Today the One Week To Shine team went to Akihabara, where anime and otaku culture married the electronics industry and created a district unique only to Tokyo. Akihabara is also the center of a darker underculture consisting of pornography and other sex industry perversion. In essence, a place that is saturated with what we Christ-followers would call "the world".
We went there today to pray and invite people to meet Jesus. Starting our day out with a prayer walk around the center of Akihabara, we got a feel for the lost people in that area. We began to sense that the heart of God was not fierce and condemnatory towards the people there. Rather, the Father wanted to reach out to them and heal their broken hearts and be a real father to the fatherless generations.
After we met back at Akihabara Station, we morphed into a flash mob of people dancing to the song "Happy". (Which, if you haven't heard it, can be found here.) Many people took notice of us and we were able to hand out a newspaper containing stories of how God has changed people's lives in Japan. It also invited them to our concert on Saturday where we will be able to invite them to church on Sunday.
Why is this effective? Because 99% of the Japanese population has no idea who Jesus is. Most of them have never heard of Jesus.
Ever.
We met a cameraman today by the station who wanted to use some of our foreign faces for the music video he was shooting. A few of us happily obliged his film-making and then began a conversation with him that led to his eczema being healed right there on the spot. He said he felt so light. One of our group asked him if he would like to feel that way all the time and he replied "Yes, please!" After some explanation, he accepted Christ right then and a huge smile broke out on his face! He was so happy, we hugged him and sang a song with him to celebrate - right there on the street. Before meeting us, he had never heard of Jesus and had never been told that God loves him.
We're making headway here in Japan. I am so thrilled to be a part of what God is doing here in Tokyo and I can't wait to share more awesome stories with you as the week goes on!
For God's glory!
Amanda
