CHRIST IS ALL
Autumn 2022 (September, October, November)
Richard Yerby,
PO Box 4, Matsuida-Machi,
379-0200 JAPAN
Dear Friend in Christ,
Likely, more so than in most other nations, in this densely
populated nation of Japan, a good number of people become reclusive to
varying degrees, isolating themselves inside their dwellings. Such adults quit
their jobs and such teens quit school to sit in a room at home to stare at the
4 walls, or a hi tech glowing screen.
In this end time age, that trend is increasing here in Japan, especially
among teens. So, please pray for a Japanese Christian girl acquaintance of
mine, about 16 years old, who, over the past several months, has become
reclusive, not going to school or to church. I have known her for 12 years or
so. Her dad died when she was just a few months old. She has no memory of
him.
Her mother (along with her 3 children) regularly attended a
church where I was invited to preach once a month for 7 or 8 years. I observed this
little daughter in church during that time. Also, her mother asked me to teach
English conversation to her daughter and 4 other neighborhood kids in their
community hall. I did that for 2 years. The precious daughter was ever so
well-mannered, quiet, professed to trust in Christ, and came to have an earnest
heart for her Lord Jesus. Please pray for perfect healing of her
emotions and nerves, and for our Lord to perfect a sound mind
within her. Also, please pray for her mother, who has ceased attending church
regularly, tho she faithfully attended in the past.
Please pray for an unsaved Japanese lady named Mina, 35 to 40
years old, who is causing much trouble for her extended family, some of whom
are Christians and close friends of mine. It is best I do not give whole
names in this news that can be viewed by all the world. Our Lord on His Throne
will know exactly to whom you are referring, if you will intercede for this
lady to be saved
On Sunday afternoon, 2 October, as I walked thru a nice sod
grassy park, distributing Gospel literature from house to house, two 5th
grade Japanese girls playing there greeted me. We began talking, and as I
mentioned “Jesus Christ”, one girl asked the other girl, “Who is Jesus Christ?”
Her friend readily replied, “Satan”. Not much
chance that lie originated in her own mind. Good chance
it came from the devilish glowing screens she regularly views. More
likely, an adult told her that: her parents, or teachers at
school, most likely.
In 1977 when I first started teaching Japanese children about
their Creator God (the only Hope for mankind). A good number of parents favored
that, or were at least “neutral”. And school teachers were just slightly less
favorable or “neutral”. But, in this very end-time age, the anti-Christ spirit
has become so strong among Japanese Buddhists adults, that they lie
to children to this extent, in their attempts to keep the little
ones away from the Saviour. Please pray with me for our Lord to save these 2
girls to the utmost. Pray that God will bring to naught
such deceptive opposition to Christ’s saving Gospel. If those wicked liars and
deceivers do not repent, they are soon to enter a most hot, flaming, burning
eternity to ever and ever weep and wail and
gnash their teeth over their opposition to precious little ones
coming to Jesus.
As is typical here in central Japan, this year, thru out August
and thru Saturday, September 24, one after another typhoon came thru us from
the south Pacific; bringing typhoon winds, rain, and
even several chilly days during that “hot” season of the year. In general,
August is the 1 month (only) of the short summer vacation for Japan public
schools. Thus, August is a time when individuals and especially families, plan
vacation trips and much outdoor fun. This year, our Righteous Judge spoiled so
many “fun plans”.
This year, September 19 and 23 were Japanese holidays. But rain
poured down upon us both of those days.
The 2nd week of September, I cut back manning the
Rescue Mission in Karuizawa from 6 to 4 days weekly, as is my annual custom,
because the summer crowd starts dwindling down. My heart overflowed with joy to
arise to lovely blue skies and hot autumn atmosphere on Sunday 25 September,
and to soak in that lovely sun thru out that afternoon, doing outdoor
evangelism. Please intercede with me for many lost Buddhists here who receive
my “Gospel” in print, or into their ears from my voice, without the camp, out
in public. Each of them is a precious soul for whom Christ died, many so misled
and deceived, like that 5th grade girl who had been taught that her
Creator God is actually Satan.
From the nearest corner of my house in Japan, to the nearest
corner of the junior hi school in this town of Matsuida is about 70
yards. At 7:30 AM on school days, I often walk out to that intersection, stand
across the street from that near corner of the school, to sing unto our Creator
God as the young teens walk into, and ride their bicycles into that school
gate. One morning, standing on that opposite side of the street, I heard the 2nd
floor window of the house on my right slide open. From that
bedroom window, came the lady’s cigarette smoke into my nostrils and her
coughing into my ears. My songs of praise to her Creator God were going into
her ears, as she was taking her first smoke of the day to satisfy her nicotine
craving. Please pray with me for her, her husband, and their grown children to
repent and be saved.
