A Japanese man who escaped his home minutes before the tsunami hit described the aftermath as “a hellish sorrow.” As the 2011 earthquake and tsunami ushered in a season of sorrow, it brought with it a season of unprecedented spiritual openness. MTW’s team in Nagoya aided in the earthquake and tsunami relief efforts, and countless Japanese encountered our churches for the first time.

The Japanese have been largely hardened to the gospel, but this is beginning to change. Though the priority is church planting, the missionaries working in Nagoya team are also working in other ministries such as teaching and college outreach. The team, whose motto is “Equipping the Japanese to reach the world,” has planted four churches and is working to establish a mission school called Nagoya Christian School.