As a child, I was captivated by the stories of people who dedicated their lives to sharing the gospel in other countries to people who had never heard. The adventure of going to tell people about Jesus seemed like the best job in the world. God used these stories to put a call to missions on my heart.
However, as I grew up, I realized that there was a lot that I would have to give up by becoming a missionary. Familiar places, foods, language, and worship styles would all be different in another country. But, the hardest ones to give up were the people God had brought into my life and the different communities I was blessed to be a part of.
As I prepared to leave for Japan, I knew that the farewells would be hard, but they were also expected. What I didn’t realize was how many farewells I would be saying after I arrived in Japan. While I was in language school, I saw fellow missionaries most weekdays and became a member of a local climbing gym. Each time a missionary graduated from language school there were farewells. Partway through language school I changed churches and that meant farewells. Earlier this year, it was my turn to finish language school and move to a new city to train at a church there. At that time, I had to say goodbye to more missionary friends, church friends, and climbing friends. The constant farewells have been one of the most challenging things during my time so far in Japan.
However, even though the farewells are hard, they are testimonies of God’s faithfulness to provide community and friendships in each place he has led me. In my home country, I have a valuable team of people who are praying for and supporting me. Here in Japan, I have been so encouraged by the missionaries and Japanese believers I have been able to get to know. I am thankful for the relationships outside of church, and pray that, even though our time together has been short, God will use it to plant seeds in their lives and ultimately be glorified. God’s placed different people in my life in different seasons and I’m thankful for them. I’m also looking forward to those I get to meet in the future as I continue on this journey.
By an OMF missionary
