Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Here in Tokyo, our family, church, and friends are safe. Just after we finished a Bible study, we felt the big earthquake. Some things fell down but we just ended up dizzy from the movement. The coasts are the most affected areas. Most probably you have watched on the news that they are estimating 20,000 dead people and that there were some explosions in two nuclear plants in Fukushima. The reactors didn't explode with these explosions, but the government is trying to cool down the reactors to prevent this from happening. There was a release of vapor with high levels of radiation from one of the reactors. The country is in a state of emergency. Some people were contaminated, but thousands are being evacuated 20 km away from the nuclear plants.  

Praise God for His constant mercy towards men. The Bible tells us that Satan and our sin has blinded men so they cannot understand anything about their need of forgiveness and salvation. But our Lord in His precious love is opening the eyes of some people in Japan to see the filthiness of their sin and the beauty of our Lord. Even though these families are not saved, they are persevering in attending Bible studies every week and coming every Sunday to the services.  

Please pray for Alicia's family. She surrendered her life to our Lord two months ago and now with patience and joy we are helping her find the evidence true salvation in her life. Her husband, Toshiro, used to work like many Japanese on Sundays, but the last month he decided to not work so he can join his wife and children in coming to church. Toshiro recently told me that he does not believe in God but he wishes to have faith like he sees in Christians. Finally, he asked me how he could have faith, so we agree in having weekly meetings studying the Word and asking God to open his eyes and lead him to saving faith.

Our Lord Jesus gave us another year to sacrifice our lives with joy for His name and His glory. God is the one holding us here and filling us with His beauty. We thank our Father because in the darkest times and when the trials of missionary work were heavy, He mercifully showed us that we don't need anything else but Him. We praise Him because He deserves it and there is nothing apart from His indescribable power and grace.

This last month was again unbelievable to remember that in Japan almost nobody knows who is Jesus and that Christmas is about Him. People go shopping encouraged by the marketing of red hats and Santa Claus, but Christmas is not a holiday and people just work like any other day. It is sad that all the Spanish immigrants who work in factories here are being molded by this system. Spanish immigrants come to Japan thinking that the financial stability and money will fill them and make them happy. But the god 'Money' is destroying them without mercy. Factories exploit the health and time of the immigrants offering them more money if they work more. It is like a drug seller who knows the addiction that the buyer has. The addiction in this case is the love for money. But God is using all this suffering and frustration to bring Spanish speaking people to Him.

God blessed us with this year with three Bible studies and a prayer meeting. God blessed us with two ladies both called Marianela, and one of their mothers; and Alicia and Toshiro who are coming to the services because they recognize that their only hope is God. Alicia wants to get baptized but we are joyfully helping her to see the evidence of her salvation before her baptism.

Praise God for Michiko. Before she didn't believe in God and after one year of sharing the Bible, she said last week that Jesus was calling her many times and that she believes in Him now. She ask prayers because in Japan to be a Christian means the rejection of your husband, friends and many social consequences because there is a saying in Japan that the nail who is different and sticks out must to be strongly nailed again.  There is no space for breaking the idolatrous harmony in which their society is rooted and based.