Shortly after 8 AM, as the last of the jr
hi kids were filing into school, the lady of the house on my left
came out to me from her house, because my praise to her Creator had been
flowing into her ears also. You Friend in USA supporting me, it is such
a rich joy to proclaim Christ in public in densely crowded Japan,
where many ears are nearby. This lady gave me a disposable plastic dish
of delicious warm rice with chestnuts in it, a favorite autumn dish here where
chestnut trees abound, and the chestnuts ripen in September. She spoke of being
lonely after her husband’s death years ago, tho her married son now lives with
her (along with his wife and their son). Please pray for this family to all
be saved.
On August 1st, 1978, I moved into this town
into a rental house, a stone’s throw from these Buddhist neighbors
described above. (Currently, I still live in that same
rental house.)
Thus, for more than 44 years now, I have watched this
neighborhood’s older generation pass into a hopeless eternity as Buddhists. It
is most tragic and heartbreaking to know that they join the rich man of Luke Chapter
16, tormented in those flames, never to get that one drop of water to cool
their parched tongue, and instantly become most desirous that their
family members who are now in my presence, do not come
join them in those eternal flaming torments. By God’s Great Grace, I desire
to continue living in their midst all my days on earth, exalting Christ
before them and holding forth the word of life unto them. Thank you
for faithfully supporting me, and for interceding for their salvation.
Pray especially for the students in Haraichi Grammar School and in Annaka Number Two Junior
High School. These 2 schools are about 2 miles from my house, located side by
side (with a public street running between them), somewhat large schools with at
least a total of 700 or so students (likely well over 700). In each of these 2
schools, a good number of students show favorable interest as they file past me
the afternoons I go there to sing and offer the prayer balloons as they leave
school for home. Please pray for them to take the balloons and the Gospel
literature that I put on a stand (rack) with a sign reading, “Please freely
take (one)”.
On Sunday 9 October, I preached in the church in Isesaki City.
On 16 October, in Missionary Pastor Dan Roberts’ church in Saku
City. On November 13, in the church in Takasaki City, and on November 20, again
in the church in Isesaki City. I am most thankful for these kind pastors who
will allow me to preach in their churches, as most pastors in Japan who know me
(both Japanese pastors and foreign missionary pastors) are adamantly opposed to
my preaching being heard in their steeple houses.
November 3rd, a Japanese holiday, was my last day
this year to open the Rescue Mission in Karuizawa Town. It’s my annual custom
to open it on April 29 and to close up on November 3,
to flee this mountain town, as it becomes a winter icebox. This year, many
souls came in. They heard with their ears and saw in print with their eyes,
words whereby they can be eternally saved. Almost none showed any interest in
Jesus Christ saving them from eternal hell fire. Please keep praying with me,
begging God the Holy Spirit to strongly convict them and to smite them
with the fear of the Lord.
There in Karuizawa, one local Japanese lady came most every week
for me to teach her English conversation. Four local children also came for a
separate “kids’” English class. I speak to my English students of Christ. Their
eyes fall upon the large print prayers inside the Rescue Mission where they sit
for English. I pray for their entire families to repent and be saved.
You Prayer Warriors who love precious lost souls enough to
intercede for their eternal salvation before God’s Throne of Mercy and
Grace, please pray for a 10-year-old Japanese boy, whom I first met in September
when his mother asked me to start teaching him English conversation. He is an
only child and I started going to their house weekly to teach him.
After several weekly sessions, on a day in November, at class
time, I handed the mother a note I had written. The small 1 page note I
gave her was written on a notepad that I had ordered printed, with a prayer on each
page in the note pad. When the mother and boy saw that prayer, both their faces
lit up. She said something to the effect of the prayer being wonderful. I gave
her the rest of the notepad that I had with me. (Previously, I had a print shop
print me several hundred of the note pads.) Anyway, She
took this one joyfully! (There are 5 different prayers in that notepad, one
short prayer per page, and then the 5 different prayers repeat for the next 5
pages, and so on.)
Prayer Warrior Friend, their joy in seeing that prayer is the
Holy Spirit working in answer to you interceding. Keep it up, I beg!! Please pray that they will be agreeable to reading the Bible
and singing hymns in English during that class time. I do not plan see them for
more than 3 months now, during the time I am down south for the winter.
Because they live somewhat distant from me, I asked the mother
how she came to know me. She said that about 30 years ago, her older brother
attended my children services in their neighborhood when he was in elementary
school. She is 6 years younger than the older brother. But when she went thru
grammar school, for some reason, she did not attend my children’s services.
Last autumn, her brother (the boy’s uncle) suggested to her, that she ask me to
tutor her son.
(Friends, that is the value of a contact from 30 years ago). My
Faithful Supporting Friend, I observe missionaries throwing in the towel &
going back home, as early as 3 years on this barren field of Japan. Thank you,
for your faithful prayers and support, I also want to be true to my calling
till the end.
I greatly appreciate your prayers. I am seeing the Holy
Ghost slowly and steadily work in several Japanese souls, in positive ways. I
know, in part, this is due to your prayers. Thank you for generously
giving also. God richly bless you.
Christ’s servant in Japan, Richard Yerby