Praise the Lord! In the previous report, we left off with updates from the first week of our survey trip to Japan. We are thrilled to tell you about all that God did during our second and final week, as well as the rest of our very busy month!
Almost immediately after Bro. Valdez’s (the missions pastor of our sending church) arrival to join us in Japan, we flew from the city of Tokyo to the city of Osaka, Japan’s second largest city of 2.7 million people. Missionary Don Sisk planted the Senri Newtown Baptist Church there back in 1966. His first convert, Sogoro Ogawa, has been the pastor there now for over 50 years. God has already used Pastor Ogawa to train and send out multiple laborers to plant churches in many other cities in Japan and beyond. It was an honor to get to participate and spend time there during our time there. We believe that God has led us to work under Pastor Ogawa for our first few years in Japan to receive further training so that we may be more fruitful in our lifetime of ministry. We will endeavor to fulfill the Great Commission in the populous city of Osaka, as we labor with the Senri Newtown Baptist Church full-time. Our goal is to start planting churches all over Japan, specifically in cities without the Gospel, before long. My wife and I cannot wait to return to Japan!
We returned to the States to continue our deputation on September 4. Our first Missions Conference this month started two days after our arrival! While out soul winning with one of our hosting churches, we were able to meet a Catholic man named Rick with Stage 4 cancer. He sweetly accepted Christ as his personal Saviour upon hearing a clear Gospel presentation for the first time! At another conference, my wife and I were able to invite Bernardo, Jessica, and their baby, as well as their friend Alexandria, who all came as first-time visitors on a Sunday morning. Whether in Japan or in the States, we love seeing God work in people’s lives!
October will be a very full month for us! Please pray that God would continue to open doors for us. Thank you very much for praying and investing in His work!
Your friends and co-laborers to Japan,
Go and Danielle Oishi