Why Japan?
People always ask me: Why Japan? What made you want to go to Japan? So here's my answer. I first wanted to go to Japan when I saw the opportunity on the ELCA website in January (2008). There were no bells, no deep longing for the people across the Pacific, just an opportunity. I've always had a strong desire to travel. I remember as a child wanting to have a job that would send me to distant lands. As a freshman my desire to be a minister of my Christian faith and my desire for travel seemed to come together as I heard the call of God to mission work. When I graduated from college I considered serving abroad, but after praying about it and considering my financial situation I knew it was not the right time for me to go. This past year as I was finishing up my time in Seminary the time seemed right. I had almost decided to enter an ordination process to become a pastor when I found myself tired of my experiences in the US. I knew I needed to get out of the country to examine li...