(NAH-goh-yah) – Last month, police directed traffic around shrines because so many people were going to pray that they created traffic jams. People stood in long lines in cold temperatures to toss a coin in a box and pray to an unknown spirit. They hope that by going through this yearly ritual, they will receive blessing, prosperity, and good health for the coming year. Some go desperately looking for help, while others go out of a sense of duty because this is all they have known all their lives. Please pray that this year would bring the blessing of the knowledge of salvation through Jesus Christ. Ask that this new year will bring new life to whole communities throughout Nagoya. Pray for traffic jams around the churches on Sundays because of so many people going to worship the One True God, who is Lord of all creation! “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV).