Stories and takeaways from the 4-Day Mino Outreach:

Takeaways

• Lifestyle evangelism is key
• Live life intentionally engage with everyone around you, being full of grace love, but also direct upfront about why you are there
• Homes of Peace
• Shops and small restaurants (esp. family owned ones) can often be places of peace. When we enter them and engage in conversation with the owners or workers, we explained our desire to share the free love of Jesus to people and also our desire to pray the Lord's peace and blessing over them and their shop 
• Bless them through buying their wares and eating their food (“eat what is put before you”) 
• Ask them for recommendations to other shops/restaurants or spiritually interested people (this becomes connections to others in town) 
• This may also be an existing believer's home (like the one in the nearby city that we stayed in for the 4 days ) through whom we are able to freely work 
• in addition to proclaiming peace over their home, seek to bless them as much as possible 
• Take time to Heal 
• Through praying for physical healing 
• Through ministering to past hurts (on several occasions we helped to heal damaged that JWs had done) 
• Share the gospel in the first or second encounter, but be prepared to only greet and bless in the second or third encounter, allowing them to re-initiate the previous conversation 
• this is especially important if the JWs have been around a lot since they will push and push upon people 
• Be prepared for spiritual warfare and resistance

Stories

• Takoyaki Shop 
• One the first day, I and my gospeling partner stopped at a Takoyaki shop (for those who don’t know, “takoyaki” are a traditional Japanese food (like pancake batter made into little round balls with octopus inside and special sauce and toppings on top)). It was a family run shop and we came on a slow day so we were able to talk to the owner for several hours. He was very talkative. From early in the conversation we shared our reason for being in Mino (it is a tourist town so ours was a unique reason for being there) and I shared my testimony and a simple gospel. We asked him if he had heard this before and he said he had, from JWs (Jehovah’s Witnesses). As the conversation continued he had lots of questions about the difference between us and the JWs and through that we got to explain more of the gospel. 

• The next day at lunch time I returned to the shop with a different gospeling partner. By God’s grace we came at a slow day again and this time the owner’s father and mother were present as well as a family friend and we naturally were able to continue conversation from the day before. This time, having most of his questions about JWs versus us, we were able to share more directly about the gospel and Jesus. It was fun to see and hear their reactions to when we shared that the gospel of Jesus is free. In particular they were impressed that we offered the gospel freely. We realized that there had been a lot of damage done by JWs which, like many cults pedals the gospel for money. They were shocked to hear that many Christians will perform a funeral for free (not counting the actual burial costs). As we shared testimonies and truths, the family friend suddenly commented saying, “What a wonderful religion!”

• Before leaving we offer prayer for peace and blessing over their shop with they gratefully received. We also asked if we could pray healing for any one of them. The owner excitedly (half seriously and half in a silly mood) said, “Yea! My younger brother’s (who had joined us by then) stomach is not good. Oh! And I have some neck pain. Oh! And mom’s leg is not good. She needs prayer for her leg!” =D They gathered around us ready to receive prayer, asking us, “how does it work? And how long does it take to get better?” ,etc. We explained that the timing is up to God and that there is also such a thing as old age which is part of our broken world. Then we prayed in Jesus’ Name for the ailments. Afterward, I asked if anything had changed. The younger brother said it was too soon to tell. When we asked their mother, she stood up from her chair to check and everyone exclaimed, “Whoa! She’s better!” She found that her limp had disappeared, although it wasn’t completely better.

• I’ve since, gone back several times and while I haven’t had the same kind of deep conversations due to the shop being busier, I’m still welcomed and the mother even encouraged me to keep sharing with her son!

• Yasukazu 
• On the second day, I and my gospeling partner were walking around, asking the Lord to direct us to the right people, we both noticed a young man walking past a Pachinko (gambling) building. We both felt drawn to him so my partner actually called out to him to get his attention. When he stopped and inquired what we wanted, my partner said that it was his first time to visit Mino and that we were there looking for people with whom to share about the amazing and free love of Jesus to. He shared that he had found that not too many Japanese knew about Jesus or about what He had done for them. In this way he alluded to and shared small bits of the gospel. After conversing for a little while, we asked him if he was interested in knowing more about this Jesus, and he said he was! We asked if he had time right then and he said he had about 30 minutes. So, not finding a place to sit down, we stood off to the side and shared the gospel in more detail, using a gospel presentation called the 3 Circles. Following this we asked him if this was something he wanted (following Jesus) and he said he did! We took him to Romans 10:9 and explained how he could do just that. Follow this, we took the remaining minutes we had left to reiterate that it was not about doing or not doing as much as it was following Jesus, and explained the importance of meeting together to learn how to follow Jesus better. I got his contact info and gave him mine and tried to set up a time to meet but he was unsure of when would be good. Then we blessed him and let him go as he had to get going. But before he left he gave us a hug (very unusual for Japanese and even more so in the country) and thanked us several times for sharing with him. He also shared how he wanted to share this with his family! 

