Mother's Day 2014

Today the church we normally attend was meeting at a park which isn't wheelchair friendly so we decided to take the opportunity to visit a Japanese church where we have lots of friends. In the 1990s I used to meet with ladies from this church for Bible study.

It was so encouraging to renew friendships! I keep in touch with Christmas greetings, but this was the first time in a year I've actually seen them. While there were more empty seats than I recall in the past, there were still signs of health that brought us joy. A class for baptismal candidates was announced. A young adult male brought a friend visiting for the first time.

Recently I've decided part of my ministry in Japan is hugging. It's not common, but I think all of us really need hugs to be healthy. When I saw K. san she responded more eagerly to my hug than any Japanese I've ever known. She has struggled with depression and sometimes talks to me on the phone. I honestly can't understand everything she says, but I listen and pray for her. Today she wouldn't let me go. She hugged me so tightly it gave me courage to try out hugs on others.

N. san struggled so much when she first came to faith in the church plant we worked in. Today she was part of a group sharing about their recent trip to Fukushima, the site of the nuclear disaster in March 2011. Things remain quite bleak there, but this group of six offered hope. I have never seen N. san so vibrant!

M. san apologized that she wasn't able to mail me a stollen bread this past Christmas as she usually does. She told me with her characteristic smile how her mother-in-law moved into their home last December and she is learning a lot about trusting the Lord. She asked me to pray for I. san who has not attended church for a year since her sister died.

Y. san is the first fruit of the church plant we worked with in the 1990s. When I asked her how she was doing, tears threatened to appear. Her husband died last summer. Just a few days earlier he was baptized on his hospital bed. She has faithfully been the light of Jesus to him for all these years. What a joy to have him make the most important decision of his life before it was too late.

During the service it was a joy to sing with them again "Kami no kuni to kami no gi o mazu motomenasai" (Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God). They have sung that song every Sunday since its inception. It's so key to everything about life. As is the practice in this church, the children came to the front and quoted the week's memory verse in nice loud voices. There were just five kids and three of them were preschoolers, so really it was two loud voices. There used to be quite a passel of kids. The numbers reflect the country as a whole. In spite of financial incentives from the government for families to have more children, the kid population continues to decline. I've been thinking recently a lot about children and how important they are to Jesus. I pray that God will raise up a new generation in Japan to love Him back!

As Russ and I left the sanctuary another friend came up to me and reported on how well her daughter is currently doing. God has been answering prayers even though it's been a long time since I've talked to Him about this young lady.

Then dear S. san presented me with flowers. She came to Christ through the witness of missionaries years ago and continues to express her gratitude to all of us missionaries! I love her and the beautiful flowers.

All these Mothers Day blessing brought me great joy. In addition, our daughter who is currently at home with us in Japan, washed all the dishes and initiated a blessing game at dinner to honor me. I got a special email from my son. We got to talk on the phone with both my mother and mother-in-law. My mom turned 90 years old today!

It was a great day!