A Gift of God – Solorzano Update December 2024

In my last letter, I shared how God has placed eternity in our hearts; the longing for something more, an eternal hope. To be reconciled back to God is what we truly long for, but this is a gift of God, for we have been saved by grace and grace alone.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9
Studying the Bible in Japanese! <3

Love of Christ

During my last couple of weeks in Japan, I experienced this very thing and was blessed with several opportunities to share my testimony. On one occasion, a Japanese friend from the church invited me over to her bible study and asked that I share my story with her group of unbelieving friends. She has been wanting to share the love of Christ with her friends, and because of this she started this group once a month where they read through the Bible and share stories. What an amazing opportunity to share about God’s redemptive love! 

While sharing, I instantly could see it in her eyes that God was running after her and I shared how it was the same for me. There was absolutely nothing I did in my own strength or power, definitely not my own abilities, that allowed me to draw closer to God. It is He who does all the work! It was almost like a lightbulb clicked in her mind as well. After praying for her, she was in tears knowing that Jesus was running after her. Please keep her in your prayers, along with her two kids. I pray that she continues to experience the love of Christ– a love that is patient, unfailing, and a love that runs after us.

Seeking Truth

I also had the blessing to share my testimony during one of the Women’s bible studies at Abide. Leading up to my time of sharing, I began to feel unsure how the women would respond and started to feel shame and guilt from my past. The Japanese are a shame and honor culture, and I didn’t want them to see me in a different light. In prayer I realized this fear was from the enemy, but God allowed it in order for me to get a glimpse into their burden of belief.

Doing anything that is outside of the “norm,” outside of the “order” of society, is thought to bring shame and dishonor to not only the person, but their family and society as a whole. And yet there I was, exposing all my wrongs, all my sins, all of my life. Towards the end I could see one woman with tears coming down her face, in awe of what God had done. After sharing, I encountered another woman who had been coming to the study for a couple of years and was seeking truth similar to my own journey, but has yet to accept Jesus into her heart. I pray that her eyes are opened to the truth, may she also know that God is drawing her close.

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:23

Divine Appointment

Leaving my new friends and family at Abide Osaka, wasn’t a goodbye, it was a ‘see you soon.’ My time back in California has been such a blessing as I have been able to see my friends and my family after a couple of months away. Just this past week, I had a divine appointment with three of my family members.

It was unplanned, unexpected, but I knew that God had me there for a reason. One evening, my cousin began to ask me questions about my faith in Jesus. He mentioned he was agnostic but was trying to understand and seek why we put our faith in God. We talked for more than three hours! It was during this time that I found out his dad (my uncle) also does not believe in God. This always breaks my heart to know that people, especially family members, are living without the blessing of knowing Christ, but I know they will continue to seek and find the truth in the same way I did. God is long-suffering, faithful, and so so kind to us. Please keep them in prayer, may they also accept by faith the best gift of salvation!

“With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”

Mark 10:27
Back with my South OC family🙂

Praise Reports!

  • My time in Japan was a blessing and I’m excited and looking forward to going back, Lord willing.
  • I made it back home safely and am thankful to be spending time with friends and family during this Christmas season.
  • I’m eternally grateful for the family at South OC, for housing me, and for their love and care for me. I praise God for them.

Prayer Requests:

  • Please continue to join me in prayer for my visa approval- Lord willing, I will have my visa in hand by the end of this year and my prayer is to be back in Osaka by January 6th, in order to start language school at the YMCA.
  • Please join me in prayer for guidance on housing for my time in Osaka- whether it’s a share house, or my own place close to where the team is.
  • Please continue to join me in prayer for the Japanese- may their hearts be open to hearing the gospel, may we continue to sow seeds in prayer and for more laborers.

Thank you family so much for your love and support. If you are reading this and you have questions about God, please feel free to reach out I would love to chat with you! God sees you, God loves you, and He too wants to give you the greatest gift ever! <3

-Mayra Alejandra