This article was written and submitted on Wednesday, October 2nd, at 3:32 pm by Pastor Mark Geppert. It was agreed upon, edited for punctuation and content by Pastor Matthew Geppert on Friday, October 4th at 3:19 pm, and submitted to all of you directly from him for the purpose of prayer. Please join us in prayer today.While Beijing paraded military might in Tiananmen Square celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the People's Republic, several hundred thousand of its citizens shut down Hong Kong, "The Goose that laid the Golden egg." The first week in October is traditionally the Golden Week in China. It is the celebration of the harvest and the well being that the State has bestowed upon its people. It used to be the time when the King would parade his strength and receive declarations of loyalty from the people. With communism reigning, it has now become a time when the new "King" (with a life long term limit) stands in the posture of Chairman Mao and reviews the wealth of power that is now his to direct. The Life Term Leader stands to receive the praise of his people.I was taught years ago from Pastor Ray Patterson, "The faces change, but the spirits remain the same."In Hong Kong, one gun in the hand of one frightened police officer discharged and launched a round into the chest of an 18-year-old student who would rather risk death than come under the yoke of the man in the big parade. The young man, a high school student, was protesting loudly against the communist way of life being foisted upon him. The Life Term Leader and the young student will probably never meet. Communism does not afford the opportunity for direct and free speech. They most probably will never be seen in the same photo or heard in a discussion or a debate. The young student is trying to defend any future he may have while The Great Leader is riding on the back of China - the greatest horse there has ever been. 1.3 billion people are asked to bow as he passes by. He flexes a military who tear down crosses, close churches, and persecute pastors and anyone else who questions his absolute authority. China will never use the missiles and armor on display unless it is to call its own people to submit.The young student is in for a ride he may not want to take. Unless the independent press and Amnesty keep track of him, he will probably disappear into the health care system and, like many before him, be shielded from the pressures of exposure to the outside world. He is going to be made an example for those millions of students on the mainland who recognize his bravery and his frustration and who hope that one day they will be able to express themselves without repercussion.And the Life Term Leader standing proudly, reviewing the troops and receiving the accolades of millions? What is to become of that man?Like the grass, he will wither and fade away for the blood of the martyrs killed by his team is crying out before the throne of God, "How long? How long?"Attack Lambs (see Mark Geppert's book Attack Lambs) understand that the Horse (Communism) and the Rider (Atheism) are both thrown into the sea. We are involved in a great spiritual battle. In Chinese, the character we translate to "Principality" is literally, "The One who owns the land." The character we translate to "Power" is literally, "The spokesperson for the one who owns the land." With that understanding of what is happening here, we can easily agree with the Apostle Paul as he writes, "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds and bringing captive every thought and argument that exalts itself against God" (2 Corinthians 10:4, my paraphrase). Our proclamation to the Life Term Leader is this: "Mr. Xi there is a God, He has a Son, His name is Jesus, He died for you. It is not your word that is settled in heaven, but His. He hates injustice. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. He is the Righteous Judge among all nations and He is the One who will cast the horse and the rider into the sea."And the student? To him, we say, "Call upon the name of the Lord, and you will be saved. Put your trust in Jesus. It is not by might nor by power, but by the Spirit of God that you will be delivered from this wicked and atheistic system. Stand still and behold the salvation of the Lord."And to us? Pray as never before. However, you like to pray, loud or soft, tongues or understanding, standing, kneeling, sitting, walking, PRAY. A carnal weapon in the hand of a frightened man fired a bullet into the chest of a frightened student on the street in Hong Kong. Let those who battle in Spirit respond to the call and see the horse and the rider cast into the sea.

No onomatopoeia in this world can adequately express the sound of tires spinning in mud. It’s a mixture of a sick sounding engine in desperate need of cough syrup with a high pitched “whirring” that leaves a rock in the pit of your stomach. It’s the sound of futility, frustration, and a bad morning.Missionaries and casual drivers alike all over the world are familiar with this sound. We’ve all felt the “oh, no” and slight panic while pressing on the gas and gripping the wheel. Mud is universal. So is getting stuck in it.We spilled out of the van, flip flops suctioning up and down in the red earth with each step. Sympathetic passersby rolled up their own pants and joined us in the push. The whirring sound continued. The van slid sideways. Finally, with bunches of sticks and branches from the side of the road propped underneath each wheel, the whirring downgraded into a deep rumble, and with one final push, we were free!I was also splattered. Standing at 5 feet zero inches, pushing directly behind the back right wheel as it sputtered its way forward, equaled a head to toe mud bath. My button-up was a Jackson Pollock painting. It was kind of cool. The kind of cool that still hasn’t come out of my jeans after three washings, but hey—art is art!

