A letter from Bill Geppert in Japan
March 2010
Dear Friends,
Greetings from Nagoya, Japan. The mission work here is very busy these days. With myself, work in the university and with the local church take up a lot of time and energy. A question that lots of people ask, is whether or not we are having an impact on the lives of the Japanese that we come in contact with. “Is it important to have Presbyterian Missions in Japan?” More than a few people in the Presbyterian church feel that the mission money spent could be better utilized in a developing country, or in a country that has a larger percentage of Christians to begin with. It is true that the Christian population in Japan is about 1 percent of church membership, up to maybe even 3 percent who are Christians privately or with house churches which escape under the public radar. There is no doubt, that mission money going to developing countries and to Christians who are struggling and under persecution grabs the heart strings. And I think it should. There is tremendous need out there in many places. My prayer is that the church will increase its missions, and more individuals will feel the call to serve and go to places like Africa, South America, and South East Asia.
However, is that a reason to cut out countries which are economically developed? Does God not have a concern for all peoples from the richest to the poorest countries? The United States has one of the highest if not highest per capita GDP in the world, a little over $41,000 per person (World Almanac 2009, figures). Yet, no American Christian would advocate abandoning the people of the United States because they are economically well off. There are in fact a number of people at or below the poverty line in the United States. And many retired people struggle mightily with fixed incomes. In fact, the Korean church considers the United States a prime mission ground. They feel that these people rich and poor are receptive to the gospel of Jesus Christ. The wealthier people of the world need to come into direct contact with the gospel to hear the words of the Good News, just as do the poorest people of the world. One cannot choose to accept or reject the gospel and the great love of God promised for any person unless they come into contact with it through an individual or institution. And to accept the gospel and the Good News, they will ultimately be persuaded by personal contact with Christians. Even if they come to Christianity by reading or word of mouth, it will be a person’s life, or peoples’ lives that will convince them that this truth is real and life changing.
So, I am here in Japan because of such heart-felt concerns for these people. Mission in Japan is necessary! The country as a whole is very materialistic. But, so many people are becoming disenchanted with the pursuit of wealth and working just to stay alive. They are looking for much more; that which affects the soul. And there are the Japanese who have fallen into the cracks and gutters of life. Unemployment has risen, and people losing their jobs are losing their places to live. It becomes very difficult for them. Only some of them have families to return to and stay with until they get back on their feet. There is also a rising number of workers who are part-time, or positioned out by job agencies. They make a minimal amount of money per month, and they receive few if any benefits like health care and retirement. Often they stay in company dorms, until their contract expires. Then with no money and no place to live they are out on the streets or living in their car.
As I work with students for the most part, I also see the effects of the economic downturn in their lives. Some students have to quit because their family can’t afford to send them to school. Others are in the midst of family struggles and anxiety because of lack of money or family problems related to a difficult economy. When students finally reach graduation, the job market is bleak. Many accept jobs that have menial pay, or that they were not trained for. Others, can not secure any kind of employment. It quickly leads to depression and/or withdrawing socially because they no longer feel like they belong somewhere. It is not unique to Japan, as many Americans can identify with these struggles. The hope of the gospel offers something that only cults or quasi-religions can offer. And their hope is always short-lived. Only our faith touches the here and now, as well as the future, and the future beyond our own mortality.
In future letters I hope to touch on some of the individual stories and struggles the young people are going through here in Japan. Here are recent graduates, still upbeat.
The 2010 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 141
