May 12, 2006
Alliance workers Ken and Kathy Young have been assisting a house church in the Saijo section of Higashi Hiroshima, Japan. “Since the members meet in a private home, our help has been limited to occasionally leading Bible studies and preaching periodically on Sunday,” the Youngs said. The group has existed as a house church for several years, but according to Rev. Komiyama (pastor of the mother church) and Mr. Miyakoshi (leader of the house church), “it has hit a wall. As with all house churches, there is only so much that can be done while meeting in a home,” said Ken Young.
The mother church and the Saijo group are building a small facility in Higashi Hiroshima that will be known as The Retreat House. “Rev. Komiyama has given us the green light to begin any weekday ministries we wish, starting in June,” Young said. The retreat center will be just down the street from the Higashi Hiroshima Medical Center and Nursing College, where the Youngs and their colleagues have a desire to begin various kinds of ministries. “God’s leading is amazing. Please pray for us,” Young added. “We need wisdom from the Lord and His vision for this ministry.”