We proceeded down this familiar path, rolling and dipping our way to a cluster of primary schools. Our 12 passenger van was filled to the brim with 18 people, 3 in red plastic chairs in the trunk. We stopped at 3 different primary schools, letting off members of our national missionary team in groups of 4 or 5 at each location. Our final group drove the last 15 kilometers to the last and furthest primary school, Dong Chraing of Preah Net Preah district.In seconds, the stress of the road melted away as we were greeted at the gate by hordes of students honoring us with the traditional Khmer greeting, hands lifted together in prayer. Old tires had been painted and transformed into flower beds. Students were sweeping and cleaning their own classrooms in preparation for us. The attitude was one of expectation and joy. The English teachers were here!Our group split up between four classrooms. Each team member started their class with prayer and singing, before diving into English. We were using our Water Drop program, an English program that uses a mixture of Bible stories, improv games, and conversational English to teach the kids about the love of God while giving them a solid foundation for English language learning.Here in the mud, even the teachers got involved. The principal, a smiling man of 60 with only months to go before retirement, had gathered together all his teachers and community leaders to join us. They humbly sat in chairs designed for much smaller bodies, and painstakingly began the process of copying the alphabet into their notebooks. They were here to learn. The eagerness and determination were palpable. Every teacher in the room has been teaching for over 10 years. Most of them were older. All of them were willing.“I can do all this through Christ who gives me strength!” Both teachers and students alike were learning our first Bible verse of the program, the verse that tells us we can do this. When we bowed our heads in prayer, I could see tears in a few eyes.I think the Holy Spirit loves mud. I think He loves that we got stuck in it and that we kept going. I think He loves that we showed up in the middle of nowhere, and so He decided to show up too. I think He rubs his hands in glee when unqualified people go forth with the intention to love. I think God’s heart is found exactly here, in this spot, the one that barely makes the map, and no one in their right mind comes out to visit.The coolest part was that we were one of four teams. English classes and prayer were simultaneously happening at 4 schools in this area, led by our team of national missionaries. Over 200 children were getting a touch of the love of God every morning for the past 3 weeks.

When we finished class, every child ran up to us for a hug or a high five. The older students practiced their new English phrases with me and asked to take selfies. No one cared that I was covered in mud. They just giggled and hugged me even tighter. The joy followed us out the door, back into the van, and out onto that same muddy road. “See you tomorrow!” We waved, as the kids followed us out.The team will continue their ministry in these four schools for four more weeks during the Cambodian school break. Once school begins, our ministry will change to our technical centers, where we will start not only Water Drop classes, but electricity, engineering, nursing, music, and English grammar classes as well. These four primary schools are only a tiny picture of the 488 schools across the province yet to be reached. The tech centers will be centers for education and Christ’s love in each of the nine districts of this province.Our van, which we love dearly and push fondly through these muddy paths, is currently our only vehicle. As we make plans to minister in our 5 different tech centers, we are praying for vehicles. The only way to reach these centers or these clusters of primary schools is via the red mud paths that get us there. Please join us in praying for stout vehicles with four-wheel drive and engines that don’t quit. Our team is ready and willing. All we need is a few more wheels, and maybe an extra push.

