DAWN Fridayfax 2000 #34

Japan

Ex-gangster leads criminals to Jesus

In the London Times' 8 August issue, reporter Robert Whymant, writes about a Japanese gangster who became a preacher following his salvation, and now leads gang members to Christ. Many say that the Japanese are difficult to reach with the gospel - only 1.5% of the Japanese consider themselves Christians - but Rev. Hiroyuki Suzuki does not give up. He is often on the streets, trying to win people for Jesus. He agrees that Japan may be one of the nations in which it is most difficult to bring the message of the gospel across; one sign of Japanese general ignorance of the gospel could be seen at Christmas: one store had a huge Santa Claus in its window - hanging on a cross! Suzuki used to belong to the 'Yazuka', a feared gangster organisation with some 80,000 members in Japan. "Yazuka's members make their money through prostitution and gambling. There are so many bloody gunfights that the public only pays attention when an innocent passer-by is shot," according to the article. 44-year-old Suzuki was saved during a crisis in 1990, following a suicide attempt. He founded 'Mission Barabbas', a group of ex-gangsters who have become Christians. His tattoos are evidence of his past, as are some missing fingertips, amputated by order of the Mafia bosses to punish Suzuki for disobeying. His mission is to reach ex-colleagues, tough gangsters and Mafia syndicate members, with the gospel. His church in Tokyo's eastern suburbs is filled to overflowing every Sunday, and new believers are constantly being added, according to the Times' report. One of his disciples is 17-year-old Mamoru Tsuchiya, who read a Bible sent to him by Mission Barabbas during a jail sentence. "I read the Bible three times, and as I read Jesus' words 'Love your neighbour as yourself', I came to my senses," says Tsuchiya, who was baptised in the week following his release from prison. Suzuki has now come to the media's attention, and was even invited to a prayer breakfast with Bill Clinton in the White House a few years ago. Suzuki: "Today, I am still loyal, but my only boss is Jesus."
Source: The Times of London, www.the-times.co.uk

Cuba

Growing children's churches

In Cuba, primary school children are typically indoctrinated with the basics of Marxism. Despite that, a growing number of children are becoming Christians, according to a 'Compass Direct' report. The reason is a continuously growing number of children's churches, which mostly take place in private homes, led by laypeople. An Assemblies of God pastor in Havana reports that these churches meet every week, attracting children between 3 and 14 years old; older teenagers with no church background also attend. The services include puppets, music and Biblical stories. "Most services are attended by thirty to fifty children, and the parents send their children even if they themselves are not Christians," says the pastor. 170 children came to Christ through a church which only started in January 2000. "It is phenomenal. The parents know that it is good for their children to have a clear picture of God. It makes their children happy." High-ranking government officials recently expressed their concern that Cuba's youth is increasingly affected by sexual promiscuity, alcoholism and suicide. "There is a great hunger for God among Cuba's children," says another pastor. "If we had had something like this earlier, even more children would have found Christ," he told Compass Direct.
Source: Compass Direct News

England

Miracle picnic

"A picnic would have turned into a tragedy, had God not intervened," reports Simon on the 24-7 Prayer Movement's homepage. A youth fell some 4 metres out of a tree, landing flat on his back. Members of the Jesus Army from London prayed for him as he lay unconscious, and the way he fell made it almost certain that his spine had been damaged. It later turned out that he had miraculously suffered no broken bones, not even a scratch. He said that he felt his spirit leave his body immediately after he fell, but as the Christians prayed, Jesus appeared to him and sent him back to his body, at which point he regained consciousness.
Source: Simon, e-mail psc02-072@prontoserve.net, web page www.24-7prayer.com
Webmaster's note: It happens that I was there and can vouch for this story. A trained nurse who was present examined the boy and an ambulance was called before the prayer.

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