Many believers in Japan recall that their first introduction to Jesus came through a storybook, a prayer or encouragement from a Christian friend, or outreach programs in their community or school. When a child or a teen is introduced to the life-giving stories of the Bible, we believe a seed of faith is planted deep within their hearts.

At Victory International School in Saitama, Japan, a special Manga Day was held in spring to raise awareness about the school’s vision to prevent and address bullying under the theme: “Be A Friend. Not A Bully.” The school’s ※owner, Ms. Michelle Dy, believes that the inspiring themes of kindness, compassion, generosity, forgiveness, and community found within The Messiah manga beautifully reinforce this message for students.

At the request of Ms. Michelle Dee, staff from Shinsei Mission conducted a workshop for children during this “Manga Day.” Rather than simply distributing manga to the kids, they used the page depicting “The Feeding of the 5,000” to help teach how to respond to bullying in the classroom, showing how Jesus’ acts of love can guide our actions.
“We have been praying for this moment. This school was built with a vision to make a difference in our communities. The students responded enthusiastically to the workshop and truly enjoyed reading The Messiah. They read the verses and actively participated throughout the event. Our greater hope is that these students and their families experience the love of God as they grow.”

Reach a child. Reach a family.

About 60 elementary students attended, most of whom were Japanese and non-Christian. High school and college students served as assistant teachers. The group also included a few students from Africa, America, and other Asian countries. The responses from both Japanese and migrant students were encouraging:

• “This is so cool. I want to read this over and over.”
• “Can I have a copy for my mother and father?”
• “Jesus is so kind.”
• “I want to read this with my friends from other schools.”
• “My brother will love this.”
• “Do you have this in English? Chinese? An African language”
• “This manga is so easy to read.”

New Life Ministries is grateful for these open doors that allow us to bring the Gospel directly to people. Reaching schools with the message of Christ offers a lasting impact on the community. Our prayer is that children, students, teachers, and their families encounter Jesus in a real and life-changing way.

Our vision is to bring these resources to schools, churches, and communities across all 47 prefectures of Japan. Our hope is for God’s Word to reach the ends of the earth.
With your prayers and financial support, we can continue to reach more communities and nations for Christ.