It is important to understand the Jewish calendar, especially if you are trying to get a hundred of your closest friends from around the world to meet you there to pray. We are doing just that this month! I'm learning—in being intentional to study the Jewish culture as we do in every nation we serve—that the calendar of traditional religious events and commemorative dates in Israel greatly surpasses all other cultures and nations in complexity and implication. Big surprise there! And here I thought Singapore was challenging. I'm humble enough to say that I still haven't figured it all out and humbler enough to admit that all days and times are ordained and sustained by the Hand of God and not man.Call it chance, call it coincidence, call it auspicious, just don't call it the intentional decision of any man. The truth is that my dad and I knew that we needed to shift our annual Friends Around the Table gathering (an international leadership gathering for the purpose of worship, prayer, vision, and preparation) from Myanmar to Israel because of a burning sense of urgency within us. We had initially planned this gathering in Israel for fall 2020. We always have Friends Around the Table in October, and it is usually the first week of the month, but for the last two years, friends have asked us to push it to the second week of October.Years before that, others asked us not to go beyond the second week of October because the brown trout finally make it out of the lakes and into the streams inside of Yellowstone by the third week of October and we should prioritize to be there at that time. I wonder who made that request? (It was me. I know, fleshly right?)So we landed on the second week of October, made the arrangements, and began to invite guests.My dad called me one day late last year and said, "Hey, when is the Feast of Tabernacles in Israel next year?"I quickly put him on speakerphone so that I could look it up on my phone."Oh, you mean Sukkot?" I said. He laughed, knowing that I didn't have a clue."Looks like its October 14 -20th," I said. "And when is our Friends Around the Table scheduled for next year in Israel?"I checked back to our office calendar. "We arrive into Jerusalem on October 13th and depart on the 20th."Then I heard him give me his classic Mark Geppert-style, "God is up to something" response: "Hmm."I've heard that "hmm" many times in my life, and that little "hmm" has moved me into some very powerful moments of faith on the earth. With the "hmm" in mind, I began to dive further into the Jewish calendar and specifically the Feast of Tabernacles.Sukkot is a feast of the harvest. It is a time where we remember God's provision, consider those who sacrificed before us to bring us into this time of blessing, and gather the nations in Jerusalem to witness the Glory of God. Certainly seems fitting for Friends Around the Table and even more so for us in this tremendous and mightily undeniable season of opportunity and transition within the global Church.We, at SEAPC, are called to pray for government changing revival. So we go as God leads us into nations desperate for righteousness, peace, and joy—the UK, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, Hong Kong, Kashmir, Korea, and China to name a few in just the past year. We go in a timely manner by faith and through obedience, never sure of how God will make a way for us but ever confident that He will bring nation-changing revival to where we go. Now is the right time for us to go to Israel. It is the right date, it is the right time, and it is the right moment.We go this month and gather the nations to Israel with a simple promise in our hearts: "God make us abound in all the work of our hands, in the fruit of our body, in our livestock, in the produce of our land for good. He will rejoice again over us for good as He rejoiced over our fathers." (Deuteronomy 30:9)We believe that from this gathering, God will position this great global community of friends into the place of promise intended for us. From that place, we believe that the nations will rejoice in His Glory as they turn in righteousness to prayer and begin to meet each other's health, education, parenting, and economic needs. This promise we are receiving transcends generations. It is from Father to Son, and we want your family and ministry to receive it as well. Let's walk together into the opportunities and transitions that God has put before us at this time.See you in Jerusalem!"Hmm," that sounds good.

This week for our Japan prayer focus, we want to share with you about a very special ministry in Osaka that is transforming the lives of fathers and families.Jef and Aya Linscott are pastors and ministry leaders of a house church network that is restoring the heartbeat of home and family in the hearts of the Japanese.

Demonstrating what Biblical homes and families look like is one of the most urgent mandates for the church in Japan. Through these dear friends of SEAPC, family units are growing closer to Jesus, single mothers and their children are receiving needed support, and a cutting edge ministry to men is being developed.The urgent need for active fathers in homes across Japan is paramount. Mothers carry an extremely heavy load of raising and nurturing children. Jef, Aya, and their church family in Osaka are prayerfully creating a ministry to men that restores men’s and fathers’ roles in the family. They greatly appreciate our prayers in this season as they develop this ministry, as well as continue to develop leaders and home churches in the region.Another exciting report is that our Attack Lambs training will soon be available across Japan, and Pastors Jef and Aya are at the center of this vision, and also translated SEAPC materials with such excellence!Thank you, friends, for praying this week for this family. We are excited to connect with them in greater ways, and support all Abba Father is doing through them! Please prayerfully consider joining us in January 2020 to meet Jef and Aya, and launch strategic prayer training and walking in Japan. God is on the move!

“Where are you going this time?”

