Before going to Japan, one of my prayers was “Lord, allow me to see Your kingdom in Japan”.  When I prayed this, it was a hopeful thinking to see all of Japan worshipping God. Or that God would show me the salvation of Japan as a nation. Guess what? God answered. God answered my prayer! Not in the way I expected though. But yes, He showed me His Kingdom. Social Media Mobilizer One of my ministries as a Serve Asia short-term worker is to make videos for the OMF social media team. My project for January is to cover all the main evangelistic ministries — church planting, youth ministry, homeless ministry, and returnees ministry. I would need to interview the missionaries, film their actual job, and cover a testimony of a believer they directly help through this ministry, if possible. The purpose of this is to mobilize more laborers to come to Japan. In the Philippines, we have small groups that meet weekly (regularly). However, here in Japan, it’s totally different. I think it’s the same for other countries as well, like South Korea and the UK. There is discipleship, yes, but most discipleship happens in a big group or at home.  So ministries like this are crucial. For most Japanese, this is the most discipleship and godly counseling they would get. Side Note: The believers, obviously, still can contact and connect with an elder when they have struggles or questions.  Capturing the Front Liners Holding a camera, which I will write about in a different blog is already a blessing. Seeing ministries in action, in a dry ground like Japan, is more than just a “blessing”. When I find the word for it, I’ll let you know. And filming them to show the world the work is the biggest blessing. When I said the Lord answered my prayer to see His Kingdom, what I meant by that is God put me where His work is! Where He’s building His kingdom. For the past few weeks, I traveled to different parts of the Kanto region to visit, get to know the missionaries and understand their ministry. I saw the people they disciple, the churches they partner with, the communities they build, and the unreached they reach out to. I saw how God loves these people and the nation, which I used to dislike a lot for so many reasons, through the missionaries he called. I heard different testimonies of Japanese people converting to Christianity and knowing more about God through these ministries. KGK Ministry KGK is short for “Kirisutosha Gakusei Kai”, which translates to “Fellowship of Christian Students”. I met with Kelly, an OMF Missionary partnering with KGK as a KGK staff. She’s the first missionary and this is the first ministry I filmed.  She shared some of the challenges of student Christians in Japan, Christianity in Japan as a general, and a bit about challenges as a long-term missionary. Before the day I took this photo, I hadn’t met one Japanese student who was a Christian. In the churches I’ve been to, Osaka and Tokyo, there was not one person who’s between the ages of 15 and 25. Most churches have members who are 30 years old and up, and most have their own families already. The rest are the kids and toddlers. So seeing all of them almost made me tear up. This is just one group of KGK in Tokyo. Three students shared their testimonies of faith and how KGK helped them in their walk with God. Filming this ministry encouraged me that the next generation of leaders and Christians in Japan are pure, holy, and faithful. Their quiet spirit, gentle worship, and joyful fellowship are all a testament of God’s work in Japan. Here’s a quick read about this ministry and the missionary’s prayer requests. Church Planting AJ is not the first church planter I talked to in Tokyo. I’ve met several church planters in OMF Office who shared with me how the Lord is actively moving in their communities, and comparing to decades ago, they commented that the church is growing faster today. However, this is the first actual Japanese church service I attended. I had to use a Google translate to understand the preaching. In the past, I only attended international churches so there’s always a translator. AJ and their team builds community from scratch. They are currently in the early stages to plant a church in a nearby town where there is no evangelical church yet. So, they are doing prayer walks, sourcing for a place to build a community, and equipping those who will be part of the ministry. We also interviewed Eriko, a member of Hatogaya Evangelical Church, who’s helping AJ with church planting ministry. AJ wrote a few blogs for OMF recently and I loved reading them! Expect to be humbled and Language learning is ministry. Homeless Ministry I’ve already said this statement more times than I can count, “I love this ministry”. This is one of the ministries I’m involved in.  