An international gathering

Last week we enjoyed our annual OMF Christmas prayer meeting. The OMF team in Sapporo gather every Thursday for worship, prayer and fellowship but the Christmas one is always special. This year was no exception as we celebrated together and enjoyed the 'internationalness' of OMF. We had readings in different languages ranging from Afrikaans to Scots; we had songs in Swiss German and Welsh; some shared different Christmas traditions in their home countries. We had people from the UK (all four countries), US, Germany, Switzerland, South Africa, Singapore, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hong Kong and Brazil. One of the joys of being part of an international, inter-denominational mission organisation is its sheer diversity. It was moving to worship in and listen to well-known carols and well-known passages of the Bible in different languages. What a precious reminder that one day there will be those gathered in heaven drawn from every tongue and people group. It is a blessing to be able to work together with colleagues from many different lands and cultures as we seek to bring the timeless message of the gospel to the people of Japan.