From the Mission Field

 Ms. Judy Raby
 

March 2007 Newsletter:

聴  March  聞

Dear Friends,

No, the two characters above are not "March" or even "2007," in Japanese, but if you put a one-stroke character after them either one can be read "kiku," which means "to hear" or "to listen."  These days, the one on the right is the character used to express hearing a person, but years ago, the one on the left was.  I think the one used originally is the one that really expresses what hearing or listening should be all about.

Why?  Although both characters contain the character for "ear" (try finding it), the character used years ago also contains the character for "heart."  The one used today is simply the character for "ear" inside the character for "gate."

In recent months, I have been made especially conscious of how much people want someone to listen to them.  They also want someone to listen them out.  This can take time, time that we sometimes do not have, or that we are just plain not willing to give to them.  In recent months, for two people it meant my needing to listen to each of them for five hours, to another three, and to many others for various lengths of time.

People are hungry for someone to listen, not only with their ears, but also with their hearts.  As we are willing to do that, we are able to point them to Christ, and God is able to use us in their lives.  But, if we don't listen to them with our hearts, as well as with our ears, we will probably come across as being very superficial, and we will not be able to have a positive influence for the Lord in their lives.  They cannot be identified, either directly or indirectly, and the content of our times together cannot be discussed.  However, God is working in their lives, so please continue to pray for them.

But what about others I meet as I go about life here in Japan?  A missionary is always "on stage," making it difficult to ever get away from it all and get rest, but giving many openings to tell of God's love and forgiveness through he death and resurrection of our Lord.  I never cease to be amazed at the opportunities that open up tot me.  Here is one of them that came in an amusing way.

On Christmas Eve Sunday, when I got into a taxi, before I could even say where I wanted to go, the driver asked, "How many times a year do people eat eggs in church?"  In was a bit taken aback by such a question, but quickly realized that probably somewhere in his life he had connected Easter eggs with eating eggs in church!  From then, until we reached the train station, because of that unusual question, I was able to tell him about Christ and how he could know Him.  Believe it or not, a few weeks later, I got into a taxi in a different area and guess who the driver was?

God is working in the lives of many people and I would ask your prayers for them.  I would also ask that you pray much for me, that I would have open ears and a sensitive heart in every situation when I am with the people God brings into my life.

On to the personal side of things, like the rest of the world, the weather has been crazy here in Kyoto with alternating winter and spring days (46 degrees in my bathroom this morning)!  Consequently, there has been a lot of colds and flu going around.  Except for a nose that is always stopped up year-around from allergies, causing sinus infections, I am thankful for good health.  But, not to be outdone this year by what seemed like half the population of Japan, I have had a month-long encounter with first a head cold, then a bout with the Norovirus flue (I didn't make it into the influenza vaccine last fall), and then back to the head cold.

None of it has been really severe, but it has kept me dragging around and deskwork piling up.  I am just about back to normal, physically, and hope to gradually eliminate the piles on the desk (dramer?).  We are now at the peak of the flu season in Kyoto, so I hope my immunity has already built up against whatever it is that is going around now!

Looks like I am running out of space, but before I do, I want to say once again how thankful I am for the privilege of being a partner with you in helping to reach Japan for Christ.  As you pray for me, I want you to know that I am also praying for you.

                                                                             In Christ's fellowship,

                                                                            Judy Raby

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October 2006 Newsletter:

Dear Friends,

Ohara, a quaint and tiny “village” located within the city limits of Kyoto, is only about twenty minutes from where I live. However, in that brief time, one is transported through the countryside and into an area that is deeply steeped in old Japanese rural culture. For months I had wanted to go there, and recently, badly in need of a break, I decided on the spur of the moment to go to Ohara one afternoon.

Upon arriving there, as I started up one of Ohara’s two main paths, I noticed that an elderly woman was walking toward me. Even though I had not been Ohara for seven or eight years, it turned out that the woman, 91-year-old Mrs. Sawada, had remembered me and has come outside to welcome me back. Taking me inside her Japanese-style restaurant, where she still works, four generations of Sawada’s warmly welcomed me into their midst. Please pray for Mrs. Sawada, with whom I have shared the gospel, and also pray for her delightful family.

