My wife, Bonita, and I are taking steps to become full-time missionaries some time in the future.  I believe God is leading us to Kagoshima, Japan.  We are very excited about this ministry potential.  Please agree with us in prayer that our financial and other needs will be met.   It is our desire to minister to Japanese Christian Pastors and witness to Japanese non-believers.  

            Three years after completing the Victory Bible Institute, I asked God where he would have me minister.  I immediately thought of Japan.  I began to research Japan, looking at maps and reading books.  As I looked at a map, the city of Kagoshima, Japan stood out.  It was like the letters jumped off the page at me.  I knew this was the place God wanted me to continue His work.  I continued reading about Kagoshima.  I found it interesting that the first missionary to Japan, Saint Francis Xavier, arrived in Kagoshima in 1549.  He stayed for only two years but had a lasting impact.  As a result of Saint Francis Xavier’s efforts, more than 10,000 Japanese converted to Christianity. 

            By the turn of the 17^th century, there were estimates of 100,000 Japanese converts.  Even as Christianity spread, during these early years, they were severely persecuted.  The feudal leaders of the time, did not understand the Christian’s insistence on a higher authority in God than their leaders.  There was also concern that the new Christian movement might indicate a pending military invasion, which fueled the early Christian’s persecution.

            Based on information from John Nathan’s book entitled, “Japan Unbound,” the Japanese people are hurting.  They have a suicide rate estimated at between 35,000 and 50,000 people every year.  Japanese men between 44 and 55 years of age have a very high suicide rate, which is listed at 80%.   There are about 127 million Japanese people; after 458 years of missionary work, there is only one percent of the population reported to be Christian.  Around 1950 there was a call for 5,000 missionaries and 10 million Bibles to Japan.  It is reported that less than 1,000 missionaries responded to the call.  Japan has not been open to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  A plan that started long before Saint Francis Xavier.  It is a long journey and there have been great successes with people who have answered the call.  But, there is much work to be done.  We need your prayers.
 
            We met a Christian living in the United States who owns a house in Kagoshima.  Chieko and her husband Richard have kept the house in Japan vacant, waiting on a missionary to stay there.  Not wanting a non-Christian to live in the residence, the house has been vacant for 10 years.  This is all part of God’s plan.  As a result, Bonita and I will have a place to live during our fulltime assignment in Japan once we have completed our preperation.   We are learning the language and praying for more doors to open.  We plan to commit to at least three years in Japan and ultimately open a Bible College in Kagoshima.          

            David said at Ziglag in 1 Samuel 30:18-24, some stay and some go.  And in Romans 10:18-24, Paul said, how will they go unless someone sends them?  When Japanese souls are won for Jesus, you will also be recorded in Heaven as having participated through your prayers and if you feel led, your financial support


 In Christ,

Eddie Harper