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Recently I've really enjoyed watching the sunsets from my backyard. Seeing the beauty of creation has been a good reminder to me that God's in control and still provides good things even in difficult times.
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May Ministry Update 2020
Dear Friends and Family,
I pray that you are all staying healthy and safe! I've been mostly good although being stuck at home is starting to make me a little restless.
Many of you have asked me what I've been doing in the last couple months and I apologize I haven't sent out a newsletter sooner. It's not that God hasn't been working because He definitely has, but the last few months have been slower and frustrating at times. The reality is that with churches closed and restrictions on social gatherings, I'm limited in what I can do.
What I have been doing in the meantime is work on some of my resources and prepare for when everything opens up again. One of the more exciting projects I've finished recently is my website. You can check it out at adamintokyo.com. I'd love any feedback you have on it. I hoping it can be a hub for information about me and my ministry as well as encourage people who find me online to partner with me.
Another encouraging opportunity I've had in this weird time has been to regularly video chat with friends in Japan, friends going to Japan for missions, and my team. In each of those calls I've been reminded of what I'm working towards which is to bring the Gospel to Japan.
Because of an initial slow response to COVID-19, Japan is seeing increasing problems related to the virus. The country is currently in a state of emergency until at least the end of this month. Wearing a mask is very common in Japan but recently they've been very hard to find or out of stock in stores. Thankfully the Olympics that were supposed to be held in Tokyo this year were postponed to next year. People are worried though that the loss of income from the Olympics as well as the fallout from the coronavirus will cause economic problems for Japan.
Seeing all these issues in the news and hearing about them from my team makes me think about how less than 1% of the Japanese are Christian and as a society that heavily idolizes success, these problems are only going to cause depression and suicide rates to go up. Japan already has the one of the highest suicide rates in the world.
I know how hard times like this can be due to my own struggles with mental health, but I also have Jesus and the hope that comes from the Gospel to get me through. The Japanese don't have that same hope. And that's why I'm going back to Japan. Not that I can save them, but I know God can, and I know that He has called me there to bring the Good News to the hurting and brokenhearted.
I also know that God hasn't called me to this alone. He's given me a team to work with in Tokyo and he's given me people like you to partner with me in bringing the Gospel to the Japanese. So pray with me for Japan. Partner with me financially. Consider supporting me monthly or increasing your support. Advocate for the ministry in Japan by sharing my website with others or connecting me with people who might be interested in hearing more about what God is doing in Tokyo.
Email me at adam.bailey@efca.org or go to my website at adamintokyo.com for more info.
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Tokyo Team Zoom Call
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Prayer Requests:
- Pray for Japan: Although the number of new cases of coronavirus each day in Japan is decreasing, there are still numerous problems related to the virus and certain groups like the elderly are still at a high risk. Pray for health for the Japanese people and for wisdom for the government and businesses in how to handle the situation. Pray that out of this, the Japanese people would see their need for Jesus, and pray that the churches and Christians in Japan would be able to better reach out to the people in their communities.
- Pray for the church in Tokyo: The churches my team and friends are involved in in Tokyo are still meeting online through Zoom. Pray that those times would be uplifting and that they would experience the community and fellowship that they need through it.
- Pray for more partners: As I've mentioned, I'm limited in what I can do right now, but God isn't. Pray that he can continue to provide for my support and that he will bring more people to me interested in partnership. I'd ask for prayer as well for me that I can have peace about the current situation and not be anxious.
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If you'd like to give a one time or recurring gift, click on the link below!
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