The Scarlet Cord - Moriel Ministries

Moriel Japan
K
Konnichiwa,
Geoff Toole
moriel japan
Moriel Japan Report August 2012.
News from the
Far East
September Report
2012
It is well and truly ‘natsu’ (summer) in Japan!
All the talk about getting rid of the nuclear
power plants sizzles away in the summer
heat! The electrical companies say “No
nuclear, No air-con. What’s it gonna be”
The big news here in our fellowship is
the birth of Daisuke and Jean’s son, Nathan.
His name means ‘name bearer’ in
Japanese. Jean is having to cope with a new
country, a new language and being a new
mother all at once. But Daisuke is doing his
best to look after his new family. We praise
the Lord for providing Daisuke with a new
job just in time for this trial period. Jean
is quite tough, coming from the Philippine
hills, so nothing stresses her too much. Especially
not the heat.
Another testimony is that of a believer
who found Moriel on the internet. Having
spent a large amount of time away from
his family (most Japanese men think the
normal thing to do), he was challenged
through the teaching (mostly of Proverbs,
emphasizing a father’s biblical responsibilities
in the home) and God led him back
home (though it cost him his business).
Praise the Lord for changing our thoughts
and our ways. His wife, children and even
his mother are grateful for the Lord’s work
there. He is now looking for a new job!
The somewhat surprising appearance of
another ‘Moriel’ affiliated missionary in
our area brought great joy. Grant Norman,
26, has been living close by for two and a
half years but, like me in my first few years
here, was so absorbed in his evangelism
and mission work he didn’t realize who
else was here. As soon as he found out that
our branch was in the Kobe area, he called
and we met up. Lord willing, Grant will
‘officially’ join us from October and help
with a new church plant and outreach we
have been planning. Grant brings a lot of
fresh zeal, especially in terms of outreach
and new ideas to reach Japanese kids. He
has already experienced different ways of
sharing the Gospel from campus ministry
to basketball camps. I feel this is truly an
answer to prayer. And the greatest part is,
we didn’t have to teach him Japanese or
help him get used to the country! An instant
missionary. (Actually other believers
have been supporting Grant, including his
home church, Hemet Christian Assembly,
and his family. Grant’s father, Pastor Steve
Norman, also knows Jacob. Praise the Lord
for their mission support to Japan).
This is Obon week. The week that Japanese
call back the spirits of their dead ancestors
to offer food. Lots of ‘matsuri-festivals,’
kimonos and fireworks. It is also
a good time for street witnessing. People
hang around city parks and streets during
the summer evenings, a temporary respite
from their busy lives. Next week in Kobe
we will hold an evangelistic outreach in a
local community center, so we have been
busy handing out invitations to that.
In one recent night on the streets, the first
lady we spoke to was part of Soukagakai.
This is a zealous, politically active kind of
Buddhist movement. They chant in order
to get ‘energy’ for life. Like most Japanese
they believe in reincarnation. We discussed
with her the problem of sin and how reincarnation
offers no solution. During the
conversation, she seemed most interested to
hear about our conversion and what made
us change. How could you go from loving
sin to hating it Grant shared his testimony
at length with her. Her name is Miki. She
was challenged that night.
The second lady was more typical of
Japanese. She explained how the only important
thing is to teach to the next generation
what has been taught to you. She was
very self-righteous, but when challenged
with the law, especially lying, she acknowledged
her sin. Still, blind faith was attractive
to her as it took away the need to think
seriously about anything.
The rest of the night was spent handing
out invitations and testimony tracts. The last
boy we spoke to seemed interested. That
was an encouragement to end the night. We
hope to be out a lot more this summer.
With the new website up and running,
we are now able to post some of the many
Japanese and translated teachings we have
been stockpiling recently. This last year we
have been able to complete our basics of
prophecy series through Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah,
Zechariah and Malachi. Some of
these were done in seminars and others at
our local fellowship. We have also finished
sets on the offerings, true and false shepherds
and the Daughters of Zion. The next
seminar series will be on Shiloh and Samuel,
as we go through the life of Samuel,
Saul and David. Even when difficulties and
disappointments appear all around us, there
is great joy in finding a continual feast of
revelation in the Scriptures.
This May I was finally able to reach Aomori
to meet the two ladies who join us each
24 Moriel Quarterly • September 2012