Praying for Jamaica and Japan

Today we lift in prayers Jamaica. Nearing 3 million in population this island country has 10% Adventist Church affiliation. Union of 5 conferences oversees the recruiting and training members to be passionate disciples for Christ. Next Sabbath, March 31, the membership of the Adventist Church in Jamaica will celebrate Vision One Million in all its Churches. 75,000 people in Jamaica alone will invite a friend to church that day and mentor them into discipleship of Christ. Pray for the initiative of Revival and Reformation to be transforming the lives of our members. On that Sabbath at the Falmouth Church, the Jamaica Union will also launch The Great Controversy Project. This initiative invites all its members to buy a copy of the Great Controversy - written by the Adventist Church co-founder Ellen G. White – and give it to a non-Adventist individual in their homes, communities and workplaces. The goal of our Union is to distribute 250,000 copies of the book during the next 6 months through our church members, students and workers.
Starting tomorrow and for the rest of the week we will pray for Japan. The population is nearing 130 million mark. The 1st quarter of this year the Sabbath School communicated needs of the Northern Asia Pacific Region, coordinating the work in Japan, China, Korea & Mongolia.
Japan Union has two Conferences (East & West) and Okinawa Mission. Densely populated (Russia for comparison has about the same size population! And only 16% of Japanese islands are inhabited because of mountainous terrain) this nation has a long legendary history and cultural tradition that is not easily infiltrated or changed by outsiders. In the past Christianity flourished, then was persecuted, and now the society becomes more secular. Only 10% believe in a personal God. Less than 3% are Christian (including Catholics). Past attitudes toward Christians as traitors still affect conversion experiences of indigenous people. Pray for openness and opportunities to witness, especially amidst polytheistic setting, Shintoism and ancestral worship. Pray for outreach to Muslim migrant workers. Korean missionaries carry most of the Adventist work. Pray for more Japanese emerging to lead the church and witness. 11 cities are above 1 million in population, Tokyo leading with 13 million people. Pray for the Gospel to be preached in these big cities.
Above all pray for the recovery from the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami which reached 133 feet high, hitting Japan March 11, 2011. Tsunami travelled 6 miles inland, damaging 270,000 buildings and leaving 386,739 people homeless. 3,824 are still missing, 15,824 died. The nation is fast recovering and is saying “thank you” to all who helped! ARIGATÓ
Pray for the world, so the Gospel Work will go forward!