How an acorn grew into an oak

During a recent trip to Tokyo, I prayed for divine appointments. God certainly came through and surprised me. It seemed as if a curtain had been lifted so that I could look back through time and see how God worked to strengthen a new believer through the cords of human kindness. Small acts of friendship, the word of God, and prayers mixed with the faith of believers had blossomed into great fruit and friendship.

I invite you to travel with me and see how God used a simple invitation to create one connection that would lead to other key relationships which helped a new believer to grow.

Seeds were planted

This story began when Ping was 14 years old. She attended a summer English camp in China. There, she asked one American teacher what would happen on doomsday, sensing they were Christians and would tell her more. The teacher met her afterwards to answer her question. These brothers and sisters strategically used their gifting as teachers to plant seeds in the hearts of young students.

The seeds fell on good ground

Ping nurtured and cherished the seeds of faith planted in her heart. She made her way to Japan and was baptized at a church in Kyoto in 2006. Ping prayed for her faith to grow and others did the same.

Seeds continued to grow

Ping enrolled at a university in Kyoto, and there a friendship started. Erika, a loving, courageous, and almost blind student from Honduras, invited Ping to International Night. This was a monthly home gathering, hosted by Paul and his wife Rickie, missionaries from the US. Thanks to the hard work of another missionary family, connected with Osaka Bible Seminary, this house was built around 1951. Could they have ever imagined that someone would come after them and transform their plain, concrete basement into a beautiful Japanese living room still used 70 years later as a place of outreach?

International Nights started with games so people could have fun and get to know each other. Then Rickie, like Betty Crocker, would “bake everyone happy” with homemade sweets such as cookies or brownies, and people would mingle. Lastly, Paul led a time of worship followed by a gospel message.

It was at International Night that I met Ping, just a few times. Ping also met Kim, a teacher. This sparked the discovery that Kim and Ping had both participated in English camps in China, the same summer, the same program, but at different locations. This common bond was a real encouragement to both women.

International Night provided a warm family atmosphere with people of all ages and backgrounds. There were children, singles, and married people from different nationalities. Everyone’s faith was nurtured through these times of fun, fellowship, and hearing God’s Word.

On to a new city

Ping moved to Tokyo for a job in 2017. She remembered Melanie from International Night. By divine providence, Melanie had gotten married and moved from Osaka to Tokyo as well. She was there when Ping needed a friend. Naturally, Ping was led to join the church Melanie attended. She enjoyed the fellowship for several years at the church and with several International Night friends who had also moved to Tokyo.

Dry times

After experiencing a long season of spiritual dryness, Ping wished to join a prayer group where she could get refreshed. After much prayer, she bravely transferred to a new church. However, everything was online due to the pandemic. Ping looked forward to the online prayer group but still questioned God. Why had she been led to step out in faith when there were few in-person gatherings?

Streams in the desert

Around the same time, I too decided to keep walking by faith and not by sight. I was led to resume my annual fellowship trip to Kanto, after being on pandemic pause for two years. Nurturing my soul through friendship became a priority again.

I pressed on to meet my friend Lisa at her church. While planning, we decided to be open to inviting others for our lunch at a restaurant after church, in case God put anyone on our hearts. At church, I was prompted to welcome the woman sitting a few feet behind me. A few minutes later this woman came and asked if about ten years ago I happened to be a friend of Kim in Osaka. I replied, “Yes, but why?” She said she remembered me from International Night! I wondered, Could this be Ping? Ping from long ago? Yes, indeed it was her! Hallelujah! Our souls rejoiced greatly in this amazing rendezvous led by the Holy Spirit. As both Ping and I took new steps, God had given us the desire of our heart—fellowship which led to spiritual refreshment.

Joy and strength through fellowship

A few minutes later Lisa arrived. I was all excited to tell her about an acquaintance from Osaka who had wondrously shown up at this church. This was about 300 miles from where Ping and I originally met. As I started to introduce her, Lisa burst into laughter and said that Ping was in her Zoom prayer group. This connection was also a great answer to prayer for both sisters as they longed to meet in person somehow. Immediately Lisa and I realized that this was the person we were to invite to lunch.

So the three of us and another sister had lunch together. Like a detective with a magnifying glass, I listened intently as Ping revealed the divine connections of the past 14 years, since we last met. We broke out laughing from time to time as we heard amazing details of how God faithfully led her. The waitress had to ask us to quiet down, but it was all we could do to contain ourselves.

Fulfillment after many years

Ping went on to tell us that God granted her a full-time position at a university where she has opportunity to impact staff as well as her students. Granted permanent residency, she has decided to make Japan her home.

The little seed planted a couple of decades ago has grown into an oak of righteousness. As 1 Corinthians 3:6 says, some water and some plant, but it is God who makes it grow. Joy was bursting from my heart, and it was multiplied as I shared this story with Erika, Kim, Melanie, Paul, Rickie, and others. Our joy was made complete, knowing how Ping was walking in the light.

Usually, we are not able to see what happens to random seeds we have a part in cultivating, but in this case, I was granted the privilege of seeing how they came to fruition. Many of you readers are missionaries and English teachers, and everyone is planting seeds. I hope that this story will empower you to keep planting and nurturing the seeds God has given you. If we keep doing the right thing long enough there will be results. All glory goes to our Lord Jesus Christ!