In March a small group of ordinary working Japanese housewives packed their bags, left their husbands and families and took off on a twelve day trip...
The Lord answered their prayer for they were a blessing wherever they went. You can read how the Lord delights to bless the givers too as they share below some of their impressions and insights.
Each place we went to the people received us so spontaneously and warmly, it didnt seem we were meeting them for the first time. This put us at ease so we could relax and sing and give our testimonies from our hearts. Id like to think that when foreigners come to Church in Japan they would feel as warmly welcomed as we were.
Although the messages in the services we attended were in English, I was amazed to find how the Lord touched my heart making me realise afresh that God is the God of Japan, N.Z. and the whole world. I also felt as I met all the people praying for Irelle and the other missionaries that I was meeting with old friends. I cant find enough words to express my thankfulness for these twelve days which now seem like a dream.
Praise the name of the Lord. Im so thankful to God. Irelle, the brothers and sisters of our church and my family for being able to go on the recent Lilies Tour. It didnt seem like an ordinary trip because of the many precious experiences we had.
I only went on the tour because I wanted to sing. Although our singing technique is still rather amateur the people in N.Z. welcomed us warmly and encouraged us. I wasnt able to understand everything that they said to us, but I felt a bond with these brothers and sisters in Christ. As I saw how everyone was always praying for Irelle, I also realised again the importance of us prayer too. The Lord graciously gave us many opportunities to sing, not just in Church Services, but also in peoples homes, an old peoples home, a hospice and even in a couple of restaurants. Im truly thankful to God for the opportunity of being part of this tour.
Im thankful to God for the way He abundantly blessed our ministry tour. Altogether we were given the opportunity to sing in nearly twenty different places. I was so happy that the people who heard us were able to overcome the language barrier which gave us a real bond with them.
When I saw the missionaries photo both in the church and in the homes we visited I realised it was because of the many people praying for her that she is able to keep working in Japan. In the Church services I sensed a real atmosphere of love a s a natural outworking of the members faith which made me envious. The Good Friday service also impressed me most deeply. Ive never been to such a service in Japan, where passion week usually passes into Easter Sunday without much distinction or thought. As I followed step by step in Jesus footsteps, the meaning of the cross came to me afresh along with the wonder of the resurrection. Also, seeing so many sheep for the first time helped me understand more the things Jesus said about sheep. The way the Nakazawas and the people there are working so hard at JCF also made an impression on me. So now I want to pray that God will increasingly bless their ministry.
All praise and worship to the Name of the Lord. Im so thankful to the Lord for leading and protecting us from the start to the finish. The twelve-day trip to N.Z. was a perfectly wonderful time. We were welcomed from the heart by the churches we visited and the Lord blessed our rather inadequate singing and testimonies. In each of the homes visited, I saw the missionaries photo, making me realise that these people must always pray for her. I praise God that Ive been able to see a church that sends out lots of missionaries, not just to Japan, but also to other countries. Im so thankful, it was through the prayers of missionaries like these, that I was saved.
I shall never forget this God provided opportunity to see the natural beauty of N.Z.; the sheep; and the experience of the kindheartedness of the people. If I get the chance, I want to take my whole family to see N.Z.
Blue skies, green pastures, rolling plains continuing to the distant mountains. Sheep dotted everywhere, merging into each other. A perfect picture of countless sheep looking as though they were white beans scattered from heaven.
This typical panoramic scene of N.Z. reminded me of the story about the ninety-nine sheep in Matt.18:12-14. To try and find one lost sheep in this wide, rolling expanse would indeed be ver difficult. And yet the Lord found this little lost sheep and saved me from the path of destruction. I find this truly amazing. As we travelled by rental van from Chrsitchurch to Timaru on state highway No. 1. I watched the countryside go by and time and time again I felt the story of the lost sheep coming alive. It reminded me of the Lords greatness.
The Lilies Praise Tour, was led by a missionary who is serving our precious Lord. Where ever we went or whoever met us, we were always welcomed with love and prayers. When we were invited into homes of our brothers and sisters in Christ, always on a wall or the refrigerator was a photo of the missionary. At the end of the tour, when we visited JCF, I was really comforted by the kindly way the Nakazawas welcomed us and the good-naturedness of their two boys. Genki and Yuki. The image of the Nakazawas serving the Lord with all their hearts has left a lasting impression on me.
On this trip I have seen with my own eyes how much the Lord must love and care for people who leave their home church to serve Him and faithfully work despite difficulties. It is just as Romans 8:28 says;
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.��������������������������