Month: December 2010

Kanagawa’s capital, Yokohama, is the second largest city in the nation and where the Protestant Church began. In 1859, the first Protestant missionaries arrived in Yokohama, and a prayer meeting was started in 1872. Nine students were led to faith and eleven people from this group became the charter members of the first Protestant church in Japan, organized on March 10, 1872.

• Population: 8,600,109
• City with only 1 church: 1
• Towns/villages with no church: 6
• Church/person: 1: 17,269

Dec 26: Christian social welfare facilities such as Yokohama Training Center for the Blind (started 114 years ago) with 35 in training now, Japan Minakami School in Yokohama, and orphanages Elizabeth Sanders Home with 100 residents and Shiroyama School with 55 students.

Dec 27: One of the six unchurched town and villages, Kiyokawa Village, covers a wide mountainous area. Even though it has no church, a Christian ministry called Tanzawa Home is located there. The other five towns have fairly easy access to churches in adjacent areas. Pray that these areas will also have churches within their borders.

Dec 28: Pro-Life Japan provides various services including abortion prevention, medical attention for the mother’s health, support at childbirth, ad adoption placement. April 23 is set aside as “Sanctity of Life Day” in many churches.

*All information and prayer requests taken from “Operation Japan -Prayer Guide- Third Edition” -Japan Evangelical Missionary Association, 2005. To purchase a copy of “Operation Japan” book or the Interactive CD version, go to:http://www.jema.org/joomla15/index.php?option=com_banners&task=click&bid=10.

Kanagawa’s capital, Yokohama, is the second largest city in the nation and where the Protestant Church began. In 1859, the first Protestant missionaries arrived in Yokohama, and a prayer meeting was started in 1872. Nine students were led to faith and eleven people from this group became the charter members of the first Protestant church in Japan, organized on March 10, 1872.

• Population: 8,600,109
• City with only 1 church: 1
• Towns/villages with no church: 6
• Church/person: 1: 17,269

Dec 17: Many of the churches in the Yokohama and Shonan areas are the first churches in Japan. Pray that these churches will sense the unity of Christ in the gospel.

Dec 18: A family in Yokohama celebrates a heritage of five generations of Christians. The first Christian in the line was also one of the first Protestant Christians, who became one of the first pastors. There are now 25 living believers in the family. Pray that every Christian parent will also see the next generation following Jesus.

Dec 19: Pray for “Harbor View of Christmas”, a special evangelistic outreach in which 100 churches cooperate. There are usually 600 people who come to hear this gospel presentation.

Dec 20: Pray for the many well-known Christian schools in this prefecture: Ferris Women’s School with 3.150  students, Kanto Gakuin with 16,350 (Jr. high through college), Meiji Gakuin Univ. Yokohama Campus, Aoyama Gakuin Univ. Atsugi Campus, Toyo Eiwa Women’s Univ., and others. There are 63 Protestant kindergartens and 27 day-care centers here with 10,600 children.

Dec 21: Pray for the many children and adults who attend English conversation classes at churches and Christian schools throughout Japan. For most it is their first time to read the Bible.

Dec 22: For Christian general hospitals: Kinugasa Hospital with 299 beds and Neo Gospel Clinic.

*All information and prayer requests taken from “Operation Japan -Prayer Guide- Third Edition” -Japan Evangelical Missionary Association, 2005. To purchase a copy of “Operation Japan” book or the Interactive CD version, go to:http://www.jema.org/joomla15/index.php?option=com_banners&task=click&bid=10.

A government estimate in 2003 lists the number of homeless in the nation at 25,000, but many believe that it is probably several times higher. They are concentrated in Tokyo’s 23 wards and the cities of Yokohama, Kawasaki, Nagoya, and Osaka, but are found throughout the nation. The Salvation Army and a number of other churches are seeking to creatively reach out to them. One of the most visible among those ministering is Pastor Haruko Morimoto and the Seikawa Christian Evangelical Church in Sanya. She has ministered in that area for 29 years, has served over 1.2million meals, and baptized nearly 3,000 people. A number of churches have meetings and serve meals in local parks, and the Tokyo Chuo Church has over 500 homeless attending their worship services. Pray for those who daily share the gospel and lend a helping hand.

*All information and prayer requests taken from “Operation Japan -Prayer Guide- Third Edition” -Japan Evangelical Missionary Association, 2005. To purchase a copy of “Operation Japan” book or the Interactive CD version, go to:http://www.jema.org/joomla15/index.php?option=com_banners&task=click&bid=10.

Tamagawa Seigakuin

Tamagawa Seigakuin is an all girls junior and senior high school located in Setagaya ward. There are 1,060 students. Students have a 20-minute chapel time every morning. The faculty is 80% Christian. Junior high students are required to attend a local church every Sunday. About 10-15% of the senior high girls attend church regularly. On average, 15 students are baptized each year. Students also have on hour of Bible class each week.

Meiji Gakuen University

A survey conducted at the university for the graduating class of 2002 indicated that 34.7% became more interested in Christianity during their time at school. Only a few are actually baptized. Pray that the 34% will have many other exposures to the gospel after university.

*All information and prayer requests taken from “Operation Japan -Prayer Guide- Third Edition” -Japan Evangelical Missionary Association, 2005. To purchase a copy of “Operation Japan” book or the Interactive CD version, go to:http://www.jema.org/joomla15/index.php?option=com_banners&task=click&bid=10.