“Is there really a God? What is love? And why would God love me?” Kazuma, a fourth-year engineering student, asked me, with a look of curiosity and a tinge of sadness in his voice. I wasn’t expecting these questions to come at one go, but something in my heart broke and I understood why God had brought me from Singapore to this university in Japan to meet Kazuma.
It was my first mission trip to Japan as a freshman, in partnership with a local Christian student ministry. I had gone there as part of a Singapore team during my university holidays, because of what Sophie, my discipleship group leader, had shared about her mission trip to Japan previously.
Many know Japan for its amazing nature, technology, culture, and cuisine. It’s also one of the world’s most populous nations with 127 million people, and is one of the world’s richest and safest countries. Yet many may not know that Japan’s suicide rate is alarmingly one of the world’s highest, with over 20,000 Japanese ending their lives every year, with all hope lost. Most Japanese wouldn’t know Jesus, as they haven’t even heard of His name. With less than one percent Jesus-followers in Japan, and with the majority of worshippers and pastors being in their old age and passing on, many churches are struggling to survive, especially in rural areas where many churches have less than ten worshippers.
Impacted by what Sophie had shared, I signed up for the next trip to Japan, desiring to support the Japanese Christian students in their campus ministry. And that was how I ended up meeting Kazuma at a university’s English club gathering.
That day, together with my Singapore teammates, we sat down with Kazuma. We opened the Bible and searched for the answers he was looking for together. It was the first time Kazuma heard the good news of God’s kingdom and Jesus, and I was thankful to be part of the team that brought it to him. I realised this all happened because of Sophie, who encouraged me to go to Japan, and I could only have gone because my home church gave their blessings and supported me prayerfully and financially. And I could only share the gospel with Kazuma because others had shared that same good news with me in the past, such that I too had become a Jesus-follower.
It was like Paul’s words in Romans 10:11–15 coming alive:
As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile — the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
In writing this letter to the church in Rome almost 2,000 years ago, Paul was reminding them that the good news of Jesus is for all, not only for a privileged few. God has made a way for every tribe, tongue, and people group to be reconciled to Him when they respond in faith through Jesus. But for this message to be made known, someone needs to bring it. Someone with beautiful feet because they are willing to go. Today, according to the Joshua Project, an organisation that highlights the ethnic groups of the world with the fewest followers of Christ, the Japanese remain the second-largest unreached people group in the world. There are various ways we can be a part of bringing this good news to the nations. We can pray for these countries. We can give financially to support mission workers and send them out. We can also go, and be part of the next generation of workers with beautiful feet who will bring this good news to all people. What will be your response?
