Unique Prayer Journey

 People ask us about our house. Are you curious to know?

Our house in Itoshima, Japan, became a place where many people around the world came to:

• pray
• fast
• praise
• fellowship  

How did everything begin?

My husband and I were in Australia when I heard Holy Spirit that we were to have a prayer drive around the southern island of Kyushu.

We went on a unique prayer journey that led to our house being put aside for the LORD’s use.

It was late spring, and my husband and I returned to Japan in August.

Now what? I asked.

The name of a pastor friend came across my mind. I remembered her email address and sent a simple sentence, “Where are you?”

Immediately a reply came, and we began to correspond concerning the prayer drive. Being missionaries to Japan, she and her husband studied Japanese history extensively.

The people driving around the island of Kyushu were limited to two cars: my husband and myself, my friend and her friend, a Malaysian pastor and her assistant, and a lady from the Baptist church we attended.

My friend’s husband rented two cars for us. There were no vans available to rent as it was high tourist season. 

We did not yet have a clear direction for where we were to go. My friend and I each made a list. Some of the places were the same.

I felt the first stop was to visit a pastor about two hours south of us, which we did.

We went in faith, not knowing where we would be going or staying that night.

Arriving in Kumamoto, we had lunch at the pastor’s. He picked up the phone to call a government housing resort he had often used outside the city of Miyazaki.

Immediately we received two of their best rooms, the rooms usually last to be rented. They charged us regular rates that included two meals.

Once in Miyazaki, my friend called a young pastor she knew and had not seen for a long time.

My husband, the lady from our church, and I also knew the pastor and his wife. During seminary, he had spent one year at our church.

He knew exactly where to take us, which he did the next day.

We went to a shrine and then along a path that led to a large monument. On this monument were written the names of the countries that Japan was to conquer “in the name” of the emperor.

Having shofar, rams’ horns and lots of anointing oil, my husband and the young pastor climbed the hill to the large monument to pray and use anointing oil.

The monument is somewhat hidden. It is not a tourist attraction.

During the time we were praying, the Parliament in Tokyo dissolved.

The young pastor left us after giving us a pottery communion cup he had made. This remains in our house on a small table.

We took the ferry boat to Shimabara, where many Japanese were martyred. There were tears and prayers of repentance.

Nagasaki was next. The main stop was at the nuclear war museum.

It was so hot that day that an egg could have been fried on the concrete. Our group waited in the shade while my friend and I knelt in front of the memorial on concrete.

When we got up, there were no burns on our bare knees. Papa had protected us.

We returned to our house on the ocean and left to the opposite side of Fukuoka City early the next day and over the mountain to Izuka City.

As we were driving over the mountain, the pastor from Malaysia continued to fall asleep. We discovered the reason. Partway over the mountain, we came to a vast temple, where we stopped and entered.

On the top floor was a giant sleeping Buddha. As the LORD revealed, we anointed and broke the curses over the area.

Next was what I call the death shrine because of the mask displayed in front with a long sword going down behind the mask. This was the oldest or the second oldest shrine.   

My husband and friend climbed the hill behind the shrine where the fifteenth emperor and empress were buried.

They prayed and anointed the area.

Shortly after that, the area was closed off to the public due to landslides.

We broke the curse of death and anointed the grave area where my husband prayed for Japan.

We also prayed for all the people in the area who had been martyred during the war. There were unidentified burial mounds.

Next was the famous shrine with a consistent flow of people praying for their children to pass exams successfully.

We returned to Fukuoka City to three main areas.

We visited the first Zen temple in Japan. Most of us stayed in the car praying while one young lady familiar with Zen and the area and my friend went to pray at point places. Some people in the car became sick.

We visited the new medical hospital, where the old hospital had done medical experiments on Japanese, Korean people, and more.

We also visited the port area, where an earthquake had left a fissure that separated Fukuoka City from the old Hakata area.

There is a saying that if something is successful in Fukuoka, it will succeed in other parts of the country. Even missionaries were divided.

There was one more place to pray, and another prayer warrior from our church joined.

My husband received a vision for the covered baseball stadium in Japan for praise and for evangelism. By car, we circled the area praying.

Back at our house, we had foot washing and asked forgiveness, as the Lord revealed.

The cars were returned, the people from Malaysia left for home, everyone said goodbye, and we returned to Australia.   

This unique journey started something the LORD wanted to do with the house.

Please tell me about any prayer journeys you have made.

Have you walked your neighborhood and prayed?