Lily Suzuki's Prayer and Newsletter

Dec. 4, 2004

Dear Prayer Partners, Supporters and Friends for the mission work for our Lord Jesus in Japan:

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I pray that everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving holiday. Time flies so quickly that we are already in the month of December. It is the season to thank God and to reflect back for all His blessings. I know that I have been so blessed and would like to share some of them with you. I was assigned to New-Life Church Omochanomachi in Tochigi prefecture in October of last year, but because of the delay of getting my Permanent Resident Card from Canada, I didn’t get there until the middle of March. The blessing was is that I got to spend more time with my family. I was so blessed that Pastor Nakamura, Yoko sensei, Staff and the ladies at the church quickly adopted me as family. The 14 classes have slowly grown to 30 students, both adults and children, plus 6 or more toddlers, from age 1 ½ to 2 ½ year olds. The mothers like their children to start English early so that they could be exposed to native spoken English. I am amazed to learn how quickly these toddlers learn routines and how they can retain repeated actions and chants in English, because mothers practice with them at home. Most of these children are the first born. They have learned to fold their hands while we all sing the prayer song together and say “Amen.” One mother said that they sing the prayer song at home before eating. What better way to introduce Christianity to the mothers in the community than through their children. Children’s first Bible is read each time and praise songs and crafts or simple art work is introduced and I think the mothers enjoy it more than the children. It gives them an outing once a week together with her child.

We didn’t have a Thanksgiving turkey, because none are available not even a whole chicken where we live, but we were able to thank God for His many blessings on Sunday. 7 people got baptized Nov. 28th on our first Advent Sunday . Three ladies from the English Class were Yoshiko san, Reiko san and Noriko san with 2 Sunday School children, Megumi and Ipei who are sister and brother. The other 2 were seniors, one was Mr. Hori who accepted Jesus as his personal Savior when Darryl and Helena our JEMS’ summer missionaries were here. They taught English way up in Nikko where his grandchildren and 6 others live. He was impressed by their love and kindness as they shone for Jesus, that captured his heart. Mr. Hori’s daughter and son in law are Christians and many people were praying for him for a long time. He stands and waits at the curve at 6:00 am. on Sundays with Bible in his hand to be picked up for the 7:00 am Service.. Many people have been praying for him, but it took the love of Jesus that he could feel and see as Darryl and Helena taught his grandchildren. When I asked him whether if he would like to get baptized, he said “Yes.” The other Grandfather baptized was Megumi and Ipei’s Grandfather. His family are all Christians and his son witnessed to him. 3 grandson, family prayers and Pastor Nakamura who travels 3 hours to go and witness to this one soul often, because he didn’t come to church, he too finally accepted Jesus as his personal Savior and got baptized by total emersion. We all praised God for these 7 new brothers and sisters. Please pray for them.

All the children in our English Classes, 14 children, accepted Jesus as their personal Savior. Many of them haven’t told their parents that they have accepted Jesus in their hearts, because of fear of being removed to a different non Christian English Class. We have much competition. They each have a Gideon New Testament Bible and are always remind to pray for their parents and family. One mother in my adult English Class accepted Jesus as her personal Savior when she watched her 8 and 10 year old daughters pray each night. Her reason was that she wanted to join her daughters prayers each night and learn more about Jesus. She now really enjoys “Chapel Time” at the end of each English Class. Another Grandma comes to class with a 12 year old to listen to “Chapel Time” to hear the Bible and to be prayed for, because she says that she feels purified. I have invited her to come to Church on Sunday, but haven’s seen her yet. Please pray for Daichi’s Grandmother. Daichi has not told his parents that He loves Jesus. He beams when it is time to read the Bible during English Class.

Thank you for praying for partners to go to Amakusa with me. God has sent Sue Abe to partner with me to Amakusa. I am thankful to God that both of us were able to take part in the investigative trip to Amakusa, lead by Rev. Sam Tonomura and Rev. Himei in October.

Because of the history of martyrdom, the people of Amakusa are afraid to become Christians. You will find a “shimenawa” at the entrances of many of the houses to show that they do not want any Christians coming there to proclaim Christianity.

When we visited Amakusa this time, we visited a church that needed our help for their ministry. The interesting and surprising thing was that this church was only a block away from the place where at least 3000 Christians had been martyred, because they refused to step on the “fumie.” A monument marks where the heads of one third of these martyrs had been buried. We were overwhelmed. All we could do was to kneel and pray. God’s power was overwhelming, to think that all of this started when I had seen a picture that showed a lady carrying a child in her arms, with another child hanging on to her side, trying to decide whether to step on the “fumie” and denounce her faith or not to step on the “fumie” and be martyred. God had put Sue and I into a church only one block away from where over a thousand martyrs were buried. This is another confirmation that God wants us to be there. We learned that there were almost 200 children in that area who needs to be reached to know the love of Jesus.

Many of you remember that God has given me the vision of going to proclaim His Word to the people on the island of Amakusa. I am very happy to be His instrument and can hardly wait to see what God has in store for me. I am so grateful to all of you who have helped me to go there. Ephesians 3:20 reminds us that: “Now to him Who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen

Sue and I will be able to go to Amakusa as soon as a new missionary can replace me at the Omochanomachi Church. Please continue to pray for us.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support and encouragement by e-mail and phone calls. The LORD has been faithful in answering your prayers. When I miss home, I always remember that all of you are praying for me. I will be remembering you in my prayers too.

His Ambassador in Japan,

Lily Suzuki

Praises:

1. The Amakusa “Shinsetsu Ministry” will take place as soon as there is a missionary to replace me for their English ministry soon in the near future.
2. Sue Abe was granted visa to Japan
3. I was able to return to Canada for a week and was granted Canadian Citizenship without loosing my American Citizenship, which will make my staying in Japan less complicated.
4. God has kept me health and active throughout the year.
   

Prayer requests:

1. Vibrant relationship with the LORD each day for me.
2. Please pray for the 7 new Christians who were just baptized that God will protect them and that they will grow in their faith.
3. More students for the English class, so that the Gospel of Jesus can be spread to the community.
4. The place where we will be ministering in Amakusa is remote. We are praying that the LORD will provide a car for us.
5. Prayer for the Amakusa Advisory Council to plan our next step for the ministry and God’s wisdom.
6. Please pray for the BSF Classes all over the world, and especially for the Richmond class.
7. Prayer for complete healing for my prayer partner’s husband, Tj, who had a stroke while on a mission trip.
8. Please pray for Rev. Sam and JEMS Staff
9. Please pray for revival in Omochanomachi Church and of Japan.
10. Please pray for time management for me and for God’s wisdom and health.
11. Please pray for protection for my family back home.

Thank you for your prayers and I will be praying for you too.