My main work, though, is in social media which is a “support ministry”. Homeless ministry is one of the main ministries where we evangelize directly to Japanese people and preach the gospel. We’d gather Thursday nights, buy and pack foods, and pray together before going to two locations in Ikebukuro. I also went to one Monday sidewalk chapel and another every Saturday. Every Thursday, a volunteer shares a testimony, a leader preaches the gospel, everyone prays, and we’ll give out food and some other necessities if available. Over the couple of weeks, we’ve passed out bento meals, noodles, big mac, breads, warmers, scarves and gloves, and more. We also hand out pamphlets with bible passage of the preaching and the weather/temperature for the upcoming week. We would fill the bags with foods that will just be enough for the homeless to get through the night. These are nothing compared to what a salaried person would have on a Thursday night but if you are without home, this one pack of food and necessities would mean the world to you. 2 weeks ago, this ministry’s founder preached about baptism. They were given a chance to decide if they want to live for Christ, finally. Please pray that they will finally decide to follow Jesus wholeheartedly. Returnees Ministry The first time I talked to Liz, I was already moved by how much she loves people. Her ministry is mainly focused on relationships. Well, technically all ministries are focused on building relationships — with one another and with Christ. Returnees are people who lived abroad for several years, could be for university, job, family, etc and have returned to Japan. These people return as a different person and, of course, have a hard time trying to fit in. Some of them, as Liz mentioned, would go back to the country they went to because they just couldn’t take the difference.  Some of these returnees are believers, some of them are not. For believers, Liz and the ministry would help connect with a Gospel-centered church and hold hands with them as they try to transition and settle in Japan again. They have online and offline meetings, some with Bible studies, cafes, and more. Sometimes Liz would go to church with the returnees to help them adjust. You can just imagine how much energy Liz and the team needs to have to accommodate all these people. I remember her saying that the active Japanese Christians in the ministry are about 20 or 40? I’m not so sure. Nonetheless, I salute the Returnees Ministry in their service. Blessed to Bless And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Genesis 12:2-3 I always hear this phrase in our church, we were blessed to bless. Personally, I find that this phrase is focused on the “to bless”. But one day, a friend told me this: “We are not here to bless, we are here to BE blessed.” We often think that blessings come from us. It does not. If we look at the verse, the Lord blessed Abraham and because of that Abraham became a blessing. It is also mentioned that it is God who will bless those who bless him. This mission trip taught me that I should not focus on becoming a blessing. I have been blessed by these ministries and by the grace of God, they thanked me because they said they were also blessed! I can only trust God that these films would bless many people and nations. For Him and His glory.

Coming from the Philippines, I’m used to a festive, loud, and bright New Year holiday. I grew up welcoming the year with fireworks, dozens of fruits, prepared meals that would feed us for a week (like maaanyyy delicious, tasty foods), and lots of jumping and shouting. When I experienced Christmas Eve a few nights back, I knew New Year’s Eve would also be quiet. It was quiet, yes. But it was fun and more than what I prayed for. I enjoyed the whole evening with missionaries here in Japan. Game Night x Fellowship We spent the evening in each other’s company. We ate Bento for dinner and had a good time chatting about 2024 and 2025. Some are in the midst of transition, some are preparing for a new season, some are settling down, and some are just floating. It is so cool to see how we are on the same journey but facing different seasons. God is faithful in each of those. The majority of our fellowship was spent playing different games, at least for them. 😀 When I go back to the Philippines, I’ll carry this newfound hobby with friends. We don’t often play games there, aside from Uno, so it would be cool to introduce new ones! Praise and Worship I am so glad that Eugene and Kangsan went to the fellowship! Eugene is a worship leader and Kangsan is good with piano, guitar, and beatbox (or cajon, as they call it here :p). I joined in singing praise and worship songs after playing my 2nd game. They taught me how to do basic cajon and hopefully I caught up with their singing. They didn’t say anything so I’m hoping it was okay! Haha. My favorite part of the night was when we did the countdown together in a circle and greeted each other a Happy New Year. We ended the night with a praiseful prayer and singing a song to Jesus. God is a faithful God. Japanese Tradition You might be wondering what the usual Japanese would do on New Year’s Eve. There’s no fireworks here, unlike other countries. Japanese people would usually go to shrines or temples at midnight. They’ll ring the bells for good luck and say a quick prayer to their gods. We prayed for them as we walked back home. It was spiritually heavy as we walked through these shrines, but all good. God will save Japan. Japan is in God’s hands and He will call all His lost sheep here back to His presence. Catching The First Sunrise I wanted to write a different blog about this but because I only got 3 hours of sleep to catch the first sunrise, I just slept after the video below. Japan is called the Land of the Rising Sun for a reason. This is the best sunrise I’ve seen in my life. What a sight to behold. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rachel ✨ (@wprachel)

