Our Prayer, God’s Work: An Opportunity to Share Christ in Japan
For over a year, our friends have been praying for me to meet with a Japanese woman, Keiko*, who lived in America as an exchange student during her youth. From the moment we arrived in Japan, we've had gifts for her from friends in America sitting in our closet as we waited for an encounter that would spark something deeper than a one-time meeting.
However, each planned meeting fell through due to unforeseen and unfortunate events. At first, Keiko had to move her mother into a care facility due to her declining health and then lost her mother on the day we were going to meet. Another time, she and her daughter caught COVID.
It can be tempting to let opportunities go when they don't come easily. There is a temptation to give up and allow a door to close because pressing on would take us out of our comfort zones. However, I continued to pray that the Lord would show me how to move forward. The Lord prompted me to try again, and we planned a day to meet. We prayed the Lord would allow seeds to be sowed and watered.
As Keiko showed me around her neighborhood, she pointed out a Christian church. I asked if she had ever tried going there. Keiko smiled and told me no because she is Buddhist.
Keiko proceeded to open up about her experience with attending church in America, but she was very timid to share details about what she saw and heard there. The conversation then turned to why we had come to Japan. I took the opportunity to share my heart for the gospel, today's youth, and how God has led me to disciple students in Japan.
Keiko was shocked that I had given up my career to come to Japan. She asked, "Wasn't that really hard? You let go of so much! Your family is all in America, too!" I told her honestly, "It was the hardest thing I have ever done, but God has shown me over and over again that it was the right thing to do. It was what he wanted me to do."
Keiko was quiet for a while after that. She was surprised to hear that someone would leave the comfort of her own country to come and talk about Jesus in her country. After the meeting, she expressed how happy she was to meet me and shared a desire to meet my husband. She mentioned meeting again during her summer vacation.
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Choosing a Missions Organization: Why SEND International Stands Out “Why should I be a missionary through SEND International?” Jenna, a new missionary in Eastern Europe, shared with us what she appreciates about working with SEND. The highlights for her are: - Devotion to prayer - Diligence in communication - Commitment to development - Intentionality in accountability Prayer “Back in September of 2022, the Lord reconnected me with SEND after I had met them a year prior at the Moody Bible Institute. However, before he would sign me up for anything, my Missions Coach encouraged me to pray. He said something to the effect of, "I know that you've been praying on your own for a long time. But as the Church, we are not called to walk alone. So, you and I won't talk for about a month unless you have questions. I want you to go pray with 5 or 6 others from your church about where God is calling you." That October, more than 10 friends prayed with me and we saw God answer as He directed me to Romania. From February 2024 to November 2025, I had the pleasure of being a part of team meetings in Romania with my SEND colleagues. Our meetings were four hours long, two for prayer and two for business. This has been the minimum for our team. There are also prayer meetings with the local churches we partner with, among smaller groups within our team, of course prayer with many of you across the pond, including those at our US office. The organization was built, has been sustained, and continues to run on prayer. This is my favorite thing about SEND. Communication As I mentioned above, we have a two hour block for business / ministry details in each of our meetings. This provides consistency across our team which works alongside three different churches and in a variety of ministries. It also helps us to communicate about the need for change or growth, alongside what is working well. In addition, my team director also meets with each of us, allowing us to communicate needs, considerations, and prayer requests. I've also enjoyed getting to work with SEND workers outside of my immediate region . We receive emails with the minutes from the Europe leadership team, Friday communications from our international director, and information regarding projects that affect our work among the unreached. In December of 2024, our international director at the time wrote a note to my parents for the first Christmas that I was gone. If nothing else had convinced my mom yet, this did. He took the time to care for me, but also to care well for the parents that were sending me (What it meant to my dad and mom for him to do this well has been one of the greatest ways I've been supported.). I also have some pretty wonderful regional directors. These people have prayed alongside us (while also serving in their own countries of service), they have taken time to come visit and encourage our team, and they have also taken the time to encourage the people in our churches. Development SEND has provided much in the area of development and care (spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally). At our regional conference (every three years), there have been medical check ups available, counseling options, and time for connecting with others on the field with similar experience. At our conference last October, I connected with a missionary who served overseas for many years, and is now serving on the administrative side of SEND. She has met with me since then for mentorship and has also invested much of her time recently in preparing a retreat for the singles across Europe. Accountability Over the years I have read and heard amazing stories of how God has worked through missionaries. God has done great things and great things He is still doing! However, people who have committed their lives to the Lord in this way are not “super Christians”. We are still humans with the same struggle against flesh that others have . A major challenge is in being isolated -- living in areas with little to no presence of other believers to sharpen them can cause many difficulties. SEND has been a great resource in this area too. Through my team, I have an accountability partner that I meet with monthly. When my regional director came to visit, he and his wife spent a day with me and asked intentional questions about how I lead, handle conflict, and how I am growing in general as a Christian. In addition, my teammates share their wisdom with me on a regular basis. These things and more have assured me that SEND International is a highly valuable organization and I'm excited to partner with them in service to, for, and with our great God! Interested in being sent by SEND?
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