My Mission

So I've started a blog. A blog about Japan. Seems simple enough. You haven't been reading my work for that long, but if you read my welcome post, then you have a basic understanding of my passion for Japan. But I would like to be very open and honest with all of you and, therefore, I want to share with you the whole story, the full reason that I love Japan and want to go to it for missions work.

When I was younger - I don't remember my exact age, but maybe thirteen or fourteen - I wanted to watch a movie. At the time, I had no idea that one simple choice would change my life. Since I was young, I didn't think about being cautious when picking a movie to watch; if it looked interesting and was free, I figured I might as well watch it. It never entered my mind that I might regret picking something or find a movie that would change what I planned to do with my life.

I browsed around. I looked at many different things but none of them jumped out at me. Until that one. Sitting right in front of me was Spirited Away by Studio Ghibli, a Japanese company. I was young and it looked interesting so I plunged right in. The first time I watched it, I thought nothing of it. It was a fun movie that I hadn't seen before, I understood the story but didn't realize all the subtext it carried. I watched it, and then watched it again. I didn't see anything wrong with it.

For those of you who haven't seen Spirited Away or have never even heard of it, here is a short non-spoiler summary:

A young girl named Chihiro, while on a family outing, accidentally falls into the Japanese spirit world. At first, things seem tame and unthreatening. Chihiro makes a few friends and spends some time at a local bathhouse. But, as the day turns to night, the sinister underside of the world is revealed. Previously unseen, spirits and demons roam the streets, horrifying creatures emerge from the shadows, and - worst of all - Chihiro discovers that she can't get back to the world of the living. Without spoiling too much, over the coarse of the movie, Chihiro must learn to trust her friends, outsmart evil forces, and eventually make her way home. Like I said, I didn't think anything of it.

But then it hit me. Many weeks - maybe even a month later - I remembered Spirited Away. All the images, the storyline, and even the characters. After remembering it and thinking for a moment, I was terrified. The whole concept of the movie scared me and for a long time after that I couldn't think of the movie without shivering. I felt horrible that I had subjected myself to that; I even felt a little bit guilty.

But then, just as suddenly as I had begun to feel guilty, God turned on the light. Like a flash, it hit me. I suddenly remembered that God has a purpose for all things, he directs our paths, and he led me to watch Spirited Away. The moment I thought this, I felt better. But why had God led me to watch a movie that he knew would scare me?

Once again, it struck me. If I was that scared just watching a movie based on the beliefs of many, many Japanese people, how much more scared must they be? In the vast majority of Japanese minds, they live in a world filled to bursting with spirits, demons, and gods, all of which have no love for humanity and require constant placation. It struck me to my core. They live in a world of uncertainty and maybe even terror and no one has gone to help them.

Right then and there I knew what I had to do; I saw my mission laid out before me. Japan is an established country; it is the driving force in many industries, has some of the smartest citizens, and has been independent for many years. And, because of all this, the vast majority of missionaries forget that Japan is an unreached nation, spiritually.

I saw it before me; I heard it in my head. I knew that if no one else would go, I would. God knew this would be my mission and, therefore, he guided my actions to the thing that began my journey. I now have plans to go to Japan after I finish college. I would like nothing better than to see the masses of that country reached. If one childhood mistake could bring about the salvation of dozens, well then I think that God's kingdom would be well served.


Please join me in praying for the Japanese people. God can work miracles and he can send his workers, but a hundred voices lifting up the people in question makes it all the more powerful. Prayer is the vehicle that brings people to faith, and you have the power to use it.


Photo Credit: aminoapps.com