Yuri Goes to America (Part One)

"I had a dream of Jesus and that very moment I decided to follow Him."

University entrance exams in Japan are challenging, and when I failed to qualify for the school I hoped to attend, I applied to a Christian university. The required Bible class was my very first introduction to Scripture. My friends and I were not interested in the subject but we studied just to get a good grade. My major was English, so I applied for an exchange program and received a scholarship to study in the United States.

I imagined America as a place of large modern cities like New York and Los Angeles but my program sent me to Arkansas. I expected to have a dreamy American life. Instead my life spiraled downward in a total loss of confidence. I had extreme culture shock. My English was not good enough to understand the people around me. They did things I didn’t understand. One of those confusing things was mealtime prayers. I was invited to pray with them. When they asked me, “What do you believe, Yuri?” I answered, “I just believe in myself.”

My best friend who spoke Japanese invited me to a Sunday church service. I was confused, and couldn’t follow what was happening. In Japan it is not common to talk about what you believe, so I was uncomfortable with people praying out loud around me. I broke down in tears and asked my friend in Japanese what was happening. She explained how God sent Jesus to this world. The experience stirred curiosity within me.

One night in my dorm room I had a dream of Jesus surrounded by a bright light. At that moment I made the decision to believe in Jesus and follow Him.

[Part Two next month!]