Hello everyone!
Sorry again for the super slow posts! I realize now I should have taken my laptop--trying to write a blog while having to borrow a friends laptop is not easy. So here's another brief update!
This week has been super busy, but a lot of fun! We have mainly been helping out at ICU high school's Christianity Week.
ICU (International Christian University) high school, is really Christian in name only, and Japan's stat of about 1% Christians seems to apply here as well. The school does not actually teach Christianity, and teachers that are Christian (which are few) are not allowed to preach their faith. However, they still have one week every year called Christianity week, during which they hold seminars and classes more focused on the religion of Christianity.
This year, we were able to be a part of a cool opportunity to come and share our testimonies in some of the Christian classes, and then get to discuss and talk to the students in small groups!
On Monday, I had the opportunity to share my testimony with a class of freshman high school students. I believe it went well, and heard that at least some students were able to clearly see how my life was changed for the good after I came to fully trust in Jesus Christ as my Savior. Along with myself, 3 other members of our group have had a chance to share their testimonies, and a few have also had the chance to share their testimonies in the smaller group discussion times.
Also, on Wednesday, the group we are with called Let's Talk (run by Cru staff) was able to put on their own seminar featuring a Christian rap artist in Japan called Young Kirk and a popular Japanese female artist named Manami. They were able to both perform some of their songs as well as share their stories of how they came to faith in Christ and how that has impacted their music careers. It was a really awesome experience, and out of the 270 students that had to sign up for different seminars, at least 70 students chose to come to that!! We are praying that God really stirred some things up from that event.
Please pray for these seeds that have been planted. Pray that the enemy would not be able to snatch them away, but they the students would really begin to seek out this Jesus that they've heard can save them. Pray that we would have the opportunity to meet with some of the students again and get into deeper conversations with them. Also, pray for our day tomorrow, as we have another opportunity to share testimonies with a class and then discuss with them about it.
I'll leave off about there for now--hopefully I will have a chance to post about our times at Waseda University soon, but I felt like the ICU events were more exciting, and more current as from here on out we will be focusing more on our outreach at Waseda.
Thanks again for all the support and prayers. We greatly need them, and Japan greatly needs your prayers as well!
Hi Ben,
ReplyDeleteI loved hearing how God is using you and your team at ICU high school!!! I knew from John Clendinnen's newsletters about this week as well. It is so exciting to see what God is doing there at the high school. Dad and I are praying for you every day. It is neat to see your heart for the Japanese people. Love you!!