JAPAN 2011 - Beauty for Ashes, Death to Life

Minami-San Riku, Japan
Sunday, April 24, 2011
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Beauty for Ashes

Our team drove a few hours north to a place called Minami-San Riku. So far, it has been the worst destruction we have seen on our trip. This city is situated in the foothills where the enormous tsunami wave traveled. We heard that with one road exiting the city to higher ground, many lost their lives in their cars as they tried to make it from the side roads onto the main road. There simply wasn't enough time.

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Once again, we went to a shelter that God had showed us through heavenly strategies. As we entered this shelter, we were greeted by the families staying there with warmth. Our mascot costumes again were a big hit with the children. Some of our team served hot coffee to the adults, while others played with and loved on children, as well as gave out toys and gifts. We were able to engage in a lot of conversations with the people we served, asking questions, empathizing and praying with them. Amy, Ruth and I prayed with three ladies who received Christ. We also prayed for the healing of their child who was suffering with a skin condition. Yonnie and Naomi led another lady to Christ. We gave Japanese Bibles to each of them. We prayed and prophesied over others, and often, just sat and listened to them share their story about how they escaped from the tsunami waters and in many cases how they lost family members. We played more group games with the children and I was even challenged to arm wrestle a young adult from the shelter. As we drove around and took it all in, we know that it the midst of it all, the beauty of new life in Christ emerged from the ashes and debris.

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From Death to Life

Today we celebrated Christ's resurrection at our host's church in Sendai. We started out with a pancake breakfast. Then we were blessed by a Christ-follower from their church who brought an indigenous Japanese instrument called a koto (that came from China originally I believe) and played so beautifully for us. It was literally heavenly. We then had a beautiful time of worship in Japanese and English. During that time I was just soaking in God's presence and He revealed to me that two people present were needing a healing; one from nightmares and another from chest pain and tightness due to stress and anxiety. I mentioned this to the congregation as I led a worship song after Yonnie shared a wonderful testimony that our team acted out in skit form. I told them that they would be healed from these two things during our time in God's presence. (After the service a mother and a daughter came forward asking how I knew they were suffering from these things. They said that they felt set free during the service, but I prayed for them and blessed them nonetheless) Jeremy then gave an awesome message from Hebrews 12:25-29 and 1 Corinthains 3:11-13. At the end of the service, their church prophesied over our team. It was an amazing time at an amazing church. I really love our hosts, Jeremy and Kumi. They are such special people with such huge destiny over their lives for God's Kingdom coming to Japan.

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After church our team walked to Baskin Robbins for some ice cream. It is an area of downtown Sendai that is crowded with people. So Yonnie, and then later, Amy, put on the bunny suit and hugged on and loved children and adults on the way for ice cream and back. I am telling you, our team carries so much of God's love and I am so honored to be a part of it. The bunny suit almost every time made children and families smile and laugh, which is huge during this time in Japan. Transformational life in Christ is taking place in where death's sting has been felt so strongly.

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Christian Young