When Christ is Proclaimed: A Basketball Mission of Hope and Joy

At Yoshida Junior High School, we kicked off our first camp with an energetic and successful basketball clinic that had a profound impact on the students and staff alike. During the camp, I had the opportunity to share my testimony, and it seemed to resonate deeply with the students. Their attentiveness and openness to hearing about my journey in Christ was a testament to God’s hand at work.

At our second camp with Hara and Taisho Junior High Schools, I again shared my testimony on our second day of camp during lunch. Afterward, I sat down with some of the kids at my table, along with Rico, one of the OTM coaches. One of the students asked, “Is God actually real? Are you serious that you’re not afraid of death anymore? How is that even possible?” I could tell his question came from a place of genuine curiosity. I explained, “I’m not afraid anymore. In fact, I look forward to the day I will be with God. It’s because of His faithfulness that I have this confidence. I am now in Christ, and God promises those who are in Christ that glory awaits in heaven. I know I will get to worship Him and be with Him forever.” The boy then asked, “If heaven is real, does that mean hell is real too?” It was a difficult question, but I felt it was important for him to know the truth, so I told him, “Yes, hell is real. But to enter heaven, it’s not about what we do—it’s about what Christ has already done for us. When we put our faith in Him, we are saved.”

Ozawa, another student, came up to me after I shared about my faith. He looked burdened and told me that his whole family is involved in the same cult I was once part of. He shared that everything I had described—especially my feelings of emptiness and confusion—matched what he was experiencing, but he had never known how to put it into words. He felt lost praying to the altar his family had given him, not knowing who was listening or if anyone was there at all. Since he had to leave quickly, I encouraged him to seek answers in the Bible and assured him that all the truth he was searching for could be found in God’s Word. Please pray for Ozawa—that God would send more believers into his life, guide him to the truth of the gospel, and lead him to a faithful church.

Kanata was another student who left an impression on me. I met Kanata at Kadono Junior High School in Ito, Shizuoka during our two day clinic. At the end of our clinic, he approached me, eager to receive one of the bracelets we were giving to kids who won competitions or answered questions about the our basketball lessons. He admitted that he didn’t know anything about the Bible and had never even held one before. I told him that if he could read John 3:16 out loud and promise to remember it, I would give him the bracelet. Despite being in a rush, Kanata took the time to read the verse three times before leaving. It was a beautiful moment, as he spoke the Word of God for the first time in his life. I am excited to see how God will continue to work in his heart.

The biggest takeaway from this trip is that Satan is not winning in Japan, and he never will. God is doing incredible work through His church and continues to display His glory. While the number of Christians in Japan may be small, each one is precious to God, and He is using them in unique ways to draw people to Himself. If I could name this mission trip, it would be “When Christ is proclaimed, and in that, I rejoice.” We were blessed with numerous opportunities to share the gospel, and most importantly, we were able to build relationships with local churches and bring many kids to hear the Word of God.

Thank you for your support, prayers, and partnership with On The Mission. Your contributions are making an eternal impact in Japan, for the glory of God.

Written by

Kanta Yamazaki