The SEAPC Medical Team gets this question quite a lot. It is often followed up by, “Is there anything I can do?”The one thing that no one has ever asked is how the entire undertaking is put together. The simple answer is this: Think of the moving parts of a vintage watch, with all the cogs, wheels, and springs. Each piece fits together with precision so that the timepiece will produce the desired result: keeping time.In the same way, a medical mission trip is comprised of many components that must be carefully fit together into one cohesive whole. But before anything is begun, there is a mandatory starting point, without which the pieces may be put into place, but they won’t function.Every trip begins with prayer. In fact, prayer is how a trip comes to be in the first place. Sometimes it’s the result of prayers from friends in other nations who need the services of a medical team. Sometimes it’s a desire placed into the heart of a missionary who has embraced the mandate to submit to the Lord’s voice. And sometimes it is the result of relationships developed over years of serving a nation.God’s call to go is clear. Circumstances may dictate the destination, but the final result is always part of His plan. This fall the team had proposed a trip to Kashmir, India, but political unrest precluded it. Which means that although man had his plans, God guided his steps, and led the way instead to Nepal, to serve with friends who have a need to be encouraged and lifted up. The team left on September 15th.Once a destination is chosen, preparations begin. Medical missions require medical supplies, medicines, and healthcare professionals. Recruitment of doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, physical therapists, chiropractors, is a huge undertaking. Because those who work have to be willing to take vacation time to serve. And to use their own financial resources; generally, it costs airfare plus $100/person per day. It is a personal sacrifice. And although it often seems like there are not enough medical people to do the job, God always makes it work. Even if what is accomplished isn’t part of man’s plan.A full medical mission team also includes prayer warriors with no medical background. Although medical clinics are the hook to bring people in, the endgame is to introduce them to Jesus through prayer. It’s great to relieve someone’s back pain with two weeks’ worth of Ibuprofen. How much greater is it to alleviate the burden of their sin for eternity through prayer? And through prayer, true medical miracles happen. Yes, miracles. Not just the ambiguous decrease of shoulder pain, absent headache, or feeling returned to numb toes. These things happen on every trip. So do quantifiable miracles. Tumors gone. Cataract eyes clear. Hands closed with contractures opened. All good stuff.With a destination and a team in place, the SEAPC mission coordinator secures flights, while the team leader works with in-country partners to develop an itinerary, accommodations, and transportation on the ground. This is a fluid process that may change up to the day of departure—or even upon arrival. The old adage, blessed are the flexible, for they shall be flexed, is true. Every time.Medical supplies are gathered from a variety of sources. Brother’s Brother Foundation fills requests based on donations they have received. This includes prescription medications as well as ancillary equipment. People donate over-the-counter meds and vitamins, as well as related provisions like bandages. Reading glasses are purchased at the Dollar Store. Some items will be bought at the destination with funds contributed for this purpose. Planning is not easy, as different maladies are prevalent in different areas.To be good stewards, the medical team hauls a huge suitcase of medicine and supplies all over the world. It’s not unusual to be prescribing pain medicine from Indonesia to patients in Guatemala, or to be giving out Spanish-labeled meds for use in Asia. Being good stewards requires prayer—lots and lots of prayer. Especially as Customs and Immigration inspects the bags. God has been faithful. We won’t stop praying.In addition to meds and supplies, the fundamentals of a good physical exam are hand-carried on each trip: stethoscopes, a scale, otoscope, blood pressure monitors. Also paper and pens, sharpie markers, bags to package medicine, plastic containers for creams, scissors, hemostats, stickers for the kids, height and weight charts. The list seems to grow with each trip, as the process is fine-tuned.Research is required to be prepared, as most destinations do not include a local Wal Mart. A Bible and mission trip journal is standard. So are a towel, luggage scale, toiletries, and electricity converter. Clothing must be considered, as it may be hot and humid, cold, or muddy. Culture also plays a role. Some countries require that ladies wear skirts, cover their heads, or have sleeves.For medical clinics, translators are necessary to understand patients’ physical needs fully. They are also useful for prayer, although the Lord knows the petitions in advance. It is helpful to have tables and chairs and at least one private spot for delicate exams. That being said, the team has functioned in a wide variety of locations, including churches, schools, village streets, hotel lobbies, kitchens, under a mango tree, and on top of an anthill.Almost every medical mission trip—although well planned, supplied, and plowed in prayer—does not turn out as anticipated. There may be more patients. Fewer patients. Doors closed. Windows opened. There is one sure and certain thing on every trip: God is glorified. Arrive in Vientiane, Laos, but permission to work is rescinded? He leads to Thailand’s rural villages. Arrive in Mexico to find that arrangements have fallen through? He saves souls in a men’s prison. Van breaks down in the middle of nowhere? Locals receive the Lord and pain meds for aching backs. How do all these myriad parts and potential problems come together? One word: prayer. It might be the intentional prayer of those who support the efforts of the medical team from the beginning. It might be prayer while the team is away. It is always bursts of insistent prayer in the field as issues arise, and we need Him right now.Not everyone is called to go on a medical mission. But even non-medical people are needed—they are more critical than practitioners. Why? Because although anyone can pray, dedicated prayer warriors are the heart of the mission. What modern healthcare cannot provide, the Great Physician can and does. If you feel the call and wonder why there’s the answer. And your invitation.Donations of supplies, medicines, and money are essential to the success of a trip. It’s impossible to do a medical outreach without these. Every person who provides a bottle of Motrin, a box of Band-Aids, or a few dollars is a huge blessing. Nothing is wasted. Anything that can’t be used for a future trip is gifted to a local medical professional or hospital.Please be in prayer for the team. Global travel is rigorous and unpredictable. Politics and locales can be dangerous. Conditions may be less than stellar. Knowing that we are being covered in prayer is both a blessing and a reassurance. The importance of prayer from start to finish cannot be overemphasized.This past Sunday, an SEAPC prayer team took off at 7:05 PM, from Pittsburgh, to Toronto, to Istanbul, to Kathmandu. It’s a long journey. Some slept, some read, listened to music, or watched movies. I travel like an infant: sleep, eat, bathroom, repeat. All of us, at many times during the two travel days and the time in Nepal, prayed and will continue to pray. For the mission, for the souls that will come, for the Holy Spirit to guide, for families left behind, for prayer walking and spiritual warfare, for the future of Nepal—the list is individual and unending.Please pray with us until our return on September 26th at 10:30 PM. God already knows what we need. The way is being prepared. But having partners in the body of Christ is an encouragement to the team and reveals His plan as it unfolds.To God be the glory, now and forevermore, both at home and in Nepal!