Spending my first Christmas Eve as a missionary was lonelier than I anticipated. Though I love being surrounded by my family and communities, I enjoy solitude very much. I’ve lived independently from my family for several years, so I assumed that though Christmas might be sadder than usual, I wouldn’t feel lonely.  In the Philippines, we usually spend the 24th with our families. The whole day is spent preparing food for Christmas Eve, listening to and singing Christmas songs, and just enjoying the company of being together. If you have experienced Christmas in the Philippines, you’ll know that it’s so different from any other place in the world.  We also have so many songs about Christmas! And I thought of playing some while working on a project when it finally hit me. I’m away from my family. The songs, rather than helping me stay in touch with my culture, made me feel so far from them. It was the first time I truly understood the meaning of “homesick”. I’m glad that I have a friend who comforted me through Facetime. Thank you, Anj! I wondered why God would call me to serve in Japan during these months, especially since there will be a lot of events in our church and my family. My elder sister’s baby shower will also be next month. Indeed, being a missionary would mean missing the pleasures in this world for a greater calling. 🙂 I attended a candle service and sang Christmas songs with my receiving church. It was the first time I did it in my life. I thought it would be a good Christmas culture to build for my future family – singing Christmas carols together and playing the piano! Meditating on the night Jesus Christ was born. I also wanted to bake a cake that night for Christmas Eve as a part of that culture but it was moved to the next day due to the time being late already. I had a quick dinner together with my churchmates at Burger King. It was also my first time meeting and discussing with them outside of church. Then I traveled back home– used the train and walked in a very cold night humming “Silent Night”.  Japan doesn’t celebrate Christmas as a nation. They’re a Buddhist country. So unlike the Philippines, there are almost no Christmas trees, lights, or “songs” in public. The only things that give the Christmas vibes are the cold weather and the Christian homes I got invited into. 🙂 The first Christmas Eve was also cold, distant (from family and friends), and most likely silent after Mary gave birth to Jesus. It was an ordinary day made holy because of the birth of our Lord. Someday, the whole of Japan will spend Christmas remembering the birth of Jesus Christ too. I spent the midnight with my housemate. We watched the movie “Journey to Bethlehem” and lit a candle for Christmas. Thank you, Meg! The 25th Christmas Day was perfect. I can’t even explain how great this day was. The weather, the worship time I had in the morning, the smell of the cake I baked, the laughter and conversations with missionaries, the games we played together, the delicious lunch, and the walk through the river and Edogawa. This day was so perfect.  There were only several times that I truly felt like I belonged somewhere. (With TakeNote, Shield Department, clowns, etc.) I always feel out of place in most groups that I’m part of. Always trying to blend in, to understand, and be understood. The only times I felt like I belonged were with the people who loved me wholeheartedly and with whom I could truly be myself.  Today, I realized the same thing. I can be truly myself without the fear of being judged, criticized, dismissed, or laughed at. I felt like I belonged. I am loved. Like I am exactly in the right place. It is bittersweet to write about this now. Haha. Yesterday, I missed my family the whole time but today, I am just so grateful for these blessings. Even though I am surrounded by people I only met this month, I have never blended in so much better in my life. Like I fit in, the whole Rachel, all my weirdness and joyfulness, just fit in. I can’t explain it in words but I’m just so blessed to be surrounded by people with the same calling and passion for Jesus and working for His Kingdom in Japan. Janet and Peter invited us to spend the day with them. We had turkey (my first time eating one!) and loads of amazing foods, drinks, and desserts! We all have different ministries in Japan but we’re all on a mission to spread His light and love here.  