CHRIST IS ALL
Autumn
2009 (September, October, and November)
Dear Friend in Christ,
As I write this at the very end of November, here in central Japan, we have been blessed with pleasant weather most of the fall. Lots of warm, sunny days. I spent several of those nice days walking from house to house, leaving Christian literature at each house. Viewing the autumn colors on the trees and enjoying the mild temperatures has been a blessing. How I thank God for putting me here in rural Japan to sow precious Gospel seed.
During the fall, I
scheduled children’s services in 5 different community halls. But only in 2 of
those 5 communities, did any children come to the services. Three children
attended in one place, and 4 children and 1 adult attended in the other place.
I pass out invitations to each service, the morning of the day that a service
is scheduled in the afternoon. I give out the notices in front of the grammar
school gate as the children walk to school. Years ago, usually a large number
of children came to those services. But the number of children living in this
rural area has really declined over the years, declining up to 75% or so in
some of the communities I go to. So I am most thankful for the few children who
did attend my services on those 2 occasions.
I do not pastor a church
here in Japan. I mainly do the work of an evangelist. God has led me to do much
outdoor evangelism, and one reason is because so few Japanese will come to
church when invited to do so. Preaching out in public and distributing Gospel
literature in public brings a great blessing to me. Also, I thank God for the
much freedom we have here in Japan to do such evangelism. Thru it, I usually
reach several thousand lost souls each year with a Gospel message. I regularly
intercede in prayer for their salvation. And I would appreciate you prayer
warriors doing the same. “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man
availeth much.” (James 5:16) You who intercede in prayer for the lost Japanese souls,
to whom I preach, are doing a most important and powerful work. Thank you for
praying. Interceding in prayer is something all we Christians can do, if we
only will. May God help us to be faithful in it. God bless you for praying for
me and for this missionary work. During the fall, just a few (3 or so) children
and young people have made professions to trust in Christ. Pray for the Holy
Spirit to guard over them, protecting them from the enemy’s assaults. Pray that
these young ones will follow the Holy Spirit’s leading and do God’ Will for
their lives.
During the fall, I preached
once in the Brethren meeting hall here in Matsuida, once in a church in the
city of Takasaki and once in a church in the city of Anjoo. I preached several
times in the church in the town of Yoshii, and once in the church in the town
of Minakami. I thank God for these invitations to preach to church
congregations. Typically attendance is low, 5 to 20 or more people. But often
there are unsaved Japanese present at these church services. I pray that they
will trust in Christ.
Lord willing, I plan to fly
to Guam on December the 3rd. A few churches there have invited me to
preach. I also want to do all the evangelistic work I possibly can during the
time I am there. I pray that God will greatly bless the time I plan to be on
Guam. I also hope to go preach on other nearby islands, but those plans are not
finalized yet. If I can take pictures there in the tropics, I plan to post them
on the Pacific Islands Preaching Schedule on this web site.
I pray that God will bless
you and your family with a wonderful Christmas season. Thank you for your
prayers for me. As for you who give offerings, that is a tremendous help. God
bless you for that and repay you many fold over. God be with you in the New
Year to come.
Christ’s
unprofitable servant,
Richard
Yerby
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