Two Friends

Wednesday, I spent the day with a friend that I've taught English and Bible to on and off for a number of years. She, at times, seems interested in the Bible and once when I pressed her, said that yes, she believes in Jesus. She also has a strong belief in Buddhism and often takes part in the Buddhist services that her father holds in his home next door to hers. Obviously, her belief in God is not exclusive or life-changing.

We had a great time together, but there was not much depth in the conversation. She always seems happy to get together, but avoids topics related to Christianity for the most part.

Thursday, I had another friend over. We've known Masumi almost since we first arrived in Japan. She began attending the church we were attending on Sundays about the same time we did. She had been attending English classes and Bible studies there before that, but her unsaved husband hadn't wanted her taking part in Sunday services until that time. For many years he didn't want her to get baptized, but finally a couple of years ago, gave his permission and she was baptized.

We were able to have a wonderful time of fellowship together. She rejoiced with me in God's work in Harumi and I listened while she talked about the wonderful things that have been happening in her church and a recent Evangelistic Meeting she'd been to called Love Sonata.

After she left I reflected on these two good friends. One needs the Lord, but doesn't realize it and the other has found Jesus and is constanting rejoicing in her faith. Please pray that Rie will find Jesus so that her life can be filled with the same joy as Masumi's. Pray that I'll have God's wisdom and love as I talk with Rie and other yet unsaved friends about my faith and what God has been doing in my life.

Welcome to Kashiwazaki

Hi, this is Laura. I wanted to tell you about my trip
to Niigata:


In the recent 6.8 earthquake in Niigata prefecture, Kashiwazaki was the city that sustained the most damage. 3000 people still remain in the evacuation shelters almost 2 weeks after the earthquake. I left for Niigata to work with a Christian organization called CRASH along with the short term team from Hawaii. It was a pleasant surprise that several of my classmates and their families were also helping in the clean up.


Over the next three days we worked on three main projects. The campground where we stayed was attached to the Niigata Bible Institute, and many of the cabins were damaged so that the summer camps usually held there could not continue. So a Japanese group of builders, carpenters and engineers were reinforcing the cabins so that eventually they could be used again. Another group was demolishing a church that had collapsed and were separating the cement, wood and metal to be taken to the dump. A third group was helping out a missionary family whose house had been severly damaged.

The day I arrived I helped by mixing cement for some off the cabins, I hoped to help in the same way the next day but was sent to the Mort's house, missionaries in Kashiwazaki. The earthquake damaged the Mort's home so that it was red tagged and dangerous to live in. Thier English school was green tagged and safe. It was our job to make the school more livable. We cleaned it from top to bottom and played with their children; 2 girls and a boy with cereberal palsy. It was good to see the family become less stressed and laugh, a sign that life in the city is slowly reaturning to normal.


Before leaving I helped clear the church grounds, in the picture you can see part of the building that still needs to be cleared. What is visible is the second floor crashed onto the first. We moved cement roof tiles from one part of the yard into another, then into a truck to be taken to the dump.



Please pray for the people still in Evacuation centers who have lost their homes, and their things, pray for CRASH and the volunteers who come from Tokyo and elsewhere as they clean up the community. Lastly pray that people whos lives have been changed forver would consider a loving God in control of the universe.