CHRIST IS ALL
Richard Yerby
PO Box 4, Matsuida-Machi
379-0200
JAPAN
Spring 2024 (March, April, May)
Dear Interceding Friend,
Early on Sunday morning, 3 March, carrying all my luggage, I
left the loft prophet chamber in the Tomidahama Bible Church, bidding Farewell
to Pastor Isaac who was already in the church, rode 2 trains to Anjo City, put
my luggage into a coin locker at the train station, and walked 5 minutes to
Missionary Pastor Jeff Brigham’s church nearby, in a small 2nd floor
office space. Pastor Jeff let me preach to the adult Sunday School class that
began after 9 AM, then to the Japanese (language) service at 10 AM and finally
to the English (language) service that began at 11 AM. It was a most full
and bless-ed Sunday morn. Then Pastor and Sister Brigham and I ate a
simple lunch together in the church, talked, and prayed, before I parted from
them. Please pray for blessings upon this dear international flock of
Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, and American Christians.
I walked back to the train station after 2 PM, got my luggage
out of the coin locker, and caught the next fast train heading northeast toward
my main abode in Gunma Prefecture. Shortly ahead, I changed to a Bullet Train
that went on to Tokyo, switched to another Bullet at Tokyo Station. Next, I got
on a local train at Takasaki City to go to my house, arriving about dusky dark.
It was settling to be back in my main house again, thankful for safety
of travel and many hours of outdoor evangelism during my travel time. I pray
for the Holy Spirit to work ever so powerfully in the many hearts that heard.
May our Lord save many of them!
The very next morning, Monday, March 4, I arose early to walk
out to the nearby street corner to sing as jr hi kids
filed into their school, cattycorner to where I stood. “Back in the Saddle”
at home, holding forth the word of life. It felt so good! Glory!
In a few days, Pastor Arai invited me to come preach at their
Saturday 2 PM evangelistic meeting on March 23rd. About 10 Japanese
Christians attended. Our Lord blessed.
On Sunday March 24, I preached a short sermon at the church in Isesaki, after Pastor Tamura’s regular length sermon. The
Holy Spirit’s Presence was felt thru out the service. Recently, a blind teenage
girl has started attending that church with her family. Brothers and Sisters,
she is precious. She is about 14 years old, I think. She is most shy
and timid, but so gentle and sweet. This day, she gave a short
testimony, written out in Braille. I know not if she wrote it, or someone else
wrote it for her. I am quite sure she attends the Gunma Prefectural School For The Blind. She slowly moved her fingers of one hand
across the Braille writing, reading to us what was written there, in such a
small, shy voice that we could hardly hear her. She testified that she loved
Jesus and wanted to obey and please Him. Please pray for this frail Christian
girl, and these Christians who zealously “go & tell”.
The last day of March (Sunday AM), I preached in the church in
Minakami Town, surrounded by many beautiful plants in lovely spring bloom &
blossom. In lovely contrast, the bright sun shone on the solid snow
white, very high mountains in the far distance. God poured His
Power and Blessings upon us all at church this morning.
Cherry trees here in my area of rural central Japan were ever so
lovely the first 10 days or so of April. Thus, I majored in outdoor evangelism;
house to house distribution of Gospel literature, and
raising my voice in preaching and song. All around me was lovely plant life in
blossom and bloom, plus mild spring temperatures felt most
good. Our Saviour filled my heart with His Joy for being out amidst the
lost and undone human race that He created and that He died for. I felt like
the most blessed soul on earth, which I most certainly
am.
The devil’s world robs people of natural affections (2nd
Tim. 3:3). When I first entered Matsuida Town in October 1977 (and where I
still live now), children happily flocked to me in a small
playground and readily sang the Sunday School songs that I led. They
listened attentively to the Bible stories I read. Several would follow
me in prayer. When I passed out children level Salvation literature, most all eagerly
took it and read it. Several had questions about eternal matters. Soon I
started having children’s meetings in small community halls, and many flocked
out. But that all started rapidly drying up around 1983 or so, when
the devil first put his hi tech devices (mainly the
handheld games) into their hands, devices that more or less hypnotize them, stealing
their hearts and souls, enslaving them to the demons behind those evil devices.