"Pray at all times in the spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints."Ephesians 6:18

At SEAPC, we believe in the importance of coming alongside existing ministries within the nations we serve. Our friends at YWAM Japan have prepared the following prayer requests as you lift up Japan in prayer this month. We believe that we will see nation changing revival in Japan!- Because of cultural, societal, and family pressures here, it can be challenging for Japanese people to follow Jesus. The national religions of Buddhism and Shintoism are closely tied to the Japanese identity, so choosing to deny them can be perceived as rejecting your own family or even choosing to no longer be Japanese. (Yet we believe that by following Christ, they are able to be more Japanese!) These pressures make converting to Christianity difficult and can also prevent believers from sharing their faith once doing so. Pray for Japanese individuals to be bold in choosing Christ, for the church to support and surround new believers, and for believers to be courageous in sharing their faith so that others might believe.- Japanese employees are some of the most committed and loyal individuals you can find. They often arrive early and leave late in order to not be an inconvenience to their team and fellow co-workers. However, these cultural demands on their time prevent them from spending time with their families, meeting up with friends who could share with them about Christ, or even just processing life in general, leading them to find fulfillment in other activities. Pray for a shift in the Japanese work culture to make space for people to find time together as well as just to encounter God!- Many in Japan are orphans, not to losing parents but to overworking parents. Because of the demanding work culture, often times fathers might work most of the week without seeing their children. Sometimes a father leaves before the child wakes up, returns after they go to sleep, and because he is so tired, he sleeps in on the one day off he has, limiting his interaction with his children to a few hours one day a week. Please pray for a renewed value for family in the culture and that children would be seen as a blessing and worth the time to be loved!- Jesus said the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. This is true of Japan, as well. Statistics have stated there is only one missionary for every 64,000 people in Japan. That’s like one person being tasked to reach an entire football stadium! It is also expensive to serve as missionaries in Japan, and sometimes it might seem more economically efficient to send resources to other countries. Pray that God would release more laborers to come to Japan and for others to invest in the Kingdom work that is happening here in this nation!

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present or things to come, nor powers, nor height, not depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.Romans 8:38-39

My dad used to say, “You never know the last time you’ll dance.” How true a statement, whether it’s dancing, traveling, or anything else. Because when God calls us home, we go. His timing is perfect from a heavenly perspective. The earthly view is sometimes harder to understand.God called our friend, Gary Caldwell, home on September 6^th at the age of 43. His passion was for the victims of human trafficking, and he tirelessly pursued the dream of saving people from this horror in a variety of ways over the years.He and his wife, Bekah, had a motel ministry. They visited motels and hotels both large and small, and held informational classes to teach workers and managers what to look for when guests checked in and there were any concerns raised about a child’s safety. They were part of anti-trafficking groups, traveled, and spoke to everyone on the topic.A lifelong lover of film, Gary heard about a documentary being made about trafficking in Pennsylvania. He contacted those in charge, began to help—including acting in a few scenes—and ended up co-producing the award-winning film, From Liberty to Captivity. Although he loved his family, biking, and puns, his focus on the least and the lost never wavered.The question has to be asked:

“Why, Lord?”

