A few days back, I had a pleasant surprise when I received a birthday gift and a letter from Japan. They were from Ayako Mizuno, a very dear sister and friend whom I’d like to introduce to you in this blogpost (:
Pre-believing freshman Ayako (left), Yasuyo (2nd year student disciple) and me, at Nanzan University
I first met Ayako when I was in Nagoya during the Spring season in 2006. She was only a freshman, not a christian then, and had merely joined our freshman home party because she was interested to learn English. Ayako was not familiar with directions around Nagoya because, like many other university students in Japan, she had just left her own hometown elsewhere to come and study in this city by herself. I overheard her conversation with those she sat with at the home party that she had brought her bike with her and was trying to find the route from her apartment to the campus. I volunteered to show her the way.
Though we found out later that I had led her through a few unnecessary up-slopes and roundabouts (the way to Nanzan, in Japanese “南山“, was full of uphills :P) , that ride to school together began a precious friendship not only between Ayako & myself, but also between Ayako & her Abba God.
The first time I invited Ayako to a church service, she readily prayed to receive Jesus into her life. From that point Ayako’s faith grew in amazing speed. As a few-weeks-old baby Christian, she approached me for help with her English oral homework one day after church service. So we sat down and I asked her different topical questions to start off English conversations. When I asked what her recent favourite hobby is, her answer was “worshipping God and singing songs to Him”. I will never forget that.
I watched God’s working in Ayako’s life as she struggled through letting go an unequally-yoked relationship; when she saw some Christian friends backsliding away; when she began to share about Jesus to her schoolmates and committed herself to disciple them; when she discovered her gift of music and served the church with her gifts… Her faith met many stretches and refining moments, but through it all I witnessed God’s unceasing great love for her and in return, her fervent trust in God.
Ayako (in pink) growing with other believers from Tokyo and Osaka at a mission trip in Kyoto.
She wrote the following on her facebook after her first mission trip to Kyoto in September 2007:
” i had joined the mission trip to kyoto 16th-31st in August. it was my first mission trip to tell others the Good News. i was blessed so much by the trip and also have been crying over many things since the trip.
im crying about the love in Christ.
some students and staff had to stay together for a long time at same place during the trip. so it must have been difficult. but God gave us His peace in our Family and we could share His love. we could confess our problems each other and we could pray for each other. i was very thankful to God for it.
“The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.”
im crying about your support!
i could join this trip by support raising. thank you very much for your support. i had often remembered it and cried over the blessing for the support raising. and thank you for your prayers! your prayers had great power and i was so happy to work for God together even we were separated.
im crying over the lost.
Shota who is a student from osaka as praying that he wanted to shed tears for the lost just as Jesus does during the trip. when i heard his prayer, i realized that it was very important for me to pray like the way too. i wanted to not only understand the feeling for the lost that Jesus has but also have it. so i have been praying that and His love for the Lost has brought tears to my eyes in my prayers.
im crying over everything that He has done.
God has done so many things in my life. but,as we see God’s wonders at work in and through us, we should not lose sight of the greatest wonder of all – our heavenly citizenship.
im so thankful for everything.”
Ayako was baptised last year
Ayako is now in her fourth and final year in Nanzan University. In the letter that I have just received from her, she shared some of her recent struggles and disappointments. But she also wrote that no matter what happens, she will not stop sharing the gospel to those who are still lost. Ayako has always been reaching out to her Japanese classmates and the international students in her campus. This 3lst July, she has organized an evangelistic concert “In Jesus Name” to share the good news in her school through arts and music. I believe God will bring many other Japanese like Ayako to Himself through her life and ministry. Will you join me for a few minutes to pray for this beloved sister?
I’m sure Ayako had never planned to meet God and to give her life to Him when she said goodbye to her hometown and headed to Nagoya. Who could have imagined that life would be transformed so tremendously by going into university? But God sought Ayako at His good timing. God is always seeking for His lost sheep. You can join Him in prayer for the 99.9% of Japanese whom God is still waiting to return to Him. You can ask Him to lead you to see what He’s doing there, and allow Him to call you to be a part of this exciting work that He has already started in this land.
To dear Ayako,
“But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.“ - 2 Timothy 4:5
一人じゃないよ。一緒に祈ってます。がんばってね！♥
Popularity: unranked [?]
