Full Prayer letter below↓
Rosie and I sat down and recorded a video update about what has been going on. You can watch it here (6 mins): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNgmUiDVB-c
Praises:
- Apartment found for mom
- Spring Recon team coming
- Growing ministry partnerships
- Neighborhood hospitality opportunities
Prayer Requests:
- Right church location
- Continued financial provision
- Wisdom in relationships
- Fruit from Recon Trips
“In a previous life, I was married to a soldier. I took care of him…that’s what my fortune teller told me.” Her confession drew no laughter. This was a respectful going away party at my mother’s home. In the course of our conversation, I had mentioned being in Atlanta. This woman smiled and said she knew the city from Gone with the Wind. In an instant, she drew a connection between Atlanta and her “past life” as a “soldier’s wife”.
Her sincerity left me speechless. In pursuit of spiritual answers, her perception of life had been shaped by a fortune teller. I was once again reminded of Japan’s spiritual need. People long for answers but most have not heard that Christ has the answers!
In the recent weeks, we have found an apartment for my mother to move into. We rejoice that God has provided her a place that is an 8-minute walk away and are planning to finalize the move at the end of March. At the same time, our hearts remain heavy because of those that still don’t know Christ in their previous town.
We are still searching for a downtown location for the church plant. Please pray for God to provide the right place to serve as a long-term tool for Gospel ministry here in Nagoya. In the meantime, we are preparing for the 8 participants coming on our spring Recon Trip and screening several applicants for our summer trip in May.
The Lord is also answering your prayers for our financial support. though we are not yet fully where we need to be, several donors have reached out about partnering with us in recent weeks. Please continue to pray for our support level.
For now, we continue to focus on people and relationships. Rosie is meeting with several ladies throughout the week for Bible studies. We have had a couple of neighborhood families in our home to develop deeper relationships. I have been pursuing new relationships through a local PTA volleyball team and an early morning running group. Relational work seems slow at times but is a necessary key here in Japan to digging deeper and getting to Gospel conversations. Thank you for praying with us as we seek to faithfully sow seeds and trust Him for the harvest.
Yours for Japan,
The Miyashita Family
Click here for a printable version of this prayer letter.
Ezra’s 4th Birthday
Enjoying having Grandma Close