In less than a week I will be
leaving Japan, and it’s hard to explain how truly difficult this is for
me. In total, I’ve lived in Japan for 5
years. I’ve lived in Kumamoto for 4
years, longer than I’ve lived in any other one place since graduating
college. I’ve met so many amazing people
in Japan, and they have become like family to me. I might be an American, but Kumamoto and
Japan are truly my home.
When I moved here, I made a very
dangerous prayer. I told God, “I know
that I will be here for a short time, but I pray that when I leave, I will be
sad to go and other people will be sad to see me leave.” God definitely answered that prayer. At times it feels like my heart is being
ripped apart: part of my heart staying with the people I care about in Japan
and part going back to America with me.
As hard as this is for me, I wouldn’t have it any other way. This painful separation means that I truly
shared my heart with others and them with me.
I know that my transition back to
the U.S. will be challenging and difficult at times. Sometimes I’ll cry because I miss my friends
and Japan so much. Other times I’ll get
so frustrated with American culture and manners that I’ll probably scream. Of course, I’ll have lots of stories to share
about my experiences here too. I
apologize in advance to my family and friends in the U.S. for having to watch this
emotional roller coaster and for my occasional outbursts, but please be patient
with me through this process.
As one chapter of my life comes
to an end and another begins, I’m holding on to one of the most valuable
lessons I’ve learned from my time in Japan—to persevere through the challenging
times. One of my favorite Japanese words
is 頑張る (がんばる, pronounced
ganbaru). It means to persevere. Often I hear people using a form of this word
to say, “I’ll do my best.” or “I’ll persevere.”
My students, co-workers, and I often say this when we face challenges or
difficult situations. People also use it
to say, “Good luck!” “Fight!” “You can do it!” We use it to encourage one another to keep
trying, to show our support, or let someone know that we believe in them. After the Great East Japan Earthquake and
Tsunami, all of Japan united in telling the survivors, “がんばって!”
I’m not entirely sure where the road ahead will take me; in fact, I have
lots of questions about my future. But,
I do know that God will be with me every step of the way. 頑張ります! (I’ll do my best and persevere!)
A picture from my last day at Kyushu Gakuin |
HI Christine! I just found your blog when looking for a place to make pottery in Oita. I see that you no longer live in Japan, but just wanted to send blessings and tell you how I enjoyed finding you `here`. I live in Oita Japan and became a Christian here in Oita almost 2 years ago, and have been wanting to combine more of my Christian experience in Japan into my blog and all aspects of my life, so somehow finding you here and seeing how you weave all aspects of your life in God together was very inspiriing!!
ReplyDeleteBest wishes and blessings from Oita, Peace be with you!
Joanne