Today, our team traveled by car to Kyoto, to spend time with students at Doshisha University. Doshisha University is a beautiful, private school, and one of the HOPE students, Yoshiki, studies there. We met up with Yoshiki for lunch, and then joined him in his Japanese history lecture. After class, we spent time with Yoshiki and his friend, walking around Kyoto and sharing our lives and our faith with each other. We visited the Kyoto Tower and rode the elevator up to the very top. We could see so many buildings, so many apartments and houses, and it was amazing to think that God knows the past, the future, and the heart of every single person.
Through talking about universal struggles with the students, such as family problems and disunity, we were convicted and reminded of the universal presence of sin, and consequently the universal need for the gospel. By God’s goodness and grace, we have been able to share the gospel, God’s Word, and our testimonies with many of the students that we meet.
We often spend a couple hours each day traveling on the train, and we aim to redeem the time by resting, having profitable conversations, and encouraging each other. We have been super encouraged by Yoshiki, who tells us about his passion for sharing Jesus and the Bible with his friends. We ended the day by praying as a team and with Yoshiki. We prayed in both English and Japanese, and it is just so awesome to see God at work, saving and sanctifying people both from America and from Japan.
One of our favorite parts of this whole STM is being able to be a part of Hamadera Bible Church. We are so blessed by the church members’ genuine, Christ-like love, and we are so encouraged by the humble, selfless way they minister to each other and to us. Jen and I are staying with the Oumis, and every day we are so thankful for their loving care.
Sometimes, we feel physically tired, but it is so good to be able to depend on Christ for all our strength. Even though we do all that we can to bring the students to an understanding of the gospel, we know that ultimately only God can save. We are humbled, knowing that we serve the only true, sovereign God, who holds all the power for salvation. As Acts 4:12 says, there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
Thank you for all of your continuous support :) Please keep praying for God to save these Japanese students and to continue growing His church.
- Meini
Through talking about universal struggles with the students, such as family problems and disunity, we were convicted and reminded of the universal presence of sin, and consequently the universal need for the gospel. By God’s goodness and grace, we have been able to share the gospel, God’s Word, and our testimonies with many of the students that we meet.
We often spend a couple hours each day traveling on the train, and we aim to redeem the time by resting, having profitable conversations, and encouraging each other. We have been super encouraged by Yoshiki, who tells us about his passion for sharing Jesus and the Bible with his friends. We ended the day by praying as a team and with Yoshiki. We prayed in both English and Japanese, and it is just so awesome to see God at work, saving and sanctifying people both from America and from Japan.
One of our favorite parts of this whole STM is being able to be a part of Hamadera Bible Church. We are so blessed by the church members’ genuine, Christ-like love, and we are so encouraged by the humble, selfless way they minister to each other and to us. Jen and I are staying with the Oumis, and every day we are so thankful for their loving care.
Sometimes, we feel physically tired, but it is so good to be able to depend on Christ for all our strength. Even though we do all that we can to bring the students to an understanding of the gospel, we know that ultimately only God can save. We are humbled, knowing that we serve the only true, sovereign God, who holds all the power for salvation. As Acts 4:12 says, there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
Thank you for all of your continuous support :) Please keep praying for God to save these Japanese students and to continue growing His church.
- Meini