YWAM Friends Update (March-June, 2005)
1. Attending 2006 YWAM Friends' Retreat (Fuyuji&Naoko Ota)
2. Belgrade Repor (Fumi Onodera)
3. Reconciliation Meeting (iSachiko Bastable)
4. YWAM Friends (Bulletin Board)

1. Attending 2006 YWAM Friends' Retreat (Fuyuji&Naoko Ota)(Guest speaker: Les Hokyo (Fuyuji&Naoko Ota)
Living Hell? that's how we could describe our first year of marriage. We met Les Hokyo that year. He has a gift of couseling and told us that he likes "cleaning of hearts". Healing on our marriage started 13 years ago. And the Lord really protected us from that time. We met Les Hokyo for the first time in 13 years. That itself was a big blessing but his message took us back to the foundation of our Christian faith. "Spiritual orphans" was the theme of his message. In our busy daily life, we get so caught up by work, ministry, things. We put more energy and time on these things than fellowship with God, It seems like we were away from the fatherly love. We had been wondering like lost orphans, not knowing what's right. It was rather shocking to realize this, but since the conference, we have been learned that having fellowship with our Father is not an obligation, but it is a time of comfort and healing. Les Hokyo, once a pastor in Hawaii, became a missionary in Malaysia, he is doing a care ministry for YWAMers. We were really encouraged by what he is doing. Using a gift the Lord has given us is such a joy, not exhausting. The Lord gave us a desire to start a care team in the church we attend. And He has been healing people within a team every week. We were so encouraged by attending the conference. It was a turning point for us to step out in a new ministry. Thank you Lord! Fuyuji & Naoko Ota
(YMAM Friends' Retreat took place at Fuji Hakone Land Hotel on March 21 this year)
Translated by Yuriko Reynolds

2. Belgrade Repor (Fumi Onodera)
May 2006 Trip to Belgrade
The Conference
Thank you so much for praying for me. I felt your powerful prayers behind me! You will never know how much your prayers mean to me. There were some risks because I went to the conference with an Albanian sister Leonora from my Church. But we were protected and felt peace all the time. Not only that, but I can also say that our trip to Belgrade was a success!
The conference was held at a hotel in Belgrade and there were about 30 Pastors and leaders from Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Macedonia and us from Kosovo. There were leadership training sessions and prayer and fellowship.
In the beginning, as everybody was speaking in the Serbian language, I thought I had come to the wrong place. I realized my Serbian is at tourist level! After a two minute conversation I had to shut my mouth! But it was so nice to see brothers and sisters from the former Yugoslavia fellowshipping together. As the nations represented there still experience hate and hostility. As the conference was going on there was openness and oneness as the body of Christ. Later I found out that about half the people there could speak English. As I met new people, I was so excited about knowing them and soon fell in love with most of them.
I really wanted to know the real purpose of this conference, and why God brought me there. Most of the delegates were Balkan people (apart from the Swedish people who were sponsoring this conference.). 'Why am I here?' I thought. Then I remembered that last summer we (YWAM Europe) had a 3 days prayer meeting here in Belgrade. This conference was a part of the answers to our prayers! God is going to strength Serbian churches. Even on the way traveling to Belgrade I saw a vision that God was flourishing over Serbia. Serbia is a key to reach the Balkan nations in many ways. All of sudden I was getting so excited.
Leonora's testimony
On the ‚Rrd day evening we were invited to a Serbian Church (the Church was the one we visited and prayed at last year!) and some of us were given opportunities to share briefly. First the pastor of this Church pointed to me and I shared about the thought that God put my hearts and told them that God has a special plan for the Serbian churches. After me some pastors shared and then the Serbian Pastor asked Leonora to share. I was so shocked and was worried about any objections there may have been. If our pastor Artur knew that visiting the Serbian Church was a part of the schedule, I'm not sure if he would have asked us to come to Belgrade. The people were all quiet. Leonora was sharing her testimony about how she experienced hardship living with a Muslim family. After that she said that there should be no more war; that we need to move on and look to the future. She shared her desire to challenge people in Kosovo pray for the Serbian Church... Wow! I was so proud of Leonora. When she finished some Serbian people came up to her and kissed her and a man even cried because he was so touched by her testimony. What a huge break through it is! If you know our situation in Kosovo regarding relationship with Serbs, you know that this is unbelievable. Absolutely it was God.
Leonora and I are part of an intercessory team with some others in the Church. Please pray for Leonora so that she can be brave and continually hearing from God and she can do what she hears.
The Balkan Prayer Network
God gave me the idea to organize a prayer network with these pastors, not only for special occasions or the yearly gathering but so that they can connect and pray for each other all the time. I believe this is one step to reconciliation and healing in the Balkans. The change will come from within the churches. Before the conference finished I approached a couple pastors from each country and proposed the setting up of a Prayer network. Everybody agreed and willingly gave me their contact information. Please pray for me, that I can coordinate this network effectively. I praise God! How awesome and marvelous He is! When God moves, every thing is so easy. In the past years I had so many struggles to reach Serbs to bring reconciliation between Albanians and Serbians. But God has a plan and I'm leaning how to wait for His timing.
Thanks again for all of your prayers. Now you can understand how much I needed your prayers. May God bless all what you are doing and bless your family too.
Much Love,
Fumi

