Missionaries Japan Josh and Alicia Crowe Faces of Ministry
Ministry comes in many forms here in Japan. There are English classes that create contacts with non-Christians. There are youth events that reach out to groups of students. There are church outreach events like the carnival we had this summer. But we most often find ourselves performing "ministry" in unlikely places.
Today was a typical summer day in Hokkaido. After going to language school, I headed home, ate lunch, studied some more and then decided to enjoy the last few hours of daylight by riding bikes to the local park. The lilies were in full bloom and we were testifying to God's goodness as seen in His creative powers. We headed to the children's play area so Ruby could stretch her little legs.
I went to sit on a park bench while they played and soon I heard Alicia's voice speaking to a Japanese man. He had two children, one of which was the same age as Ruby. It took me a second to realize that they were speaking in English. I went over to see what he was saying and found out that he had visited America and stayed for six months in Seattle. We ended up talking for nearly 45 minutes as we watched our little girls play together. He was very interested in our job as missionaries and had many questions about our time in Japan.
After we exchanged contact information, Alicia, Ruby and I rode away on our bikes. I kept thinking about the different faces of ministry. Who would have thought that visiting a park would open a door to share the love of Christ?
Here's the question for you: What "ministries" are you involved in right now? Are you expecting God to use you where you are? You should be...