The number of Japanese teachers taking time off from work for “mental reasons” has increased significantly in the last few years. An MTW missionary couple recently learned that a Japanese woman who had been in their English class was a part of that statistic.

“Ms. A.,” a high school teacher who’d also been involved in many after-school club activities, had not been working due to mental stress, and for over two months had been refusing to leave home or answer her phone. Since the missionary wife had gone to the theater with Ms. A. during the summer, she thought she would at least try to contact her and invite her to a movie. By God’s grace, Ms. A. accepted. It was an encouraging night with many opportunities to share gospel truths. Ms. A. was amazingly open and said it was the first time she could so easily talk about what was really occurring in her life. 

Please pray that Ms. A. would come to know Christ as the ultimate source of comfort and healing. Pray also that the gospel would reach all those in Japan who are crumbling under the weight of societal pressures.