As I wandered along the paths of Ohara, mingling with Japanese tourists, the owner of a shop, where a person can actually make Japanese paper (washi), also remembered me from my last visit. And, others in interesting little shops, upon learning that I live in the same ward of Kyoto as they do and that I have been inn this country for such a long time, also treated me very warmly.

Is it any wonder that the people of Ohara tug at my heartstrings, making for themselves a very special place in my heart, and that I long to see them come to know the Lord?

On September 18, three days after my visit to Ohara, Japan observed a national holiday, “Respect the Aged Day,” and once again I thought about 91-year-old Mrs. Sawada.

One of the largest problems that the country of Japan is facing today is an aging population. In fact, Japan now has the largest percentage of elderly people of any country in the world: one in ten people is over 65, and one in five is over 75. There are so many people over one hundred in Japan that this year one city, before the holiday, made the yearly list only of people over 108 instead of the usual 100!

Along with this problem facing Japan comes the challenge to the Christian world to reach Japan’s aging society for Christ, a subject you seldom hear discussed. Japan does respect age and it respects people who persevere in what they do. Because of that, there is a need for older and more experienced Christian workers, including missionaries in that category, to be lights for Christ among those in Japan who are in their twilight years.

The summer issue of JAPAN HARVEST this year recognized known missionaries inn Japan who have been here for over fifty years: fourteen single missionaries and eleven couples. God uses our length of time here to open doors that otherwise would probably not open to our being a witness for Christ.

I have never thought that I should do anything but remain in Japan as long as the Lord gives me the health and finances needed to continue being a witness for Christ here. Anything else, in my mind, would not be good stewardship of all the money and effort it has taken to be able to work in the Japanese language and to build long-term relationships that are all-important in the Japanese society. I can’t imagine any of those eleven couples and thirteen other single missionaries feeling any differently, either. In some ways, of course, life would be much more comfortable for us in the land of our birth. However, probably all of us in our younger years said or sang words similar to: “I have decided to follow Jesus… no turning back, no turning back. Though none go with me, still I will follow… no turning back, no turning back.” We meant it then, and we still mean it now.

Going on to other subjects, although little can be shared from some of them, please remember to pray for the people in the categories in which God has given me unique entrances: individuals in the Imperial Household Agency, the Kyoto Prefectural Government and in the entertainment field.

On September 6, a prince, who became third in line to the throne, was born. However, the infant was not born to the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess, and that has undoubtedly added to Crown Princess Masako’s stress because of not yet producing a male heir. It is a very complicated situation, too long to explain here, but please pray for the Imperial Family and the Imperial Household Agency.

Also, please pray for my long-time friends in the Toastmistress Clubs (many influential Japanese women have been or still are in those clubs). Pray for individuals in other areas of my life, both old and new contacts, and pray for people with whom I come in contact in daily life, some of them may never have met a Christian before. Recently, a person said to me, “God brought you into my life.”

Except for a bit of lingering natsu bate (tiredness accumulated during the hot and humid summer months), things are beginning to get back to normal as we go into the beautiful autumn months. However, I find myself really behind in conquering piles of deskwork that includes writing ministry thank you notes and answering other correspondence. Unfortunately, it won’t be possible to get notes to the States in time to be enclosed in this letter, but I hope to be able to get in touch soon.

Whenever I write to someone and say, “Thank you for your ministry support gift,” I am reminded that “ministry support gifts” come in three forms: prayer, encouragement, and monetary ones. Of course, it takes monetary gifts to continue the ministry here and you know that prayer is very important, but have you ever thought about how much the support gift of encouragement can mean to those of us serving Christ overseas when you send words of encouragement in your cards, letters, emails and telephone calls? Proverbs 12:25 in the Living Bible says: “…a word of encouragement does wonders,” and Proverbs 25:25 in the Amplified Bible tells us that “Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far (home) country.”

We are partners in helping to fulfill our Lord’s last command as it especially relates to reaching Japan for Christ. Each of us is equally important and we are reminded of that in the King James Version of 1 Samuel 30:24: “…as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff; they shall part alike.” Thank you for the part you play in the ministry here in Japan.

                                                                            In Christ’s fellowship,

                                                                            Judy Raby


Ministry support gifts should be sent to the Union Church of Los Angeles, 401 East Third Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013, with a note: “for the Kyoto ministry.”