“Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.” says Genesis 5:24. (NIV) Well, we have an Enoch, too (pictured at right). And, though he’s not 365 years old and hasn’t been “taken” by God, he HAS decided to walk with God – a difficult decision for a junior high boy in Japan.  

If you were to visit just about any Japanese church today, you would notice something missing. Young people. Many churches have no one in their teens, twenties or even thirties. When children get to Jr. Hi, they have incredible academic pressure and cram schools and required club activities are held on Sundays. As a result, many kids who came to Sunday School through elementary school drop out and are never seen again. Sadly, this includes many of the children of believers.

That made last week’s baptism extra special. Last Sunday, Enoch Sai, the son of a Christian family in our church, made a bold declaration of faith and determination to follow Christ without compromise. He chose forego the school sports team that he would like to join so that he could come to church on Sunday.

Enoch will face lots of challenges in junior high. Please pray that there would be at least one other Christian in his new school and that God would make him to stand firm.

contributed by David & Evangeline Kindervater

2008/4/6