3. Reconciliation Meeting (iSachiko Bastable)
Something is happening in the realm of reconciliation. On June 1, five YWAM-related people gathered to discuss how to promote reconciliation ministry in Japan, including the possible visit of Peter Adams, a British YWAMer who has been working on reconciliation with China.
With John LaDue's initiative, he, John Somers-Harris, Kristyn Thurman, Mariko Kato and Sachiko Bastable gathered at Decision Caf? in Tokyo's Kanda. We've tried to skype with Peter, but for a technical reason, we couldn't. Still, it was a meaningful meeting.
Kristyn, third-generation Japanese American, shared how she was led into reconciliation ministry. One day while she was praying several years ago, she found herself saying, "Remove the shame from my people." After she said that prayer, she wondered who "my people" were- her family, church, Americans, Japanese Americans? Finally, she realized it meant Japanese people. God was using her to intercede for Japan. Since then, she visited Japan to see if there's God's calling for her here.
As a part of an international reconciliation ministry team, Kristyn went to South Korea. During a time of ministry, she was led by the Spirit to kneel in front of a man. Bowing down as low as possible on the floor, she asked for his forgiveness for what Japan has done to the Korean people. He answered, "I don't think I can do that." Kristyn realized that he was speaking the truth, not with any malice. She responded by saying, "We don't deserve your forgiveness." Then people in the room started confessing, repenting and weeping. While this was happening, an American missionary walked over to her, and confessed his hatred of the Japanese. Finally, someone was speaking the truth to her. She burst into tears.
Kristyn shared how the guidance of the Holy Spirit and His timing were essential, especially with international reconciliations because of how emotional and intense an issue this is for many people.
Mr. LaDue shared his recent visit to China. He was conversing with Chinese people in a southern resort city. When the word Japanese came up, one person said, "We hate the Japanese." Out of his love for Japan, LaDue told his Chinese friends the importance of putting behind the past and move on. But he realized that the scars of the war are still live and row, needing their healing.
Mariko studied reconciliation and is now working at her church. She shared how vital for a person to get reconciled with his/her family members. Somers-Harris raised a question whether Western style of reconciliation would work well in Asian context. Sachiko shared her thoughts that in order for reconciliation to become real and deep we should not seek a big size of group but people whose hearts are ready and open to this.
Peter Adams is coming to Hong Kong in the mid-July. We've decided to hold the next meeting on July 12 (Wed) in the afternoon. Mr. LaDue will communicate with Mr. Adams. The group also confirmed that its activities would fall under the covering of International Reconciliation Coalition (led by John Dawson), rather than YWAM.

4. YWAM Friends (Bulletin Board)
Please use YWAM Friends Bulletin Board. http://www.ywamjapan.com/index-en.htm