2011 March 18 - Praise & Pray - Hills of Japan

***YOUR PRAYERS MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!***

Below is a letter by our pastor whose church is 5 kilometers from the nuclear power plant that is at risk in Fukushima Prefecture.  Please read it and feel the passion of this pastor’s heart.

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Refugee Life Report by Rev. Akira Satoh

I give thanks for your prayers.  On March 15^th at 1 in the morning, my wife and I, having joined a truck which was full of relief supplies, stopped at a local store, taking anything we could get our hands on from the shelves, buying it all and filling our trunk and back seat area; with these supplies we headed north straight for Fukushima.  Though on the way we saw sink holes in the road and houses that had partially collapsed we moved smoother than we expected, yet we also heard via the media about another explosion at the nuclear power plant and the leakage of radioactivity and added to that we heard reports of the enlarging of the evacuation area, prohibitions regarding entering the evacuation area and the like, so though perplexed we chose the inland road.  It took 10 hours, but finally we arrived safely in Aizu at the refuge shelter (a church) at 11o’clock in the morning.  Hallelujah!

About one-third of the 60 church members came from near the nuclear power plant, the radioactivity contamination testing not yet done they then joined us in the afternoon.  At that time when we immediately started with a worship service, I began to hear their sobbing voices and I realized just how much each had passed through upon arriving here.  In the evening we went to a nearby hot springs and shared the joy of bathing for the first time in five days.  We were deeply touched by the kindness of the Aizu Church.  One by one, trembling with emotion, I saw them call out and embracing each other saying “Your alive!” and the flow of tears started flowing again.

And all that to realize, they have just started Gypsy like wanderings, no longer having a home, and I ask these who left with just the clothes on their backs, “Do you need to launder anything?” and when they answered “We have NOTHING to wash.” I could not find the words to respond to them.  When I asked, I found that some of them have had nothing to drink or eat for 3 days; others had spent those days numb with cold.  This drifting lifestyle has just started with the pressing need to secure gasoline and a place to stay.  This large family of 60 people trying to live together, and making matters worse this is a nationwide emergency in which it is hard to make decisions, so we have decided to head north preparing to establish ourselves, anticipating a protracted situation.  Perhaps as a result of exhaustion, there are those who have received I.V. in the hospitals, from the old to the babes as God’s people after the exodus, we will be traveling in the “wilderness”.  Will we ever be able to return to that town?  Will it become ruins?  Will we be able to return in 2 or 3 months?  When will we again be able to open our front doors to the church and our homes?  All seems to be a drift, in the midst of feeling our way we unite our strength guided by the pillar of fire and cloud, no other option but to wander.

The day before we left, the police gave a special “disaster relief” certification for our car so we were able to get a full tank of gas.  Tomorrow the Yonezawa Church will pay a great sacrifice by receiving us in their building.  We give thanks for their compassion and sympathy, and we can do nothing but kindly accept this means of survival.  It is just like living out a scene in a drama, I never thought I would have this kind of experience in my lifetime.  O Lord, may you protect this flock which is precious in your eye, which has begun to wander scattered about in various places like the “Remnant” like a people left behind.

Psalms 121

¹I lift up my eyes to the hills.
   From where does my help come?
² My help comes from the LORD,
   who made heaven and earth.

 ³He will not let your foot be moved;
   he who keeps you will not slumber.
⁴Behold, he who keeps Israel
   will neither slumber nor sleep.

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Please make PRAYER A PRIORITY for this congregation a priority, and ALSO PRAY FOR THE SALVATION OF THE MANY others now in similar circumstances that still do not know the love of Jesus or the fellowship of His family.

Thanks so much for your faithful prayers!!  We are DESPERATE for your prayers!

PLEASE direct other interested “prayer warriors” to http://jeffreymaki-ink.com/blog/ to read these updates.

Remember, Cling to the LORD your God! (cp. Deuteronomy 13:4) --- and hold on for the ride of your life!

Family With You In Christ,

Abi, Jeffrey, Cheryl & Leon

You can participate in this emergency ministry by contributing to the WorldVenture Japan Earth.  These funds for the most part be used for the relief efforts lead by the Japanese Association of CB Churches and us partnering missionaries.  Click below…

https://worldventure.com/Give/Support-Projects-Ministries/Projects/JAPAN-EARTHQUAKE.html

OUR SUPPORT NEED: $1871/month.  Falling $ strikes again.

To contribute or make support commitments go to:
www.worldventure.com
Find our name under the "FIND A MISSIONARY".
Then look for the "make a donation" or "make a commitment" near the top of the page.

Or send to:
WorldVenture
1501 W Mineral Ave.
Littleton, CO
80120-5612.

Thanks!!

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FROM:  Leon & Cheryl Hill
ADDRESS:  3-6-14 Matsuba
            Ryugasaki Shi, Ibaraki Ken
            Japan  301-0043
TEL/FAX:  0297-66-5030
            (from USA) 81-297-66-5030
Cell:  090-6537-2635
Email:
  Leon & Family:  leon@hillsofjapan.com
  Cheryl:  cheryl@hillsofjapan.com
  Jeffrey:   jeffrey@hillsofjapan.com
  Abigail:  abigail@hillsofjapan.com
Links:
HillsofJapan:  under reconstruction

WorldVenture:  http://worldventure.com/

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