My love for Japan started at least 58 years ago. In 1966, I received a doll named Jan, made by Remco. She was the Japanese friend of Remco's Heidi doll. That doll has literally gone everywhere with me.
Another childhood influence was a set of children's books about other countries. The first was about Japan and came with a doll dressed in a kimono. Sadly, I no longer have the books or the doll.
When the Sunday School assignment was to write to missionaries our church supported, I said, "I'll write to the ones in Japan!" I had a correspondence with them for a while.
The combination of these experiences made me wonder if God was calling me to be a missionary in Japan. I was told by a member of our denomination's missions board (who was a member of our church) that having type 1 diabetes made that impossible. I was crushed.
In 1999, through a friend, I discovered Sailor Moon. I later moved on to other anime series. I soon learned that dubbed anime hurt my ears.
Then I wanted to learn Japanese. I bought a Japanese Bible. I bought some instruction books. I took some community ed classes. For a time, I attended a Japanese church in Minneapolis. The pastor's wife once scolded her husband for talking to me in English instead of Japanese!
I love Japanese food, so I bought some Japanese cookbooks. I don't have them anymore, but I have been able to replace one of them. I'll look for more the next time we're at Barnes and Noble.
I decided once more to try to become a missionary in Japan, this time as a short-termer (less than 3 months). I was accepted by SEND International. I would be working at a Bible camp, Okutama Bible Chalet. I had trouble with fundraising, which turned out to be a good thing. Once again, my diabetes kept me from the mission field.
My love for Japan still continues. I am still studying Japanese. I pray every day for Japan, for the Okutama Bible Chalet, for missionaries in Japan, and for how God wants me to be part of His plan for Japan.
to be continued...
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