The first time I had dinner with a missionary family, I already observed how different it was. There is no gossip and no judgments towards anyone in and out of the group. Conversations are filled with love, encouragement, and building up of one another. Having lunch with another missionary family and other missionaries, it is the same if not better. We also spent time to walk through the river, tour around Edogawa, play games, and learn origami! I love Janet, our host today, as she sees the beauty in little things. Her creativity is also reflected in the beauty of their apartment! To be a missionary means we have no permanent “place”. We come and go as the Lord calls us. We can only make the most out of where we are and be faithful. Encouragement When we follow the Lord, it often means that we have to leave things behind. Some temporarily, some permanently. Some are very important, some are of no value. Most of the time though, it will hurt. We will miss a lot of special events and of course, our families and friends.  It is never easy to follow the Lord. But one thing is for sure, it will be the most fulfilling and satisfying journey. God will fill in what we have to leave behind with something greater – His presence. Happy Holidays, friends! Baked a cake for Christmas Day! 🙂

It’s awesome that as we do missions for Him, He also does His mission in us. First day in Tokyo was not quite anything I expected. However, that is also to be expected because the life of a missionary is always unusual compared to others.  I rode the night bus from Umeda, Osaka to Shinjuku , Tokyo, then rode the train from Tokyo to the place where I will meet with Kanto Serve Asia Coordinator, Maam Susan. The morning before I met Maam Susan was full of tears. Reading my best friend’s letter, asking God for sufficient support, and faithing that the Lord will never leave me. Coming to Tokyo always feels different. I’m not nervous per see, but it’s the mixed emotions of entering a foreign land with no family, no backups, no friends, no nothing. Just God. Walking from Shinjuku to the nearest McDonalds, carrying a large luggage, a heavy backpack, two bags, and while wearing the largest coat I have. It was like entering the land of the unknown. Lord, You are here. Lord, please take care of me. Lord, I want to hear Your voice. Lord, it’s very cold. Lord, what do you want me to do now? Lord, will ****** send support today? My mind ran with thoughts of calling to God. For His presence, assurance, and help. He cannot leave me this time around because there are already too many people involved. He cannot not deliver because there are too many risks already. “Lord, please be with me.” I did my morning devotion in a McDonalds restaurant (bless McDo, can’t count how many I’ve done in this company). I read Proverbs which made me think that I look like a fool coming here, but I heard the gentle rebuke of the Lord “Do not condemn yourself. Keep reading.” Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his way crooked will be found out. Proverbs 10:9 Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. Leave your simple ways, and live, and walk in the way of insight. Proverbs 9:5-6 One verse tells us that we have in us a Spirit that is wiser than Solomon. As we live for Him and His word, we continue to walk in the way of His insight. At first, it seemed like I didn’t have wisdom when I went here to Tokyo with nothing on my hands. But God, He makes us righteous. As I tried to hold back my tears (spoiler: I failed) while reading the Bible in the corner of McDonalds, I saw a man who only ordered a coffee and carrying a lot of bags like me. He was looking at me, probably wondering why I didn’t eat my order and just reading this large Bible. I figured he was probably homeless so I gave him some of the foods my auntie packed for me. He was very thankful. Then when I went back to my seat, long highlighted on my Bible, my eyes read Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. Proverbs 11:25 This is God’s answer. Holding the assurance that God will bless me. He will bless His children. Meeting OMF I ate my breakfast and quickly packed my things after receiving His word. His word is my life. Going to Ichikawa was bliss, thankful to my Auntie who helped me pack my belongings so it’s not as heavy compared to when I went to Osaka. Then finally, I met my coordinator Maam Susan. She is very warm, sweet, and joyful. You could see how the Lord uses her presence to bless other people. From the time she welcomed me, I already felt safe and at peace. “Finally” was the first thing she said to me! Like she’s also been waiting for me too! As of writing this email, Maam Wendy, social media team, and other OMF staff also welcomed me with “Finally!”