ZOE Japan Update: 2024 Global Vision Meeting
The below ZOE USA update was presented at the 2024 ZOE Global Vision Meeting:
In one of the largest red-light districts in Japan, the ZOE team started a Street Outreach program several months ago as they regularly share care packages, provide meals, and build relationships with children in need.
“Every day, teenagers from all over Japan, many of whom are runaways because of problems at home or school, gather in these areas. They are all desperate for love and affection and they are prime targets for traffickers. Many of them are already victims,” shared Yuri Osborne, ZOE Japan Staff Member. “One day, we found two runaway girls about 9 or 10 years old on the street and they hadn’t eaten anything in three days. Their mother abused and neglected them. After we got them food, we showed them the way back to the station, over a very busy street. One of the girls almost lost sight of me, so she fiercely grabbed a couple of my fingers and said, ‘Stay with me, please stay with me!’ It was personal for me because it reminded me of my own 2-year-old daughter and how she grabs my hand. That moment represented that these children just need a mommy, someone to love and protect them. They need agape, unconditional love. There are so many vulnerable children on the streets of Japan every day and because of our donors, we can share with them that there is hope and God loves them.”
Another active program in Japan is the hotline. This year, ZOE Japan has been able to help in at least 100 cases, most of them related to online extortion, through the hotline. “A young boy reached out to the hotline afraid, terrified and ashamed after being extorted by a stranger he met through social media who had convinced him to send nude videos and images, only to soon after begin threatening him that he would ruin the boy’s life,” continued Yuri. “When he called, the boy was ready to take his own life because he didn’t know what else to do. But we had the opportunity to help him as we listened and told him how precious his life is. We are helping him with services to get the photos down from the internet.”
The content team in Japan has developed a video curriculum for schools to equip teachers to recognize at risk children or victims. They have developed strategic relationships with the National Police Agency, Internet Hotline Center and global CSAM hotlines.
“We are using the internet and social media to maximize the reach of the gospel focusing on evangelism and prevention,” shared Annerie, leadership team in Japan. “We have developed 11 new video testimonies, real God stories by real believers. Some of the videos are in Manga style to make them culturally appropriate and we are currently working on digital journeys to Jesus. Our team is doing great work on social media designs and stories creating completely free online resources to share our collective knowledge from years of experience in the field.”