Frontline Friday brought you to you by Addi  (one of our JSIs in Japan) 

I just want to start out by saying that I have never, before this week, quite experienced how passionate of a Savior we have. How passionately and relentlessly he pursues each and every one of us.

This week started out great. The team from Kansas/Nebraska arrived on Tuesday afternoon and we hit the ground running. The team is split up into treks and I am leading my own, the blue trek. I have been given the opportunity to lead around nine people, seven students and two adults. This group of people have a burning fire in their heart and a desire to spread the Good News to every person they meet. I could not have asked for a better Trek.

Each trek went to a different location, and my trek went to Toyo University. On Wednesday , Thursday, and Friday we went and had lunch at Toyo. We split up and sat around different parts of the cafeteria and made conversation. We met several people and were able to get their numbers. We met many who had never heard the name of Jesus and we also met some who knew a little bit about him. With many of the people we met, we were able to eat with them multiple days this week.  In the afternoons we prayer walked around the neighborhood by the university and then headed to different parts of the city of Tokyo to do Five-Minute English lessons. The Japanese love to practice their English, so these were very successful. We were able to make many connections through them and get contact information so that we could follow up.

This weekend we held a party in the park on both Saturday and Sunday. We invited every person that we had met this past week to come out and join us. On Saturday , we had a few people come. Two girls in particular that Jordan, one of the other JSIs met came to the park. Their names were Natsuki and Nazomi. We sat down on a blanket and began talking. The conversation led into us talking to them about Christmas. They asked us to explain to them what Easter was and we knew that this was God giving us the opportunity to tell them the Gospel.

We got our bibles out and began to explain to them many different things. The language barrier was a little difficult so we asked Teresa, one of the M’s to help us explain it to them. They listened to her the entire time and asked many questions. Natsuki actually studied abroad in California and was given a bible by her host mom and went to church (seed planted). At the end of the conversation they told us that they were interested in studying more about Christianity.

I look at this conversation and I can see Gods handiwork through all of it. God was at work in Natsukis heart before we got here and God gave us the opportunity to sow more seeds into her heart. They both want to hang out with us again before we leave. I am praying that we will be able to talk with them more.

During Sunday’s  party in the park, I was amazed at the relationships that were formed. There were so many people that we met and almost all of the connections we made this week were able to come. We played games for about three hours. At one point I looked up from what I was doing, and I realized that no one was playing anymore. Every single person was sitting on a tarp and having conversations. There were bibles out and explanations of who Jesus is all over the place. I was in awe of what God was doing in these moments. One of the most beautiful things about this was that God was actively pursuing each one of these people. I am praying wholeheartedly that these people will receive him.