. It really does feel nice to be waited on. We talked about our faith, our journey with the Lord, and of course OMF. We also talked about our families and ministries. Then, she showed me around Ichikawa, how to go to my shared house, and where I could buy groceries. She also helped me move in and carry my things through very steep stairs! My room is on the 3rd floor and my luggage weighed about 25kgs! She also signed the contract with me to the SharedHouse. Thank you Maam Susan for all your help! For the detergent, blanket, and socks! Then we went to the OMF Office. I wish I wasn’t so shy to take more photos! But since it is only my first day and first time here, it is nice to be sensitive. Besides, I have more time later to take as many videos and photos as I need. OMF staff welcomed me so warmly. Full of wonderful people who are beaming with His light. Some staff are shy also but they all look so friendly! Another thing that the Lord showed me since coming to Japan is marriage. Healthy ones. I grew up in a broken family and surrounded by broken marriages (no respect for husband or wife, parents, siblings betrayal, unforgiveness, and more). From airplane to OMF, the Lord opened my eyes to married people around me. Also peaceful family. OMF is full of married couples. Most staff are married missionaries which gave me a bit of hope that I’ll also marry a man who has the same faith and mission as mine. The Lord showed me through these people, even if the encounters are only short, that I don’t have to be afraid to get married someday. As long as I choose the right man, and I continue to walk with Him, I will have a happy and healthy family. Fellowship Going back to the mission, the first afternoon was spent in fellowship with other Serve Asia workers. There were some from the US, America, Germany, and South Korea. It was a blessing to get to know them, their heart, and their journey. (Again, I wish I took a photo 🙁 but on our next fellowship, I will be bold to ask!) The servings were quite larger than we thought! After the fellowship, I was invited to dinner by A. and Meg. We went to get Katsudon. We talked about how the Lord called us to Japan, how we became believers, and what our ministries are. Back in the Philippines, although I have many Christian friends, we differ in our callings. Some have calling specifically for women, some for youth, some for laborers/workers, some for their workmates, some for kids, and some for the homeless. All of our calling leads to loving and winning the lost. Here in Japan, getting to know the members, staff, and other Serve Asia workers, it is reassuring that other people are also called to the same mission as I was called – to advance His kingdom in Japan. That could look like church planting, caring for other missionaries, mobilizing more laborers, reaching out to students and communities, cleaning/managing guest houses, etc. However different our ministries are, it’s cool that we work as one body of Christ. I am really glad that God led me to OMF. Aside from finances, my #1 worry was that I would be alone and lonely in Japan. I have a solid community and family in the Philippines and leaving them for a few months was a mental challenge I had to go through. I felt so alone and lonely walking to the McDonalds on my first morning and I slept yesterday (third night) with a heart so full. Of love, warmth, and great community. Meg, my housemate said as she prayed for me last night, “that she would realize how big of a family she has in Your kingdom.” That is so true. I already got invited to 3 dinners, Christmas lunch, and more whilst only being here for 3 days. Very very grateful to my housemate Meg who’s like an older sister to me. She always checks on how I’m doing and feeling! End Note I’m writing this Thursday afternoon. Tuesday was my orientation and planning day. Wednesday was Social Media Day where I met with my host, Wendy-san, my first day of work, and helped Michi-san with packing magazines. I spent my dinner with Kezia’s family – the first time spending time with a British family and entering a Japanese house aside from my family’s and my shared house. Today, Thursday is my second day of actual work – doing a social media plan and later I will help with the homeless ministry. I titled this “Firsts in the Field” because everything that happened to me since Monday was firsts. First mission trip as an actual worker, my first time in Chiba, first time meeting a lot of people from different parts of the world with the same calling, my first time spending an evening with field missionaries, my first time in a new bed with a new room, new people around me, and later, it’ll be my first time helping the homeless ministry in Japan. OMF was so kind to me saying I don’t have to do it “all” during my first week especially since I’m transitioning. To give grace to myself. That’s true and I didn’t realize that. I wanted to do loads of things right away but I have to make sure that I also take care of the body I’m using for His glory. There are so many new feelings I’m getting used to – the quietness (it’s very noisy from where I came from), the smell, the weather, the clothes, the environment. So many new things and new firsts. The first few days were very taxing. I believe my body’s still recovering as I write this. My day off won’t be until Saturday so I have to make sure that I still get to enjoy everyday even if I’m running at a maximum of 60% 🙂 Thank you, Jesus, for all of these. Thank you again for calling me. As much as this is for other people in Japan (both missionaries and Japanese people), You also called me to mature, sanctify, and disciple me. Thank you, Jesus!

