The Gospel In Japan
It has been two months since we visited last and much has transpired in those few weeks. Our Lord has been mindful of us, keeping us from harm and danger and providing us with sufficient strength and health to maintain a steady pace of work. We earnestly hope and pray that such has been your status as well.
One bad rote happened to us recently. On a preaching trip in which I was gone for about four days, I left my car in a parking place rear the station. When I returned I found that all four tires were flat and that trying to re-inflate them by the hand pump was futile, so I had to leave the car. Later I returned and removing the tires found each had been punctured 8 to 10 times by an ice pick or something similar device. We are thankful that it was not an occasion of more serious damage as is sometimes the case when young people are concerned. Even though an automobile represents considerable money and difficulty to possess, young folk have little respect for its value. Children will climb all over a car, stand on the hood, throw rocks at the fenders, many times in full view of their parents and no word of restraint. After all we must let the little "darlings" play seems to be the feeling. As has been said by others long ago, Japan is a Children's paradise. This is because it seem that anything the child desires up to possibly high school age is given him and he is thus so pampered. Recently a denominational missionary's car had every glass in it broken by students returning from a demonstration. Our problem could have been much bigger, we are thankful it was not.
Since the moving by a professional would have even exceeded our estimate of 60,000 yen ($167.27) we decided to borrow a friend's truck and move ourselves again. I say again, for the three moves we made various congregations stateside were on the same order. We knew the difficulties and time required, but decided that the realized saving of the Lord's money would be worth the effort involved. Three trips were required, each taking about 10 hours not including the unloading and loading time. Some of these trips were in the wee hours necessitating frequent stops for a quick nap. But we came through it all safe and with a minimum of breakage. We are very thankful.
We were very grateful to receive the assistance from the Hyde Park, Central, and LaFayette churches plus Mr. Tullous's help that helped us meet the moving expenses, as reflected in the Financial Report section. We had to borrow funds to meet expense as the deposit could not be returned until we were out of the house; rent and deposit had to be paid in Nagoya to reserve the house, but now things have been settled. With the 15yen retained by the land-owner and the deduction of the moving expenses, a balance of 300.000 yen or $836.40 is safely deposited in a bank awaiting use in either applied toward quarters in the proposed church building or to be used in expenses incurred in our return to the States. As plans materialize we will have more to tell you about both of these facts: the living quarters and our coming home.
Our present quarters are actually two apartments, designed for the possibility of about 8 Japanese, two families of 4 or more. They are on the second floor, thus the children have no yard, and play only in the street in front of the house. The floor Space is 15 ft. by 30 ft., five rooms. My study is 5 ft. wide and 71/2 ft. long, and as bro. Carl McCullough said in his recent report, 'this coziness has; advantages in that you can reach anything you need without getting out of your chair except possibly books on the top shelf ! (Bro. McCullough is in Northern Ireland), and evidently needing additional support. His address is 30 Glenhurt Dr. Newtownabby, Northern Ireland. Consider this please) The boy's bedroom is about 5 ft. by 11 ft. and since the apartment had no bath we halved the expense with the land-owner to get one built. Many houses have no private bath in the cities, but use a community bath center which is usually two to five blocks to the nearest one. The only hot water we get is from the bath-tub which is a large wooden box with a gas burner in it. There wasn't enough room in the house for even our meager living items, so I made a storage box on the first floor roof that was waterproof and the freezer is under the stairs outside in the weather. But we are here and adjusted to the new surroundings and have made contacts already that indicate an interest in Christianity. Two of our neighbors want to learn more about the Bible and the church of the Lord and we have taken the land-owner's son one time to the services. The brethren seem to be keenly interested in doing much more to spread Truth in the area. We hope that together we can use the best possible means to effectively spread the Truth the most informative way to the millions in our little area.
In the three-day-meeting with the Osaka Church, a young man and a young girl expressed their belief in the Lord Jesus and were immediately baptized into covenant relationship with our Lord. We were very thankful for this success in the Lord.
The Nagoya brethren meet more times each week for Bible study than most Japanese congregations Sunday morning is the regular worship service, with a Bible class in the O.T. for an hour and a half in the afternoon, then evening worship. Wednesday a Bible Class in Matthew and a genuine prayer-meeting with prayers from all, Saturday another Class is taught in one of the member's home — thus making many periods available for intense study of the Word that will condition and outfit one to meet the deceits Of Satan.
We continue to be earnestly grateful for the support both spiritual and physical of our efforts for the Lord here in Japan. Continue to pray for our efforts as we do for yours. We are so very fortunate to have such a wonderful Father that cares for us so. Let us ever express our appreciation and love.
Steve and David are enrolled in local Japanese School and "jochien" (kindergarten) and have made friends. Although this area seems to be a lower class than that in Nishinomiya, they still seem to be goodhearted and good prospects for hearing the Message of truth. Till next time...
5-90 Nakamura-cho Nakamura-ku Nagoya-shi Japan