From Garrett Inouye:
My
heart broke for Japan on a train in Tokyo. I was on an missions trip
the summer of 2005, and as I was looking around at the other passengers, I
felt God open my heart. He revealed that beyond the technology, fancy
clothing, and apparent wealth, Japan was a land that was longing for the
Gospel. And that most likely my team and me were the only Christians on
the train.
However, my initial reaction wasn't to embrace this
feeling, rather it started an internal struggle between God and me. To
be honest, at the time I really didn't like Japan. I thought it was hot,
humid, smelly, small, and there wasn't enough food. I missed southern
California with our sunny skies, perfect temperature, and free refills
at McDonalds. It also didn't help that every missionary I was talking to
mentioned that ministry in Japan required long-term commitment. But
God's call is a gift and His way is grace.
One night while I was
internally wrestling with God, our team went to a prayer chapel. I
figured that since this was a house of God, I would tell him to give me
clear direction or I would choose to reject a calling to Japan. So I
said, "God, if you want me here long term, speak to my emotions!" Then I
sat and waited for God to make something happen in my heart… After 30
minutes nothing happened, so I said, "God, if you want me her long term,
speak to my mind! Give me a vision or something like that!" I sat and
waited for another 30 minutes and nothing came to my mind. Frustrated,
but also maybe a little relieved that God hadn't said "Go", I said,
"God! If you want me here long term, speak to me in an audible voice!"
And as I waited I listened as hard as I could! Slowly a whisper began to
emerge from the silence, and it got louder and louder. My heart began
to beat really fast because I was hearing "God's voice", but then I
realized it was just the man seated behind me whispering his prayers. At
that point I just gave up and told God, if he wanted me to minister in
Japan long term then that he had to confirm it before the end of the
night.
Well later that night I had dinner with a group of
friends. One of them told me that a missionary we both knew felt like
God was calling me to missions in Japan for longer than 1 year. It was
at that moment that God answered my prayer and confirmed my calling to
Japan. I no longer had any reason to doubt, and I accepted the call to
Japan.
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