Ten months have passed, but walking in the streets of Japan felt like a familiar routine from yesterday. The air in Osaka is crisp, cold, and oddly refreshing this December. This is my second winter doing a mission for Japan. Earlier, I wondered why that was. The last time I visited was last January-February. It was a personal walk with the Lord. From that time until last week, it was a tug of war between trusting in the Lord’s plan and taking control of His plan regarding the call to go to Japan. Of course, the Lord wanted me to do the former — it is much more beneficial for me too. I’d only have to wait, relax where I’m at, and pray. My plans were the opposite— I wanted to go right away and I wanted to work for His call. Guess what I did? Stupidly, the latter. Even though the Lord didn’t grant me peace and assured me hundreds of times that I did not need it, I applied to a Japanese company to get a long-term visa.  As a Filipino, the maximum number of days I can stay in Japan is only 30. There is no way I can be an effective and fruitful full-time missionary when I am forced to go back to the Philippines every 30 days. So, I applied to a Japanese company to get a working visa that would allow me to stay for a year or more. Getting that visa made the most sense to me at that time. God didn’t approve of it. He wanted me to wait and relax where I’m at because He wanted to work on me. I guess God wants us seated so our hearts are in the right position to be molded by Him, to make them better. That makes sense to me now. How can a parent put clothes on a toddler who keeps running and playing? God wanted me to sit at His feet so He could remove all the dirt of the past, teach me His rightful ways, and sometimes, tell me a secret. Fast forward – My plan didn’t turn out great. Instead of achieving more, I achieved less. Less time for my business, my family, and my ministry in the Philippines. It was at that time (April) that everything felt like crumbling in my life. I started to become emotionally, mentally, and spiritually weak. The energy and sunshine that I usually have toned down dramatically. The shine in my eyes vanished. All because of that one single compromise. Which when I dug deeper was so much more than just disobedience.  It was also pride (of my skills and thinking my ways are better than His), envy (of my colleagues who excel in corporate work), and impatience (of His timing and wanting things in a snap). After one of my friends (Pat) snapped me to reality, I resigned the next day. I remember her words saying “I saw you in the worst years of your life and your smile never went away. How come just because of this you can’t smile anymore? You know that this is not for you. Email your supervisor right away and resign.”. Shout out also to Janny who encouraged me throughout the time I was with the corporate company and in the process of resigning. So, I never rushed again after that. Haha. Funny looking back at it now but those months really drained me spiritually.  From then on, I trusted God and His ways. Not my ways. I also started longer days of abstaining to spend more time with Him. Each fasting was different — no social media, no going out, no talking with certain people that I was really close with, no food, consistent early morning prayers, midnight prayers, etc. The entirety of June – October was filled with those abstaining and only seeking Him. In between these struggles, OMF Philippines and I kept in touch. OMF is a mission agency that places missionaries in different ministries in the world that need the gospel. They have a program called Serve Asia that caters to people who have a desire to be a missionary. This program doesn’t have a salary.  Around June, my PH Coordinator, Maam Jing, sent me a link to OMF’s Serve Asia Opportunity: Social Media. I sent an application right away. How could I not? Even if this position doesn’t have a salary, I have all of the qualifications required and responsibilities mentioned. My first interaction with OMF was last year, in November, when I sent an application for “Homeless Ministry”. They mentioned in the past that for long term missions, the preparation is also long — 1 year minimum. My 2023 brain couldn’t comprehend how I could wait for that long when the Lord’s call to Japan was so powerful. I misinterpreted “real and powerful” with “very urgent”. I had to learn this year that even if the calling is strong, the Lord has a proper order of His plans.  