Lily Suzuki's Prayer and Newsletter

Vol 4. No. 1 - March 2003

Dear Prayer Partners, Supporters and Friends of Mission Work for our Lord Jesus in Machida, Japan

The sting of winter is almost gone and spring is around the corner. The red and white “ume” plum trees are in bloom in Tokyo. Cherry blossoms will start to bloom at the end of March and that is the most beautiful time in Japan. I saw a single dandelion blooming in the beautiful Japanese garden at the hospital, which made me think of home. I never thought dandelions could look so beautiful. I enjoy the chickadees that come to my peanut and sunflower feeder and they keep me company.

The pollen allergy season started. Four out of six people I met in the park walking their dogs this morning wore cloth masks. English Class students informed me that the pollen blows from the mountains far away and because of paved streets in Tokyo with not much soil, the pollen stays on the surface and with the automobile pollution causes the allergies until mid June. I am blessed by not having allergies so far. Wonderful things have happened since my last newsletter. My friend Darryl at JEMS and our Youth Pastor here at MCC whom I have been praying for are now engaged and will be married very soon. Praise God! I can not thank you enough for your prayers and for your support for this ministry here at MCC. I pray that all of you are in good health and that you are blessed too.

I wasn’t able to spend last Christmas with my family in Canada, but God had prepared, through dear friends, a Christian retreat at Torchbearers in Yamanashi prefecture near Mt. Fuji. It was a total surprise. We were able to catch the tail end of a Christian Conference for 3 days. We were right at the foot of Mt. Fuji and it snowed so it was like being home. It was so beautiful to see Mt. Fuji all day long. It was such a blessing! I was able to rest physically and spiritually.

I trust that many of you have been praying for Dr. Tomi’s family. Dr. Tomi didn’t get baptized at Christmas and we were very disappointed, but God had a plan. His wife didn’t want him to get baptized. My prayer partner, Momo, and I have been friends with Seiko san and visited her almost every week. She has become our dearest friend. As you know, she had 3 separate cancer operations previously, twice on her face. She usually wears a mask when she goes out (not with us anymore.) She was admitted to the hospital again with lung cancer (secondary) and is in much pain. We visit her about 4 times a week between classes and are happy to say that she accepted Jesus as her personal Savior. She is now our Sister in Christ. She said that she doesn’t know very much about the Bible, but she would like to trust Him. She tells us that she feels the presence of Jesus even in her pain and she is able to sleep well in peace. She has learned to pray and to thank Jesus for the many small and big miracles that she receives. She was so worried about her 9 year old son, but also has a little baby daughter in heaven who she will see one day. She wants to live but decided to will her son to God. We visit her and see the work of the Holy Spirit and come home blessed. She is the one that asked if she could be baptized with her husband. They will be baptized on the 13th of March, Thursday, in the hospital. This is my only afternoon without classes so I can attend too. Praise God! My faith has grown through this ministry, watching what God is doing through Seiko san, a brand new believer.

Please join me in prayer for the Tomi family. I have learned the power of prayer and the work of God the Holy Spirit. It is no coincident that we have been learning about the work of the Holy Spirit at BSF. (John 15 and 16.) Talk about double blessings, another student, Tomoe, a nutritionist in my class, accepted Jesus as her personal Savior after studying Psalm 145 the same week. God gets all the glory and praise. Her father, 65, had a stroke while doing laps at the pool which left him paralyzed. She was the only one in her family that resisted Jesus’ salvation, so her parents must have been praying for her. God used this tragedy to bring a child into His kingdom. Please pray for healing for Tomoe’s Father and for Tomoe to attend church.

The end of June will be my last term at MCC since I have stayed for one extra year. I have been asked to stay longer, but I think God is preparing a retired pastor for the ministry of MCC. With much prayer, I have decided to move on to God’s next assignment, perhaps Amakusa which He has put into my heart. Machida has been God’s training ground with the blessing of many new friends. This has been my home away from home so it will be difficult to leave. We are praying for God’s wisdom, a team of 4 or 5 faithful servants, the right timing, where in Amakusa and how. God has given me Acts 20: 24. “If only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying the Gospel of God’s grace.” Thousands of Christians were martyred in Amakusa and Shimabara in Kyushu over 400 years ago. The seed has fallen, but there are very few true Christians. Why? It is about time that the true Gospel is proclaimed. God has written in Rom. 10: 14 – 15, “And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” The end of June is not very far away. Will you please join the JEMS staff and me for God’s wisdom and clear guidance for my future ministry? I often praise God for you and for blessings upon you and for your families.

Thanking you again for everything.

Love in Jesus,
His Ambassador in Japan,
Lily Suzuki

Before this letter went to press, Seiko san peacefully passed away and went home to God. God allowed the privilege of Momo and me being there with her husband, son, and niece. We sang her favorite hymn and were able to read from the Bible and pray. She is now glorified and is with Jesus in heaven with no more pain, but with joy.

Praise and Prayer Requests:

Praise God for His mercy and grace for opening Seiko san’s heart so that she could humbly pray for forgiveniess and to accept Jesus into her heart. “I Am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; John 11:40. We have an awesome living God!

Please pray:

1. For J- Passion Over night Convention on March 21 and 22 - for great revival so that the young Japanese people will have a passion for Jesus..

2. For Kenichiro and his family.

3. For complete healing for Momo, Laura, Dr. Tomi and salvation for Momo’s husband.

4. God’s clear guidance and direction for my future ministry and for 4 people to join who have a servant heart to serve Jesus in Amakusa.

5. God’s wisdom, peace and clarity for each Sunday’s translation.

6. For my vibrant relationship with the LORD each day and for obedience.

7. For protection and blessings for BSF around the world

8. Blessing and wisdom for the Staff at JEMS

9. For God’s protection and blessings for my family in Canada and the US.

10. For God’s protection for my health

Thanks again for your prayers.

Support:

For encouragement, letters and cards Machida Christian Center 4-18-3 Haramachida Machida, Tokyo 194-0013 JAPAN