Prayer Guide – Week 32 (April 10-16)

This week's prayer focus is Wakayama and Tottori.

Wakayama

This heavily wooded region is steeped in traditional ways of life. Its inhabitants still maintain the traditional community system called miyaza, which requires families to keep close ties to their local temples. There is generally little openness to the Gospel in Wakayama.

Please pray for:

• The families that are so invested in their local temples, that they would see the emptiness in their pursuits and that God would lead them to meet people who know Jesus personally and can share the Gospel with them
• The missionaries laboring in this prefecture, that they would be encouraged and filled with the Holy Spirit to unconditionally love the people of Wakayama
• God's Kingdom to come powerfully to Wakayama, driving out the spiritual darkness of the area

"No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him."
- John 1:18

Tottori Prefecture, Japan.

Tottori is the nation's least populated prefecture. It is home to a very large fishing industry, while having the lowest agricultural production in Japan. Natural sand dunes (pictured below) are unique to this region and make for a very popular tourist destination.

The people of Tottori tend to be very conservative and dwell in tightly-kit communities. As a result, there is a relatively high number of Buddhist followers.

Please pray for:

• The 25 towns and villages with no church presence at all - that they would hear the Good News and turn to Christ and be saved.
• The small number of believers - that they would have comfort and guidance from the Holy Spirit to share about Jesus with their families and friends.
• Missionaries serving in Tottori (only two according to Operation Japan Prayer guide) - that they would be refreshed and renewed for their ministries through abiding in Christ daily.
• Access to Bibles and other Christian materials for believers or seekers, as Christian bookstores are either scarce or nonexistent in Tottori.

"And He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."

- Matthew 4:19

This week let’s pray for the Church leaving the building and being in the community.

There are many ways this happens across Japan

Mission Schools. Kindergartens and Universities – pray for the impact of Christians who teach here on the lives of their students. Pray there will be many opportunities for Christian teachers to share their faith

Christians Schools. There are a number of Christian Schools across Japan. One has just started at Ishikawa. Please pray for Pastor Tak and the team getting started.

Action Sports- there are Christian surfers/skaters/snowboarders/climbers- all who are connecting with people outside the Church

Working with those with disabilities. A number of Churches reaches out to this community.

Community Festivals- a number of Churches across Japan run Community Festivals in their local community. Next Saturday 15th there is one at Nagoya’s Parkside Chapel. Please pray for that

Pray for other events you may know in your community where the Church has left the building!

The family is the smallest unit that makes up society. It is also the most basic and important community.
Let us pray and ask for the blessing of the family.
Pray that married couples will respect and care for each other. Pray that we can see a good model.
Pray that children will feel safe at home. Pray that parents will receive the support they need to make this happen.
That Christian homes would experience and witness the blessings of God's Word.
That God would bring help to families in pain.
For families with broken relationships to receive the Lord's blessing of reconciliation.