And so He showed me. I think that’s a prerequisite. Because of those impatient thoughts, OMF was not included in my initial plan when doing missions in Japan. My options were 1.) Be hired to obtain a working visa 2.) Enroll in Awakening Asia for a year and continue my business 3.) Establish a business in Japan — Business as mission God’s plan was entirely different. In August 2024, when OMF PH referred me to be placed to OMF JP, they placed a restriction. I can’t work while in Japan. That meant that I would have no part-time, no ARA, and no means to finance myself during the trip. The thought of not getting a salary was already a challenge to me, but topping it with a restriction of not being able to finance myself, the call suddenly became a huge challenge. I stepped back and sought the Lord regarding the matter. Lo and behold, God showed me the story of Pharaoh and Israelites, the five loaves and two fishes, and walking on water.  Satan wants us to work and work while God wants us to relax and just trust in Him. There’ll be still an action but that action is to follow Him. Not to strive, not to work myself to death, not to save up money — the work is to follow Him. So I did. From August to October, OMF JP and I kept in touch. The more I speak with them, the more the Lord confirms that this is the right path for me. Aside from social media, I will also be placed in homeless outreach (which I already do in the Philippines), Cafe Outreach (again, what I already do in the Philippines), and helping in Church ministry (again, which I also already do). However, the problem of having no funds is still present. From the time I got the word that work was not allowed, I started to cancel the contracts of ARA (ARA Digital Services is my business). At that time, my first thought was to sell the condo… there could be no other way to get the funds except to sell the condo. Besides, there was also a call to “sell everything you have then come, follow me”. I was waiting on the Lord — for funds, to be specific. OMF already sent me all the requirements to submit my visa. But I was waiting. “No way I will go to Japan with nothing, no way Lord.” Those were my thoughts to God during that time.  The first plan is to go to Japan by the end of August, but the buyer of the condo got delayed. Then September came, and OMF had other transitions going on. Then October came, and OMF and Destiny met. I already have the requirements by this time, except for the money. By November, the Lord spoke to me that I don’t need a boat to go. God was referring to “money”. I don’t need money to go. I couldnt understand. There’s a budget I need for me to go to Japan, stay at an accommodation, buy flight tickets, transportation, food, and more. Remember, I stopped accepting clients starting in September. My cash flow started to get smaller and smaller, and my savings thinner and thinner.  There’s just no way. I still obeyed though. I already had all the requirements for the embassy anyway. So I submitted my requirements even without enough funds to cover my trip to Japan. A few weeks later, the agency where I submitted my requirements called me. I went to get my result the next day. My visa got approved. I was allowed to stay in Japan for 90 days, a business visa, which allows me to extend it to 180 days if necessary. I am in Japan now as of writing this email, on my way to Tokyo from Osaka. The condo is still not yet sold, I still don’t have the complete funds, and my 1 remaining project is still in the process of offboarding. However, I have been provided for in numerous ways I didn’t expect. The provision started when I took the first step of faith, by the help of Linh too which I’ll also write in a different blog. The Lord is showering me with so much of His goodness and faithfulness. One of the bonuses that Jesus gave me is the warmth of Japanese towards me. It’s only been 24 hours since I stepped on Japan but I already interacted with about 10 Japanese. This has never happened to me in the past. Might be because Osakan are really friendly or might be because I just look excited to them. The visa was only approved for a maximum stay of 6 months but knowing that this, exactly this, is what God planned for me gives me the confidence that God is doing something far greater for my journey as a missionary. More than I can ever plan, imagine, and work for.  God is great. Jesus is faithful.