This post is also available in: Japanese
Go back to your family—From America to Japan
I was born and raised in Chikuhou area, Fukuoka prefecture; and my town was quiet and the population of 20 thousand. There was not much of any interest in foreign countries, but somehow I always had an interest in foreign countries.
I decided to live in a foreign country someday. My dream came true but I came home after only three years of studying in America; interrupting my first strong decision, because God told me “go back home to your family.”
I believed in Jesus Christ and became a Christian on Easter day one year prior to graduating with a Master’s degree. I prayed to know what God wants me to do after I graduated and I also asked my friends to pray for me too. When my graduation was near during a telephone conversation with my mother who was in Japan; I slipped up saying I will come home and stay two or three years after my graduation.
After the telephone conversation, I could not understand why I said that and at the same time I noticed I had peace in my heart. “I did not think that way but I have peace in my heart ‘does that mean God approved it?’” I was thinking if it was truly God, I should pray about it. After a few days when I was reading my Bible; I said “Oh, my!”
“Go home to your family and tell them how the Lord has done for you.” Mark 5:19
The moment I read, that just like an electric shock, I was convinced that it was the answer to my prayer. After that I prayed some time and I could not believe I had no conflict in my heart (even though I had it after I came home) my conviction was strengthened. I cannot explain anything but God kept me in His plan. So that I started to prepare for going home and I left America two weeks after my graduation.
Leading to a church which was not listed in a telephone-book
The first thing I did when I came back to Japan was to look for a church. When I was leaving my lovely American church I prayed that I go back to Japan as You said; please let me understand to which church I should go. My younger sister knew I was seriously looking for a church; she told me there was a Christian boy in her class.
“I am not sure to which one to go; even I look in a telephone-book. The one I was going to go, somehow I was not able. If there is anything else I just go visit.” That I was thinking and one Sunday in August I went to the church the boy’s family attended.
They could not rent a room at a civic hall that day so the boy’s home was the place of worship. There was a gap between such worship and my American church but I did not know any Japanese church either, and they sang the same praise songs in Japanese which I used to sing at my American church; it was comforting. I was thinking “is this the church God was leading?”
I asked in prayer and peace was added and I was convinced that this church was the answer to my prayer. The Pastor was sent from Tokyo about one and a half years ago and the church was just started so that it was not listed in the telephone-book. I was led to this church even though had no signboard and was unlisted in the telephone-book nor was I able to find it but I got help from my non-Christian sister; as the answer to my previous prayer.
Peace with my father which would be impossible
I had no conflict until I came home, but it came. My father and I had the poorest relationship then. It might be just only my side, but I could not talk face to face nor talk on the phone with him.
My younger sister was hurt knowing her own sister became a Christian in America and was fighting with our father. So she secretly visited the pastor and asked for guidance; saying can you do something about my sister? The pastor said to her there is a time but she did not understand what he meant.
The time came after three and a half years after I came home. God told me to bow down and apologize to my parents while I was at a prayer house in Korea. The night I came home I bowed down before my parents and apologized that the Bible teaches us to honor our parents but I was truly a bad daughter for not honoring them, I am very sorry.
There was nothing visible that happened but something in my chest disappeared, and I restored my relationship with my father and I could talk normal with him.
After a little while, I told my sister that I bowed down and apologized; my sister said I cannot believe you bowed down before Father, and it was not you. God was the one who did it! Then she told me that she visited my pastor for guidance. I said I took a long three and a half years, but my sister said it took only three and a half years.
She thought it was impossible for me to make peace with Father in my life time. It was only three and a half years however; I truly made peace with him. God makes things possible when we think it is impossible.
Salvation of my sister
I have three younger sisters, one is two years younger and the other two are eight years younger. I had been praying for the salvation of my family but I could not see the answer for a long time. March 2004, my youngest sister was saved and it had been 12 years since I became a Christian in America.
In fact, a few weeks before that God asked me “have you given thanks to Me for your family is not saved yet” while I was praying thanksgiving. I thought “give thanks for that?” Actually I never have done that, so I started to give thanks for my family that was not saved and I understood it was in God’s hand and the peace was given to me and I was filled with joy.
Actuary I gave thanks for my family not saved yet, and then my sister was saved and after two months in May the second youngest sister was saved.
My sister who was saved from the Tsunami
The sister who was saved in May went to Thailand in December. Her friend suggested “let us go to a beautiful and quiet beach that is not so famous and there will be no tourists.” My sister wanted to go to Puckett, but she remembered she was taught to give thanks for everything; so she gave thanks for her friend who wanted to go somewhere else. So they went and they enjoyed the day on a different beach and went back to Bangkok. There they saw the news on TV about the terrible damage from the earthquake off Sumatra. She was trembling for a few days when she saw that and she thought they would have been in a serious disaster if they had gone to Puckett. After she came home and told us she wanted to go to Puckett but they went to a different place, when I heard it I was very thankful for the Scripture we were taught at the church that saved my sister’s life.
“give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” I Thessalonians 5: 18
Surgery for Father’s cataract
In April 2004, my father visited me in Tottori on the way home from his trip. While we were talking he told me his cataracts had worsened. He also told me his concern that if he underwent surgery his eyes would be better but if something happened; he could not step out for it. So I asked if I could place my hands on his eyes and pray for the healing of his cataracts. He said okay, so I prayed “his cataract will be healed and if it is done through surgery that it would be done by a good doctor who is in God’s will. The Lord work through the doctor and the surgery is successful and he will be completely healed.”
His cataracts did not get healed on the spot but my mother called me after a few weeks. That morning he visited an ophthalmology doctor and made a schedule for surgery and came home.
It surprised me when I heard He did not know how he came to his decision. The morning when he woke up he thought “it is the day; I go to ophthalmology and get a schedule for a surgery.”
His surgery was scheduled one eye at a time and after the first surgery he was confident about it. When the day for the second time came Mother called me and asked me “this afternoon he will have surgery at one so could you please pray for him” so I remembered the time and prayed for him. My mother was worried because the surgery went longer than usual but it was successful. While he was undergoing surgery, his blood pressure went up and they needed to stop for a while but the Lord kept him completely and there was no infection after surgery and he gained clear sight.
If my mother did not call me that time, I might have forgotten to pray because I was not having any worry. I think through prayer for healing God worked to help my father to decide to have the surgery. It is our privilege to know our prayers are heard and God works through our prayers.
To overseas again
God told me to go back to your family in June 1993, it has been 15 years. During that time, God blessed my family and me very much which I cannot write here because of the limited space. I had not seen any sign which I was called for while I was in America to become a missionary. I felt like God forgot about me.
Well, the word of God which was spoken was true. When the time of God came the word of God was fulfilled. I am going to be sent to Brazil in November. The time finally came for me to serve God abroad. One time I completely abandoned them all, but by the mercy of God I was given the power to get up and hold on to the promise and He led me up to this point. I strongly feel from this point on is my real calling. I give all glory to God.
“so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55: 11
Bethel Morihara
From December 2008 issue: Monthly magazine The Appearance of a Rainbow in the Clouds published by the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds publishers.
God is Love.