• Unfortunately, I must have written his number down wrong and haven’t been able to get ahold of him. I’m praying for God to re-connect him and that his faith would prove to be genuine.

• Spiritual Opposition 
• On the first day, one of the gospeling pairs found themselves at a small family run restaurant in which only the owner and her son were present. They were warmly welcomed and prayer gratefully received by the owner. The son even offered to make a side dish on the house for them. They were able to share quite a bit with him and towards the end he was eagerly listening and gratefully received a Bible. He also said that he wanted to know more and asked them to come back. 

• However, without feeling free to share more detail, that open door was closed to them and we were asked by the owner (privately) to please not come back and please not contact or talk to her son.

• Based on details I don’t feel free to share, we strongly sensed that the Enemy had a strong hold over that home and was systematically destroying it (in business, health, relationship, etc.)

• Our prayer is that the Gospel that the son heard would take root, and that he would read the Bible and receive Christ as his Savior. And that through his transformed life, his mother would see the truth of the gospel and that I (since I met them briefly and am the only one of our team living near Mino) would be welcomed back to share more.

• Crazy God Connections 
• On the last day, I and my Japanese partner, went back to some of the previous shops that had welcomed us and our message. There was one shop that previously he had gone to and though able to share the gospel, was not received and saw that the man was closed to the gospel. We went the the shop next to it only to find out that it was run by that man’s wife! As we talked with her, we discovered that her daughter not only lives in the same town that I had grown up in, Higashi-Kurume, (in Tokyo) and that she lives within a couple minute walk from my parents, but also that she is sending her daughter to a Christian preschool! Then it got crazier as we discovered that this woman’s daughter (the one living in Tokyo) had gone to school in the same town that my partner had grown up in! We mentioned to her that these things couldn’t be mere coincidence but that God had brought us together, and she agreed. She received prayer from us for her and her shop and having gotten a recommendation from her of a good place to eat, we went on our way. (Because of that recommendation, we were able to share my testimony and the gospel with the wife of that restaurant owner and pray over her and her shop as well!). 

• I came back a week later to this same shop and asked how here visit to see her daughter in Tokyo had gone. She shared how she had gone to her granddaughter’s preschool Christmas pageant and what it was like. From that we talked about Christmas and I asked if she knew the reason why Jesus, who was God Himself, chose to be born at Christmas. She then let me share the gospel with her. I was encouraged when, even when her husband called her from the other shop, she asked him to wait and then beckoned for me to continue! She then confessed to me that she was “soft toward Jesus” but that her husband “needed to be softened”. She said she would pick up a Bible that she had from time to time and read. Furthermore, all 3 of her daughters had been married in a church in a “Christian” style wedding and the hospice her son works at often has a pastor come to visit. God is surrounding this family with Himself!

• Coffee Shop 
• One of the gospeling pairs had stopped at a Coffee Shop and had some good conversations with the owner. They learned from her that when the JWs came around they only came to homes and never into the shops. Meaning that they only came to “sell” and never to “buy”. So it was neat that God had specifically led us to do differently and that we sought to not only bless each place through prayer but also to bless them through buying from them and introducing each other to such places as well. 

• On the last day of our time one of our partners brought me to the place to meet the owner (and of course enjoy the coffee (which was made in a syphon and was very good!)). Since prior partners had already shared some with her and she knew who we were and why were there, we felt from the Lord that we were to simply come, drink her coffee, have casual conversation and leave (leaving it up to her to initiate spiritual conversation). Since then, I’ve gone back twice (once a week) and each time she has initiated spiritual conversation or asking me questions about what I do or if I was continuing to share about Jesus in Mino in my follow-up trips there. I am thankful for how God is leading this connection as well as the others.

