It is very good that you are keeping an open mind about which country God may be calling you to. I think that God could use you anywhere you go. You sound like a person committed to your faith, but some countries may better prepare you for your goal of cross-cultural work in the US. I had experience in youth ministry and came to Japan to fill a youth evangelism position. It will probably not continue after me, so an explanation of my particular day-to-day will not be helpful for you. I will just speak more generally.

The biggest challenge I face is the language. While many peoples' capability to learn language is better than mine, Japanese is complex. It is very difficult to become fluent in the period of 2.75 years. Having said that, it was a wonderful experience at the beginning to have six months of full-time language study.

I would say that the language study is the thing that really distinguishes the J-3 program from others. I don’t think that any other country has such a long period of language study for a short-term missionary. If you are committed to learning a language and studying, you can make a lot of progress. Having an advanced beginner/ intermediate level of Japanese is enough to gain a deeper understanding of the culture, and makes it easier for people to welcome you into their lives and form friendships with you.

I sometimes get frustrated that I am not fluent, but it has also been an important lesson for me to understand what it feels like to be on the outside. It may be the most important thing that I take back home to the US with me. Knowing how to better welcome the outsiders is an essential component in cross-cultural ministry.

Even though my language difficulties sometimes make me feel different, the Japanese people have an incredible sense of hospitality. I have been welcomed into the lives of families and individuals at a level that is overwhelming. I have been invited to people’s homes, to parties, and to their cabins. I have attended a wedding, stood next to a youth during his baptism, visited a man in the hospital and assisted with his baptism, and then attended his funeral and cremation.

Seeing new faith grow in a country where less than 1% of people are Christian is my greatest joy. I have known almost a dozen people (not babies) who have been baptized in my two years here. I have never witnessed that in the US. Knowing how great the need for Christian leaders and workers is here makes being here very meaningful.

The challenges that Christians face are significant. For one, it is likely that their families are not Christian, and many times their families do not want them to be baptized. In Japan there are many people who actively participate in worship and church life, and who know a great deal about Christianity, but it is hard for them to take the "leap of faith" and make the commitment. However, once they do, they are deeply committed.

I think that because Japan is so developed, many people do not think of it as a mission setting. But I think that I have learned a lot about what evangelism means in my time here. It is not forceful or "imperialistic", but once you can break down the walls of suspicion, people really have a hunger to learn about the Word of God and hear the gospel. I also think I have learned much about doing ministry in an urban setting. Japan does not have the issues of crime and poverty in the city to the degree that the US does, but I have learned more about the challenges and opportunities of serving in an urban culture.

Marla Wood