In January, U Squad gets to make World Race history and go to Osaka, Japan! No other World Race squad has ever been to this country. Our squad leader, Zach Cobos, is preparing to enter full-time ministry in Osaka, and we have the opportunity to help him and the church in Osaka! Read on to find out more about Japan!
Official Name: The State of Japan
Population: Over 127 million
Capital: Tokyo
Official Language: Japanese
Official Religion: Buddhism
Possible Ministry Opportunities:
We will be in the city of Osaka, helping our squad leader, Zach set up for long-term ministry! We’ll be staying in host homes and working with the local church, as well as evangelism, working in preschools, teaching English, and prayer walks. This sounds like it’s going to be an amazing month!
Famous Landmark: Mount Fuji, Tokyo Tower, Tokyo Imperial Palace, Golden Pavilion, lots of temples
Strange Foods I May Eat:
-Sushi (I hope to at least tolerate fish by the time I leave Asia!)
-Basashi (raw horse meat)
-Odd ice cream flavors such as red bean and octopus
-Okonomiyaki – these are like a cross between pancakes and pizza. They are made with batter and covered with toppings like cabbage, vegetables, mayonnaise, and okonomiyaki sauce (similar to Worcestershire sauce)
-Square watermelons (these were created to save space, and are now so popular they sell for around $100!)
-Canned bread
-Natto (fermented soy beans)
FUN FACTS:
-Japan’s nickname is “Land of the Rising Sun”
-Japan has the world’s tenth-largest population
-The national sport of Japan is sumo wrestling
-Tokyo will host the 2020 Summer Olympics, making it the first Asian city to host the Olympics twice
-Baseball is the most popular spectator sport in Japan
-Over 98% of the population is ethnic Japanese
-Japan has the longest overall life expectancy of any country in the world: 83.5 years!
-The Japanese population is rapidly aging as a result of a post World War II baby boom, then a decrease in birth rates. By 2050 almost 40% of the population will be 65 or older, and the population is expected to drop to 95 million
-Japan suffers from a very high suicide rate, with suicide being the leading cause of death for people under 30. However, Japan has the second lowest homicide rate in the world
-Over 70% of Japan consists of mountains. The country also has over 200 volcanoes
-A musk melon (similar to a cantaloupe) can sell for over 31,473 yen, which is around $300!
-The literacy rate in Japan is almost 100%
-Some men in Japan shave their heads as a form of apology
-Japan’s unemployment rate is less than 4%
-Japan consists of over 6,800 islands
-Japan is a world leader in producing and developing robotics
Prayer Opportunities:
-Pray for U Squad as we approach the halfway mark on the Race. This is usually a tough time for Racers. Pray that we will continue to rely on the Lord for strength, and that He will keep us focused in the here and now.
-Pray for the Japanese people we come in contact with. It sounds like there is a lot of established ministry in Osaka, but there are still a lot of unreached people. Pray the Lord would lead us to them and that He would prepare their hearts for the Gospel.
-Pray for U Squad and our squad leaders, Zach and Hailey. This month is when they will leave us and raise up new squad leaders from within our squad. I know our squad will be sad to see Hailey head back to the States and to leave Zach in Japan, so pray that we will not focus on our loss, but focus instead on being thankful for their time with us. Pray too for the new squad leaders, that God will prepare them well for their new role. Also pray for the squad and the teams, as the teams will be switched up. I will get a new team around this time, which will be bittersweet!
-Pray for our bodies! Japan will be COLD in January, and we’ll be traveling here after spending three months in Southeast Asia! Pray that we would be spared from sickness and that the Lord would give us strength!
