Update on the Hiki Cafe Ministry.
the Hikikomori Cafe Ministry is a ministry to serve people who isolated themselves from the societies and have a tendency to shut down communication with others. The ministry operates 5 days a week, equipped with training and study programs for the most unreached people in the most unreached nation. The phenomenon has been pronounced for 20 years now in Japan, where these teenagers and young adults had grown into their 30's and 40's. Many have no source of incomes, and the social structure system, traditions and health issues are preventing them from remerging with the society. Economic downturn accelerated the issue, especially in rural Japan with almost no job opportunities for the unskilled. The Hikikomori Cafe ministry is planted in Omagari, a downtown of Daisen-shi in Akita Prefecture, located in Tohoku area of Japan, 424km away from Tokyo, 3 and a half hours by bullet train. Daisenshi, the second largest city after Akita city in Akita prefecture, with a population of 84,000 people, Geographical coordinates in degrees minutes seconds (WGS84) Latitude : 39 27' 00'' Longitude : 140 29' 00''. On a whole, Akita prefecture has the fastest aging rate, lowest birth rate, highest suicide rate, highest cancer mortality rate, lowest GDP, yet the highest university entrance rate and owns rich natural resources including the best hotspring and preserved nature woods.
The Lord had stirred the heart of the locals to rise in aid for the needs of the ministry. Please continue to uphold the ministry in your prayers, and please pray for each and everyone who gives beyond their limits to meet the cafe needs. Please pray that they will find peace and hope when they remember the ministry. Please pray that the Lord will fill each of them with His great love and I believe salvation is beginning in this town! :-) Praise the Lord!
The support from Japan is expected to cover 2/3 of the renovation fund that I would like to raise. I am hoping another 1/3 will come from the people outside Japan whom the Lord had stirred to serve His ministry in an unique way. This will give you an great opportunity to be involve in the ministry directly with your givings and prayers.
Renovation is expected to start in the second week of Feb. The money now is enough for the kitchen, and we still need money to build the entrance.
Besides the renovation cost,
I still need to raise more fund and support,
to cover the appliances that we need for the cafe, the ministry expenses etc.
The Malaysians have been amazingly great missions partners and prayer warriors, their generosities cover almost in between half to three quarters of the ministry expenses. As the ministry is growing fast, there are more needs.
Don Wright and Dennis Peters had put up an article for Heart4Japan in RJC newsletter last and this month, I am really grateful for that. I believe that many have read, and the prayer chain has began.
Paul Nethercott is putting up an article for the Hiki Cafe ministry in Asian Access, hope that will bring in more prayers and practical support.
I'll be touring around Tokyo and Kuala Lumpur in between these dates, Jan 11 ~ Feb 2. I'll be sharing the needs of the cafe with some businessmen, health workers, churches and pastoral teams. Please pray for me to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, and may He shines in every conversation. There will be a great change of temperature from Akita to Tokyo, and from Tokyo to Kuala Lumpur. I will need your extensive prayers in many ways.
Present Itinerary
Jan 11 Utsunomiya
Jan 18 Mega Chinese Methodist Church
Jan 25 Full Gospel Assembly Kota Damansara
Jan 30- Feb 1 Tokyo Pfizer Health Conference
Please feel free to catch me in between dates. I will love to share with you with what God is doing in Japan.
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