CHRIST IS ALL
Autumn 2023 (September, October, November)
Richard Yerby,
PO Box 4, Matsuida-Machi,
Annaka-Shi, Gunma-Ken
379-0200 JAPAN
Dear Friend in Christ,
In my previous newsletter (Summer), I asked you to please pray that God will enable me to lease the vacant lot behind Matsuida Post Office, if that be His Will. And in October, thru a “go-between” Japanese man in the neighborhood who mildly befriends me, I did inquire about it. The answer that came back; that door is firmly shut. So, I continue to pray for the salvation of the owner’s entire household. Will you also please do so? They are lost and undone.
And likely in the future, I will ask if he will let me put 2 or so signs on the street side of the concrete block wall that surrounds the vacant lot. I will offer to pay a reasonable amount annually, to post 2 signs there, because that block wall (about 5 feet high) is highly visible to passersby. Possibly the owner would allow me to “rent” a space for signs, because that does not intrude onto the vacant lot. And I can quickly remove them in the future, if he desires. “Work in his heart, Lord, I plead.”
Were he to rent me space for 1 or 2 signs, their content would be meaty prayers. Each school day, about 50 school kids pass by there going to and from school (passing twice daily). Of course, a good number of other town folk pass by also. I would set it up so that the signs can easily be changed, and each month or so, change them to 2 different meaty prayers.
“Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.” Proverbs 21:13.
Back in late July, on a street near the Rescue Mission in Karuizawa, I was accosted by a homeless man pushing his belongings on a cart, telling me that he was hungry. I gave him enough money for a meal, spoke to him of Christ, and he quickly professed to be a Christian. About a week later, I came upon him again, on the street, talking to a Japanese Christian man (a friend of mine). Mr. Homeless had just accosted Brother Tomioka, saying he was hungry. Brother Tomioka refused to give him any money. I told Mr. Homeless that I would pay him a low hourly wage for 3 hours each day, to sit in the very front of the Rescue Mission, reading aloud my “Vanity of Vanities” prayer book based on Ecclesiastes. That amount of money would feed him sufficiently. And the people who come into the Rescue Mission would hear those prayers being read.
He readily agreed to that. So, the 1st day he entered the Rescue Mission in early August to read aloud (into the ears of passersby and the ears that come inside); the smell of cigarette smoke was strong upon him, filling this small storefront. He had just gotten a good smoke (out of my sight), because he is going to have to do without a smoke for some time from now. I’ll not have that stench in this place dedicated to God! I had not given any thought on whether or not he smoked.
When I offered him the job, I also told him that he could sleep in my vehicle at night, and keep his belongings in it during the daytime. I have a compact utility van. The one, simple rear bench seat easily folds forward, making a comfortable sleeping berth for 1 person. Upon smelling smoke on him the 1st time he entered the mission, I told him bluntly that he was not to smoke inside my van. After he had slept in the van 5 nights, I used the van for the first time to run errands. He had burned a mosquito coil inside it while sleeping nights. That smoke smell was ever so strong. Problem. So I bluntly forbade him to burn anything in my van. He promised to abide by that.
It is not necessary for him to be homeless. He is able to work a low-paying job full time, rent the cheapest town or city housing project abode in the area, pay utilities and buy grub. But he prefers living “free”, accosting everyone he can, telling them that he is hungry. I forked over money for him to read those meaty, powerful prayers aloud; first, for the good it will do his soul to learn those prayers. After the 1st day he read them, he told me the prayers “lifted him up”. Thank God, they touched his smoke-filled heart.
Pray for Mr. Homeless to live right. If he would do so, he would provide his own livelihood. If he stays around me, I need to steadily speak to him most strictly from the Scriptures, on the sin of destroying his created body by smoking. I need to proclaim to him that he does not have to be homeless, and that it is a sin to proclaim to every passerby that he is hungry, and then spend part of the money they give him, on life-destroying cigarettes.
During August, as I hired him 2 or 3 hours daily for 5 days or so weekly, I prayed hard for Guidance regarding him. And shortly after mid-August, I told him I would cease “hiring” him when August ends, telling him that would give him plenty of time to make other arrangements for his livelihood, which he is able to do, if only he will. He has a grown son and daughter. I know not if they have families. I know not what happened to his wife. I don’t probe him much about his life. At the end of August, I asked his age. 74. He has the nature of a vagabond, not wanting to settle down and work a job. Pray for our Lord to save him to the utmost. God bless you for caring for me, and caring for souls around me like Mr. Homeless. Thank you.
“Senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” (Hebrews 5:14) As I have been helping Mr. Homeless Smoker Begger, I have striven to have my senses exercised by the Holy Spirit to discern both the good and evil in him.
“This we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.” (2nd Thessalonians 3:10)
I clearly preached that to him, and he willingly worked for me, reading my prayer book aloud, out in public for an hourly wage. But a time or two, I came across him out in public (when he wasn’t on the job for me), sitting on a bench smoking. So, toward the end of August, I told him that when August ends, I will cease paying him mammon to read those prayers aloud. ‘Instead, I will give you food, as payment.’ He wasn’t interested in that offer. He cannot exchange food for cigarettes, like he can exchange mammon for cigarettes. So, when August ended, he soon quit showing his face to me. You please pray for me to properly exercise proper spiritual senses with such souls.
