During the summer of 2004, I traveled to Takamatsu, Japan with a mission team of six people from NewSong Fellowship Church. Upon my return, I wrote this letter to interested friends and family members.
Kon’nichi wa (Good Day)! In spite of a looming typhoon, my team and I arrived home from Japan, only a few short hours behind schedule. I had a wonderful experience, and I’d like to share a little bit of it with you.
Bonsai, rice patties, triangular hats, sushi, chop sticks, samurai swords, and origami: how fascinating to see that these famous Japanese traditions still actively define Japan. As I absorbed the ambiance—as intricately beautiful and well-mannered as it is—I was reminded of Ephesians 4:17-18 which says, “. . . walk no longer just as the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them . . .†My heart was heavy with the realization that for many of the Japanese people, it was by no fault of their own that their eyes were darkened to the knowledge of the Living God. Their beliefs and practices were simply part of their cultural identity, and while their culture had given them many good things—a rich heritage, a deep sense of regard for others, conscientiousness, a strong work ethic, artistry, and streets that are safe to walk at night—it had not given them any concept of the Living God.
The glory of the Lord fills the whole earth; yet there are some who acknowledge it and others who do not. This obvious truth was engraved more deeply on my heart during our second day in Takamatsu, Japan, as I rode my rented bicycle across the city, alone, lost, and in search of Hachiman dori, the road to the American missionaries’ home (Ralph and Stella Cox). How strange it felt to be in a land where the masses of people I passed knew little, if anything, about the Living God I worship regularly. Shinto shrines were everywhere—some very large and others so small they could be easily missed. Buddhists gravesites were a common sight. Tombs were engraved with elaborate kangi and adorned with brightly colored fresh flowers. Here and there, a worshipper could be seen, bowing, chanting, praying. Yet, while many people expressed ritualistic spirituality in their everyday lives, the average young person, when asked about religion, most often responded with a somewhat puzzled expression. “Religion?†For most, it was little more than a fading tradition—hardly relevant amidst neon store signs, cigarette vending machines, materialism, and pressures to succeed.
On day two of our trip, as I rode my rented bike, lost and alone in Takamatsu, religion (or should I say sincere Christianity?) was hugely relevant to me. How wonderful it was to remember that “the earth is full of the loving kindness of the Lord†(Psalm 33:5). Even in a culture where few human hearts have ever experienced the refreshing touch of God’s presence, the simple fact that I knew of His love for me put me in a position to reach for Him, connect with Him, and receive the help I needed! As I prayed for guidance on the busy streets, I soon recognized a landmark, knew I was on the right track, and confidently arrived at the home of the Coxes right on time. The loving kindness of the Lord does indeed fill the earth.
As a nation, the Japanese people do not acknowledge the Christian God, but there are individuals who are actively questioning, seeking, and surrendering to Him. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know many different Japanese people during my stay, hearing fragments of their life journeys along the way. Yoriko, Atsuko, and Yukie were college students who took me out for my first bowl of Udon (a type of pasta indigenous to Takamatsu), took me shopping at the 100 Yen store, and invited me to a Japanese tea ceremony where I drank real Japanese matcha (green tea) as I knelt on a tatami mat. Of the three, Yoriko expressed the most contemplation about Christianity, saying to me in her simple English, “I’m thinking about becoming one.†Hitomi was a college student who spoke very good English, taught me to fold origami cranes, described American women as “confident and independent,†and told me that she does believe my God is real, but that she is obligated to believe as her parents believe. The owner of the apartment where I stayed was a middle aged Japanese woman who was a believer for many years, but who still maintained a Shinto “god shelf†(a place of worship to dead ancestors) in her home. She did so out of submission to the customs of her non-believing husband. Endou was the mother of three and a believer who had come to faith through deep spiritual turmoil. At one point in her quest for truth, she tore a Bible in two because the agony of her confusion was so great. She is now a devout follower of Christ. Yoshiko, a 72 year old woman said she, unlike the young people today, was able to understand the concept of sin because her sense of morality was shaped by the strict customs followed in her childhood home. A woman in Stella’s cooking class (whose name I do not know) had heard the gospel message for years through the ministry of the Coxes, and she came to saving faith during the two weeks we were there. Tadashi Yamada, who spoke fairly good English and endured my endless questions, was a kind pastor who explained to me that the two greatest hindrances to Japanese people receiving the Lord were 1) embracing Christian morality, and 2) understanding their need for Jesus.
It was also Pastor Yamada who invited me to share a lesson (via a translator) with his congregation (less than 20 people, including children) on the second Sunday morning I visited with them. As I prayed and sought the counsel of the more seasoned missionaries, the Lord spoke to my heart about the Parable of the Lost Coin. Based on Ralph’s words that many of the Japanese believers know less of the scriptures than many American non-believers (due to different cultural heritages), I chose to keep my lesson simple. After the children played a game of “find the hidden prizes,†we talked about how God seeks us with the same fervor. But it’s not enough that God seeks us, since one-sided relationships don’t often amount to much. We must seek him with all of our hearts. The lesson went very well, and the people indicated that they had been blessed by it. How wonderful it was to worship on the other side of the world, with Japanese believers, in a language I could not comprehend, and to feel our hearts connecting as we sang familiar hymns (I hummed) and shared universal, eternal truth.
As I write this, I am reminded of I Chronicles 16:9: “For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.†The Lord is ever-seeking those who He might call His own, those who will seek Him in response to His choice to seek them. The spiritual darkness that is in Japan is different than the darkness that is in America. Yet, the eyes of the Lord pierce the darkest darkness and find the ones who sincerely love Him—and He becomes Father to them.
I have been both saddened and filled with joy as a result of my time in Japan. To those of you who made it possible for me go, thank you!! To those who have taken time to read about my experience, thank you as well!! May the eyes of all our hearts be enlightened, so that we will know “what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe†(Ephesians 1:18-19).
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