March 5, 2010
By Ken and Kathy Young, serving in Japan
Recently while shopping, Kathy was asked a common question by a friendly Japanese person: “Where are you from?” She automatically responded, “Higashi, Hiroshima.” With a puzzled look on his face, he then asked, “I mean, are you from America or Germany or someplace like that?”
A Heavenly Invitation
As you can see, after being missionaries in Japan for more than 31 years, the question “Where are you from?” becomes a bit complicated.
“Japan” is based on the French word for “Nippon”—the land of the rising sun. That is where we are from, for now, anyway. But our real citizenship is in heaven. That is our real address—our permanent home. Yes, we live in Japan now but for only one purpose: to invite Japanese people to also become heavenly citizens through the Lord Jesus Christ.
A Time of New Beginnings
In Japan, March and April are a time for many changes. It is the end of the work and school year and the beginning of a new one. We have two students graduating from seminary and going into ministry. But we also have two new students coming into the school in April.
Our direct mentoring of two new pastors is ending, but a healing and mentoring ministry is beginning in two churches, Kure and Yakeyama. Our evangelistic outreach in the Kurose, Yasuura, Saijo, and Daiwa Bible studies continues; but other, new opportunities like those might begin elsewhere. And Hope House ministries (helping families of hospital patients) will take a new and, we hope, more generally effective format beginning in April.
Please pray with us for the millions of Japanese in western Japan who have never once heard the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ. Pray for the 99 percent of Japanese who are not yet citizens of heaven.
Learn More
Check out our Alliance work in Japan.
What You Can Do
Impact your world: Give to Alliance Great Commission Ministries to ensure that dedicated workers like the Youngs can remain on the field introducing lost people to Jesus.