“Why this servant who is humbly doing so much good in the world? Why a man so young, with years ahead to continue his work for You? Why not one of the multitude of sick, aged, and infirm who long daily to meet You?”The cop-out answer is easy. God is sovereign. He makes perfect choices. He’s the boss. Period. Although true, it’s not very satisfying. The confusion remains. Not just when Gary died, but when a little girl is kidnapped and murdered, when a teen is driven to suicide, when drugs decimate the city.There are some other things to consider, things that are tough sells to we human beings. As sinful and chaotic as this world may be—and getting worse as moral lines are blurred and erased—we all cling to what we know. Family. Friends. Chocolate. Church. Sunshine. Pillows. Milkshakes. Beauty. Dancing. Simply put, we tend to fear change, even given the promise of heaven.But for those who love Jesus, there is nothing that compares to the glory that awaits us. And the only way to get there, is to die here.What about those of us who are left behind to grieve? Heads know that our loved ones are in the arms of Jesus. We want to be in the arms of our loved ones. It is in Jesus’ arms—there or here—that the blessings pour out. That’s hard to grasp in hearts that hurt, in stomachs that can’t hold food, in eyes that flow with tears.The reality is that we have been called to surrender to God’s will. It is perfect. In situations such as tragic loss, perfect is not a word that even makes sense. It shouldn’t, from an earthly perspective. We may never know what God is accomplishing by our sorrow, our suffering, our heartache. But we can be assured that His purpose will stand. And that He only wants good for His people.Words can be empty. Unless they come from Scripture. If we spend time reading the Bible, focusing on promises, provisions, and perfection, He will illuminate the words for us. Sense can be made of the senseless as we grieve in a healthy way, within the circle of Christ’s love.Our prayers at SEAPC go out to Gary’s wife, family, and friends. And we know that in the fullness of God’s timing, they will be together again.Gary, well done, good and faithful servant.

I have been a tentmaker missionary in Japan for about 14 years. In this time, I have come to understand that Japan is a conundrum of contrasts.On the one hand, it is a very technologically advanced nation, yet it is also unswerving in its traditions that stretch back thousands of years. People take part in religious ceremonies and rituals of Buddhism and Shintoism, yet they do not believe in many of these rituals. They are taught to be self-sufficient and not to rely on others, yet they believe that society, teams, and groups are more important than the individual. They are very righteous, humble, and are often willing to help those in need, yet they do not know the true righteousness of God.In Romans 10:3, Paul is talking about the Jews of his time. I think this verse if very fitting for Japan.

“Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness” (NIV).

The Japanese, for the most part, are very moral, kind, humble, and generous, and unswervingly follow the rules. The Japanese do not see themselves as sinners. For this very reason, it is difficult to see revival in Japan. Sinners are those who kill and steal—sin is not a concept that is readily understood. So methods of evangelism that work in other places often do not work here. How then do you present the gospel to people who think they have no sin?On a recent trip to Nepal, I was able to fellowship with some believers. The church in Nepal is fast-growing, even though it is illegal, and laws prohibit the conversion of Hindus and Buddhists. However, the church is able to meet the needs of the people there. Being basically a third world country, the needs of the people are visible. Most are poor, hungry, and in need of physical and spiritual healing. Many convert through these types of outreach.

How then can we reach out to the Japanese people who seem to have everything?

I believe that we need to present God as a Father. We need to become like fathers to the people. Japan is a fatherless society, with single mothers on the rise. For the most part, families do often have fathers, but they are usually not present in their homes. Men are married to their jobs and companies, spending most of their time at work. Most children are raised by the mothers alone and learn morality through the educational system of schools. Even in the Japanese church, this is the case. Most churches will have a congregation of mostly females ranging from housewives, single women, and children. There are hardly any men.I believe people are unaware of it, but they are looking for the Father’s love. Therefore, Christians need to show the Japanese people that they have a Father. We need to reflect the love of our Heavenly Father and become fathers to the fatherless.

