Hannah | Tokyo, Japan

In 2023 a group of students on a StuMo summer team trip to Tokyo, Japan met a friend named Hannah and introduced her to a StuMo staff member named Christi. Soon after, Hannah quickly became Christi’s closest Japanese friend. Early on in their friendship, Hannah showed a lot of spiritual interest. Christi learned that Hannah’s dad is a Christian, a surprising discovery considering Japan is less than 1% Christian. As Hannah and Christi started spending time together, she asked many questions about Christi’s life and belief in Jesus. Because of her curiosity, she was willing to start reading the Bible. As time passed, God was drawing Hannah to Himself. She got her own Bible and started reading on her own, and she began attending StuMo’s church with her dad each Sunday. Hannah and Christi continued to spend time together weekly, often reading the Bible or discussing various topics related to God and the Bible.

One day Christi and Hannah met to have lunch and read the Bible together between Hannah’s classes, something they did almost weekly at this point. Matthew 14:22-23 about Jesus calling Peter out onto the water.

On May 23rd, 2024, Hannah chose to give her life to Christ! That day, Hannah and Christi met at her university to eat lunch and read the Bible between her classes. As they discussed Hannah said, “I want to become a Christian; I just don’t think I know the Bible well enough to be one yet. I thought I had to know the whole Bible well before I can become a Christian — like I need to be qualified.” Christi explained to her that everyone is unqualified, but Jesus’ perfect life makes us qualified. Hannah smiled in disbelief, sat there for a minute processing, and said,

“I want to become a Christian. Can I do that anywhere? Is here, right now, okay?”

With teary eyes, Christi told her she can make that decision anytime, anywhere, whenever she’s ready. Hannah replied, “I am ready- I’ve been feeling like I want to this whole time.” They read Romans 10:9- 10 for the next few minutes and then prayed together. “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” When Hannah finished praying, she smiled and said, “I feel amazing right now; this is the best feeling.” Afterward, she thanked Christi for teaching her about Jesus and helping her understand the Bible. She said, “I think it’s so rare that I met you and get to have a Christian as a best friend. I feel so grateful.”

A few weeks after Hannah’s decision, she chose to get baptized at church to publicly profess her new faith in Christ. She is the first Japanese believer to be baptized into our church. Praise God for Hannah’s salvation - He deserves all the glory!