You are well aware of how intensely this year’s summer sun scorched souls, worldwide. (Rev. 16: 9) Japan was hotly scorched, killing several people of all ages, young to old. A 13-year-old Japanese girl “fainted” while pedaling her bicycle home from an intense physical workout at school. She died within an hour or so. Tragic. I took care to stay inside the Rescue Mission storefront, all hours that the sun was bearing down. The front doors were open, so people walking past heard my singing of hymns inside. After closing up daily, I usually took a walk in the cool twilight and dark, if rain wasn’t pouring. Thru out September, “never before known in Japan” severe flooding was big news.
The weather is often conversation topic, when souls congregate with nothing profitable on their minds. And the worse the weather, the louder vain souls howl about it, tho they can do nothing about it. This summer, many vain Japanese around me howled to me about the heat. That makes a good opening for me to reply; ‘That sure makes it easy for anyone to believe the Bible, especially end time prophecy of the sun scorching us. That should make everyone want to repent to their Creator God and trust in His Saviour, Jesus Christ, to save them eternally.’ Upon that profitable speech of mine entering their ears, they instantly lose all interest in carrying on a 2 way conversation with me about the weather, usually taking that as their cue to drift from my presence, it also being too hot for their sinful souls. Mercy on them, Lord, to save them to the utmost!
September 2023
Well over 100 people dropped into the Rescue Mission during September. More than 95% of them were lost and undone, I would estimate. It was September 29th when the hot temperatures here finally dropped into the comfort zone, to stay non-hot till Spring, likely. Then, I cut back to opening the Rescue Mission only 4 days a week, and began walking neighborhoods in nice autumn atmosphere, leaving Gospel literature at each door.
October 2023
During October, I have majored on that walking Gospel outreach on the 3 days of the week that I close the Rescue Mission. Tourist crowd in Karuizawa is dwindling this month, and I long to be outdoors. Please intercede for the salvation of those households I reached.
November 2023
In accordance to my annual schedule, on Saturday night 4 November, I closed the Rescue Mission in cool Karuizawa. Many lost souls walked passed it during the 6 months I held forth the word of life on that crowded street. You please intercede with me for The Holy Ghost to Powerfully convict them of their lost state and of Almighty God’s Wrath being hot and heavy upon them. “Save many souls, Lord!”
I’m most blessed, that God has provided that ideal location to “preach” to many lost souls in that Rescue Mission half of the year, annually. But toward the end of that time period, I long to soon be set free from that tiny prison, to spread the Gospel outdoors (lifting my voice preaching in public, and more so, walking much, leaving printed Gospel at each door). And by God’s Grace, I have done that several days thru out November, God blessing with many warm, sunny autumn days. I bask in the autumn beauty, as I walk up to 7 miles or so a day, healthy exercise that also relieves stress and produces serenity of soul, while reaching many souls with Good News. Such is most refreshing after being “cooped up” in the tiny storefront Rescue Mission,
The very first time I came into Matsuida Town where I live, was on October 5th, 1977. Within 2 weeks, I met a local Japanese man here, Mr. H. He was most friendly and kind to me, and helped me in a few minor ways. The vast majority of Japanese people shun me. But he took a hankering to me from the very start, and we saw each other occasionally for 5 years or more. I haven’t seen him for about a decade now. But I again went to him in November to ask some favors. He had recently retired from his busy job in May of this year, and he was most willing to help me, thank God.
In a happenstance way, I “accidentally” met him in 1977. I definitely believe that was of God. His household is Buddhist from ancient past. I have prayed for his household salvation for 46 years now, as the Lord brings him to mind. He drinks liquor. (I don’t think he smokes, but I’m not sure.) But the other day as we talked, He said to me, “My cell phone’s ring is ‘Amazing Grace’”. That was an amazing, happy shock to me. He personally chose that ring tone, of course. He made it play on his phone, for me to hear it. I wanted to shout. Pray for all his family to be brought into the salvation fold, to be blessed eternally. I will refrain from giving his name on this worldwide epistle.
Recently, some dedicated missionaries in Japan have worked hard to publish a New Testament in the Japanese language, which is supposedly a translation of the 1611 Authorized Verson (AV) King James Version. I rejoice to have been given a box of them for free (Freely Give) . Thank you who prayed for my prayer request from years ago, to have a perfect Bible in the Japanese language. God bless you!
November 2023
In accordance with my annual schedule, on Saturday night 4 November, I closed the Rescue Mission in cool Karuizawa. Many lost souls walked passed it during the 6 months I held forth the word of life on that crowded street. You please intercede with me for The Holy Ghost to Powerfully convict them of their lost state and of Almighty God’s Wrath being hot and heavy upon them. “Save many souls, Lord!”
Thru out mild November, I thrilled to walk much, leaving printed Gospel at each door. God blessed with many warm, sunny autumn days. I basked in the autumn beauty, as I walked up to 7 miles or so a day, healthy exercise that also relieves stress and produces serenity of soul. I felt ever so blessed to be sowing Gospel Seed in the core (the heartland) of Buddhist Japan, with ugly idols abounding everywhere.
I heartily thank you Prayer Warriors who pray for Holy Ghost Power upon my preaching, Gospel literature distribution, and such outreach. Thank you for praying for Powerful Conviction upon the spiritually blind idol worshippers who hear God’s Truth that I proclaim unto them. Rest assured that your prayers help much!
Thank you who give financially to keep me traveling and fed. May our Gracious Lord repay you many fold for your generous giving.
Christ’s servant in Japan,
Richard Yerby