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.Proverbs 19:21

It began with a dream in the mind of a man.Thirty-six years ago, Hector Zetino felt the burden on his heart for the children of Guatemala. Having grown up in the Red Zones—the most dangerous quarters of Guatemala City—he knew first-hand the life and death issues they faced. And he wanted to change it. As in all things, however, God’s timing did not support his dream. At least not then.Pastor Hector spent the intervening years raising a son, Mark, and twin daughters, Debbie and Jeannie. He moved to the United States, pastored a church, and continued to travel to Guatemala and to worldwide locations to minister. The dream did not die, get taken over by someone else, or see the problems resolved. It continued to pulsate in his heart with relentless energy.Two years ago, the Lord awakened the burden in his heart once again. Pastor Hector and his daughter, Debbie, reached out to the community, partnering with local churches in feeding programs and street evangelism. They donated musical instruments for a small music school, computers to teach computer proficiency, office equipment, and sewing machines to instruct mothers on how to provide an income for their families.They developed relationships with local pastors, who had personal knowledge of individual youth—and any possible ties to gangs—in their sphere. Due to the inherent risks in the Red Zones, it became necessary to recruit only kids who would not put others in danger. Twenty prayer walks happened. Ministry in the streets grew.Everything has a definitive starting point. That’s the status of this ministry today. On April 27, 2019, the dream became a reality. The House of Hope opened its doors in Guatemala City. God’s power drew together volunteers and broke down social, economic, educational, and denominational barriers. The unity of believers from all walks of life became a reality, working together as one body in Christ.Twenty-five children ages 12 to 18 meet in this haven every Saturday. They come from all over the city, picked up by a nondescript van. Their day consists of breakfast and lunch, brown sack dinner, worship, discipleship, and the pouring of Jesus into each individual in attendance. The goal is to impress upon them this bedrock fact: their identity is in being a child of the King.Simple, right? Easy sell. And yet, it’s much more complex in Guatemala City. These kids are living in the poorest neighborhoods, rife with violence, crime, drugs, and fear. Often fathers have been murdered, mothers deal drugs just to feed their families, and the kids themselves are threatened if they don’t join a gang. Gunshots pepper the night; stray bullets take random lives, even the lives of children.For some, this would scare away the dream. It has only intensified the goals of the House of Hope. Debbie Zetino has slipped into her father’s vision and is now Director of the project. Together with hand-selected volunteers, they are moving forward with plans to add more days, bigger spaces, and education for mothers.Next month, the House will become two houses. Stepping out in financial faith, a larger facility for the kids will open. The smaller building will be utilized to teach moms sewing, cooking, and other marketable, legal endeavors. Moving forward, the dream includes more days of discipleship during the week, finding land to buy and to build a structure to house the children, and making a permanent home for them. This will be a true house of hope, prayer, family, companionship, safety—and Jesus. A 24/7 place for them to live, grow, and prosper.The children who frequent the House of Hope see it as a refuge where they not only eat well, but also have loving adults to talk to about life issues. And these issues are big ones. Physical abuse, sexual abuse, violence, threats, drugs, guns, poverty, hunger, low self-esteem—the list goes on and on. It is a challenge to help each child to reevaluate negative self-images and to embrace positive, King-centered ones. This will only be accomplished through prayer, time, and God’s hand as faith leaders and believers from around the world support this ministry.A typical day at the House begins with morning worship. A young adult from a local church plays the guitar while other volunteers lead the singing. There are closed eyes, tears, smiles, clapping, and joy. The presence of the Holy Spirit is real.Since April, twenty-one children have given their lives to the Lord. This comes at a cost. During the week they live in the Red Zones. They are unable to communicate with volunteers, as they or their families would be open to harassment and violence should certain criminal factions become aware of their connection to the House of Hope. Volunteers are carefully screened and must also be careful.Hector and Debbie Zetino saw a concurrent need arise after a volcano eruption wiped out entire villages and left hundreds displaced. They worked with several teams and saw God’s amazing provision of hot meals, water, clothes, prayer, and hope provided to families. The love of Jesus was shared with the most needy and vulnerable.Into this tragedy of loss, the Zetinos created Houses of Hope, a partner ministry to House of Hope. They built a new house, completed in February 2019, for the Perez family who had lost everything. The family is giving God the glory for His provision. It is hoped to continue to build homes for the homeless as funds and willing hands become available.Pastor Hector and Debbie long to see the multiplication of their efforts through everyone who is the hands and feet of Jesus in Guatemala. Despite the continuing gang wars, cultural violence, poverty, and death they are faced with, they pray for a breakthrough, a cultural key for the penetration of the Gospel that will bring transformation to this nation.Even though the center is in its infancy, something unexpected has happened. The youth who have come to receive are already giving back, as they are changed through discipleship and self-identification as children of God. They are going into the streets in their communities and reaching out to other youth. In one church, they have become the backbone of service. Since their active participation, there has been a significant increase in hunger and passion for the Lord. The number of youth attending worship has doubled. Lives are being changed through prayer and the Word of God.When Debbie and Hector look out over the city, they are reminded of Abraham’s arrival in Canaan, the land the Lord had promised to him. He saw that land occupied by evil people. Abraham chose not to retreat but to go to the highest overlook. There, he set up his tent, built an altar, worshipped, and invoked the name of the Lord (Genesis 12:6-7). The promises of God became a reality to Abraham and his family. The promises of God are becoming a reality in Guatemala as well.Right now, in Guatemala City’s worst neighborhoods, evil is losing. The name of the Lord God is being invoked. Worship is happening. Church altars are platforms of prayer. The hope is that someday, in the fullness of God’s timing, the Red Zones will be known as havens of peace and hope, the bright red designation standing for the blood of Jesus’ love instead of the blood of hate and violence.Guatemala has been claimed for Jesus. The plan might have begun in the mind of a man, but the purpose of the Lord is standing firm.

