Making an Impact on Japanese Lives

Even as the death toll climbs past 12,000 in Japan — with more than 15,000 still missing from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami — the Japan Assemblies of God is ministering physically and spiritually to those in shelters and finding hearts open to the gospel message.

The Japan AG has been able to deliver relief supplies to a number of different AG churches, which in turn reach out to those in nearby shelters. Salvations have been recorded and pastor Hiroshi Ito of Izumi Fukuin Christ Church ask for individuals and churches to “pray that works of salvation would continue amid their evacuation life.”

Also, according to the Japan AG, the condition of the AG churches in the Tohoku area vary — a few escaped unscathed, but most are damaged and in need of repair. However, despite damages, the churches are looking outside of their walls to the needs of others.

“We are inspired by the dedication to serving others our Japan brothers and sisters are demonstrating, despite their own needs,” states Russ Turney, AG World Missions Asia-Pacific regional director. “I believe God is going to use their compassion and sacrifice to bring glory to His name throughout Japan.”

Perhaps one new statistic that may shed light on the amount of damage done by the tsunami that struck Japan is a revision to the height of the wave. According to “Kyodo News” — Japan’s Leading News Network — a field study by a researcher at the University of Tokyo has found that the tsunami that struck the city of Miyako in Iwate Prefecture is estimated to have been more than 124 feet in height —about the height of a 12-story building and far beyond original estimates of about 33 feet.

“There is nothing easy about what our Japan AG brothers and sisters are doing,” says Randy Hurst, AGWM Communications director. “Beyond their personal sacrifice, sometimes simply being able to get through to areas to deliver relief supplies is an incredible accomplishment in itself — the Japan AG and Japan as a nation needs for us to continue to blanket it in prayer.”

Currently, the AG World website has an article with pictures of the incredible devastation that has occurred in Japan as well as images of the Japan AG delivering relief supplies to those in desperate need. See http://world.ag.org and click on the “update” link.

AG News