Please pray with me for the Holy Ghost to break all bonds, setting
them free indeed.
Nowadays, because practically none of them will take
literature or come to a children’s meeting, I now often sing hymns near
school entrances, as they walk into school, from 7:30 to 8:00 AM. I did that much
during April. Some of the children and teens purposefully give ear to
that, which I rejoice to see. And the ones who go on their way as usual, get an
earful for up to 2 minutes or longer. Intercede for the Holy
Spirit to work mightily in each heart, please. As I was singing near the
side entrance to Matsuida Grammar School one morning in April, the school
principal called the police, 2 policemen came in a police car, they and the
principal begged me to not exercise this free speech right that all
Japanese residents have. They so highly loathe the thought of me
telling these precious children the Way To Heaven. But
those 3 men in authority well knew that they had not a legal leg
to stand on, so they pleaded with me ever so kindly to quit
calling on Japanese kids to be saved from Hell. I kindly replied that I
would keep inviting them to escape Hell fire and go to Heaven instead.
Ever so soon, they and I will be brought before the Judgment Bar of Almighty
God. There, their attitudes will greatly change. Glory! Amen!
By the way, that kind speaking male school principal who sic-ed
the dogs on me (called the police, whose duty is to protect my freedom to open
my mouth in public), well, the principal told me that when I first ever came to
the front of that grammar school in Autumn of 1977 to teach the students the
Way to Heaven, that he was a 6th grader at the time, and that he
stood around listening to me. Too bad it didn’t take with him! From generation to generation…, Glory! Amen!!
On Saturday 27
April, I arose after 4 AM to get wheels rolling after 5 AM in order to
drive up the mountain on mostly empty hi ways, to stop in front
of the Rescue Mission in Karuizawa, to unload a good amount of cares of the
world that I had loaded into my small utility van the night before, then
take the van and park it nearby at Union Church, and return to the small back
room of the Rescue Mission to turn on the heat on this cold morning, to lie
down for close to 2 hours, sleeping as best I could, to then open up the Rescue
Mission for the 1st time this year. (←What a whopper of a long sentence.)
That was the start of Golden Week in Japan, with 4 national holidays between then and May 6. It is similar to spring break in Southeast USA when the sin loving mob of young’uns flock to southern beaches to commit sin and crimes.
I thrill to be fishing for eternal souls in the “streams”
of the narrow streets in this cool mountain summer resort town, daily holding
forth the word of life, fishing for the souls of men, women, and children who
steadily flow past me, them milking the pleasures of the world for all they can
get out of them. Please pray for powerful Holy Ghost Conviction upon
them, as they stare at the printed Saving Gospel boldly printed out
front of the Rescue Mission. And, as it flows into their ears from my audio
player and from my mouth. I heartily thank you generous souls who
support me financially, so I can pay the rent on this storefront I use. God
bless you and repay you richly.
In past years, I’ve told of souls who regularly stop in to chat. I haven’t seen any of them yet this year. Many
are elderly. So when they cease stopping in yearly, it’s usually because
they’re in eternity, or unable to “get up and go”. Almost no unsaved adult
will endure me talking to them personally (one–to-one) of their Creator. Some
children and teenagers will endure that, if I keep it brief.
I display much good FREE Gospel literature at their fingertips. Seldom
does any soul take any. A few take the pocketsize tissue packs, and balloons
for the children, each of these items with a meaty prayer on it. I close the
Mission on Sundays, as it’s a Thrift Shop also, selling used clothes, tableware
etc. from 10 yen (7 cents) up. The Sundays that I am not preaching in a church,
(and if fair weather), I usually stand on the side of the main street nearby,
crowded with pedestrians, singing hymns while swinging inflated prayer balloons
tied onto strings, while wearing a florescent yellow vest with large print on
it, “Take a Jesus balloon. They are free.” Most of the kids under 12 years old
want a balloon. The vast majority of parents forbid them, because
→“It’s Jesus!”, the
parents tell their kids, with much scorn in their voices. Mercy to
save, Lord, I plead!
God bless you for caring, praying, giving.
I appreciate you ever so much.
Christ’s servant in Japan,
Richard Yerby