Our local area, tsuzuki- ku, in the northern part of Yokohama, has several kinds of hot springs public baths, or “onsen.” I usually go to one called “Minamo.”
Hundreds of women come to Minamo every day. Some come after work, and others come before cooking dinner. You can meet and become friends with many different types of women. I go almost every afternoon to meet friends and make new friends. Some of them attend my English class, and some of them come to Sunday Worship Services, Wednesday Bible study, or special outreach programs.
Recently I went to the onsen after being away for almost three weeks. I usually spend some time in the outdoor bath. As I was there, one woman next me said, “Ooh! It’s been awhile! You haven’t come here for a long time, have you? Did you go somewhere?” she asked me.
I was so surprised! I didn’t remember seeing her at all. I don’t know her. So I said, “How did you recognize me? Do you know me?”
“Yes I do,” she replied. “I have been observing you.”
I told her, “Yes, I went to Korea to see my grandchildren. They are so lovely.”
She said, “Oh, I went to Korea several times as well, to Seoul, Jeunju, Jeju…I love Korean food and I learn Korean.”
“Wow! I brought some beautiful Korean pouches with me now, I want to give you one of them.”
She kept asking many things. And she seemed to like my Korean pouch. Just like that, I made an another new Japanese friend!
Just looking around and by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we can meet and make many Japanese friends in natural ways with fun in our daily lives.
Nowadays I am getting older, so I go to onsen for evangelism, But when my kids were little I made many friends at their kindergarten. Some of them came to the Lord and were baptized. They still follow our great Lord and have prayed for us faithfully for over 30 years.
Later, I started going to the swimming pool to share the gospel. Sometimes I taught Korean, and these days I teach English to women I meet at the onsen. Our simple daily life leads to big opportunities to spread God’s great good news in Japan. I am so grateful for for his faithfulness and unceasing love.
By EunOck, an OMF Missionary
