Danny Iverson left Japan, where he grew up, to return to the U.S. for college. Afterwards, he moved to New Jersey to work with his grandfather, Bill Iverson – a PEF Evangelist – and helped develop an inner city ministry.

He then moved with his wife and children to Orlando where he is attending RTS Orlando. This year he is serving as a Presidential Intern, under the supervision of the President, Don Sweeting.

Below are two posts written by Danny. The first was published in Don Sweeting’s own blog, The Chief End of Man and was posted on March 14. It gives an analysis of the tragedy through the eyes of an MK who grew up there.

The second was published in Danny’s own website, Spend Yourself, and is announcement that he is returning to Japan for a time to help out. [Editor’s note: the original URL (link) referenced is no longer valid, so the link has been removed.]

Earthquake/Meltdown in Japan: The Deeper Issues

Posted on March 14, 2011 by dwsweeting

Danny Iverson IV is one of my presidential interns here at RTS Orlando. He grew up in Japan. His parents are missionaries there. There are lots of commentaries on the earthquake and its aftermath, but this one brings a Christ focused perspective that others lack. So for today’s posting, I am going to pass it over to Danny. Here’s what he wrote:

Dear RTS Community,
As I watched the waves sweep over my homeland I could not help but weep… weeping at the devastation yes, but weeping even more over the fact that 99.9% of the those people getting swept away by the Tsunami (or in the wake of the radiation) do not know Jesus.

Can you imagine that? An area of country so lost that only 1 out of 1000 have declared Jesus to be Lord and trusted in His saving grace. I can’t imagine watching a wave crashing toward me, knowing that my life was over, and having no idea what eternity held in store.

For those of us who hope in Christ, death in this life should not bring us fear… for we have a hope that far outweighs anything this fallen world might send our way. But what about those who don’t have that hope, those who have never heard?

Growing up in Japan I remember my friends in school thinking Jesus was an American… In a school of 600 I was the only Christian. Japan is an unreached people group in desperate need of the Gospel.

My dad sent out an email reminding us to put things in perspective about the brokenness of humanity and the need for the hope held out in the Gospel for Japan. Every day over 90 people in Japan kill themselves…. Why? They are the third richest country in the world, 100% literate, hardly any crime, very resourceful and so organized. Why would so many take their own lives when it seems like a perfect country? The hopelessness and lack of eternal meaning or purpose plagues the people of my home. As things they thought worth living for disappear, their purpose for living vanishes and they end their lives.

So what is our purpose here at school? I keep asking myself that as I struggle along to stay focused and glorify God with my studies. I lose purpose so quickly and it has been hard for my heart to delight in the Lord and His Word as my mind aches from all the information being transmitted to it…

Relationships are hard, being a dad and husband is hard, and my own sin and struggles are right there biting at my heels trying to take me down. Life feels like a storm, and the waves seem to be crashing toward me. Am I the only one who feels this way? How do we stay focused and continue to delight in the Lord and hope in his covenant promises during the stormy seasons of life where we have all been called to study and learn more of our great salvation and how to share it with this broken world?

As I face the stresses of everyday life it is easy for me to complain and try to escape my reality and struggles by going to sources of “strength” other than Jesus. Much like the people of Japan, I hope in so many things other than Christ to redeem me and give my life purpose… I am so often like the Japanese prime minister, who in his announcement tried so hard to make this disaster seem like not a big deal, and that Japan could handle it since they were “prepared.”

With the death toll possibly over 50,000, and the surmounting troubles from nuclear plant meltdowns, reality must be sinking in. How do I pretend that the waves aren’t there or aren’t really consuming me? How do I boast in my “preparation” and hope in myself and my own resources? How do I glaze over the reality of my sin against God and pretend it really isn’t that damaging or destructive to myself and others?

These are all questions running through my mind right now as I contemplate life in light of this disaster. Maybe some, if not all of you, can relate. God’s Word and the truth of His promises remind me that all other ground is indeed sinking sand. With the Psalmist I am realizing I must go to the rock that is higher than I. The Rock of my salvation. The Solid Rock that cannot be shaken.

