CHRIST
IS ALL
Autumn
2016 (September, October, November)
Richard Yerby, PO Box 4, Matsuida-Machi, Annaka-Shi,
Gunma-Ken 379-0200 Japan
Dear Friend in Christ,
“O give thanks unto the Lord for he is
good.”
September
Annually, my heart rejoices
to see September arrive with milder temperatures. This September, one after
another typhoon paraded up to Japan from the tropics south of us. Thank God I got no damage to my buildings or flooding into them,
but there were many rainy days this month. I tended the Rescue Mission in
Karuizawa 5 days a week and preached on the street there, often holding an
umbrella as I preached to a multitude that braved the weather.
On Sunday the 11th, I preached in Pastor Kanai’s church in
Takasaki. On the 18th, I preached in the church in Minakami. After
lunch at church, Brother Kawashima gave me a ride on up the mountain to Japan
Bible Home where I helped the Tierney family prepare and serve meals to their
64 guests (church groups) till the following afternoon (that Monday being a
Japanese holiday). The following Sunday, September 25th,
I preached in the church in Isesaki City.
October
Thank God
the typhoons finished their courses during the first half of October and
pleasant fall weather followed. In my summer newsletter, I told you that the landlord (man and wife) of the Rescue Mission building is
kicking me out at the end of November this year because surrounding merchants
complained to the landlord couple against my good deeds of giving away things
free, fearing that would harm their sales. I asked you to
please pray for our Lord to provide another building in the perfect
location for me to move into. As for you who prayed about that, thank you so
much. God heard and answered our prayers. On 3 October, I was able to rent a
different store just 35 steps away on the same side of the same street. Friend, that was no less than a miracle.
Praise God, for working miracles for us!
The name of that street is
Tennis Court Street, It is more than 100 yards long,
running from the main (crowded) street in Old Karuizawa to the famous Old
Karuizawa Tennis Courts, where the Japanese Emperor’s family customarily plays
tennis occasionally during the warm weather months. (I have seen them in
Karuizawa on occasion.) Tennis Court Street is lined with
small stores and usually all are occupied because this street is popular.
But at the end of last year, the tenant vacated the most
highly visible store on this street, and a “For Rent” sign was placed
on its door. From late April this year (when I again opened the Rescue Mission
upon the end of the harsh Karuizawa winter), I daily eyed that vacant
storefront praying, “Not my will, but Thine be done, Lord.” Often I knelt in
front of it, praying in such manner and pleading with God to glorify my Lord’s
Name in that building. On Tennis Court Street, only this store remained vacant
thru out this year, its large “For Rent” sign ever so highly visible. I praise
God for preventing any one else from taking it.
At the end of September, I
consulted with the realtor about it. He said that they annually rent it from 20
April till 31 October (which is common in frigid
Karuizawa). On 3 October, I contracted with the realtor to rent it from 3 October
2016 thru 31 October 2017 (to close up during the winter, of course) and I paid
him in full the $11,000 rent for that period of time (plus his 5% commission).
I praise God for the joy that accomplishment brought to me. Thank you, my
praying friend, for interceding. Thank you who give offerings to me, to enable
me to pay that rent. May our Lord’s Name be greatly glorified in this new
location thru next autumn (and much longer, if that be
God’s Will). The owner will only make a one-year contract with a tenant (one
year at a time). This being a popular street, storefront
owners tend to reserve the right to change their mind annually.
On that day I finalized
that contract (3 October), I set out on display in the new store, Bibles,
Gospel literature, daily use items with prayers printed on them, and other
daily use items. I put large signs on two of the 4
sliding glass doors, inviting people to come in and freely take any items they
desire. I chained a locked donation box in that place,
with a sign saying donations were not required. Then daily I would operate the
store in the old location (because I have novelty items for sale in it,
along with free “Gospel” items) while keeping an eye on this
unmanned shop, sticking my head into it every hour or so.
Praise God, several souls
browsed around in it, taking what they wanted and some of them made donations.
I asked the owner permission to keep it open thru Saturday November 19th. The owner graciously granted me that
permission at no additional charge.
I operated the Rescue
Mission in the former location thru Japanese Thanksgiving Day, which was Wednesday
23 November, during which time, I hand carried box after box of items the 35
steps to the new location. That was a convenient way to relocate and plenty of
time to do so. I removed all my possessions from the old location, cleaned it
well, and returned the keys to the realtor on 28 November. An unusually early
snow on your Thanksgiving Day (November 24th),
delayed me vacating the old location just a few days. My heart flooded with joy
to be rid of its owners and their unfair treatment of
me, and to be in the better, more highly visible location. I pray for Our Lord
to have great mercy on the owner man and wife to save them.
On Sunday October the 2nd, I preached in the church in Isesaki
City. On the 9th, I preached in Pastor
Kanai’s church in Takasaki. The 1st and 2nd Sundays in November,
I again preached in those 2 churches respectively. On
the 3rd Sunday, November 20th, I
preached in the church in Minakami.
By God’s Grace, in November
I loaded my autography into the book section on this web site. Please
read it and invite other souls to read it, as the Lord leads you. Click open the book section and the first book on the list is
listed as follows:
FOR WE ARE JOURNEYING
Autobiography of Richard Yerby
“From a poor, barefoot
6-year-old farm boy working a pair of horses in the field before starting the 1st
grade of elementary school, to my Mother’s sudden and unexpected death less
than 2 years later, to a United States Marine Corps officer flying jet
warplanes for 4 years over various nations in peacetime, to a missionary
evangelist traversing steep mountains, rugged coastlines and several islands
far and wide in Japan for more than 4 decades, I am the most blessed and
fulfilled human creature on the face of this earth. Please read my life’s story adventures.”
I thank God for making me the most blessed human soul on
earth. (And by the way, I have no patent
on that blessedness. It is freely available to each human soul who will
take that most gracious offer from their Creator.)
I pray the Lord will enable me to get this book printed in paperback
ever so soon. When that comes about, I will give you that news. I
give all my books away free. So please be thinking of everyone you can give a
copy of this book to. I especially want young
people to read it. It is a challenge to give one’s
all to God, in order to be most blessed.
I have roundtrip airplane reservations to fly from Tokyo to Memphis,
Tennessee on 10 January 2017 and to depart Memphis for Tokyo on 26 April 2017, Lord
willing. Please pray for safely and timely travel, as the Lord wills.
As my (southeastern states) Stateside Preaching
Schedule develops, I plan to post it on this web site. Please pray for the
services. If I travel to your area, it would be a blessing to see you in
person, if possible.
Thank you for praying for me this year. Thank you for giving to help
me proclaim Christ to many precious lost Japanese
souls. I am most blessed because God has laid it
on your heart to care about me. I pray for our Lord to save all your house and to abundantly bless you.
Christ’s servant in
Japan, Richard Yerby
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