Why Japan?
I am moving to Japan for the same reason I became an ESOL teacher and have dedicated the last 20 years of my life to working with at-risk populations, especially children, youth, women, and immigrant populations.
I myself was an at-risk child. I came to a point where neither my academic successes, hobbies nor circle of friends could help me overcome the sadness and pain I was feeling. I was in a darkness with a hole in my heart that nothing could fill. I started to pray that God would take my life. He did not, but instead slowly showed me that with each new day He was providing an opportunity for a new start for myself and my family.
This led me to go to church where I found refuge, stability, safety, hope and an extended loving family. There I learned about the son of the God that I had been praying to, Jesus, whom He had sent to die for me and the Holy Spirit whom He sent to comfort and guide me.
My life circumstances did not change after accepting Christ into my heart, but my perspective did. I now had hope, security, unconditional grace and love. I knew and was friends with a God who knew me fully and loved me unconditionally. I had hope and a future.
Japan has some many beautiful things that I love about its country, culture and people, but it also has a dark side. I am drawn to live in and work in Japan both for its beauty and its darkness. Though it is known as the “Land of the Rising Sun”, many in Japan live in darkness. Japan has one of the highest suicide rates in the world. Many people lack hope and a vision for their future like I do.
On top of having one of the highest suicide rates in the world, Japan is the second largest unreached people group in the world. 99% of Japanese have never heard about Jesus. They don’t know about God. I want to give them the opportunity to know and be friends with a God who knows them fully and loves them unconditionally. I want to provide them with hope and a future.
God has given me a heart for Japan. And He has given me the desire to bring His hope to the over 126 million unreached people there. Through OMF International, I hope to serve the people of Japan through serving, building relationships, evangelism and discipleship, to see communities and individuals beneficially and eternally changed.
The calling God has put on my life and the passion God has put in my heart is cross-cultural ministry work, specifically involving at-risk women, youth and children. I am desiring a full-time long-term position where I can use my spiritual gifts of giving, serving, exhortation, and discernment along with my skills and talents for public speaking, teaching, training and discipleship to serve and assist women, youth and children in hopes of developing in them a hope and future in Jesus Christ.