And more, but these were my highlights! =D

Refreshment and Opportunities

I was recently struck by Psalm 51:13 which, after pleas to God for a clean and upright spirit, and the restoration of the joy of God's salvation, 

David says "Then I will teach transgressors your ways and sinners will return to you."  What a beautiful encouragement from the Lord!  May we continue in this kind of spirit before the Lord.  

Home Stay

   We have been enjoying having a young lady named Teresa Schimpf stay in our home for a little over a week now. Caleb had become very close to her family while at Bible College in Iowa, and we were excited when she asked to come to support, love and care for us here on the field. She has been visiting the nearby college to help us make connections with students, cooking, cleaning, helping with the boys, and being a blessing in so many other ways.  We are looking forward to 3 more weeks with her.  Please pray that the Lord would use her time in Japan to build up His Church.

Natsuho

   Last week, when Teresa was visiting the college, she met a first year student named Natsuho.  Since Natsuho was very good at English, they were able to quickly built a good connection and made plans to get together again.  On Sunday, Natsuho came over to our home where we played games, Teresa helped her with some English homework, we ate dinner together, and then she proceeded to stay on for our evening worship time.  Natsuho was very involved and participated in the songs, Bible study, and even wanted to try praying to God that night for some requests we had shared with one another.  We all rejoiced at her openness toward things of God and are praising the Lord for how He has obviously been at work in her life!!  To say the least, it was a very exciting Sunday for both Teresa and our family!!!  Please pray for Natsuho's salvation to be soon!

Leadership Summit in the Philippines

   We just came back last night from the Philippines for our annual leadership conference.  We dropped the boys and Teresa off at Caleb's parent's home in Tokyo before heading off to the Philippines.  One highlight of this year's conference is that Rin, the young man who has been working closely with our family, will also be attending the conference.  We were able to see God's hand at work in his coming because he had some family and visa/passport problems that seemed to make it impossible, and yet all the details were worked out just in time. We were greatly blessed and strengthen by our time there, the teaching, the counsel, the fellowship, and the refreshment. Please pray for the Lord's remind us of what we learned and that Rin and our family will continue in courage and vision to reach Japan.  

Kumamoto Training

   You may remember one of the college students who we worked a lot with several years ago, named Hazuki.  After college, she moved back to her hometown in Kumamoto (part of the southernmost main island of Japan) and has been actively involved in her local church and reaching out in her community.  Through her, God has opened the way for Caleb to come down to lead a discipleship training for the members of her church.  Caleb will there from the 10th until the 13th, helping to encourage and train the believers.  Please Pray for God's Spirit to work and move in these trainings.  

Other people to pray for:

• Charlis - a young Mongolian man who has an openness to and interest in wanting to know more of Jesus and the Bible
• Rie - a mother of two young boys (the older of whom has autism) who is beginning to read the Bible and wants to know more of Jesus.  Pray that she would find daily strength in Christ and that she would see her son begin to improve by God's power in their lives.  
• Soga - one of the bus drivers at Enoch's preschool that Caleb has been getting to know and sharing the Gospel with

Thank you for joining us in prayer and encouragement to see Christ's name proclaimed across this nation,

The Ebys

Prayer for Contacts

Recently, we have been working on renewing old contacts and we have a couple prayer needs that we would love you to pray together with us for. 

A couple years ago, we had a college student named Mayuko help Enoch with his Japanese.  She has been to our house many times and heard parts of the Gospel.  Tonight we were able to have her over for dinner and share the Gospel in full.  Please pray that the Lord would work salvation in her heart!

Today, Micah and I were able to visit one of the doctor's clinics where Amy had gone in the past and had gotten to know some of the staff.  Today was a good time of reconnecting and sharing again the true meaning of Christmas.  Please pray for Doctor Kato and for Murakami, who we plan to have further contact with and who have continued to be very receptive to the message of the Gospel.  

Tomorrow - We will getting together with four of my former co-teachers.  We will have dinner together with them and their families.  All of them have heard the gospel in full, but we want to invite them to study the Bible further.  Please pray for receptive hearts and a desire to know more.  Please pray for Mrs Ando, Mrs Mizutani, Mrs. Tanahashi, and Mrs. Tauchi.

Praise - Thank you for praying for the sharing opportunity in the local school as Rin was doing his student teaching.  The children continued to be excited about the Gospel and more students were able to hear the good news! Furthermore, one boy in particular as well as a few others are able to confidently share a simple gospel message as well! 

