Sayuri & Abraham Kist-Okazaki

The bustle of the moving metropolis of Tokyo, Japan, greets Sayuri and Abraham Kist-Okazaki at the train station. Part of the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd, they are traveling to encourage and pray with a small group from their congregation. Traveling in Japan, there are many opportunities to get lost or delayed changing trains and buses. For these pastors, though, getting a little off track provides unexpected opportunities for evangelism in a country where 99 percent of the population claims atheism, Buddhism, or alternative religions.

Ordained RCA ministers Sayuri and Abraham Kist-Okazaki work as associate pastors at Kugahara Church, part of the United Church of Christ in Japan. They visit churches and regional gatherings, preaching nationwide for evangelism and leadership training. Sayuri also serves as president of the National Federation of Kyodan Women’s Societies in the United Church of Christ in Japan to empower women who serve churches faithfully, while Abraham teaches Christianity at Meiji Gakuin University and is a chaplain at Soen Gakuen Vocational School.