Pray for Iwate

Now we move on to… Iwate!! (pronounced Ee-wah-tay)

Iwate is the second largest prefecture, and also the second least densely populated prefecture. It suffers severe cold weather and poor economy (average income is 11th from the bottom in the nation) but it also been producing many renowned figures including scholars, politicians, novelists and artists. Christian Evangelism started in this area in the late 1800s.

<Iwate>

• Population: 1,405,060
• Cities with only 1 church: 5
• Towns/villages with no church: 36
• Churches/person: 1/25,090

 

March 9: Pray that the churches located in declining population areas would be encouraged and maintain their ministries. Pray for the faith of church members who have moved to larger cities for education or work.

March 10: Pray for the one missionary serving in Iwate, that she will be encouraged and be effective in her ministry. The Seisen Theological School i a two-year program which began in 1969.

March 11: Zenrin Kan, a Christian center and book store in Morioka, and the Light of the World (daily 5:15am) are two important resources for 56 churches.

March 12: Pray that the 2,830 students at Morioka University and the 600 at Sukore will become interested in reading the Bible.

March 13: Pray that God’s love will be seen through the ministries to the handicapped at Oku Nakayama Gakuen (40 people), Chiisaki Mori no Sato (40 people) and Sanai gakusha High School (51 students).

March 14: Pray for new church starts in the five cities with only one church. Takizawa and Yamada towns have populations of over 20,000 with no church. Shimohei-gun has a ratio of only one church for over 50,000 people.

*All information and prayer requests taken from “Operation Japan -Prayer Guide- Third Edition” -Japan Evangelical Missionary Association, 2005. To purchase a copy of “Operation Japan” book or the Interactive CD version, go to: http://www.jema.org/joomla15/index.php?option=com_banners&task=click&bid=10.