I figure I should write something
more real about Japan, something to explain my wanting to spend an entire year
over there without a typical job. Something to explain me quitting my job here
and moving back home to raise money in order to go. (Sorry--It got a little long!)
And where else can I start but with
this: I love Japan!
I can’t really hide it, I am biased. But Japan, the nature and the people, I
love it all.
Let’s start with the land itself.
From Mount Fuji rising tall and powerful over everything all year long, to the
vivid pink leaves flowing softly down from the branches of cherry blossom trees
in the spring. From the snow covering everything up in the cold of Hokkaido up
north, to the beautiful beaches and sunshine on the southern island of Okinawa.
From the evergreen trees covering the numerous mountains across the land, to
fields of flowers here and there down below.
I love every aspect of it, and have cherished the different times I've gotten to
spend out in it.
Then there are the people. Generally,
Japanese people are kind, quiet, and reserved. The young respect the old, and the old are kind to the young, and a elementary school child can go to school by themselves on the public train without fear. While most Japanese are silent and will not talk to strangers, once approached, many of them are quite friendly and helpful—never fear to ask for help in
Japan, most people will go out of their way to assist you. So awesome!
So why do I go to Japan? Is it
because it’s such a nice place to live? Is it because I’m comfortable there? Is it because the people are easy to get along with? Maybe that's all a part of it, but it’s more than that.
The real reason I go is because I've lived there and I've experienced the parts of it that aren't so great. I've felt the way you can be
squashed in a mass of people on a train, and still feel so terribly alone. I
know what it’s like to work so hard to succeed and at the end of the day wonder
why it matters, and if it will ever pay off. And, I've been on several trains that
had to stop because it hit “something” that had jumped in front of it, and
realized I was more frustrated to have lost minutes of my time rather than
feel any sorrow over that “something” that just ended his or her own life.
That loss of purpose and meaning is
a feeling that is very common in Japan. People work hard and do their best to
succeed to please family, friends, and maybe even themselves. And so as long as
things are going well, life seems good and enjoyable. But once they fail, and if they
can’t keep up the lifestyle that they had built around themselves, everything
comes crashing down. They often feel empty, because their whole life was built up
around material things and comfortable relations that don't last.
But I found someone who never
fails. I found someone who stays by me and brings me joy even when my friends
have all left me. I found someone that gives me purpose for everyday regardless
of how well I do or if I succeed or fail. I found someone that cries when a
life is lost, even though no one else seems to care. He’s broken through my
hard heart, and He’s waiting for the right time to break through the hard
hearts of the Japanese people.
I don’t know what I can do this
year. I don’t know how much I will accomplish. But the Japanese people are
looking for truth. They’re looking for hope. They’re looking for joy. They’re
looking for something more than just the latest fashion trend or newest hit
music group, because they've realized it’s not enough and will never be enough.
So I’m going to Japan because I
know Jesus. I know what He’s done in my life; how He’s filled my lonely moments
with comfort, how He’s brought joy in the midst of sorrow, how He’s brought
peace in moments of anger and worry, and how He loves me always.
I’m going to Japan because I love
Jesus, and I love Japan, and I want the Japanese to also have the chance to be
loved by Jesus and to love Him.
