She confessed that for a couple of years in junior high school, she became very worried and nervous, trying to be like her friends, fearful of being different and getting criticised  at school. She was trying so hard to fit in and be like her friends, that she became very depressed she didn’t know what to do. She was not getting along well with her parents, even though her father is a pastor. She didn’t like it that her father was a pastor, and she couldn’t understand why he cried so much when he talked about God’s love, or about how much the Japanese need to know God’s love!!

Emotionally, she was going down, down, down, until it came to a point where she decided she could not go to school anymore. She dropped out. She tried to study at home, but was still having a very hard time.

Her parents didn’t know what to do except to pray and ask God for His help! We were all praying so much for her. Her story is too common here in Japan. In fact, many Japanese young people go through problems that are even much worse than hers. So many even become complete shut-ins for years, not able to even leave their house or bedroom–not to speak about the increasing suicidal rate among Japanese teenagers, which is becoming one of the highest in the world.

We invited her to go to a Christian youth camp in a different location in Japan, with kids from several different churches. It was there that she felt God’s love in such an extreme way, she was enveloped in tears! She came back a different girl, finally realizing that she had become just like her dad–very emotional about God’s love! She even cried about her friends who don’t know God’s love! Many of them also have deep emotional and physical problems. She decided she didn’t care any more what others thought–she only wanted to make God happy!

She surprised everybody one day when she decided she wanted to go back to school! Everyone could see a new Mayumi!! And they liked her! Instead of copying her friends, she became an example to them.

God sent Debbie here just at the right time, to disciple and strengthen her in her faith. (Debbie, daughter of PAZ Directors Jeff and Becky Hrubik, was here for a year as a missionary with our new youth church, the Fuse Jesus Community.)

On Mother’s Day this year, Mayumi went to buy roses for her mother, which is something her friends never ever did, but instead of being shy about it, she boldly told them how much she loved her mother!! And guess what, for the first time in their lives, they went out and bought flowers for their moms too!! God is using her in different ways to show His love to her friends.

Her most exciting news is that she took a friend to camp this summer, and her friend believed in Jesus!! Now Mayumi has a Christian friend her own age! She wants to disciple her friend, just as she was discipled by Debbie!

Please pray for Mayumi and her friends, and for all the Japanese young people–that they might be set free by God’s amazing LOVE!!