Josh Scott's Epic Tokyo Mission

I am back in the states! We flew back from Tokyo on July 31st and I flew back to the bay from debriefing in Costa Mesa on August 3rd. Since getting home I’ve been unpacking from my move from college, getting over jet lag, and currently serving at a youth retreat in Big Bear so I apologize for the prolonged final update.

First off I want to say… THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRAYERS & SUPPORT! It was amazing to see how God moved through us and in the students + tsunami survivors that we served in Japan. On campus 464 conversations were initiated, 149 spiritual conversations were held, 83 people heard the gospel, and 1 person came to Christ. Numbers don’t mean anything when God calls us to serve Him but it’s just awesome to see the work God did accomplish through our team while we were in Japan. *I also want to note that these numbers only reflect our on campus ministry and one outreach event. There were so many off campus situations that God used us as well.

Please continue praying for our potential brothers and sisters and Christ, tsunami survivors, and for the nation of Japan as they are still healing. Pray also that God would continue sending more workers to do his work there.

Thank you for following me along on this journey. For me, this has been a great time of growth through faith in prayer and continuing to learn how to love like He loves. If you’d like to hear more, contact me anytime! I’d love to catch up with all of you. =)

Tomorrow’s our last day on campus! For the past 6 weeks we’ve been regularly going to campus to meet with students and share the gospel. It’s hard to believe that it’s almost over! I’ve loved getting to know the students of Waseda but more so sharing the love of God that He has so lovingly bestowed upon me with them. =)

It is sad to leave Japan and our new friends behind. However, I am content in knowing that God has been using us to plant his seeds here so that one day we will see our friends again in Heaven (& what a glorious day that will be!) There have been highs and lows but no matter what has happened during this mission, I have been learning and seeing God’s faithfulness to me and his people with my own eyes.

As a team, we went to the Tohoku region this past weekend to serve those who are still suffering from the tsunami.

Friday

Leaving at 8am from Koenji to Shinjuku, travels began on the train then transitioned to a long 4-5 hour long drive by civilian bus ride out from Shinjuku. However, when we arrived in Tohoku we hit the ground running. Our home base, Kurihara Bible Baptist Church and warehouse, was holding 20 tons of donations from the US military in that shed pictured above. So, we sorted through what we could for distribution to tsunami victims for the rest of the day. We only began to make a dent into the tons of non-perishable donations that is stored there.

Saturday

From home base, we drove another 3-4 hours to reach Ishinomaki where we would be hosting a bbq and concert for the survivors. I was expecting shoveling up debris as our relief work but I found this opportunity to serve was great in that we could serve the victims face to face. Even with all of the donations survivors been receiving, our mission organizer Shiomi-san told us that many of them had not had much meat in their diets for at least 2 months.

After racing around supermarkets for food and supplies and arriving at the elementary school living site off the shore of Ishinomaki, the team divided into subgroups to take on the task of putting on a huge bbq for an estimated 200 people. I was placed in front of the grill. You definitely learn quickly when you’re grilling for that many people while trying not to grill yourself and getting grilled by the sun. After things cooled down, we started playing with the kids in the parking lot to just have fun and love them. It was so sad to think that at such a young age they and their families lost everything, even loved ones. This made the situation press all the more upon my heart.

In the evening, we put on a small concert for the victims living in the gymnasium. With tents and cherished belongings like photos saved from the tsunami sitting everywhere, we performed worship songs for them in our native English. I’m not sure if they understood our words but one of the elders told us afterward that he would never forget our kindness.

The image that struck me most is of the families standing together inside the gym and bidding us farewell at the end of the day. It pained me to see the sorrow behind their smiling faces but I was strangely encouraged at the same time. They’ve lost so much but they still continue living everyday, just like you and I. Pray that in this difficult time many survivors would continue coming to Christ through the loving Christians that continue to serve them months and years after this disaster.

Sunday

After sleeping outside of the warehouse for the night, we headed to Kessennuma First Bible Baptist Church which is featured in this video. The original church building (the one with the cross set up on the church’s foundation) was washed away by the tsunami and has since relocated to a temporary space. Even after losing everything except his car, keys, and wallet, Pastor Minegishi’s joy and hope in Christ shone brightly during the message. Many of the church’s members have also lost their homes and family members too. So, it was great serving opportunity for the team to cook and put on a lunch for the members after the service. Thereafter, we had a 9 hour drive back to Tokyo.

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It is so surreal to see the places and people that were just on CNN 24 hours straight four and a half months ago. What people need to know is that the work is still not done. Buildings are still gone, streets are still strewn with heaps of rubble, and homes and businesses still need to be rebuilt. Please join me in praying for the nation of Japan; that God would continue to comfort them and God would use this disaster to bring millions to Christ. Also pray that God would call on more of His workers to serve in Japan.

This past weekend, the team had the chance to explore Tokyo a bit. Walking around Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Harajuku, we got a sense of the Japanese culture firsthand. Although many dress exuberantly, i.e., businessmen in tailored suits and women dressing like dolls and anime characters, most keep to themselves and don’t acknowledge one another’s existence. I see their faces and see sadness and depression as they live their lives for the world and its temporary riches. I pray that they would have a desire to seek and know the eternal riches of heaven.

During the school week, we have been at Waseda University doing campus ministry. If we don’t have appointments set up with students, we’ll go around campus starting up conversations with students and see where the Holy Spirit leads us. Sometimes, it’s into music. Others, it’s into a gospel presentation. We’re really just here to care for the students and love them as Christ loves us in whatever way, shape, or form He is leading. Pray for eagerness in whoever we meet, that they desire to know Christ through our words and actions.