Hello, everybody! It's been a busy few weeks for the YWAM Sendai team. Faith, our newest team member has arrived finally and is settling into Japanese life. Her Dad actually came with her to see her off before flying back to Florida on the same day! The jetlag must have been atrocious... Still, that was sweet of him. It's heartwarming to see our little community grow bit by bit. Bring more and more to Sendai, Lord! Amen.
We've been having some visitors as of late! A youth group from Tokyo stopped on by to hang out and see what the haps is in Sendai. It's encouraging to see young people keep a hold of their faith, especially in a culture in which differences are looked down upon. Next, two girls from YWAM UK dropped by for a quick visit. We got to bond over Indian curry (there's a killer restaurant in our town. Seriously, if you come and visit, we're going) and chat about our respective bases. It's interesting how diverse YWAM bases can be: some stick to a daily schedule while others are more free flowing, letting the Holy Spirit guide them. Our base takes a bit of both, while having our own twists here and there!
Ezra, our awesome intern, has joined a judo college club! He was taking lessons at a local community center, but found that college clubs at Tohoku University (one of Sendai's colleges) are opening for the spring semester. You don't even have to be a student to join! There's drawing, weightlefting, martial arts, and even a go-kart club! Crazy, I know! I might even have to join a few! While we both we're visiting the campus, we tried to find a trace of some kind of bible club, but we searched high and low with no evidence of its existence. After praying for guidance, we saw Sam, a member of Grace Community church (which I've attended for a few months), zip right by us. Turns out he's the leader of the Tohoku University Bible Reading club! Praise God! I plan on joining this club and help share the Holy Scripture to the students who are in great need to hear it. For they are the future and the heart of Japan and true change begins with open ears and open hearts of the upcoming generations.
As of late, I've been researching the history of Sendai and its founder, Date Masamune, and I've found some interesting tidbits that resounds very much to the culture of Sendai and potentially all of Japan. Back in 1613, Date Masamune became very interested in Christianity, seeing some of the visiting Spaniards who would arrive by ship from time to time, and wished to have missionaries come to his region of Tōhoku to share their faith. So he wrote a letter expressing his request for missionaries to Pope John V in Rome, sending his loyal retainer, Hasekura Tsunenaga, to deliver said message and establish trade with foreign powers. This journey took over three years, and crossed the Pacific ocean, Mexico, the Atlantic, Spain, and finally Rome. Tsunenaga himself was baptized and converted to Christianity along the way. But sadly, not too long after Tsunenaga departed, persecution of Christians began to undertake throughout all of Japan. Word of this arrived in Spain, which was transferred to the Pope in Rome, who even though showed Tsunenaga a warm welcome, decided to not authorize any missions to Japan. Disheartened, Tsunenaga made the long journey back to a country that now actively hated his faith, to deliver the tragic news to his lord in 1620. He died a year later, and his family was killed by anti-Christian persecution a few years after.
Learning of Tsunenaga's story for myself moved me deeply. It's easy to see his journey as one of failure and defeat. However, I believe there was more here than just the negative surface. Even back then God's calling was among the Japanese, driving one of them to go to the ends of the earth for truth and fellowship with other Christians. While the Pope and the foreign powers had denied them, God hadn't nor has he denied the Japanese people of His love and salvation. From hundreds of years ago, to this very day, the people here are starving for Jesus, even if they don't know Him yet. It shows that it's not impossible to reach the Japanese, and to not give up when the going gets tough, like Pope John V did. It's a call to action to succeed where the old outside world had failed to truly do: love and minster to Japan.
Isaiah 41:9
"I brought you from the ends of the earth and called you from its farthest corners. I said to you: 'You are My servant; I have chosen you and not rejected you.'"
Oh, and one more thing: me and some of my teammates are attending a Japanese language class! It's in a community center, which means the classes themselves are free, however, we need to buy the required textbooks. There's five total, each costing inbetween $20-25 each. I've bought one so far, but money has been pretty tight this month, due to tax season and all. If you feel led to, please consider making a small one time donation. Thank you all so much for your continued support and prayers for my journey in Sendai!
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