How are you? This is Masuda from Sapporo.

In Sapporo snow is falling and it's cold. But the snow hasn't yet begun to pile up on the roads. How is it where you live?

We are well, serving the Lord. Recently, we have been invited for ministry at two other Japanese churches. We were given the opportunity to, as a couple, give the messages and lead seminars. It was a wonderful opportunity. This grace has come to us through Elijah House. Back when Elijah House School first started in Japan we did not know at all how to pray. Now, 96 people in our church have participated in Elijah House School. Now all 21 of our cells can do prayer ministry naturally, all the time.

The two churches we as a couple recently served at are churches large for Japan. At one of them, there is much pain throughout the church from the previous pastor. That church was hoping to be touched by God through ministry.

At both churches we were able to begin our time with prayer ministry with the pastoring couples. The Holy Spirit kindly, deeply led us to hidden pain, had us deal with sin, brought transformation, leading us to praise the Lord. Saturday we offered prayer ministry to the church members and spent time in that way. Sunday we gave messages on "The Power of Prayer" and "The Peace that Comes from Trust.” In the afternoon we shared about Elijah House ministry at our church, Grace Community. After the seminar we asked that people desiring ministry stay. At each church about ten people remained. The work of God to touch each with healing was wonderful.

At one church at that time, for the first time, the pastoring couple could do ministry.

Now, clearly throughout the Church of Japan this prayer ministry is quietly spreading. When we as a couple were invited to these two churches it wasn’t specifically to do Elijah House ministry. We were invited as a cell church pastor to come teach and give testimony about church "keisei" (organization, form). But the fact that, in addition to the message and testimony, we could also do prayer ministry with individuals at these churches is for us a joy and conviction beyond words. This is because we believe that individual's transformation is connected to the restoration of churches. Through these two churches pastors other younger pastors joined Sapporo's Elijah House School and experienced wonderful healing.

It took time for us, but we have been able to get to this point of being able to do ministry with other churches. We were able to do this through your patience and loving prayer. We are deeply grateful to you.

We are writing because we wanted to express our deep gratitude to you.

We continue to pray for your health. We continue to have growing hope in the great work of the Holy Spirit.

In Him,

Ryoichi and Shizuko Masuda

Grace Community

Sapporo