Japan!

[SariatheKokiri]

So, I have an opportunity to go on a missions trip to Japan this summer. I'm really excited about it, and I think it'd be a great opportunity for me.

However... There are some things that are kind of in the way. First of all, I need to raise $5,000 by July, and I don't even have a job at the moment. So that's going to be pretty difficult... But I guess I just need to get really organized with fundraisers and such.

The only other thing that's really keeping me from going in the church I help out with now. I am one of the few sponsors that helps out with my church's youth group, and the number of sponsors keeps on getting fewer and fewer. There's only one other female sponsor aside from me... And the main reason this would be such a big problem is that the youth group goes on a lot of trips during the summer, and so they need to have female sponsors to be with the girls for sleeping arrangements to keep track of them.

Soo... I'm still unsure about whether or not I'm going. I really want to go, but I'm going to be leaving the youth group shorthanded. I'm also going to miss the kids I help out with, and a lot of them are graduating and leaving soon after I get back, so I'll hardly get to spend any time with them. But then, I might not get the opportunity to go back to Japan very soon again.

If anyone has any advice or suggestions, that would be greatly appreciated. If you could pray for me also, that would be great. :)

[kyleisnotdead]

I'm sorry nobody else responded - personally I think it's a shame that this area of the forum is so heavily neglected for the most part.

I would encourage you to continue pursuing involvement in Japan. I'm just about to graduate from college and plan on moving to Japan to serve in ministry as soon as possible (I'm an English major, not a seminary student, so my role would be a supporting/"unofficial" one.) Japan is in desperate need of young people to spread the Gospel. The country has never been more spiritually open to Christianity but it needs more workers and churches to reach out to young people in particular. I helped out at Jesus Lifehouse in Osaka while I was there as an exchange student last fall, which was a fantastic experience - I want to move there and keep serving with them. Jesus Lifehouse was started by Australians, who seem to have the most effective ministry in Japan that I know of. They've also got churches in Tokyo and Yokohama, with Sapporo coming soon. They do a great job of reaching out to young people, which is THE most important demographic for missions in Japan... though few seem to realize this.

Honestly I think you're best off looking outside of IMDB and other American baptist sorts of mission groups. I have some experience with these sorts of organizations and while there are a lot of good people involved, I feel that there is a strong pessimistic and defeatist mindset, and nowhere near the appropriate focus on people in their teens and twenties. Jesus Lifehouse is a great ministry, try to get involved with them or look for other people and groups doing work focused towards those your age.

I think you absolutely should go. There are tons of Christians in North America to serve the church here, but not nearly enough in Japan.