Street Evangelism Experiences

Welcome to the BB! :wavey:

Please share some of your experiences, or things that you have heard.

 

The day finally came. I was taking U. San home from church when he confided, "I finally quit the yakuza!" I wanted to shout, but that would have been too much for him, I'm sure. But he further said that he knew the oyakata (his yakuza boss) wouldn't let this ride.

From that time U. San was on edge. He knew they would be following him and trying to snare him again. He went to the grocery store at odd hours, he stayed inside a lot, he watched his back all the time. One day at the hospital he saw another yakuza watching him! He snuck around after his appointment before being caught. I asked him about that, why he was afraid. He said whoever caught up with him would probably have a "tool" (weapon, probably a knife), and would then take him down to the local headquarters.

The oyakata finally did catch up with him and took him down to headquarters. There they strongly pressured him either to rejoin or get out of town. We are currently in a battle, God against the top yakuza of this gang in our prefecture of Hokkaido, a man with 200 gangsters under him. This man did a favor for U. San many years ago and is trying to call it in by forcing U. to remain a yakuza. Unfortunately for him, this oyabun (top boss, literally, "the part of a parent") doesn't realize that the One within U. is far greater than all the gangsters in the world!

Please pray for U. and for us in this battle. I'm not afraid personally--I've met several of these guys and am not physically in danger at this point. I'm a big foreigner to them, and they are intimidated! But U. San is in a huge battle in his soul. I believe God will give him the victory.

It's still happening in Japan, and this story will continue, but you are now up to date. I now know more about Japanese gang activities, jail life and the crime scene in our city than I ever imagined! But I'm just amazed at what God does. :godisgood:

 

Amen, friend. Thanks for the prayers.

Last night we picked up U. San for prayer meeting at his apartment. He was waiting out front, and there were several other people with him looking at a car. He got in and said, "Two tires are slashed!" I said, "Someone must have an enemy." He replied, "Yeah, me! The yakuza didn't know I don't have a car, and they slashed the tires of someone else's!" So they are trying to intimidate him.

At prayer meeting I taught again on personal evangelism. Afterwards this former recruiter for the gangsters said, "I'm recruiting for the church!" :thumbsup:

 

I'll send you more information in a PM.

 

We had an interesting time out on the street tonight. Our city of Asahikawa, with a population of about 320,000, did not used to get many foreigners. However, Mike spent about an hour talking to a Muslim from Pakistan, a Hindu from India and a Buddhist from another Asian country, all in town for a few weeks of training with a Japanese company!

For my part, I handed out tracts to the Japanese, including some enthusiastic young people who all wanted to shake hands and say Hello! One young man shook my had three times! Another time two high school girls were flying by on their bicycles, so I held out a tract to one and she took it, peddling full spead! The other said, "Me too, me too," so I ran after her and gave her a tract without her even stopping!

There were also a bunch of tourists from another Asian country, probably Thailand or Viet Nam. They are probably in town to visit our Asahiyama Zoo, which has become famous in recent years throughout Asia for it's unique habitats. Some of these folk took my tracts, and since they are comic tracts they will be able to learn some truth from them anyway. Check our zoo out in English at: http://www.city.asahikawa.hokkaido.jp/files/asahiyamazoo/zoo/English/top.html