Prayer points for Japan

Hello Friends,

I wanted to thank you so much for all the prayers you’ve been lifting up to Japan, what I consider my “home” since I was born and raised there as a missionary kid for 18 years. I am so encouraged by the compassion people have been displaying towards the country and its people during this time. As we continue to intercede for the nation, I wanted to bring you a few things to pray into – a guideline, if you will.

1. First and foremost, pray peace, safety, and comfort over the people. Officials have now reported as of late evening on 3/14 (US time) that 2414 have been confirmed dead, with thousands still missing. As you have noticed in the footage on the news, you can hear the fear and panic in the voices of the people during the earthquake and tsunamis. They are still dealing with the shock of that. And even now, you can hear the sorrow in their voice as they mourn the loss of loved ones. Countless people are still desperately searching for family. What’s worse, some areas have no cell service, so plenty of families still don’t know whether or not their loved ones have survived. Many are without power. Food, water, supplies, and shelter are limited – and to top it off, they are facing cold, windy weather with rain and snow in some areas, and with temperatures expecting to fall to 27 degrees fahrenheit by evening. This gives concern that some without shelter can develop hypothermia.
2. Pray for salvation. On Sunday, my church specifically prayed boldness over the believers who are now in Japan all across the nation – beyond the areas affected by the quake/tsunami/power plant. Culturally speaking, Japan is a very reserved nation when it comes to sharing the Gospel. Unbelievers consider Christianity a foreign religion, and most people practice Buddhism or Shintoism in a customary/superstitious way. Many Japanese do not share their faith with family because they fear offending them, or think they simply will not understand the difference between their religion and Christian faith. Please continue to pray that believers there will experience a newfound courage to share the Gospel with their friends, family, and loved ones – and that God will open the hearts, minds, and ears of those who need to hear the Gospel. They desperately need to experience God’s love, mercy, and freedom.
3. Pray also for relief workers/reporters in the area. As you can imagine, the psychological impact these rescue workers face is dire enough to send any healthy-minded person into shock, depression, panic, and post-traumatic stress. Pray peace over their minds & hearts so that they can remain calm and work efficiently to clear rubble, rescue survivors, and even remove bodies.
4. Pray over the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant. As of 3/14 10:00pm MT, officials told residents 20-30km to stay indoors, and ordered workers at the plant to evacuate, as well. 50 workers stayed behind at the plant to pump seawater into the reactors to attempt cooling them. Pray for those workers that they have the strength to continue working hard, as they have displayed extreme bravery by staying behind. They have also issued a 30km (18mi) “no-fly” zone around the Fukushima plant for fear of radiation levels, although they are dropping once more. As you’ve probably noticed by now, this is a quickly developing situation, but it is VERY important that you check reliable news sources – and even wait for a 2nd or 3rd confirmation before you speculate the direness of the situation.
5. Good news: Although Japan experienced a M6.0 just south of Tokyo early this morning US time, the 70% chance of a M7.0 earthquake hitting Tokyo was reduced to 40% chance of a M4-5 earthquake/tremor. Continue praying that God will still the earth beneath Japan, and that the aftershocks and tsunami warnings will come to a halt. I don’t believe they can handle any more devastation.
6. Pray for miracles! You may have seen the headlines of one case, where an elderly woman in her 70s was rescued 4 days after her house was washed away by the tsunami. There are similar stories being told; there are still survivors in the rubble! Pray that workers can experience the miracle of finding survivors amidst the rubble, and that lifts the hearts of rescue teams and locals with hope. These people need all the hope they can get.

I think that’s about it! A lot to pray about. I will do my best to update developing situations in these emails; however, please remember that I am also actively updating on Facebook and Twitter. Follow me on either of those (Twitter username @CareSpinny, www.facebook.com/CaroMae) for information. If you want to check news yourself, direct sources like NHK and KYODO seem to be the most reliable.

Thanks so much guys – be blessed!

Caroline Spingath

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