As I weep for my country and pray for my family as they labor to bring physical and spiritual relief to fellow humans in need, I also think of our school and pray that RTS will be a place where the People of God will indeed be equipped with hearts and minds for God, and hands and feet that “go into the world” and bring hope to those under the tsunami of God’s wrath.

How much greater is the justice of the Living God than the 30 foot waves of the tsunamis or exposure to lethal radiation? How much more will the nations tremble at His judgment than the 8.9 earthquake can shake?

I am reminded in this hour how serious our call is as we train for the relief work of souls. I cannot help but repent for how lazy my heart and mind have been, and how stale my payer life has been for the lost and hurting. How selfish I have been with my time and resources. How self-absorbed I have been with my problems and struggles.

We know of a Rock, a solid place that cannot be shaken; a stronghold, an arc, that will not be consumed by the floods of God’s righteous wrath. His name is Jesus, and in his name all nations find their hope. In His name I must hope… He is our salvation…

That’s where I must go with all that I am. All of me must fully rest in all of Him. Maybe you are struggling like I am. I don’t know your heart, but if it is human like mine you probably are. Let’s go to this Rock together, broken and needy, and let’s receive the restoration and rest He promises in His presence.

The end of his posting called for prayer for Japan, and relief help for those who live in over 200 miles of coastal cities and villages that were completely wiped out or evacuated due to radiation. Danny and a team of students from RTS are leaving after midterms to spend Spring break serving others in Japan.

Headed To Japan; posted March 15

Dear family and friends,

I am heading to Japan to help my dad’s church with the task of bringing the whole Gospel to the Japanese people in this hard time. We are going to minister to minds, hearts and souls as we provide for basic human needs and share the hope we have in Jesus. We have four people going who all have been to Japan (and can speak Japanese) and have a deep heart for Japan to know Jesus.

Plane tickets are cheap right now ($1000 round trip) and we already purchased them. We have also already had an additional $7000 in gifts come in! God is good. We are bringing heavy duty and portable water purification systems that my uncle developed that can clean 15 gallons of water/minute. The rest of the funds are going to supplies, truck rentals, gas and other things people need there for us to deliver.

We will most likely be on one of the many recon teams going out to smaller cities that have not received much help yet. We will be bringing food, blankets, medical supplies etc., purifying water and sharing the Word (the purest water for the soul). We have a doctor on our team now too so we will be able to give medical assistance as needed.
We are leaving Monday morning and have quite a few needs, the biggest being prayer (see prayer needs below).

We are also bringing tons of tools for sharing the Gospel. Campus crusade is right here in town so I am getting as many resources in Japanese (Jesus films, tracts, etc…) as we can take.

We really feel passionate about bringing over as many Gospel resources as we can to distribute and empower the local Church to participate in the great harvest of souls we are anticipating in light of this disaster. The Japanese people need to hear good news and our Savior Jesus has brought us the best news of all. We are looking forward to sharing it…

Prayer needs

Japan

· Pray that God will open hearts to the Gospel and be preparing each person we will share with
· Pray that God will protect the Japanese people (and us) from the possible radiation. (We are going to be about 30 miles from the nuclear reactor in question)
· Pray that a Gospel Tsunami of grace and truth with sweep over the nation, crushing unbelief as it brings healing and life as opposed to death and destruction. That God’s Glory will literally cover the nation of Japan like flood.
· Pray that we won’t have any struggles bringing into the country all the stuff we are bringing. Right now the water purifiers we are bringing are weighing in 10 lbs. over the limit. Pray Delta will let it slide. We are calling them today.

Our Team

· Pray for our hearts to be filled with the compassion of Jesus for our broken neighbors.
· Pray for strength as I lead this trip and organize the efforts when we get there.
· Pray for wisdom as we will be helping people 30 miles from the malfunctioning reactor
· Pray for team unity and gracious hearts
· Pray all of our Japanese will come alive and we will be able to articulate the Gospel clearly and effectively to the lost
· Pray God will bring all the funds we need and what He wants us to bless the local Churches we help with.

Personal

· Pray for my family as I say goodbye and entrust them to God. This is the hardest part for me.
· Pray also I will do well on my exams this week in the midst of all the planning
· Pray my heart will delight in the LORD! The God of my salvation!