Welcome to the SEAPC September prayer focus for the nation of Japan! Every time we as an SEAPC community of friends go to Japan, we are greeted with genuine kindness and a stirring to see the impossible become possible. This month, we want to take you on a journey to connect on a deeper level with the people here. We want you to touch the inward heart of the Japanese, and those who are serving the harvest. This harvest needs much prayer and care. We have asked some of our closest friends who are actively involved on the front lines to share their passions, visions, and heart cries for Japan.At SEAPC, we are focusing our eyes into this nation at the highest level ever. This is one of the last great open yet unreached people groups on earth. That is a staggering thought considering the technology and availability of connection available to and from Japan. Prayer is essential. A special call is going out this month to set our eyes and ears HERE, knowing God is going to move in an unprecedented way.I will never forget an encounter I had on one of my first trips to Japan that captured me to stand in the gap for the Japanese people. My hosts took me to a temple outside Osaka. After prayer walking and talking with some of the people visiting the temple, I looked behind the main walkways that surrounded it. I saw a woman laying down on the ground. As the voices around me grew quiet, I could hear a deep sobbing. Both of these things—a posture of laying down and a sound of distress—are nearly never seen in public in Japan. My curiosity took over. I had to see what this was. I quietly walked around behind the woman so she could not see me, and right there before me (behind the public eye) was a tiny “graveyard.” A graveyard filled with hundreds of little headstones. Headstones with the names of aborted babies. This woman had brought a little teddy bear and a rose for her child and had both gifts tightly gripped in her hand. She could not hide her heart. She could not “keep it all together” on that day. The cry of motherhood was too much. Her heart was exposed, and her need was fully unveiled.As I watched her weep over this little tombstone representing a life she never knew, I wept with her. I saw the power of love. I saw a microcosm of the raw condition of hearts across Japan. Hearts longing for the deep healing, true love, and liberty found in Jesus. I saw the heart of why I was HERE: to stand in the gap for LIFE and to bring the good news of Father’s love to broken lives and dreams.In September, you can enter in with us to pray as we launch Attack Lambs resources within Japan.From this launch with partner ministries such as Every Home for Christ and YWAM, we will begin to mobilize north to south, community by community prayer walking with local Japanese churches, and global prayer teams rallying around them. Please prayerfully consider joining one of these teams to impact the Kingdom!In addition, this month, you will enter into one of Japan's key felt needs - ministry to children and the support of the biblical family structure. These needs are at the center of the SEAPC parenting platform, and also at the center of the transformation of Japan. You will see the many practical ways you can help pray for and invest in the healing of broken homes, child abuse, fatherlessness, and providing a Christ-centered biblical foundation for the emerging generations.We can’t wait for what our Father has in store this month! Now is the time for focused prayer for Japan. Prayer that makes a way deep and lasting way for breakthrough for this land!