Please pray...

This is going to be short and to the point--and not sweet, according to Cindy, who sees the look on my face...

The prayer relay at Fukushima church starts in about 12 hours. The church building is set up, various resources have been placed strategically throughout the building, and care has been put into creating a space for peace and worship. However, several things still are sending off red alarms in my head.

First, the church members have not been excited about this. They haven't fought it (it was the pastor's idea), but they have definitely not been happy about it. Only one church member actually signed up to pray--most of the praying people are from a church that we've been partnering with across town.

It was only this morning that we learned that a negative teaching on prayer had previously circulated through the congregation.

I'm seething. Seething, I tell you. I get so angry when the truth is twisted, and lies are put in its place. It's no wonder why people aren't excited about praying.
The second reason why I'm seething is because I have spent several hours today looking for worship music, prayer resources, etc. Do you know that you cannot find a Japanese translation of the Bible even on biblegateway.com? I knew that, but for some reason it still shocks me. This is one of the most technologically advanced, economically-engaged countries in the world...but the resources they have for believers and churches are so limited I vary between wanting to cry and wanting to yell. Again, it's no wonder why people aren't excited... I know there is worship music...I know there are more than half-translated German hymns to sing...I know there is more than...this. The seething comes from watching people plod along, burdened with a religion instead of being freed by God's love. I know it happens in America too...sigh.

Something that has come up again and again in our discussions with the pastor over the last 12 hours is the word "fear." I have never lived in poverty--been protected from it, maybe? But I wonder now if poverty causes one to be fearful of abundance and push it away.

Maybe that is the root prayer request. Please pray that no amount of fear, negativity, miscommunication, pride, stress...anything!...would get in the way of God's abundant love...which just so happens to cast out all fear. :) Yay for God's promises...