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Home , Aomori

Tohoku region

Aomori Prefecture Aomori City 302,000 238,300 183,000 3 Cities 50,000+

Akita Prefecture 6 Cities 50,000+ City 298,000 City 325,800 Iwate Prefecture Ohshu 126,400 Ichinoseki 120,500 In these cities alone, there By David Harris Hanamaki 102,400 are approximately 4.4 million people. If we include the entire In June 2008 we were serving in Aomori, In well known cities like or , Yamagata Prefecture 1 City 50,000+ population of the five Tohoku . A national pastor approached us with the there are millions without Christ. There are Tsuruoka 137,800 areas in question, the figure need for a missionary to assist national churches scores of cities not so familiar where there are Sakata 112,700 Miyagi Prefecture rises to 7.3 million people. To in church planting throughout Japan. After I thousands more with the same need. 2 Others 50,000+ Ishinomaki 161,000 prayed about this request for over a year, the Recently, we drove through downtown Ohsaki 136,500 our knowledge, there are only Lord burdened my heart and directed us to take Tokyo. Elevated highways twist and turn through 6 Cities 50,000+ three independent Baptist Yamagata City churches in this area. the step of faith to return to , Japan. this amazing city. I cannot help but wonder how 254,000 Until help arrives to take the church in many of the people we saw know Jesus. Can you 1,033,500 Aomori, our people use video recorded services believe it has only been a couple years ago that from Grace Kobe Baptist Church. Every other a church began in downtown Tokyo? Imagine a Jesus said, “The harvest truly is plenteous,but the labourers are few.” He also month we travel back to Aomori to encourage city of nine million people and no independent told us what we should do. “…Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, our people and see this work grow. This 750 Baptist church. Praise the Lord for a national that he will send forth labourers into his harvest” (Matthew 9:37-38). mile trip takes 15-20 hours by car or bus. To family that was willing to go! Will you help us pray? travel by train or plane is too expensive. Although this latest development is 1. Pray for 10 new missionaries. As we travel back and forth to Aomori, we thrilling, we feel like the disciples who looked 2. Pray for new national church * David Harris and pass through many areas with little or no Gospel at the food the lad offered and said,But what are family serve in Kobe, planters. witness. It is heart rending to see scores of cities they among so many? Yet, God works through Japan. David also serves 3. Pray for support for missionaries as the on-field Far East and thousands of people who need someone to those willing to go! God can take a young man on deputation. assistant director. tell them of Jesus. The main problem is that there or woman and send them around the world with 4. Pray for short-term missionaries. are not enough laborers. We understand more the the Gospel! God can help us reach others so we 5. Pray for souls to be saved. heart of our Lord when He said, “the labourers have more workers for the harvest. are few.” The echo of that need continues to be Consider the great need for laborers in heard throughout all of Japan. the Tohoku region where we worked for the Members of various religions send out last 15 years. The northernmost portion of the Note: This Japanese pronunciation aid may be helpful as you workers by the scores, but where are those main island of Honshu, Tohoku includes six read the cities above. within our own ranks willing to go across the prefectures or states. From north to south, they Vowel sounds only have one sound: street and around the world to reach people with are Aomori, Akita, Iwate, Yamagata, Miyagi, and a – the “a” in father (always the short “a” sound) the good news of the Gospel? Where are the . Each has a population of 1.5 million i – the “i” in macaroni (such as Suzuki) young people longing to do something for God? or more. Fukushima has several independent u – the “u” in zulu (such as Suzuki) e – the “e” in echo (now try the word Kobe) Where are the men and women needed to help Baptist churches, but the story is different for o – the “o” in solo (now try A-o-mo-ri) us reach the lost in this part of the harvest? the other five prefectures. Other: r – the sound of the d’s in Eddie (try A-o-mo-ri again) BIMI WORLD – Number 1, 2011