Fukushima

Please pray for those up in Fukushima as they just had another large earthquake off the coast. There are several thousand workers still working nonstop at the nuclear plant as well as many people who are still living in temporary housing. It's only been a little over 5 years since the big earthquake and tsunami of 2011 and this recent earthquake can unsettle and bring back many old fears and worries. Please pray for the peace of their hearts and that God would use this to draw many to Himself as His people step out to comfort and serve.

Thanksgiving & Church Outing

We spent an early Thanksgiving with Caleb's family in Tokyo and concluded our time with a special church outing to Okutama with ICCS (our home church). For the outing, we went to Okutama Bible Chalet and had our church service in the camp's chapel. Ken Nishiono (a good friend who was also sent out and supported by the church, and is now taking over the pastorship of a church in Fukushima) preached a short message in Japanese follow by my message in English (two separate messages). After service we had a BBQ (Japanese style) and had great fellowship together! I love the Body of Christ and rejoice over this opportunity for fellowship! =D

Open Doors in Elementary School

Rin, the young Japanese man whom we have been training and who is now partnering with us in ministry, is in his 3rd year of college as an Education Major and is currently doing a month of student teaching in a nearby elementary school. He has been praying and asking God to show him how he can share Christ with the students that he is working with despite the fact that it is a public school and, like the United States, such a thing is frowned upon.

Two days ago he shared with us the door that God has opened up in his 4th grade class. He was in the library during recess with some of his students and there was a manga (comic book) about Jesus. So, over the next 3 days, using the pictures from the manga, Rin shared with them about Jesus, sharing the whole gospel, and even asking them their response! The result?

• When Rin told them that the Bible promises that Jesus will return and that we can live forever with Him, their eyes shone!
• One girl immediately repeated the gospel with a friend who arrived late to the library.
• Another girl asked Rin how much he trusted Jesus, to which he replied, "100% How much do you trust Him?" She answered with, "I trust Him 95% and His Father 5%!"
• Another girl went home and shared the gospel with her mother who received it favorably, if not in faith!
• Rin believes that 5 (4 girls and 1 boy) have chosen to trust Jesus and 2 more have received it favorably!

Please pray:

• that God would keep this door open for the remaining 2 weeks of student teaching 
• that God would protect Rin from opposition so that he may continue to share with and even disciple these young kids
• for these kid's faith to proof genuine
• for the salvation of their parents (or at least favor of the parents)
• that these students will be excited about sharing Jesus with their families and friends
• for God to spread this to the rest of the 4th grade and the rest of the school through these students
• that this would be the start of something bigger!

Gifu University Outreach

The outreach on the 29th and 30th was great! Rin and I met at the university entrance at 10:30 and began wandering around looking for people who were not engaged in something. On my iPod Touch we had 2 short films that we were using as a tool. We would introduce ourselves as Christians and ask if they would be willing to watch our short film and answer some questions about it. The films (and the following questions) were designed to get people to think and prepare their hearts for spiritual conversation. Depending on people's responses and interest we would sometimes follow with our testimony and/or the gospel. We had some great conversations and it was great training for Rin. Below are the two videos we used:

On Sunday we tried an additional approach of asking (without the short films) a series of questions that led them to think about what the foundation of their worth is. Following this we shared what God says in the Bible about their worth and for those that were interested, we continued by sharing the Gospel. I spoke in English and he translated which gave him a way to be involved without all the attention being on him, but when we got to the gospel I let him share it as he has been practicing to do. =D

As a great finish to the day, I got together with a Chinese student who I have known for about 4 years and to whom I've shared the gospel on a number of occasions. We got together to play basketball and during our breaks we talked. It turns out that during our time of support raising in the States, God led him to salvation through some visiting evangelists! He's now attending a good solid church and hungry for the Word! Later his friends joined us and during another break time we shared the gospel with one of his friends who seemed to be thinking deeply about what he heard! Praise God!

Please pray for Li-san (pronounced "Lee")(the new believer) and his friend Cho-san

Please pray for:

• Li-san, that he will grow quickly and deeply in the Lord
• Cho-san, that the Gospel would take root in his heart and that I would be able to follow-up with him
• Yuri, Nozomi, Fuuka, Madoka (girls), Kouya, Kato, and Nao (guys) who seemed especially moved by the Gospel or were at least thinking seriously about it
• this coming Wednesday~Saturday as I co-lead a training and outreach time in Nagoya
• for Rin as He continues to grow in the Lord and in boldness