Lily Suzuki's Prayer and Newsletter

May 2004

Dear Prayer Partners and Supporters of the mission work in Omochanomachi, Japan and in the future, Amakusa:

Many of you are wondering where I am. Since March 16th, I have been back in Japan, serving in Tochigi ken, Omochanomachi. Yes, Omochanomachi “toy city,” it seems like an unusual name but it used to be a town where they made toys. It is now a growing town in a country setting with lots of open space, many rice paddies and two well know hospitals and universities of medicine near by. The Church is comprised of two buildings in different locations, of which I live in the main building, and both are ministered under Pastor Chiyoko Nakamura.

My ministry at New-Life Church Omochanomachi includes teaching 15 classes of English conversation, both here at Omochanomachi and in Greentown, in addition to helping out in the Church. We are planning to have a bilingual English-Japanese service at the second Church in Greentown where they have more children and students from Gichidai Medical University and Hospital. Part of the ministry here is to help support a group of parents who have toddlers with Down’s Syndrome. To help my ministry, I have been inviting my students and their spouses to an American dinner in my apartment, where it has been a lot of fun getting to know them on a social level and once we become friends, the students are more opened to attend the church service on Sunday. One student, a dentist, started to attend our Sunday service. Please pray for him. One new medical student plays the piano so we are prayerfully planning to ask him to play the piano at our newly planned Bilingual Service. I have recently invited my elementary students to come to our new Bilingual Sunday School, and we now have 8 children who attend when their non Christian parents don’t have Sunday family outings. (Fathers are very tired, because they only have Sundays off to rest.) During Sunday School, the children read out of the Japanese Bible, learn verses in English and Japanese, and sing Christian songs so that they can go home and evangelize to their parents. After school, the children enjoy popcorn, pancakes, waffles, peanut butter- honey sandwiches and homemade cookies. Four of the children from my English Classes have accepted the LORD Jesus as their personal savior. Praise God! Please pray for their faith because when parents hear of their conversion, persecution may begin and they may no longer be permitted to attend English classes. Each English Class consists of 15 minutes of teaching the Gospel. I love this time best. Please pray that seeds which are planted by me and watered by God will soon grow to become God’s children. We are also praying that they will attend church faithfully. With much prayer, a class on Monday afternoon started with non Christian mothers wanting to expose their one to two year-old children to English. We play, listen to Bible songs, finger play, make simple crafts, and socialize in English and Japanese. This class provides these mothers, who are raising their babies alone due to the fact that their husbands work all the time, with the opportunity to go out and socialize. We are praying that these mothers and fathers will connect to church and become Christians through these children. I really enjoy this group, maybe because it is like being with my grandchildren at home. Through it all, God keeps my health and blesses me with much joy, which keeps me young! Isa. 41: 31 “but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

I enjoy my new family and friends. Every day, I eat my meals with Pastor Nakamura and Yoko sensei, here at church. Together, we make healthy meals and also drink freshly made carrot and vegetable juice. In the mornings, I enjoy walking along the train tracks and rice fields, where I am fascinated with God’s nature and beauty. This spring, with so many different blossoms, including cherry blossoms, I am able to enjoy a spectacular scene of colors and beauty every morning. The people here seem to have a slower pace of life, especially in comparison to those living in the cities. In addition, they appear to be more family oriented and very friendly. The children are also very polite.

This is planning period for me as I wait for the new ministry to begin in Amakusa, Kumamoto ken, Kyushu. Nagasaki, Amakusa and Shimabara are all places where Christians in Japan were martyred over 400 years ago for their faith. Four years ago, God gave me a burden for this island. An Amakusa Advisory Council was formed in 2003, to provide spiritual and practical guidance for a new ministry with 6 distinguished Revs and Pastors along with our JEMS Rev. Sam Tomomura and myself. We are waiting for four more faithful servants to partner in the ministry. Thus far we have Mrs. Matsue and Sue Abe to serve as missionaries to Japan in Amakusa. There are others from Japan who are willing to help when the ministry starts, but are not in the position to commit them selves fully at this time. We are also waiting for 32 more willing workers to help spread the “Good News” of Jesus in the areas of senior respite caring, respite for the special Ed. and needy Children, and teaching English. We already know and are told that this is a very difficult Island to proclaim God’s Word, but we have faith in our Living God and He will do His work through us. The martyr’s blood is the beginning of the church. As people respond to Jesus’ love and gather, we will have Bible study groups and maybe a home church to gather in Jesus’ Name, and one day a church in His honor and glory to praise and proclaim His Word.

In the meanwhile, please remember us at Omochanomachi in your prayers. I am also praying for you and may God bless you as you are all missionaries wherever you are. I would like to thank each of you for your prayers for me and for this ministry. Thank you so much for your faithful support you provide each month. I am so encouraged to know that you are behind in this ministry and that God honors each and every one of you and your prayers.

I almost forgot! Darryl, from JEMS’ staff, and his new bride, Helena, are coming this summer as missionaries to Japan for a month to work together in the English ministry here. I am so excited and thank God for this special ministry. Please pray for them as they prepare to come. Thanking you all,

His Ambassador in Japan

Lily Suzuki

Prayer List and Praise:

1. New Permanent Residence Card granted enabling me to return to Japan.

2. Four children accepting Jesus as their LORD and Savior.

3. Healthy baby Granddaughter, born May 1, 2004, Monica, Yuri Suzuki and her healthy mom, Wilmy and happy Dad, Michael. We now have 2 girls and 5 boys. What a blessing!

1. Please continue to pray so that I will have a vibrant relationship with the LORD each day and that I will stay in His will and obedience.
2. Prayers for the new believers to grow in the LORD and sense His presence of peace and to remember to pray.
3. Please pray that I will be able to renew my Japanese Visa which will expire July 14th, 004.
4. God’s blessings for JEMS’ Staff and the preparation for the Mount Hermon Retreat and Conference.
5. God’s traveling mercies and blessings for me and my Japanese friend as we are able to attend Mount Hermon Retreat and Conference.
6. God’s guidance for BSF classes all over the world, to finish the term triumphantly and for more BSF classes in Japan, especially in Tochigi near here.
7. God’s revival in this Church and in Japan.
8. Time management health and wisdom from God.
9. For more people to attend our English Classes.
10. For all of the prayers in the Newsletter
11. For health and healing restored for Mrs. Iku Watanabe, my sending committee and for Hideo for caring for her.
12. God’s protection for my family in Canada and US.

    Thank you!