While daily proclaiming The Lord Jesus Christ in churches and out in public here in Japan, I also sell vehicle used license plates from any nation (except Japan), as novelty items to obtain missionary work funds. Japanese young people who buy one will hang it in their room or wire it onto their bicycle basket for everyone to see, it being a somewhat rare and attractive item here. Some store and restaurant owners buy 2 or 3 to “decorate” the interior of their business place.

I thank my Lord for greatly blessing this “tent making” endeavor. Down thru the years, the income from license plates has purchased many Japanese Bibles and mountains of Gospel literature in the Japanese language, all of which I give out free to any Japanese soul who will take it. Also at times, I have been able to give donations to needy Japanese Christians from this income. There were cases when the Japanese Christian was in desperate financial straits. I am most thankful to my Lord that I was able to help that needy soul. I heartily thank God for this most abundant supply thru a most simple item; used license plates that get discarded.  

Several of my friends in the States keep an eye out for any unneeded or discarded license plates, gather them up when available, and just once or so each year, send them to my Alabama address. If the Lord leads you to do the same, I would greatly appreciate it. Without going out of one’s way, from time to time anyone is likely to come across some such license plates. Vehicle related businesses (such as dealers, junkers, businesses that have a fleet of vehicles, and such) sometimes have license plates that they are not required to return to the issuing office and thus can “turn them loose”. Such local businesses that know you personally would possibly save tags for you if you asked them to do so, trusting you when you tell them the tags are to go to a missionary in Japan. It’s somewhat common to see individually owned, old vehicles that will never run again still setting on the owner’s property. License plates that became outdated long ago might still be attached to the vehicle. Likely, most such owners would donate the plates to you if you asked for them. 

The youth groups in some churches gladly take on collecting “car tags” for me as a mission’s project, simply staying on the lookout for unneeded or discarded license plates available, asking the owners if they may have them, and collecting the plates. If you, your church people, church youth, or anyone would consider helping in this way, I would greatly appreciate it. And as the Lord leads you, please spread the word and pass on this request of mine to anyone and everyone that you can. I can use license plates from any type of motor vehicle: cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, boats, and farm or factory or construction machinery, even bicycles in cities where bicycles are licensed. And I can use license plates from any nation except Japan.

It would be simple for you to pass on this request to others by a short word of mouth and tell the person to read the details right here. So please consider spreading this word.

Each license plate is like a $5 (or more) gift to me. Just keeping an eye out daily, even if you only “find” 4 or 5 a year, those numbers quickly add up when dozens of friends find that many and send them on to me. Truly, “Little is much when God is in it.” May God help us to be diligent to not let any “little” thing go to waste that can be profitably used in our Lord’s Work.  

 Please send them to: Christ Is All, PO Box 490, Vernon, Al 35592-0490.

If you want to send them to us by truck (UPS), instead of the Post Office, then please send them to Dillard Matthews, 160 Sixth Street NW, Vernon, Alabama 35592. (If you send them thru the Post Office, DO NOT send to Dillard’s address, please.) 

If you want to inquire further about this, please write to our PO address above or send an e-mail to my friend Doug in Alabama:    

d.burnett@frontier.com

From the bottom of my heart, I thank you so much for your kind consideration to me concerning this. May our Lord richly bless you for all you do. Also, may it result in many precious lost Japanese souls trusting in The Lord Jesus Christ.

Richard Yerby

 

 

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