I am on Facebook, Signal, and WhatsApp. [email protected]
My newsletters (they always include prayer items) are in both English and Traditional Chinese.
-
Dear faithful praying family,
Greeting from chilly Japan!
May this update find you with energy and joy!
“So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything,
but only God, who makes things grow.”
1 Corinthians 3:7
What’s Happening?
Praise to the Lord and your prayer supports, I overcame the humid summer and recently Japan is starting to get real chilly.
We have finished the 10 month intense biblical studies school! The students recalled what they learned in the Old Testimony and found new insight to who Jesus is while embracing the culture and historical aspects that led them into the fulfillment of gentile salvation. Out of the 6 graduates, 3 will staff the next school, 2 others will serve in different YWAM ministries, and 1 is planning to continue studying. Also 4 weddings of our stuff/students will be happening in the next few months. =)
My prayer is that as each of us step into the next season, the truth we experience this year will continue to be the centre of all our lives.
Through an interesting circumstance, I found out that the school leader was struggling a lot to continue the last part of this school too. I am so grateful that she tough it out and we can see the fruit of the first school in Japan, and it’s even bilingual!
There were various last minute changes and unexpected incidences that occurred throughout this school. Overall, they were good trials and errors that laid some groundworks for future schools. It’s my prayers that more believers in Japan can experience the sweetness of the Living Word (despite hardship).
[If you recall, I shared about my answer to continue this school in my last newsletter, how the Lord spoke to me though Moses’ sons’ names. They were Gershom “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land” and Eliezer “God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh”. They reminded me the call to Japan and that I am a sojourner, in other words, even if this school is Egypt it is still just a phase and He is my help/deliverer.]
In October, I attended a spiritual-growth retreat which an Onfire member is developing. It was such a wonderful time of fellowship and refreshment from the Father. There were 20+ attendees; with much prayer and joyful tears, many found comfort in the midst of their pain. There was 1 report last week of a previous diagnosed patient who had her tumor disappeared. We are so privileged in walking alongside each other and be witnesses of such amazing work of the Lord.
I was able to hang out with a few fellow missi0naries and Japanese contacts who I haven’t met for months. There are so many things happening in Japan. It’s exciting!
Couple months ago Onfire connected with others throughout Japan who wants to make disciples and started a monthly meeting to share visions, experiences, and to practice having bible studies together. Please pray that we will follow His lead to the right people and for His kingdom to multiply in Japan His way.
What’s Next?
There are a few administrative aftermath of the school that I need to finish up. And then just a week or two of breather before hosting a missi0nary for couple weeks around Christmas. Then another couple weeks of breather. I plan to visit Mom over Chinese New Year and take some rest. Later in February I will return to Onfire schedule and catch-up on what is happening there. All though spring, there are visitors and teams coming. Praying for good balance and wisdom to renewed normal.
Praises:
Joyful completion of fruitful biblical school
Refreshment from the Lord
Prayer Requests:
Good rest and refocus
God to reveal His glory and goodness to my family
Blessings,
Christina
P.S. If you wish to NOT receive my newsletters via email please feel free to reply with Subject “STOP” anytime.
P.P.S. Updates are now available in both English and tradition Chinese. Please let me know if you prefer the other. 分享信有英文和繁體中文版。如果您想收到中文版，請告訴我。
I grew up in a non-christian home but my older brother went to Christian school and became the first believer in our family. Since then he started to share Jesus and took my to church gospel events. One time, the message was about God willing to forgive all our sins; I was touched but thought that I want to know more before deciding to believe. The next day, the message was about how simple faith is, just like toddlers eating eggs. So I decided to trust this God who is willing to forgive even I don’t understand everything He feeds me.
In college retreat, I committed to served God full-time but has never thought of how. After working some years, and wanting to spend time with aging parents, God led me to a missionary school (Youth With A Mission). One step at a time, God called me to pioneer a team in Kobe, Japan. With prayer and getting to know the team, I responded by saying yes. Again trusting this good God even I can’t see what’s ahead.
My Current Role
At the moment I am a self-funded missionary involved with both international sender Youth With A Mission in Osaka and a local ministry near Kobe. This year we are pioneering a bilingual bible school which I serve as administrative and tutoring staff. Since everything is new, there are trials and errors. And this is an intense school, so yes, lots of reading and homework (which I need to grade). My prayer is that students and staff from this school will be infused with the passion for His Word and stay to staff the next school. The local ministry I have been working with for the last 3+ years is Onfire Japan. We focus on discipleship through bible study and mentoring. Since 2021, we have been doing LIVE morning worship everyday and a few other theme-focus hours throughout the week. I have been joining LIVE panel, providing technical support and training. We have team members who are very willing to jump in if there is a gap but we need more to be willing so we can expand to more hours and cover more themes. My prayer is to start a Chinese-Japanese hour.
About To The Nations Fellowship/OnFire Japan/YWAM
My Canadian Charity partner “To The Nations Fellowship” was founded to come alongside the Body of Christ to facilitate sending Christians on long and short term missions.
Onfire Japan, founded in 1995 to minister after a major earthquake in Kansai, is a Christian ministry dedicated to seeing Japan and Japanese Christians filled with the presence and power of God. We equip believers for discipleship and simple church planting through
online media, networking and training. We’re excited for the opportunity to work together to see revival come to the church and the harvest come to Japan.
Youth With A Mission, founded in 1960, is a global movement of Christians from many cultures, age groups and Christian traditions, dedicated to serving Jesus throughout the world.