She had been resistant to the gospel for decades. Even after her daughter came to Christ, and then her husband, she just couldn’t bring herself to believe.
Later, her husband had passed away, and she was living by herself. On January 1, 2024, the largest earthquake to hit Japan since 2011 struck the city of Wajima. Her city.
It leveled entire city blocks and raised the harbor by 10 meters, rendering it useless. Fires broke out in the city. Tens of thousands of people were displaced after their homes were damaged or destroyed, including this 95-year-old Japanese woman. She had to be taken to the hospital, and her house was deemed unsafe to return to.
Before the earthquake, she had gotten to know the Japanese pastor of the local Christian church in the area, the one her daughter attended. As soon as the earthquake struck, Pastor Arakawa, along with other pastors from churches across the Noto peninsula on Japan’s west coast, began coordinating ways to serve the devastated community.
Within a week, a warehouse was up and running to receive relief supplies. Two weeks in, they held their first soup kitchen. By February, they were coordinating Christian volunteers from all over Japan, from every denomination, to support the rebuilding of towns like Wajima across the area. In March, one of the teams even worked on this elderly woman’s house, beginning the process of helping her rebuild.
She called Pastor Arakawa, and he came to visit her in the hospital. She told him, “I am completely overwhelmed by the response of Christians to this disaster. The work you are doing is truly amazing. I think I’m ready to hear more about this gospel you are always talking about.”
After 95 years, she gave her life to Christ.
He just had to let us know
I recently went to Noto as part of a volunteer team from our Japanese national partners (called the Rengo) and had the chance to serve firsthand in some of the hardest-hit areas. I got to speak with Pastor Arakawa, who thanked our joint missionary and Japanese team for coming and giving our time to help serve the community around his church.
He told us that story because it had just happened. In fact, he hadn’t even told his church yet; that was to come the following Sunday. But he was rejoicing so much over the fact that out of this difficult time, people are seeing the love and hope of God through those who are coming to serve others, and finding Jesus Christ. He was so excited, he just had to let us know about the impact the Church united was having in Wajima.
Because of you
At the Japan Initiative, we are so thankful to be part of ministry like this, not only to serve and meet community needs, but also to help the local church preach the gospel. Long after the relief work is over, pastors like Arakawa sensei and his church will remain, bringing a faithful witness.
That’s why we want to spend our efforts supporting local churches and working with them when there are practical needs that must be met. Your support made it possible for the church in Wajima and churches throughout the Noto region to proclaim the gospel. Because you gave, we were able to work with our local partners across Japan and use the resources we have to help fund the interdenominational effort of the local church in Noto.
God works through you when you give and when you pray. And so I wanted you to know that God is on the move, and Rachel and I are thankful for you, our support team. You are making a difference.
Brian Lusky leads Converge’s Japan Initiative. The Japanese are the second-largest unreached people group in the world—less than 1 percent of them are Christian and most have never been to a church, read the Bible or have even one Christian relationship. As Initiative leader, Brian’s role is to develop transformational leaders among the Japanese as well as the initiative’s missionary team.