Lily Suzuki's Prayer and Newsletter

September 2004

Dear Prayer Partners, Supporters and Friends for September, 2004

The mission Work for our Lord Jesus in Japan,

“I always thank God for you because of His grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in Him you have been enriched in every way...” 1 Corinthians 1:4-5

Thank you for your encouragement, support, prayers and e-mails. The LORD has been faithful in answering prayers. I have been healthy and keeping busy. It was a gift from God that I was able to attend JEMS’ Summer Conference at Mt. Hermon at the end of June. What a blessing it was to see so many of you again. As well as, be able to attend so many classes and be enriched in God’s Word. For extra bounce, I was able to return home for a few days to see my family and to be able to hold my new Granddaughter Monica. It was so nice to see my other Grandchildren who have grown so much. God gave me a chance to see my sisters, family and some friends in the SF Bay Area.

Summer is almost over and cool breezes are replacing the humid hot days in the morning and evenings…Fall is in the air. We have been having many typhoons with floods; small earthquakes; and land slide damages. It seems like it is God’s wake up call for the people in Japan. Please seriously pray for the revival of Japan.

The hot summer sounds of the busy cicada cries are being replaced by the sweet chirping of the crickets and “akatonbo”, the red-winged small dragonfly that reminds us Fall is here. I enjoy walking by the golden rice fields, which are almost ready to be harvested.

Talking about harvest time, four adult students from the English Class, Noriko Mashiyama, Yoshiko Omoto, Reiko Aoki and Sandra from Brazil have accepted Jesus as their personal Savior. And three have started their classes to prepare for baptism at the end of November. Sandra’s husband is Buddhist and has just given her permission to come to English Class and attend Church on Sundays so we need to pray for God’s right timing for her baptism. We are praying for her husband to come to the Sunday Services with Sandra. God had sent JEMS’ Missionaries, Betty and Bob Bertz, Walter and Elsie Saito, Amanda and James Ogata to this New-Life Church Omochanomachi; to faithfully plant the salvation seeds that I am now blessed to see these students enter the Kingdom of God.

We were blessed to have Darryl and Helena Wong come to serve the LORD from JEMS for four weeks this summer. They dedicated their summer holidays so we were able to serve as a team and have Vacation Bible Schools: here at Greentown Church, Omochanomachi Church and in Nikko, at a church member’s home. I believe they taught about eight students on Mondays and Tuesdays. We only had six at Greentown Church who came and the rest were my regular English Class students here, but all of the children have accepted Jesus in their hearts. Darryl witnessed to a Grandpa, Mr. Hori from Nikko, and he gladly accepted the LORD. We were all very excited. It seems like revival has come to Omochanomachi Church. It was the most hottest and humid days when they were here, but praise God, Darryl and Helena went home blessed upheld by God through your prayers. They took over most of the classes so I was able to assist and had a good break. I really miss them.

While we were at Mt. Hermon, we were able to have meetings about Amakusa, our future ministry in Kumamoto prefecture. God has given me a partner, Mrs. Sue Abe to serve together in Amakusa. Thank you for your prayers and please continue to pray for two more people to serve together, altogether four. Rev. and Mrs. Arai had served in Amakusa and Kumamoto area for 20 years in the past and now Pastor a church in Sacramento. Since they know many people in Amakusa, we will go to Amakusa with them on the week of the 22nd in November to further plan and meet important people who will be able to help us with our new ministry. Next week, September 23rd, I will be attending a meeting in Tokyo, Ochanomizu, for an important Amakusa Advisory Committee Meeting and many important Pastors will be attending, including Rev. Sam of JEMS. Please pray that it will be a fruitful meeting so that the Amakusa ministry will soon be starting.

Back to God’s ministry here, a new program for toddlers and their mothers from the community have been started by the request of one mother. We have 2 large medical schools and hospitals near by, one near here and one in Greentown Church where my other Eng. Class is held. The mothers are very keen and anxious to start their children early to hear a native speak English to train the little ears... I teach Christian and nursery short songs, finger play, simple art and crafts and short Bible time for the children, but in hopes that the mothers are learning the Christian songs and stories of the Bible too. Now there are 8 children attending the class on Monday from 1:30 to 2:30pm, but the mothers love to linger on till 3:00 or later to visit. We are praying so that one day the mother’s will be able to attend Bible Study in English and Japanese while we have the children’s program. I am kept very busy with 15 classes plus Sunday School and Bible classes, but it is truly a blessing, because some of the English Class students are coming to church on Sundays. I really enjoy the friendship and love of the Staff here and congregation and I praise God for letting me serve Him at this time. Thanking you again for your partnership in serving with me in prayer and support here at Omochanomachi, Japan.

Thank you and I will be praying for you too.

His ambassador in Japan,
Lily Suzuki

Praise and Prayer Requests:

1. Praise for 3 to 4 people who have accepted Jesus in their hearts and are now preparing for baptism in Nov. Please pray for these new Christian sisters to be faithful and obedient.
2. Praise for the new non-Christian mothers and toddlers from the community who are attending classes.
3. Vibrant relationship with the LORD each day for me.
4. Please pray for all the prayer requests in the newsletter.
5. Please pray that Sue Abe, my partner in Amakusa ministry will be able to meet her financial support, Japanese Visa and to be placed in a church in Japan so that we can visit Amakusa to prepare in Nov. and for the Ministry will start in God’s timing.
6. Prayer for the Advisory Council meeting on Sept. 23rd.
7. More students for the English Class so that the Gospel of Jesus can be spread to the community.
8. Please pray for the BSF Classes all over the world and especially for the Richmond Class.
9. Please pray for complete healing for my prayer partner’s husband TJ who had a stroke while on a mission trip.
10. Please pray for Japan’s revival.
11. Please pray for protection for my family back home.
12. Time management for me and for God’s wisdom for the ministry.