(KOH-bay) – “‘We love because he first loved us’ (1 John 4:19 ESV). The New Year holiday is the biggest holiday of the year for the Japanese. The new year often begins with visits to the shrines and prayers for blessing. Most prayers are directed toward higher powers they really don’t understand, and most Japanese people have never heard of the God who loves them unconditionally. His love does not need to be earned, only received. Please pray for the 3 million Japanese in the Kobe area, most of whom have never had an opportunity to respond to the true God’s love for them. Pray they will believe in Jesus as their Savior. Please pray that salvation will come to the people of Kobe and that we will no longer be able to say that Jesus’ name is unknown here.”