped, one not as good as I hoped.

The better: I met with Yuriko yesterday after months of not seeing her (an a little trepidation because of the way she reacted last time), and from the moment we met it was a blast. She came carrying a bag loaded with little presents for me, and we over the street in a nearby coffee shop, drinking coffee, laughing, looking at photos and making jokes. We talked non-stop for FOUR HOURS STRAIGHT, and when she walked me to the subway station, she said, "I want to meet you again! When can I come over!"

How's that for answered prayer?

The not as good: I showed up at the local university for English club, nervous and carrying a bag with photos, Brazilian cookies and my stuffed Veggie Tales "Bob the Tomato." (He speaks English!) To my disappointment (and the director's), only TWO students showed up - one of them being a 55-year-old non-traditional student. A far cry from the rowdy group of teenage girls I met with last year! The 19-year-old student said she might not be coming back if she gets a job during those hours.

Hmmm...

The upside, if there was one, was that the 55-year-old loved the class and said she was going to get all her classmates to come next week. Good idea.

Better idea: I'd love for God to multiply those students like the loaves and the fishes so that, at the end of the year, Mr. Takeuchi can say in puzzlement, "Where did all ESS members come from?"

"Well," I could say, "my friends and I prayed. God does stuff like that."

Nice thought. Maybe God will answer like that. Maybe I'll make all kinds of contacts through the ESS club.

Or maybe He'll surprise me and come in the middle of the day, broad blue sky, not a cloud in sight.

We'll see.

Either way, I'm pleased to know that "(He) can do all things. No plan of (His) can be thwarted." (Thus says Job).

I agree.

Will you pray?


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Prayers

I didn't get to finish my list yesterday, so here are some more things to pray for:

* Mrs. Saito - Mrs. Saito is a relatively new Japanese Christian, in her 40s or 50s, who comes over every Thursday morning to study the Bible for an hour. Her husband is not a Christian, and her two grown children are living in the U.S. She experiences intense pressure from her non-Christian family and friends and is often depressed. Please pray that God will overcome our language barrier and show her the joy and strength she has in Him!

* Bible class - each Tuesday morning (starting next week) I will be going to a Christian-founded women's university to help lead discussion groups in English Bible class. Most of the faculty and students are NOT Christians, and one of the best things the discussion group does is provide a starter for building relationships among the girls. Pray for God to build many relationships as Heidi and I meet the new students and share His Word! (I've also been invited to speak in chapel on May 10, so please pray for God to give a message for the few girls who will attend!)

* Our apartment - I haven't had any luck meeting neighbors here until this past week! Two middle school girls, (Alisa and Kanako) both 13, followed me from the lobby up to the apartment and stayed two hours, eating ice cream and practicing their English. Then the next day the high school girl who lives next door chased me (literally!) down the sidewalk as I went to catch a bus. "I want to study English!" she said. "When can I come over?" So Tuesday Kaori came over to eat tacos for dinner, and we decided to practice English every two weeks. Until now we have had NO contact with our neighbors in 207, while the father in 209 has made a decision for Christ and goes to the Cookseys' house church every week. Please pray for God to draw them to us (even if they don't know why) so they can hear and respond to the good news we have! Pray for me to be able to spend more time with these young girls (I LOVE young people!)

* Heidi's parents - Heidi's parents and older brother Don are coming to visit from Montana for two weeks. They are not believers, and I ask you to pray that seeing Heidi's work here will show them the truth about God. Pray that "they eyes of their hearts will be opened" (Ephesians 1) and that they will have a great time together as a family.

* IMB - Matt Jones, photographer for the International Mission Board, is coming to shoot the third part of the journeyman series for The Commission magazine April 29-May 8. He will be taking photos of my work and ministry here for one week to complete the series (see. Please pray for safe travel and good photo ops for Matt as my work here is not very flashy or drawing big crowds. Pray that GOD WILL USE these stories to draw people to Himself, that others will not be afraid to answer His call, and that the non-Christians here will somehow be touched by Matt's presence.

* Possible English class - Last week I met four friends of a missionary for another denomination - all happy, energetic seniors who love to study English. One is a Christian, and all four have been studying English through Barb, my missionary friend, who just returned to the U.S. The four want to continue to study English so much that they are willing to meet in my apartment (a long way by car), on my schedule, and study the Bible (which they have NOT done so far!) Please pray that this English club will unfold according to God's will and that others in our apartment will be interested in joining - answering yet another prayer. Thank God for His mysterious ways of doing things!

* Writing projects - I desperately need your prayers for several writing projects I'm working on, as well as ongoing advocacy for the Heartlanders team (which requires of a lot deadline work that I'm not good at). I'm working on a Heartlanders' newsletter (struggling with layout in Word), putting together photos for a team calendar, preparing for next year's prayer calendar, and trying to start writing a team video script (the hardest for me) as well as tracts for use with young women in Japan. Help! I need your prayers! I need God's words! I need His creativity! I need His timing!

There are more, but I think I've given you enough for now. Oh, one more VERY important one:

* Young people - Part of the reason I came to Japan was because I love Japanese college students and young people, and up to this point I have had surprisingly little contact with them. As I've been talking and praying through this, I got a vision of bringing together my contacts scattered all over the city (different college students, church people, girls in the apartment) for one big young people's get-together on a regular basis where Christians and non-Christians come together with some non-threatening witnessing - Christian movies, testimonies, praise music). Already two young Christians have stepped up to help! The details are far from sorted out, but I NEED YOUR PRAYERS as this project begins to unfold. My dream is to start something that will be in place long after I leave and that can be replicated easily as people become BELIEVERS - starting new churches and fellowship groups. I believe change in Japan WILL come through the young people - so pray that HE WILL DRAW THEM TO HIMSELF through the witness of young believers like themselves!!!! Pray for the normal problems in ideas like this to be eliminated (fighting between denominations, cost) and for PEOPLE TO COME! Pray for us to have patience as we wait for God's spirit to touch the young people of this city!

That should keep you busy for a while! You all are wonderful! Thank you for being a part of the work!

love,
jenny