From Japan: God’s People “Saved My Life”

Mika* grew up in Japan as part of a family that was culturally Buddhist, yet God gently placed people in her life who gave her a positive picture of Christianity. A Christian piano teacher hosted Christmas parties with candlelight and hymns. A close friend in high school openly followed Jesus. “Because of her, I never had a negative image of Christianity,” Mika says. Instead, faith looked joyful, thoughtful, and alive. 

Music became one of the earliest ways God met her. Singing Christmas carols with friends left a deep impression on her—especially “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” She says, “I often hummed it to myself when I felt lonely on my way home at night.” When she sang the same song years later in a church, it’s like Mika could sense God’s presence. “I think God must have been watching over me,” she recalls. 

As Mika pursued her interest in nature, her awe only deepened. She earned a Ph.D. in environmental science and conducted field research in the tropical rainforests of Indonesia. As she studied ecosystems, tiny water fleas that adapt to predators, and the complexity of the human body, profound questions started to stir in her heart. And though she still identified as Buddhist at the time, creation itself was pointing her toward the Creator. 

Mika started teaching middle and high school, excited to pass on the wonder of nature to her students. As she taught biology, physics, chemistry, and even the origins of the universe, she realized that truth is both simple and exquisitely beyond human understanding. “I feel like the Bible transcends human wisdom,” she says. 

One of the schools she worked at was Christian, so Mika regularly heard scripture and sermons in chapel, which God used to speak to her in small ways. But it wasn’t until she joined a Bible study with Encompass worker Kenji that she started believing in God.  

“Before that, I thought the Bible was something like mythology,” Mika says. But Kenji patiently explained the historical context, geography, and cultural background behind the biblical narratives. He welcomed questions and created space for honest dialogue. “His kind and approachable demeanor made it easy to ask questions, which gave me a better understanding of the Bible,” she says. “I’m so grateful for that.” 

When Mika expressed a desire to attend church, Kenji introduced her to his church. “That was a season when I was going through some very painful things,” she says. “But during the worship service, I would cry and feel healed.” In some of her darkest moments, Christ’s body kept Mika from feeling overwhelmed, isolated, and hopeless. “Through Kenji’s Bible study group and our church, I met people who saved my life,” she says. 

Though Mika wrestled with intellectual questions about faith, she ultimately realized that God was speaking to her heart. “I realized that the reason I cry and am healed from the heart is because my heart feels the truth within the words of the Bible.” Surrounded by prayer and love, she experienced what she calls “the great power of prayer.” 

Today, Mika joyfully confesses her faith: “I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross for my sins, was buried, and was resurrected.” 

Mika’s story is a testament to the way God steadily pursues the least reached through His people. Because of cross-cultural workers like Kenji and partners who make his ministry possible, God is drawing people to Himself, one relationship at a time. By partnering with Encompass, you are helping create spaces where questions are welcomed, truth is shared, and lives like Mika’s are forever changed. 

*Name changed for privacy