I was deleting old Windows document files and came across a list of yearly prayers I made back in January 6th, 2006. One prayer said, "I would like to work with a strong Christian organization... and do ministry and evangelism work in Japan..."
I never thought I would be living in Japan this long. This past week was my birthday and it was pretty "nostalgic" because the last time I celebrated my birthday in Japan was when my mother birthed me, haha. It was also my 6 month anniversary of living in Japan.
Last week, I received my three year Japanese visa - I can live, go to school, and work here. Many people I've met have been trying to get Japanese visas and been denied. And these people speak better Japanese than me. I know I will be here until I graduate in May but I didn't plan on staying longer. But taking the step of faith in applying for it has opened up a lot of doors to permanently serve in Japan.
As a blessing as the visa was, the Lord was speaking to me a lot during the process. He reminded me that citizenship is uncertain. Uncertain in the sense that the community we live in will not accept us as a citizen of that community, because we live in an earthly community. On the outside, I am accepted here as a Japanese but inside, I know many Japanese people need Jesus. In America, outward acceptance comes a bit slower and requires making sacrifices, just to even bypass my asian looks. Christians all feel like a foreigner because "... our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ..." (Phil. 3:20). I've decided to take the acceptance of my visa to mean I am more unaccepted in this world. Because the visa means a next step in radically serving Christ in faith, in Japan, where very few know the One true God.
It is exciting to see what God will do this year. One year older means I'm a short time closer to meeting Jesus, yo :)
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