LCMS World Mission Blog

“I recently made a new friend, Yuko, who came to the church because she found our English school Web site on the Internet. She is an avid music fan, and particularly likes the band Switchfoot. She’s even traveled to the United States a few times to see them in concert! It was through this band and its music that fear and stereotypes towards other religions began wearing away. Upon sharing with her all the different things that go on at our church on a regular basis, she pointed to the seekers class and said, ‘That’s me, I’m a seeker.’

“She began to attend our monthly free English coffee house. The theme was patience, and we invited a church member to come and share her personal testimony on the subject. Afterward, we had bilingual worship in which we invited the student with hectic lives to experience first-hand the peace and joy of worship and prayer in God’s presence and in His Word. We have been doing such worship Wednesday and Friday nights this semester with students and have been using both contemporary and traditional elements. God used the time to open Yuko up, and later, He opened the door for us to have a conversation.

“There was a lot of history and pain in the words that followed, as well as hopeless longing and searching. Our conversation turned to hope and I shared with her about prayer and the love and fullness that Christ offers us. Then, she said something about praying every night. I asked her for clarification. She said, ‘No, not now, but every night from tonight I’ll pray before bed!’ At the time, she didn’t have a Bible of her own and we began sending e-mails somewhat regularly. I’d send her Bible verses and YouTube links to worship music. She later told me how she treasured those words and read them often; and, upon receiving her first copy of the New Testament, said, ‘This is a treasure, I will treasure this!’ I can think of at least a handful of people who, like Yuko, are at open, yet vulnerable places in their young journey of faith. Please keep them all in your prayers. I’ve seen first-hand how Satan seeks to thwart such growth and faith in people.”

• Learn more about the work in Japan.
• Download Lindsey’s prayer card.