We are sorry we could not update yesterday. It has been a very difficult few days. As we monitored the threat of radiation, we realized that it was getting worse. After much prayer and counsel with our sending church and organization, we decided to evacuate. As much as we want to help the people of Japan, God has entrusted us to take care of our son. And we have to be healthy and well to be able to continue our ministry in Japan.
At first, we didn’t have enough gas and all the buses were full so we didn’t think we could get out of the city. However, my brother waited in line for 6 hours to get enough gas to get to the west coast of Japan. He also waited in line to buy enough food for us to eat. As much as he needed a car and food, he said our job is to take care of our son.
Another concern we had was my 81 years old grandmother who needed help. She has been so gracious to provide a place to live and everything else we needed. We told her that we would be leaving and asked her if she wanted to come with us, but she said no. She told us that she would be praying for us all the time and waiting for us to come back when everything is safe. We could tell that she had tears in her eyes.
Before we left the city, we stopped at my dad’s office. My dad has been so supportive from the beginning, and he kept reminding us that God would take care of us. We know our son has brought so much joy into his lonely life without my mom. It broke our heart to take away his joy. We had a short farewell in front of his office. He wanted to pray for us, and he cried as he asked our Father to protect us. He reminded us of I Corinthians 10:13, “And God is faithful; he will not let you be temptedbeyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” He held our baby boy one more time and we left with such a heavy heart.
We drove to Sakata city which is on a west coast. We are about 230 miles from the power plant, and since the wind is blowing to the south, we believe we are safe for now. There is a mission church that our church has been supporting for a long time, and my dad asked their pastor if we could stay with them. His family welcomed us warmly and it has been such a blessing to spend time with them. They have treated us like their family and told us that we could stay as long as they need to. Their three children take such good care of our baby. We have been having meaningful conversations about the ministries in Japan, and it has been such an encouragement for all of us. Once again, God is faithful.
So what’s next? We are working on getting Luke’s passport to evacuate to South Korea. Our pastor and his wife have good friends there and they will be taking care of us. We also have Korean friends that we met at DBU and we know we can rely on them as well.
As of now, we are hoping to come back to Japan when it is safe enough. We don’t know when, but we pray that God will bring us back here to make Him known in this darkest place. Even though this situation is devastating and hopeless, we believe he will use this time of challenges to bring a revival to Japan.
We know so many of you are praying for us. We apologize for not being able to write/call you back, but please know we feel your love and prayers all the time. Our church and sending organization have been so supportive and helpful. We know they are not getting enough sleep because they have so much to do to help us evacuate. We are blessed to have such a strong and wise leadership. We know they are praying for God’s wisdom as they help us to make important decisions. THANK YOU!
We are leaving soon to apply for an emergency passport for Luke. Please pray that they will be understanding and helpful. Also, pray for our baby boy as we take a train for 2 hours. He has been such a trooper and we can’t ask for more.
Before I close, I want to ask you to spend the next few minutes to pray for the people of Japan. Many people are still fighting to survive. Many people are still crying because their family members are gone or missing. Many people are still trying to get enough fuel to evacuate. And there are others like my dad and brother who are staying in the dangerous areas to ensure the safety of other Japanese people. Please keep praying.
We are heartbroken to leave the people we love so much. God has called us to love and minister to the Japanese people, and we still believe it is His calling for us. We trust that He will bring us back here so that the people of Japan will know that He is the only God and He loves them so very much.
Many of you have already donated, and we want to thank you. Please be assured that it will be used to rebuild this country. The country that needs Jesus. Please pray that He will bring us back here soon. We love you…
