I was born and grew up in Yokohama, the third largest city in Japan.  I landed in the U.S. in June1979 when I was 24 years old.  In a small city in Vermont I registered to go to a summer school and stayed there for 6 weeks.  I missed the big city life but survived.  Somehow I ended up going to Pasadena City College although I was planning to go back to Japan after the summer school.  Although I did not have enough money, I was able to attend there for three years, live with two American families in San Marino with free boarding.  I worked at school and at restaurants.

My father had been involved in the Japanese Boy Scouts since right after WWII.  He  established the first troop in Yokohama and volunteered for over 60 years.  When he came in L.A. with his troop in 1970’s, he got to know a Japanese American Boy Scout leader that lived in Monterey Park.  My father asked me to visit him to greet and thank him for taking care of his troop.  When I visited him, I was introduced to his three daughters who were Christians.  They invited me to their church in San Gabriel.  I was saved there.

I was very rebellious when I was growing up.  Although I was a good kid but did horrible things that no one knew.  By the time I was 24 years old, I really hated myself and attempted to commit suicide.  After that failed, I wanted to move somewhere else in Japan away from everyone to start my life over again.  An opportunity to go to the U.S. to attend a summer school came across my path.  I thought this was a good opportunity to start my life over again.  The three months trip to the U.S. led me to become a U.S. citizen in 2007.   

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

This verse struck me strong.  I wanted to change but it was not possible.  There were so many temptations.  I could not do it.  To believe in Christ was my last resort.  I accepted Christ in the early 1980’s.  I met my husband, Jeff, in 1985, took him to church.  Both were baptized there.  Five years later we got married at the church where I was saved.  Our two daughters accepted Christ there as well.

Something happened in 1998. God was using a series of small events to make me realize and feel a burden that my family and friends in Japan did not know Christ.  My husband and I decided to use our visits to Japan to start ministering to them.  It has been an exciting adventure.  My father, who passed away in April 2008, accepted Christ three days before his death.  At my father’s funeral one of my aunts told me she and her husband accepted Christ recently. Another aunt told me she liked reading my testimony. Two of my friends are suffering from cancers now, but they have been listening to our testimonies.  We are praying that they also accept Christ as their Savior soon.

God has been great!!  Looking back, I can see God has been directing my life in every forward step that I have made.