Lily Suzuki's Prayer and Newsletter

Vol 4. No. 2 - June 2003

Dear Prayer Partners, Supporters, and Friends
of the Mission Work in Machida, Tokyo, Japan.

It is difficult to believe that it has been 3 years since I was initially sent to Machida to serve the LORD as a missionary. God has sustained me and blessed me through your many prayers and acts of support. Words fall short in giving thanks to you, so I can only humbly pray for each of you from the bottom of my heart and ask God to bless you with His great riches and love. “I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you....” and me. Eph. 1: 15- 19.

As typhoon number 6 passes by today, I know that the rainy season, “Tsuyu,” has started here in Tokyo. It starts in Okinawa and moves up north, with the exception of Hokkaido, which does not have the Tsuyu season. This is a very important season in Japan, because this is when the rice paddies fill up with rain and the rice planting starts. In addition to the rain, the heat and the humidity rise with each new day of summer, and as my English Class students listen to God’s message at the end of class, I am reminded that we have only 2 more sessions, 2 sessions which will not only mark the end of my English Classes, but also the end to the Church’s, MCC’s, English Class ministry to the public. It became difficult to find a Missionary English Teacher. MCC has decided to terminate the English Class ministry to the public. After giving one extra year to I still feel responsible because I was asked to be a career missionary here at MCC, but as Amakusa is still very strong in my heart, I believe that God has used MCC as an excellent training ground for my future ministry and it is now time for me to move on. I have a feeling that the future will be in the Care Ministry of a small community as I share the Good News.

Many things have happened since the last Newsletter. Three people including Dr. Tomi and one of my Eng. Class student, Junko san, whom you have been praying for, got baptized at Christmas. The LORD provided this very special time and He gets all the honor and praise. My prayer partner, Momo, and I continue to visit the Tomi’s after Seiko san went home to be with the LORD. Thank you for praying for her salvation. God honored our prayers. Their son, Yutaro, now comes to church with his father regularly, but please pray that he will attend the Children’s Church with other children. Mr. T., a very gentle Christian in his 60’s who suffers from depression and phobias, has, under the guidance of his concerned Christian wife and through many miracles and prayers, trusted us enough to see Dr. Tomi, a fellow Christian who always sits next to him during the early Sunday Service. Mr. T is now working once again in his rented vegetable garden, where I am his special helper and receive fresh vegetables in return. Praise God! God is so good! Tomo, the autistic teenager, is now taking swimming and loves it. He has been throwing and breaking glasses so swimming might help release some of his extra energy. Two of my Eng. Class girls, Aina and Hiroko have successful passed their entrance examination and are each enjoying their new highschool. I pray that they have learned the power of prayer and will continue to pray and praise our Living God and trust Him throughout their lives. They both accepted Jesus as their personal Savior. Please pray that they will attend the English Church Service instead of the Eng. Class. In addition, we have a new Pastor, Pastor Langley, a retired Pastor from Florida, who from mid May has been giving the message for the Third Service, the Bilingual Service, while our Pastor Sugimoto does the interpreting. I can now relax and listen during the Service. God certainly has blessed this ministry. It has grown from about 13 to over 30 people including many foreigners during my past 3 years at MCC.

MCC has become my second family and home. The past 3 years have taught me how to step out in faith and watch God as He guides and provides in every way. He gives us His heavenly wisdom to use for His glory and His will according to His purpose to proclaim His Gospel. I know that many of you have been praying for me each Sunday. A big thank you! I still claim Ex. 4:12 in everything I do. I have learned so much from our Care Ministry under Reiko sensei. Pastor David Sugimoto has patiently trained me with my Sunday messages. I thank God for my wonderful prayer partner Momo who prayed and supported me in every way. She drove me wherever necessary since I don’t have a car and don’t drive in Japan. Many sisters and brothers in the LORD here has prayed for me, loved me and supported me in every way possible beyond words. God has used Machida Christian Center ministry as a training ground to use for His future ministry, perhaps in Amakusa or wherever He plans to send me. God has given me Dt. 31:6, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” What powerful Words!

I almost forgot. Good news! I received permission from James Ogata to announce this. He is now engaged to be married in October to my dear friend at MCC, Sachiko Ishimizu. They will live and serve together in Japan. I was able to be a witness at their engagement ceremony here at Church. Congratulations James and Sachiko san!

I will miss each one of these dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ. Friends at GCC, our new Sister Church under Pastor Kawabata have been very loving, cared for me and prayed for me. I thank God for each and everyone. I am currently busy attending many farewell parties between classes and on my days off. Parting will be very difficult. I haven’t even thought of packing yet! ( I really need prayer here.... ) My last day of teaching will be on the 28th of June. I will leave for home to BC, Canada on the 7th of July, debriefing in LA on the 17th and 18th and will head for the Bay Area to visit my family and friends till Aug. 4. I hope to see you all soon to thank you personally for partnering in this wonderful mission field together in serving the LORD. Thanking you all,

His Ambassador in Japan in love,
Lily Suzuki

Prayer Requests:
1. Continue in vibrant relationship with the LORD daily no matter how busy
2. For the continuation of the Care Ministry and God’s wisdom
3. For the Healing of Tomo’s Mom’s depression and pain and for continuation of Tomo’s swimming lessons
4. For Tomoko san, my other prayer partner and dear Sister, that her July 1st check up
will not show reoccurrence of cancer and if so, that God will heal it completely
5. That the LORD will provide a prayer partner for Momo and myself
6. That BSF Tokyo will continue as BSF Okinawa has closed. Prayer for BSF
Richmond, Ca.
7. For great revival in our church, Machida City and Japan on June 29.
8. For the complete healing of Dr. Tomi’s cancer and blessings for Yutaro
9. For God’s timing and a team of four or five to be in Amakusa, Japan for future
missionary work to serve the LORD and for His direction and will
10. Preparation for victoriously completing the work here in Machida according to God’s
will and for packing to return home and for health
Thank you so much and Php. 4:19 and Php. 1:3-6.